Instant Pot Gumbo

Step 1

Add melted butter and flour to the pot. Set the pot to sauté. Whisk constantly until the roux is a rich, dark brown, but not yet burnt. Add the onion as well as the green pepper, celery, and garlic, and continue with step 5, below.

Step 2

Set Instant Pot to sauté on high. Once it has finished preheating, add the melted butter; when it starts to sizzle, whisk in the flour. Whisking constantly, take the roux to a caramel color, 4–6 minutes.

Step 3

Turn off sauté function. Add onions, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula until they stop sizzling, about 3 minutes. This will both cool the mixture and cook the onions slightly. Do not skip this step.

Step 4

Add a pinch of baking soda, stir, spread the onions in an even layer over the bottom of the Instant Pot, and replace the lid. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on low pressure for 1 minute. If you get the “burn” notice immediately, release the pressure manually, remove the lid, and let the roux cool a little bit more before trying again. Note: you will most likely not get the Instant Pot to achieve full pressure before you get a “Burn” notice. That is fine. That is the goal, even. The Instant Pot is pressurizing before it achieves full pressure, which is all you need.

Step 5

Once you get the “burn” notice, manually release the pressure. Stir the onions. Not dark enough for you? Wait for the onions to stop sizzling—about 3 minutes—and pressurize again. Repeat until the roux is dark to your liking.

Step 6

Add the green pepper and celery and garlic, stirring, until slightly softened, 2–3 minutes.

Step 7

Add the stock, chicken, sausage, and seasonings. Stir. Replace the lid and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Allow pressure to come down manually for at least 20 minutes** (or all the way), then release the leftover pressure manually.

Step 8

Serve with white rice and hot sauce.