Baby back ribs my husband cooked with our Chef IQ Smart Cooker.
A few months ago, we went to a neighbor’s house for dinner. They told us they had perfected barbecued ribs and wanted us to try them. The best ribs ever. My husband asked for their recipe and it included a rub, but the big thing was a Chef IQ Smart Cooker.
I don’t like having kitchen gadgets that take up space. I have a crockpot that I’ve used once in the last ten years for a party — for meatballs. Before that, the crockpot showed up on the pool deck for swim meets for our snack bar, for soups or whatever was needed.
I’m also a fan of cooking the old fashioned way with pots and pans. Mostly I cook without recipes — unless it’s baking.
My husband asked me to order the Chef IQ. I was skeptical at best, but I bought it anyway. At first it was very confusing to use. It has an app on the phone and has step-by-step cooking instructions. I couldn’t figure it out, called our neighbors and they said they use the manual cooking method and press the button on the cooker itself.
We’ve done ribs a few times, and my husband’s are just as good as our our neighbor’s — fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy. The Chef IQ pressure cooks the ribs and then hubby throws them on the grill with BBQ sauce for a finishing touch. Yum!
I decided to get adventurous and tried seared chicken thighs this week which is a recipe on the phone app. The app talked to the cooker and gave me step-by-step instructions, complete with a timer!
Above is a screen shot of the the app my phone. Each step had a video, and the “Next” on the bottom was the timer. Once the white went across the bar, it was time for the next step.
Chicken thighs searing. FYI, they were delicious! Tender, juicy and done perfectly.
Now that I know the Chef IQ can sear and pressure cook, I’m curious to try more. It even weighs whatever you’re cooking and adjusts the cooking time.
I’ll try oxtails and soups in a few weeks. (I wrote about my oxtail recipe HERE. It originated in one of my great-grandmother’s Nellie’s cookbooks.)
The app on my phone for the Smart Cooker has tons of recipes including chicken, fish, beef, pork, Mexican food, Chinese, pasta — even desserts.
My husband wanted to hand out ribs to our neighbors. He said, “I’m going to be known as the Rib King of our neigborhood.” I reminded him that he was following our neighbor’s recipe…
Do you use recipes or cook without them?
What kitchen gadgets do you find invaluable?
This is very interesting Elizabeth.
Thank you! 😊
You’re welcome. ☺️
Elizabeth, you are killing me! I have 3 crockpots, a pressure cooker and an airfrier. We use a crockpot every week, the airfrier everyday. Recipes…. usually, welp more like a guiding force. I don’t follow directions well Sometimes cooking is all about what is on hand.
I haven’t had an air fryer, but I’ve wanted to know more about them. What do you use it for? Is it complicated?
Airfriers are just counter top convection ovens but that makes them sound old fashion. I use it primarily to reheat, cook french fries and it makes the absolute BEST pork chops. We have Shake N Bake Wednesdays.
Interesting. Our oven has a convection option. I wonder if that would do the same thing? I’ve never used it because I don’t know what it’s for 😅
Circulates hot air, usually means use a lower temp.
Thanks for the education on convection ovens and air fryers.
The basic thing to remember… cooks faster at a lower temp.
I’ll have to try it!
I’m with you on kitchen gadgets and cooking in pots and pans without recipes. I don’t have a pressure cooker, but have thought it might come in handy, so I’m intrigued by your little chef and his IQ.
I really didn’t want to get this. At first, we only used it twice for ribs, but now that I’m trying new things, I’ve used it three times this week!
😂 As long as I have enough storage, I think I like it.
My old home had no storage and was so tiny I would never have bought the Chef IQ. My new home we’ve been in for three years has a big kitchen. I have a couple empty cupboards still!
That’s awesome. I’m currently short on storage and dreaming of my next space!
We were in our 1930s home in Palm Springs for 28 years. I could stand in one spot and pivot to reach the stove, sink, fridge and dishwasher. There was room for one person only, but it worked! Now in Arizona, the houses are newer and big. I can get my steps in emptying the dishwasher 😂
I just don’t have room for gadgets either to sit out or to store and pull out. Plus I cook really simple, mostly vegetarian food and lots of various salad type things so the need just isn’t there for a special cooker like that one! I think gadgets like these are great for folks who work and need help getting dinner ready. I actually like cooking the old fashioned way- on my stove with a pan and making my own judgments on flavor, seasoning, length of cooking time, etc. I typically will follow a recipe when I find a new one but after that I adapt freely to what I like. I don’t think that I like being told what to do!! 😉
I do like that your husband has now crowned himself the Rib King 🙂
Your cooking sounds similar to my style. We eat a lot of salads. I had a tiny kitchen at my old home. I’m sure that affected my choice of no gadgets. Now I have space, so the Chef IQ has a spot in a cupboard. My husband cracks me up 😅
Those look great! I don’t have any fancy smart gadgets, but I love my All Clad pots and pans and Wusthof knives.
Those are both the best. My friend in Santa Barbara, who cooks all time and has owned and ran small restaurants, has them too.
Fun! That cooker looks like something magical from the Jetsons! I’m with you, Elizabeth, not much of a fan of gadgets and doo-dads but hubster Paul received a Ninja ice cream maker for his birthday and it’s stayed out…on the counter. Yum. 😜
Ooh! Homemade ice cream! You’re correct, I’m now cooking like the Jetsons 😅
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BBQ Kings has a nice ring! Your husband and your neighbor can trade off treating the neighborhood.
This post has made me hungry! Looks delicious. Happy Friday, Elizabeth!
Happy Friday! I laughed because my husband took ownership of neighbor Drew’s recipe! What was he thinking? I like your idea of trading off ribs with the neighborhoood.
I thought that part was funny too! 🙂
😊
I just make simple meals, and my favorite kitchen gadget is a can opener that lifts the lid so that there are no sharp edges, and you can put the lid back on for storage in the refrigerator. I do have a t-shirt, though, that says my favorite kitchen gadget is the corkscrew.
I have an old fashioned hand can opener that doesn’t lift the lid and there are sharp edges. I like your t-shirt 😊
Everything looked delicious!
It was! I’m excited to try more things, like fish.
Fish is a great idea!
I’ll have to follow up with all the new things I try.
Yes, cooking/recipes is always fun to share.
It’s funny how much people like them. I find that true in the HOA newsletter I write also.
It is good to think ahead with a crock pot and let it simmer especially in busy times.
I used a crock pot back when I was working in an office full time. It was helpful.
We use one often while we had our store and were busy all the time. When we are tired of cooking, we use a crock pot for convenience and sometimes, but not often for a recipe. As we both get older, we keep it simple and even order out more or in more!
We went through a phase of ordering in. But prices are sky high at restaurants so we rarely do anymore.
We eat more simply as our appetite is less. But yes, some restaurants are very high so you chose smartly or now an then….
Us too. Thankfully my swimmer kids have left the nest. They ate enormous amounts of food. We have a small cafe that I love, but I’m always in sticker shock. The sandwiches or bagels are $15 to $20. Even Burger King is more than $20 for two burgers and fries.
Always use recipes as a start. I’m a technician not a chef. We always make ribs in the slow cooker…my husband loves them. My kitchenaid mixer is my favorite appliance. I have pasta and ice cream attachments and bread bowl.i use all at least twice a month each. Love the slow cooker because there are nights we all eat at different times. Mini chopper is also great when I don’t feel like mincing things by hand, and food processor important. But the thing I use most is electric kettle for boiling water
Interesting. Your mixer sounds amazing. I have a handheld mixer that my mom owned when I was a child. I usually use the microwave to heat up water for tea. My son gave me a gooseneck kettle with all the other pour over coffee attachments. I like to use that for tea or hot lemon water, too.
Im surprised you don’t own one. I thought it was required of people our afe
How funny. I didn’t have room in my old house. So I never saw a need now that I have the space.
I’ve never heard of a Chef IQ Smart Cooker so now I’m intrigued. We use our Cuisinart coffeemaker daily but that’s not all that special. My favorite kitchen machines are: a KitchenAid stand mixer, an All-clad slow cooker, and a Cuisinart ice cream maker that Nicole, a blogger, convinced me to buy.
Ice cream makers and mixers are popular. But I don’t have all that much to mix. I’ll have to think about making ice cream. What I like about the Chef IQ is the sauté/sear and pressure cooker options. Everything can be done in one pot and turns out tender and juicy.
I don’t have a lot of counter space, so I feel the same about gadgets. But your ribs and chicken look delicious. I’m glad we’re eating dinner soon! 🙂 I also have a crock pot that I use more in the winter time, and I also cook the old fashioned way like you do with pots and pans. I do have a steamer/rice cooker that comes in handy. We use it mostly for steamed veggies. Anyway, thanks for sharing, Elizabeth. I’ll look into this smart cooker that I’ve never heard of. 🙂
I used it last night for pot roast with carrots, onions and potatoes. It was so interesting because it went from searing the beef, sauteing the onions and garlic, to pressure cooking the entire meal.
Sounds yummy!
So good, but kind of heavy for 90 degree weather!
Haha, yes, it’s more of a winter dinner, but who cares! Enjoy the leftovers too! I haven’t made that in a long time. I feel inspired! 🙂
It is a winter meal, but so delicious! I haven’t made it in probably 15 years or more. I use to cook it in the oven in a bag that came with Schilling pot roast spice.