Instant Pot

[Guy Fawkes]

Does anybody have experience with the Instant Pot? I noticed that one of the models has a "Sous Vite" button.

 

[maninsoma]

Mine doesn't have a sous vide button, but I have owned an Instant Pot for several years now. I bought it mostly for the pressure cooker function, and mostly to be able to cook roast beef the way my mom used to do almost every Sunday using a stovetop pressure cooker. I still haven't used most of its features, but I have used its rice cooker feature (works well) and discovered that I like the way it makes pasta (cooking pasta in the sauce instead of water), but it's easy to mess up the latter by having too little liquid or cooking for too long.

Edited November 12, 2020 by maninsoma

[+ nycman]

It’s a fun toy, but 95% of the things it does you can do better with other, cheaper, standard cookware.

 

When I see people using it to fry bacon, or boil an egg I just about die laughing at them.

[craigville beach]

Does anybody have experience with the Instant Pot? I noticed that one of the models has a "Sous Vite" button.

 

 

i don't have an instant pot but i do have a sous vide,. it is about the same size as an emersion blender, i use it with a large tall pot for tough cuts of meat only, there are directions for making poached eggs with it and i have thought of trying that as i like poached eggs but can't seem to get them right.

Edited November 12, 2020 by craigville beach

[+ MysticMenace]

man, I may have been spelling it wrong the whole time. I thought it was sous vide.

[rvwnsd]

I have an InstantPot and really like it. Like @maninsoma I bought it for the pressure cooker function, which works very well. A couple of things that set it apart from others (Breville and Cuisinart are two brands I've had previously) are:

• The ability to buy extra seals, non-stick pots, lids, and other accessories. Williams-Sonoma, Amazon, and Target all sell them. Breville, on the other hand, says they sell them but they are always out of stock
  
• The seal is very easy to remove, clean, and re-install. Without a properly-installed seal, the pressure cooker simply does not work. Re-installing the Breville seal was a production. Cuisinart had this seal/inner lid combo thingy that was very easy to remove and re-install but was also easy to damage.
  
• The inner pot is made of high-quality stainless steel. The Instant Pot has a stainless steel pot that is very easy to clean. You can buy a non-stick pot, but I find that food scorches when I use it to make chili or other tomato-based foods.
  
• It is easy to clean. You can put the lid, seal, valve, and inner pot in the dishwasher or hand-wash it. Hand-washing is very easy, as there are fewer nooks and crannies than other brands.
  

...I like the way it makes pasta (cooking pasta in the sauce instead of water), but it's easy to mess up the latter by having too little liquid or cooking for too long.

Let me unearth the recipe from "Pressure Perfect" by Lorna Sass and send it to you. Works every time!

 

BTW - I highly recommend Lorna's book "Pressure Perfect." Although it is primarily a collection of recipes, it also serves as a primer to pressure cooking in general. She includes cooking charts, suggestions for using pressure cookers, tips for adapting your recipes, and suggestions for cuts of meat. Her recipes typically include the standard recipe, variations, and what she calls "transformations," which are ways to use her recipe as a base to make something else. An example is one of my faves: Chicken Cacciatore Pasta. It starts with a cacciatore recipe, but the pasta recipe is the "transformation."

 

Also, Hip Pressure Cooking is a great website for pressure cooking recipes and cooking lessons. Laura Pazzaglia founded the website and does a good job of eliminating the ridiculous stories that food bloggers feel compelled to include in their recipes. She also has a "pressure cooker school" feature on the website.

[MikeBiDude]

It’s a fun toy, but 95% of the things it does you can do better with other, cheaper, standard cookware.

 

When I see people using it to fry bacon, or boil an egg I just about die laughing at them.

This has been my take on it...I get abuse from its fans when I call it a “toy”. Like 2nd amendment rights, they wouldn’t give it up ? that said:

 

Does anybody have experience with the Instant Pot?

Reading some of your recipes and cooking styles....I think it would be a good fit for you.

[+ Pensant]

i don't have an instant pot but i do have a sous vide,. it is about the same size as an emersion blender, i use it with a large tall pot for tough cuts of meat only, there are directions for making poached eggs with it and i have thought of trying that as i like poached eggs but can't seem to get them right.

Here’s how I make perfect poached eggs:

1. Crack two eggs into a bowl.

2. Bring water to a boil (I have a gas range), then pour in a few tablespoons of white vinegar. I use Trader Joe’s Modena.

3. Slowly slide the eggs in, one at a time. Bring the heat down to low.

4. Continue cooking for three minutes.

5. Use a slotted spoon to carefully lift each egg up to drain it and then place it on a nice crusty piece of toasted bread. I like rye. The eggs will be moderately runny.

[MikeBiDude]

i don't have an instant pot but i do have a sous vide,. it is about the same size as an emersion blender, i use it with a large tall pot for tough cuts of meat only, there are directions for making poached eggs with it and i have thought of trying that as i like poached eggs but can't seem to get them right.

It does a great job of tenderizing tough cuts of meat. But I also use it for prime/choice steaks as a step in the “reverse sear” method. I’ll put porterhouse, tri tip, large NY’s, any “thick” steak into the sous vide at about 125-130° for a couple hours. Then take it out, and sear the outside on my grill. You can also buy kitchen torches that will provide a sear on meat that has been first cooked in the sous vide.

 

I cooked a large beef tongue with herbs and spices for over 24 hours in the sous vide. The time surprised me but that’s what multiple online recipes suggested. Turned out amazing, tender, flavorful I used for Italian bolognese and Mexican street tacos.

 

Try it for corn on the cob, and also carrots!

[rvwnsd]

This has been my take on it...I get abuse from its fans when I call it a “toy”. Like 2nd amendment rights, they wouldn’t give it up...

As much as I like using a pressure cooker, I couldn't agree with you more. The Cult of The Holy InstantPot is rather silly. When I saw you can bake a cake in it (assuming you have the right bakeware, which is conveniently available on the InstantPot website) I thought "hmm, wouldn't an oven do that better?" Then again, when I was in a hotel prior to moving to a corporate apartment I bought a George Foreman grill that included (and I am NOT making this up) muffin and brownie pans. Why in God's name you would want to bake using a George Foreman grill is beyond me, but you can.

[+ Billsboy4]

I use mine all the time.

[down_to_business]

Don't think I have that setting, but as others said, all I mainly use is the pressure cooker setting for everything.

[Guest]

[Phil_musc]

Yes, at last! Thank you, Unicorn. It's where my mind went immediately.

[+ MysticMenace]

 

Yes, at last! Thank you, Unicorn. It's where my mind went immediately.

 

Sorry, I don't get it. I would think leafy vegetables do not need to be pressure-cooked or go into an instant pot, right?

[+ LIguy]

Costco had 2 Instant Pot models. One had a sous vide setting the other did not. I just thought that the pot was not big enough to use properly as a sous vide. I think using my sous vide in a big pot worked better than the Instant Pot one would.

[jeezifonly]

Soups and stews ?

Chucks butts shoulders shanks ??

Dried beans of any sort ? ? ? ?

Edited November 13, 2020 by jeezifonly

[Spursy]

It’s a fun toy, but 95% of the things it does you can do better with other, cheaper, standard cookware.

 

When I see people using it to fry bacon, or boil an egg I just about die laughing at them.

I agree with this take. I use mine in a limited way. It's a really easy way to make pulled pork or chicken (50-60 minutes) and cook veggies (about 10 minutes for most types).

[Luv2play]

That is exactly how

Here’s how I make perfect poached eggs:

1. Crack two eggs into a bowl.

2. Bring water to a boil (I have a gas range), then pour in a few tablespoons of white vinegar. I use Trader Joe’s Modena.

3. Slowly slide the eggs in, one at a time. Bring the heat down to low.

4. Continue cooking for three minutes.

5. Use a slotted spoon to carefully lift each egg up to drain it and then place it on a nice crusty piece of toasted bread. I like rye. The eggs will be moderately runny.

That is how

[Luv2play]

I make them except I just crack an egg directly into the hot water. When I take it out with a slotted spatula, I press the spatula with the egg still on it on a paper towel to remove the excess water, otherwise it can cause the toast to get soggy.

[nomad]

I am addicted to my Ninja Foodi. I use several times a week. Especially the air fryer setting. I couldn't believe how easy it was to use. The pressure cooker setting worked really well too.

[Guest]

Sorry, I don't get it. I would think leafy vegetables do not need to be pressure-cooked or go into an instant pot, right?

May not need to, but it is an option....

[+ MysticMenace]

May not need to, but it is an option....

 

Oh! ?‍♂️ yep - I'm like how the crockpot cooks...slow.

[alexslaveboy]

It's actually on sale now at Walmart.com for $49.99 instead of $100.00

 

Was thinking that it might be good for the stew recipe @Gar1eth provided in his lounge thread

[spider]

I tossed it out. By the time you add in the time spent getting it pressured up and then released it saves no time. And everything just went to “burn” error no matter how carefully I followed instructions. Back to the top of the stove for me.