Instant Pot

[TooPatient]

Just heard of these for the first time in the dinner thread. I am intrigued!

Do you have one? Do you like it?

Is it easy to clean? (My crockpot sits unused as it is a pain to clean...)

Share recipes and tips!!

 

[cmd2014]

Mine is a Breville, so has a nonstick inner pot. It seems to work better for searing than any other nonstick pit that I own, and it's very easy to clean (MUCH easier than my crockpot liner). My inner sealing ring also doesn't seem to pick up food smells the way people say the IP version does. There's really no downside.

 

[Curby311]

I have one and I like it so far. Do I love, it? No, not so much. Mine was actually a gift so I wasn't all in when I got it. I'm pretty lazy so I run the stainless steel insert through the dishwasher so it is easy to clean. You can take the rubber seal off on the lid pretty easily to clean it. The only weird thing is that the plastic rubber seals keep some of the smell from what you have cooked. I am probably going to pick up some more seals from amazon.

The tricky thing I find is finding recipes that I like since I tend to try to avoid processed foods (cream of yuck soup) and since I've been actively trying to cut my weight down that limits some of them as well. I use mine for beef stew, shredded barbecue chicken, beef stroganoff & chicken w/ dumplings. I try to ask other people for ones that they have tried and successfully liked because I have learned that the pinterest recipes are hit or miss. I have a friend who religiously makes chicken/beef stock, bone broth using hers. I can barely cook as it is so that is a bit ambitious for me.

I don't see the point in paying more for the newest version since the main difference is the sous vide (cooking in the water) function. I had read that the temperature isn't closely regulated so it wouldn't be a true sous vide anyways. They are on sale every so often as lightning deals on amazon.

 

[Arcadian]

If I didn't have an instant pot we'd probably eat out a heck of a lot more.

I'm about to sound like a salesman, but they do everything a crockpot does, just better.
Any soup or stew cooks great. My version has a warmer so you can cook and the food will stay warm

On a personal level, I like that the stainless cooking sleeves is removable and dishwasher safe. Depending on what you make, sometimes you do have to let them soak overnight but I'm ok with this as I have All Clad and some stainless calphalon cookwear. I don't do non stick surfaces as they peel off and end up in the food. Hate to say it but even the high end stuff does this, no matter who makes it that stuff is just not particularly good for overall health, and very unattractive when it gets in food. Ceramics are much better than the typical black nonstick crap and are nonreactive. Of the liners, I have a few now, but you might not need that if you're not doing daily cooking.

I use my pot roughly 4-5 days a week.

Using the instant pot means my kitchen doesn't get to be a million degrees while I'm cooking, which in turn makes the AC work harder. Plus I can't say I'm in love with electric stoves. Also, with different sleeves I'm able to make entire meals using just the pot. But I can't lie, I totally want another pot...lol (of course I do!!)

I've made mushroom risoto, all types of beans and lentils soups, leek soup, potato soup. I've done turkey meatballs (from scratch, not from package) with mushroom gravy and even cube steak with mushroom gravy. steamed shrimp, did babyback ribs (which if you do this enough the seal gets smokey) I did steak tips (that liner allows for some amazing browning) I also make lots (and lots) of chicken. I did a hunan chicken which was really good. Jerk chicken and turkey (both are good) Texmex chicken and beef. And of course corned beef and cabbage. Last week I did an excellent Dry rubbed skirt steak (for lean meats you MUST marinate at least 6 hours before otherwise they can get very stringy and dry)

I tried a mac and cheese. I'm not big on mac and cheese really but I did it for a dinner party and it LEFT! I had nothing extra to bring home.

I make spaghetti squash (seriously only 7 minutes!!) twice a week. I steam lots of veggies too, and broccoli is the hardest to get right. I've steamed sweet potatoes which makes them extra creamy.

There's also the pot in pot method for things like making cakes, oatmeal, yogurt, and some veggies. I used pot in pot method for crustless quiche.

And also, curries are super easy to do in the pot. I don't make a lot of rice, but I do make a lot of barley as substitute.

I have not yet gotten into the casserole side but you can do them right in the pot.
Pretty much whatever you can cook on a stove or in a stove, you can do with a pot.

 

[ame]

I got one a while back because several friends were OBSESSED with it. I always read about it on this paleo blog as well, nom nom paleo. It's still in the box like 9 months later because I am totally intimidated by whatever this release thing is. I also barely use our crockpot because it's GIANT pain in the ass.

So...I really need to get with the program.

 

[cmd2014]

I've never had nonstick peel off into my food. But I do have higher end stuff and I'm careful with it (and I don't have others in my house who will abuse it). I've had my Breville 3 years now and the liner still looks new (not a scratch on it). I've had some All Clad and Swiss Diamond pans for 15 years now, and it's the same thing (most of my pots are stainless, but I have a few nonstick fry pans and one nonstick covered rondelle that I love for stirfrying). OTOH, cheap T-fal pots just don't hold up over time (they degrade with high heat).

I think how much someone might love this kind of appliance probably depends on what/how you like to cook. I'm not a crockpot person either, for much the same reasons that I often prefer the end product that you get from traditional cooking methods to pressure cooking. But it's hard to beat the convenience, especially for beans, legumes, stock (I can't remember the last time I did a non pressure cooked stock), risotto, soups, and some braises (some just taste better with the browning and reduction that happens with traditional braising, so this is recipe dependent to me). I also don't cook with prepared foods and I'm not a shredded meat person, so that affects things too. I've also tried a bunch of the popular IP recipes (like the Mongolian beef recipe) and found them way too full of sugar for me. But I love to cook, I'm a foodie, and I'm fussy. So I'm not a typical IP cook. I wouldn't trade mine in though. For what I use it for, I love it.

 

[whitewave]

Following.

 

[PintoBean]

It's only available where marijuana is legal, no?

My issue with the crock pot is that the inside ceramic bowl is too big for my double sink and too heavy for me to clean comfortably. I ended up buying what looks like a big soup mug sized crock pot - haven't used it yet.

How is the weight of an instant pot compared to the crock pot?

 

[metro]

I thought this thread was going to be about something else

 

[cmd2014]

How is the weight of an instant pot compared to the crock pot?

The liners are very light - somewhere between a light stainless pot and a very heavy stainless steel bowl. A whole different beast altogether than a crock pot liner (that I agree are huge and heavy and unwieldy).

(My typing leaves something to be desired)

 

[december-fire]

I thought this thread was going to be about something else

Yes, I didn't click on it earlier because I thought 'pot, yeah, not for me'.

 

[PintoBean]

Yes, I didn't click on it earlier because I thought 'pot, yeah, not for me'.

Geez... now I won't ever be able to talk about "pot roast" without giggling again!

And those "pot luck" parties!

 

[Curby311]

It's only available where marijuana is legal, no?

My issue with the crock pot is that the inside ceramic bowl is too big for my double sink and too heavy for me to clean comfortably. I ended up buying what looks like a big soup mug sized crock pot - haven't used it yet.

How is the weight of an instant pot compared to the crock pot?

I think it is lighter than the crock pot. Also you can take the insert out to clean. The insert/liner is pretty light.

 

[Arkteia]

It's only available where marijuana is legal, no?

Strangely, coming from Pacific Northwest, this is what I thought, too.

Amazon here is big on delivery, they just bought Whole Foods, so the moment they monopolize home delivery of instant pot, life will probably become even weirder, and safer. People will be sitting in their homes, gaming, eating home delivered Amazon Fresh, watching internet-delivered Amazon Prime films and consuming home-delivered instant pot. Something tells me it is in the state's cards.

Never heard about instant pot, thank you ladies for the tip.

 

[hoover]

I have the Breville Fast-Slow cooker too! It's awesome, and easy to clean with the nonstick coating.

Stupid question for the other Breville owners: how do you guys release the pressure quickly on yours? I stand (what I think is) a safe distance away and push the pressure release thingy with a chopstick...I keep thinking there has to be a better/smarter way

 

[Arcadian]

@hoover, I kinda had to laugh...lol I guess I don't freak out about releasing steam. Most of the time I do a natural release but there are times when I have to do quick release. I don't use my hand (I use tongs) I just make sure the release valve isn't under a cabinet. they won't even open when the pin is up so you're good

I used to have a on stove pressure cooker. Those things are SOOOO not safe! You put that lid on wrong or take it off wrong and its gonna be ugly. Scrubbing lentils off walls and ceiling isn't exactly a beautiful thing. The electric ones have so many safety features that its a blessing. I don't do any canning so when I went electric that other one went bye bye.

 

[hoover]

Lol... thanks Arcadian. I think it was all the stories I've heard about the old style pressure cookers exploding that has me wary. Even standing there watching the steam hiss out of the valve has me waiting to see if something goes poof, haha

 

[cmd2014]

I have the Breville Fast-Slow cooker too! It's awesome, and easy to clean with the nonstick coating.

Stupid question for the other Breville owners: how do you guys release the pressure quickly on yours? I stand (what I think is) a safe distance away and push the pressure release thingy with a chopstick...I keep thinking there has to be a better/smarter way

I use a wooden spoon. It's more because the button gets hot than because I'm worried about being burned by steam (it's well positioned to avoid that imo). I push the button down in short quick bursts at first with a pause in between, and once the pressure is a bit less, I just hold the button down steady with either my finger or a spoon (it does get a bit warm, hence the spoon).

The new Breville lets you program the release, and does automatically what I do manually (along with a true quick release, a natural release, and I believe a delayed quick release).

 

[cmd2014]

I have 2 Fagor duo stovetop cookers too, and the new safety features in them make them very safe. You just can't forget them on high heat though or there'll be trouble (the release valve makes a mess if dinner goes through it at high pressure).

 

[cmd2014]

I have the Breville Fast-Slow cooker too! It's awesome, and easy to clean with the nonstick coating.

Stupid question for the other Breville owners: how do you guys release the pressure quickly on yours? I stand (what I think is) a safe distance away and push the pressure release thingy with a chopstick...I keep thinking there has to be a better/smarter way

I just used my finger today. I did eggs with 1 cup of water under the trivet and it wasn't enough for the button to get hot. That happens mostly when the pot is full of soup/stew. I still think the button is well positioned to avoid incidents. It's actually much less violent than my stove top cookers quick release too.