Blood orange-maple braised beef
Recipe: Instant Pot Blood orange-maple braised beef with toasted sesame seeds and blood-orange hoisin glaze
Our Instant Pot Super Bowl winner was created by Stephanie Brown of North 43 Bistro in South Portland.
“Amazing” was the most common adjective used by cook-off subscriber/judges to describe this dish, which got more than half (!) of our first-place votes, winning handily. One subscriber “loved the gentle sweetness” of the ribs, while another said the meat had “just the right blend of flavors.”
Be sure to follow the instructions on your Instant Pot. See the recipe.
Miso-braised pork belly tacos
Recipe: Instant Pot miso-braised pork belly tacos
Created by Melissa Bouchard, DiMillo’s, Portland
This was the second most popular dish at our Instant Pot Super Bowl Cookoff. The subscriber/judges who voted for the tacos really loved them – even if one or two wished the pork belly had been crisper.
“I like my tacos hot,” Bouchard said, “so I pickled up some Fresno peppers,” which she served with the tacos. See the recipe.
Korean BBQ meatballs
Recipe: Instant Pot Korean-style wagyu meatballs
Created by Jay Harris, Esidore’s Bistro, Falmouth
Our subscribers/judges described these meatballs as “great party food,” and the meat itself as “rich and buttery.”
While the meatballs were too spicy for some, others liked the way the heat warmed their throats “at the finish.”
Esidore’s entry was gluten-free, so he used gluten-free panko and gochujang – check the labels. Chinese scallions are available in most Asian grocery stores and in limited quantities at Hannaford in Portland. See the recipe.
Filipino adobo party ribs
Recipe: Instant Pot Filipino adobo party ribs
Created by Dave Mallari, The Sinful Kitchen and The Pig Kahuna, Portland
One subscriber/judge said she found these ribs surprisingly tender “for a dish that usually takes hours.” Others loved the flavorful glaze, adding that the dish seems perfect for Super Bowl eating. Have the butcher cut the ribs into smaller pieces if you like.
For extra flavor, make the marinade (step 1) the night before, let it cool, then marinate the ribs overnight.
If you like a little caramelization or charred flavor, before step 6, brush some of the sauce onto the ribs then finish them under the oven broiler, on a grill or with a kitchen blowtorch. See the recipe.
Chipotle chicken and black bean dip
Recipe: Instant Pot chipotle chicken & black bean dip
Created by Cordelia Davies, David’s Restaurant, Portland
Subscriber/judges called this dip flavorful and delicious, and said it could be an inexpensive crowd pleaser on Super Bowl Sunday.
Davies based on the recipe on her mother’s chicken tortilla soup, adding cornmeal to thicken it into a dip. Add more or less cornmeal, depending on whether you are making a dip, stew or soup. See the recipe.
Mexican street tacos
Recipe: Instant Pot tomatillo Mexican street tacos
Created by Nick Verdisco, Bolster, Snow & Co., Portland
Folks who don’t like their Super Bowl food too spicy enjoyed the more subtle flavors of this taco. Most subscriber/judges found the meat “very flavorful and tender,” but faulted the soggy, soft corn tortilla that enfolded it. See the recipe.
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