Instant Pot Artichoke: Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Artichokes are tasty vegetable; however, they can be quite tricky to prepare. The thickness and perspective vegans have around them is not something everyone would understand. But guess what, chopping and cleaning artichokes is now a walk in the park thanks to the instant pot. In this guide we will be focusing on everything there is to know about Artichokes. Starting from its features to its benefits, methods of preparation, cleaning, tips and tricks to frequently asked questions. So, whether it's your first time or your tenth time, we are going to provide you all the info for you to enjoy the artichoke in significantly lesser time than usual.

What is an Artichoke?

Artichoke isn't a tough seed to handle. An artichoke is a type of thistle and the part of the plant that can be eaten is the flower bud. The buds are rather big and bright green and they are globular in shape. The nuts have a rather soft texture and have a distinctive nubby taste. They go really strong with meat dishes but are also great alone, blended in soups, or used in sauces.

Not only are artichokes highly delicious but they also have an array of health benefits. Some of which include high fiber content, minerals, vitamins, and abundant antioxidants. Artichokes are a great source of healthy nutrition, and anything requires balance – so eating artichokes is required in moderation.

Why Use an Instant Pot for Artichokes?

An artichoke is not a vegetable that can be simply boiled or steamed with little innovation. Actually, it is considered one of the hardest vegetables to deal with. So, most approaches would require boiling, steaming, or roasting, and let's be honest, these are quite time-consuming methods that take an hour or so. But now because of the availability of the Instant Pot these time-consuming methods are better managed. The use of a pressure cooker cuts back on the time required to enjoy artichokes bringing them to just 20-30 minutes.

Here are some reasons why the Instant Pot is a great tool for cooking artichokes:

• Faster Cooking Time: One of the biggest innovations brought through an Instant Pot is a dramatic change in timeframe required to steam artichokes, cutting it down to 20-30 minutes.

• Tender and Flavorful: Pressure cooking is nothing short of a miracle; it takes food and transforms it into a masterpiece via flavor infusion.

• Ease of Access: Once the artichoke is placed in the Instant Pot it can be left to do its work and no attention is needed.

• Complete Preservation: An instant pot provides opportunities to master vegetables whilst retaining their nutritional value as a result of critical minutes spared.

How to Prepare Artichokes for Cooking

There is a prep beforehand which is essential before the artichokes are cooked. It would be ineffective to not prepare the artichokes properly, so knowing a few steps will make it easy to properly cook every time.

Step 1: Wash the Artichoke

• The first step for preparing the artichoke will be washing the artichoke under a flow of cold water to get rid of any soil or debris left on it.

Step 2: Cut the Stem of the Artichoke

• The next step will be to cut the stem of the artichoke by leaving an area of around an inch. The reason we will leave approximately an inch of the stem is to help the artichoke stay vertical while we are preparing it in the Instant Pot so that it gets cooked uniformly.

Step 3: Cut The Head of the Artichoke

• The next step will be to cut off one inch from the top of the artichoke with the help of a sharp knife. By cutting the leave tips the outcome is removing the tough blades that generally add difficulty when trying to use the artichoke.

Step 4: Remove Outer Leaves

• Once the outer green leaves are cooked, you should only pull off thick green leaves because they are already blended into dark fibrous substances. And even again and again until only soft cross sections remain at the heart.

Step 5: Beautifying the Leaves

• Finally use kitchen scissor to snip off all the highlighted sharp tips on other leaves as well.

Step 6: Fiber the death choke (optional)

• Once the artichoke is done its cooking time, the fuzzy choke from the center may have to be taken out. It is said that removing this thing is mostly done after artichoke is cooked but some people take it even before. In case you are one of those who would like to remove it before cooking, scoop out the fuzz in the center of the artichoke half that you cut, with the help of a spoon.

Cooking Artichokes in the Instant Pot

Now that we have cut the artichokes, let’s put them in the instant pot. Now that you have the raw food, here is a simple way to help you out.

Ingredients Needed:

• Depending on the size of your instant pot, for use pour 2-4 artichokes.

• 1 tablespoon oil (optional).

• Salt and pepper to taste.

• 1 cup water (preferable warm water).

• Artichoke lemon slices(Optional)

• Garlic clovers (optional)

Steps:

• Prepare the Instant Pot: Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the Instant Pot. This is necessary for the pressure cooking process. You can also add some lemon slices and garlic cloves for extra flavor if you wish.

• Place Artichokes in the Pot: Grab the already prepared artichokes and place them on the pot’s trivet. For the stability of the artichokes when cooking, the placement of the artichokes should be such that they are stem pointing down. There is an option of putting multiple artichokes together, but keep in mind to distribute them evenly as possible.

• Season Artichokes: Get an olive oil bottle and drizzle some oil on the artichokes and add salt and pepper on top of the oil. There is also an option to add some herbs or other seasoning which will enhance the flavor of the dish. You could, for example, thyme or rosemary to the mix.

• Prepare the instant pot: Place the lid back onto the instant pot and make sure it is sealed. There are options of switching between manual and pressure cook, simply select high pressure. Depending on the size of the artichokes placed on the pot the cooking time will be different. Consider the following factors:

1. Small artichokes: 20-25 minutes
2. Medium artichokes: 25-30 minutes
3. Large artichokes: 30-35 minutes

• Cooking the Artichoke: After selecting the desired time period, press the start button, from here on the instant pot will do all the heavy lifting for you. Once cooked, let the pressure escape for 5 minutes, then use the quick release method to remove any further pressure.

• Check for Doneness: Carefully open the Instant Pot lid and check the artichokes. The leaves should be tender and pull away easily from the base. You can also use a fork or knife to test if the base is tender. If not, you can close the lid and cook for a few more minutes.

• Serve and Enjoy: The next thing that you have to do is remove the cooked artichokes from the pot before serving them alongside your favourite dipping sauce; it could be melted butter, garlic butter, or even a vinaigrette.

Tips for Cooking Perfect Artichokes

• Size Matters: Make sure you are mindful of the size of your artichokes while purchasing them. Because this will affect the length of time the artichokes take to cook. Bigger sized ones will require a little longer under the pressure while smaller ones will require less time. So adjust your clocks in accordance to that.

• Flavor Enhancers: The herbs, garlic, and lemon slices added to the Instant Pot infuse the artichokes with an extra flavor kick while also enhancing the overall taste. Consider also substituting the water for vegetable or chicken broth as there is more richness in the flavor when doing so.

• Don’t Overcrowd: If you're making several artichokes at once, ensure each artichoke has enough space for the steam to circulate around them. Otherwise, it would be preferable to arrange them in portions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it possible to pressure cook frozen artichokes in the Instant Pot?

Certainly, frozen artichokes can be cooked with the help of the Instant Pot. Although, it’s suggested that they might take a little more time to be fully cooked. Simply, when cooking them, add 2-3 extra minutes to the standard time for cooking that sort of food.

How do I know the artichoke is well cooked?

Your artichoke will be ready as soon as the outer leaves fall off without any hassle and the base part would be soft when poked with a knife or a fork. Alternatively, you can also tug on a petal. If the petal comes off with little to no force taken, then the artichoke is good to go.

Can I use other liquids than water for cooking?

Absolutely! Any liquid be it vegetable broth, chicken broth, or even a mixture of wine and water can be used. This would give more flavor to your meal. But, ensure that enough amount of liquid is added to allow creation of steam and pressure.

Can you explain to me how to eat an artichoke in the best way possible?

When eating an artichoke, simply take a leaf off and dip it into your favorite sauce. Use your teeth to scrape off the base of the leaf where the soft tissue is present. Here afterward, you would be getting to the heart of the artichoke. At this point you are able to scoop off the choke and savor the soft and delicious heart.

Are cooked artichokes microwave safe?

Reheating artichokes in the Instant Pot, microwaving or steaming them is very safe as long as they were not overcooked initially.

Conclusion

One Reason Cooking Artichokes In An Instant Pot Is That It Takes Less Time And Is More Straightforward. It Delivers Even Cooking Which Guarantees Taste. So Few Steps, And You Are Ready To Relish Some Artichokes. Be Sure To Spice Up Your Meals Since The Pot Will Prepare The Artichokes Perfectly So They Assist In Every Meal From Salads To Dips, Side Items Or Snacks. All That Said, Prepare An Artichoke, An Instant Pot And Cook It!