Scalloped potatoes and ham

You catch the smell through the steam vent and suddenly you are starving. It hits you while the valve hiss lets out that hot steam1ike a little whisper from the kitchen telling you dinner's almost ready. You feel your stomach do a little flip because dang, this is gonna be good.

It99s the rich scent of butter melting and onions cooking down, mixing with the salty goodness of ham. You can almost taste the creamy sauce that's about to smother those thinly sliced potatoes. Your mouth waters while you wait through the quick release to lift the lid.

As you finally lift the lid of your pressure cooker, the warm cloud of steam bursts out and you notice the fresh, cheesy smell1made better with that tender pull of potatoes when you slide in the fork. The flavors are kinda sunk deep with a cheesy ham hug waiting just for you.

Why Your Cooker Beats Every Other Pot

• It cooks scalloped potatoes and ham so dang fast, cutting down baking time without losing flavor. Plus, it locks in moisture better than baking.
• The sealed pressure traps moisture, keeping that creamy sauce super rich and not dried out like in ovens.
• Quick release lets you control when to stop cooking so you dont overdo it and get mushy potatoes. Youll appreciate this control compared to slow oven bakes.
• Using the sealing ring and valve gives you a perfect steam environment for melting cheese just right, giving you that gooey, melty top.
• Your leftover ham gets tender in minutes, soaking up all that creamy sauce, not drying out like with oven roasting.
• No extra pans needed, which means you spend less time cleaning and more time eating.

All the Pieces for This Meal

• 2 Tbsp. butter, plus more for greasing your pan1you want that buttery base clinging to everything.
• 1 yellow onion, choppedadds that sweet savory note to balance the ham.
• 3 cups diced hamyou can use leftover or pre-cooked ham, as long as its nice and salty.
• 1 ½ cups half-and-halfthis makes the sauce creamy yet smooth.
• 1 ½ cups heavy creamto thicken the sauce and give it that rich, velvety texture.
• ¼ cup flourthickens everything up into a nice sauce youll wanna spoon over it all.
• Black pepper, to tastedont be shy, it brings out the flavors.
• 3 lbs. russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, washed thoroughlythese gotta be sliced thin for tender pull.
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheesesharp and melty, a classic addition.
• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheesemelts smoother and adds a mild creamy flavor.

Walking Through Every Single Move

First, get your oven preheated to 3506F (1756C). Butter up your baking dish real goodyeah, dont skimp on this or your scalloped potatoes might stick.

Now melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Toss in your chopped onion and cook till it softens and smells sweet. Then, add your diced ham and cook for another 5 minutes so all that flavor mingles.

Stir in the flour to make a bit of a roux, then slowly pour in the half-and-half and heavy cream while you stir constantly. Youre lookin for it to thicken up nice and cozylike a velvet blanket over your ham and onions.

Slice those potatoes thin, thin, thin. Layer half of the slices in the greased dish, then pour half of your ham cream sauce over. Sprinkle half the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses evenly on top.

Repeat that layering again with the rest of potatoes, sauce, and cheeses. Cover the whole thing with foilthis helps keep the steam in.

Bake covered for 30 minutes, then take off the foil and bake another 10 to 15 minutes till the top is golden and bubbly. When you see that, you know the tender pull is ready for you to dig in.

Smart Shortcuts for Busy Days

• Use pre-diced ham from the store or leftovers from last weeks dinner so you skip extra chopping.
• Buy pre-shredded cheese to save time on grating, but get the good stuff so it melts well.
• If youre tight on slicing time, a mandoline slicer works wonders for thin, even potato slices quickly.
• Make the sauce ahead and store it in the fridge, then pour over potatoes right before cooking.
• Pressure cook in the pot insert then transfer to baking dishless cleanup and you still get that golden top under the broiler.

The Flavor Experience Waiting for You

First bite hits creamy and rich with that buttery, cheesy sauce wrapping every tender slice of potato and ham. You feel a warm comfort that kinda hugs you from the inside out.

Then the sharp cheddar and smooth Monterey Jack come through, balancing salty and mellow tones. Its like a dance on your tongue, with cheese melting perfectly into each bite.

Finally, the soft but not mushy potatoes give a little pull, with bursts of se2u00adte9ed onions and savory ham filling in the gaps. Its the kinda meal that brings a smile without extra fuss.

How to Store This for Later

Let your scalloped potatoes and ham cool down to room temp before storingkeep the cream sauce happy by not trapping steam.

For fridge storage, put leftovers in an airtight container. It stays good about 3 to 4 days, and you can reheat in the oven or microwave till its all bubbly again.

If you wanna keep it longer, freeze in portion-sized containers. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The textures gonna be a little softer but the flavors hang strong.

When reheating, cover the dish to catch moisture and use low settings so it warms evenly. Dont forget to stir gently once in a while to keep creamy sauce cozy.

What People Always Ask Me

• Can I use other types of cheese? Yeah, you can try mozzarella for stretchiness or Swiss for a nuttier biteit all works as long as it melts well.
• Do I have to peel the potatoes? Nope, if you clean them good, leaving skin on adds texture and nutrients.
• How thin should I slice potatoes? The thinner, the better, like ⅛ inch thick. It helps with that tender pull and quick cook time.
• Whats the difference between quick release and slow release? Quick release means you open the valve fast to stop cooking right away, great for keeping potatoes firm. Slow release lets steam out gently, which softens ingredients more.
• Can I add veggies? Sure! Peas or mushrooms would go greatjust se2u00adte9 separately and mix in after cooking so they dont get mushy.
• How do I know when its done? When youre poking the potatoes with a fork and it has that tender pull, not mushy, but soft enough to dig inthats the sweet spot.