SASS y Fat Cooking Method (yeah, I made that up)

Highlights: Pressure Cooked, Shredded Chicken, Flavored and Seasoned with Condiments.

Here we go, another pressure cooker recipe that is really a no brainer because to do it right, you really shouldn’t measure anything. It’s made with whatever meat you have on hand and whatever condiments you find in your fridge door and/or cupboards.

Today I used boneless skinless chicken and condiments from my fridge and pantry to create a delectable, family pleasing, picture perfect, sweet and savory chicken. Enjoy the photos and please find the recipe and method below:

You already know about my obsession with beans, oh yes, it’s an obsession. I will make them everyday, I will eat them everyday and I will forever find new ways, while not forsaking the tried and true ways,  of making them. Well, when I apply the same methods and dedication to meat, I can make some really awesome shredded meats to go on rolls, in tacos and burritos, atop potatoes or as stand alone main course favorites.

To make a base for beans or meat using this method, which results in a tender, sweet, spicy and tangy sauce. You need to have at least one ingredient in each of  the  following categories, we’ll call in the SASS y Fat Method (the Mad Gringa strikes again!) or the SASS n Fat Method  and let people laugh at us, shall we?:

1. Seasoning–examples:  salt and pepper, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, paprika, seasoning blends (Montreal Steak, Old Bay, Mrs. Dash, etc.), turmeric, fennel, sage, oregano or any of your favorite spices or spice combinations.
   
2. Acidic-examples:  vinegar, vinegar based salad dressings, citrus juice, jarred pickle or pepper brine (the juice your peppers and pickles are floating in), tomato paste or sauce, tomatoes* – Be creative!
   
3. Sweet-examples:  sugar (any kind), honey, jelly or preserves, ketchup, maple syrup, tomato paste or sauce*, teriyaki, corn syrup, agave nectar, juice and juice concentrates, chutney or anything sweet in your pantry.
4. Savory-examples:  mustard, horse radish, A1 Sauce, Worcestershire, Soy, garlic, pickled peppers, or anything out of your pantry.
   
5. AND (y) Fat-I rarely use fat in my beans, and if my meat has fat, skin or bones on it, I don’t need to add fat. In the case of this recipe, I’m using boneless, skinless chicken, so I added 2 Tablespoons of olive oil for 2 pounds of chicken.

*Tomatoes and tomato products contain both acid and sugar, which makes them a great addition to sauces for meat and beans.

Below are the sweets I had on hand today:

These are some savories I grabbed from around my kitchen:

Here are my favorite acids:

And here we have some of my most favorite seasonings on the planet, mmmmmm, cumin:

2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into smaller pieces:

Here you see the ingredients I chose today, this combo will usually be different for me each time.

Here it is in the pot.

Bear with me, it really does end up looking like the first pic, but I wanted you to see that most often, the pressure cooker food doesn’t get “pretty” until it’s done. I cooked this for 12 minutes on low pressure (please consult your pressure cooker manual to determine the time for your machine).
And these are my mom’s rolls, OM Great Goodness! Don’t you wish you lived under the same roof with the woman that makes these?!? Don’t worry folks, I’m going to make her do a tutorial on these puppies.
When the meat is done in the pressure cooker, you can just break it up with a wooden spoon! It’s that tender and the flavors have a blended and become too good. I was so anxious to try it that I didn’t even take pictures of the finished product in the pot. But, here it is on one of Mom’s rolls, we should name them . . . we’ll call them Fluffy Butters. Fluffy Butters it is! Served with some coleslaw and beans, or a salad and cornbread, or. . . you name it. Have fun!

I really don’t usually measure what I use, I just stick with making sure I’ve followed the SASS y Fat method above and it always ends up awesome and different each time.

But for the sake of a tutorial, I measured today:

Fridge Door Chicken:

• 1/2  jar (9 oz) Apricot Preserves
• 1/2 Cup ketchup
• 3 shakes of Liquid Smoke (not more than 1/2 tsp)
• 1/4 Cup mustard (any kind)
• 2 tsp horse radish
• 4 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 heaping tsp minced garlic
• 2 Tb olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground fennel
• 1/2  tsp cumin
• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut into medium pieces
• 1/4 Cup water

Add all ingredients into pressure cooker pot, set for 12 minutes (for my cooker, check time for your own cooker) on low pressure. Crockpot: The same recipe can be followed in a crockpot, set on high and cooked for about 2-3 hours (each crockpot is different so please check the tenderness every 30 minutes or so to gauge how long it take for your crockpot to finish the job). When the meat falls apart with ease when you press on it with a wooden spoon, it’s done, continue to break it apart. Done!

Serve on rolls or alone. This tangy meat goes great with coleslaw, beans, biscuits, cornbread, or rolled in tortillas and made into Mad Gringa burritos.

 

Please enjoy, let me know what you think, I’d be happy to post any feedback for others to benefit from your alterations or recommendations.

Mad Gringa-signing off!