Pressure Cooker (InstantPot) Cooking Instructions

Sunshine Meals are primarily designed to be cooked within a slow cooker, but many of our meals can be cooked within a Pressure Cooker (InstantPot). This takes your cooking time down significantly!

Below you will find a helpful guide for converting our slow cooker meals into a pressure cooker. Be aware that pressure cookers come in varying brands, sizes, and features and that this may impact your cooking times on your specific model.

Sunshine Meals are designed for a slow cooker. The benefit of using a pressure cooker is primarily speed, but taste and quality may be different than expected.

Additional Instructions:

  • Avoid dairy meals. Most dairy products such as cheese, milk and sour cream will curdle in a pressure cooker. We do not recommend cooking meals containing high amounts of dairy in a pressure cooker.
  • Meat should shred easily. For most meals, the goal is for the meat to be tender enough to easily shred. Continue to cook if you feel that meat needs more time.
  • Cooking from frozen. Additional time may need to be added.
  • Add corn starch. If desired, you can add a corn starch slurry to thicken the sauce.
  • Food safety. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches a safe minimum temperature.

Chicken

Remove meal from Sunshine Meals bag and place into your pressure cooker.

Cook the chicken on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes and natural release for 5 minutes.

  • Seal the cooker and close the pressure valve.
  • Set to HIGH pressure for 15 minutes.
  • For thawed chicken, the cooker will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure.
  • For frozen chicken, expect the cooker to take 12 to 15 minutes to come to pressure.
  • When the 15-minute cook time is complete, naturally release the pressure for 5 minutes before quick releasing any remaining pressure. 

Once cook time complete, shred chicken and add back into sauce or soup.


Pork

Remove meal from Sunshine Meal bag and place into your pressure cooker.

Cook the pork on HIGH pressure for 45-60 minutes and natural release for 20 minutes.

  • Seal the cooker and close the pressure valve.
  • Set to HIGH pressure for 45-60 minutes.
  • For thawed pork, the cooker will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure.
  • For frozen pork, expect the cooker to take 12 to 15 minutes to come to pressure.
  • When the 45 to 60-minute cook time is complete, naturally release the pressure for 20 minutes before quick releasing any remaining pressure.

Once cook time complete, shred pork and add back into sauce or soup.


Beef 

Remove meal from Sunshine Meal bag and place into your pressure cooker.

Cook the beef on HIGH pressure for 20-25 minutes and natural release for 5 minutes.

  • Seal the cooker and close the pressure valve.
  • Set to HIGH pressure for 20-25 minutes.
  • For thawed beef, the cooker will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure.
  • For frozen beef, expect the cooker to take 12 to 15 minutes to come to pressure.
  • When the 20-25-minute cook time is complete, naturally release the pressure for 20 minutes before quick releasing any remaining pressure.

Once cook time complete, shred beef and add back into sauce or soup

How it works

Sunshine meals provides pre- packaged, ready to cook, frozen
meals ready for your crockpot.

1. Select the meal package that works best for your family. Save 10% when using our monthly subscription.
2. Create an account and provide your delivery address and payment information upon check out.
3. Select your preferred delivery date.
4. Your variety of 10 frozen meals will be delivered in our Sunshine Meals Freezer Bag to your front door on your delivery date.
5. When ready for one of our meals, simply take your choice of meals out of your freezer, place it in your crockpot, turn it on and forget about it!
6. When dinner time rolls around, you will have a delicious meal
waiting that will satisfy the entire family.