Instant Pot - yay or nay?

[NotMyWay]

My Facebook feed is filled with videos of delicious meals being made in an Instant Pot in 10 seconds flat. Is this an amazing kitchen must have or a complete waste of time?

It's an electric pressure cooker, and far less alarming to use. It has a timer, stay warm and programme which makes it very convenient. You don't have to supervise it at all, just set it up and walk away.

Speed wise, it's faster for certain things- dried beans, meals that like a long simmer on the hob/slow oven are ready much faster. Most things it's a similar time though- 0min chicken takes half an hour to get up to temp and 15mins to lose pressure, so it's not that fast. It's nice though!

I use mine quite a bit - mostly for making curries and boiling spuds!

I did have a recipe for making pasta (literally throw everything in and cook for 7 mins) - I quite liked it but no one else did! Good for soup and I recently discovered that you can cook whole beetroot in i (which is very nice).

I love mine. I think one of the main benefits is that you can get something cooking and you don't have to watch it. Then it can sit for ages on keep warm without drying out. I make all sorts in it. Not so much cheesecake or lemon curd these days though. Thai green curry is great.
I soften an onion, add chopped chicken and cook for a little, add the curry paste and let that cook for a couple of minutes. Then add coconut milk and pop the lid on. 8 to 10 minutes at high pressure (HP), then release the pressure straight away QPR (or let it sit until you're ready). Add frozen green beans and let them heat up. I usually then thicken with a bit of cornflour. Done. 😋

I think as long as you remember that it’s a pressure cooker - so liquid amounts need to be varied. It’s very useful to throw a quick soup on, or to make a curry or stew and keep it warm. Makes excellent Dahl! I also have an air fryer now (you can but a special AirFryer lid for the larger instantpots) and that’s quite handy for some things too.

My one has a ‘sauté’ function, so I can use it like a traditional pan. I can soften my onion and brown my meat before I start the the pressure cooker function and when it’s finished cooking, I can use the sauté function again to simmer and reduce the liquid.

Newer models have a crisping lid.

Yes that’s handy when starting to cook something. Raw onions in soup just don’t work - they need to be fried don’t they?

@BriocheForBreakfast you can sit the rice in a pot above it and that will cook at the same time. Perfect.

I had an old slow cooker that I used loads, so when that broke I got an Instant Pot - and it’s been a good addition. It slow cooks, but also pressure cooks - which is great when I’ve been disorganised and haven’t managed to get any dinner on. You can do a good risotto in 20 or so minutes with no stirring and a stew in half an hour. It doesn’t like things with tomato in when pressure cooking, so you either layer them on top or add them after the pressure cook stage. Great that you can sauté in there, to start things off as well. It’s a bit of a big old beast to store though (I’ve got the largest size). There’s still more I need to try out.

I got a little dragon head that sits on the top of mine to divert the steam out through its mouth. It amuses me!

Ninja Foodie here too, love it and use it all the time, air fryer is fab.
Only negative is that it is massive and heavy!

[quote picklemewalnuts]@BriocheForBreakfast you can sit the rice in a pot above it and that will cook at the same time. Perfect.[/quote]
That's true! However, I usually make rice in the microwave in a Tupperware rice maker.

I’ve just steamed some beetroot (smug) in mine! Yes I do use it quite a bit (I love gadgets but this is one I have used consistently). I’ve not tried cake or yoghurt in it yet...

I got mine for the saute function as I used my old slow cooker a lot but it annoyed me having to saute things first before putting in.
I have never used the saute function! But I use it weekly for stock and yoghurt and will get to grips with the instructions and use it more for proper cooking.

I do the same, Brioche. I use a Pyrex jug in the microwave. It's handy though, if you want to set it all up ahead of time and walk away. The timer means it's all ready when you need it.

I use mine a lot, I've actually got two now

Some things do cook quicker such as meat joints. I find stews, chillis and currys taste like they've been simmering away for a long time but have been in for 30mins cool time (probably 50mins all in).

I also do chicken breasts, jambalaya, yoghurt, hard boiled eggs. I've used it to cool squash skin on so the peel just slides off. I've proved bread in there once as well.

I like that I can chuck it and walk away, the meat never dries out for me either

Yes I have it and it's fabulous-just had the most tender beef roast the other day

I LOVE mine. It was a gift and I was so skeptical at first, but three months on, and I have been forced to concede that the draw that it is supposed to live in will have to be filled with something else. It lives on the counter top. It IS ugly, but it's used every single day. More than the toaster.
Today I made beef brisket with gravy and veg, and cooked potatoes above it that I made into mash whilst thickening the gravy.
Yesterday I made golden syrup and orange steamed pudding.
The day before I made risotto. And on and on. It's brilliant.

@Reachersloveinterest

It's basically a pressure cooker isn't it?

Yes, an electric one. Lots of safety features so you can just programme it and walk away. Can also be used as a slow cooker and yoghurt maker if it's a Duo model.

I've got a ninja maxi 9 in one and it's brill

My ninja is pressure cooker,grill,oven,slow cooker and saute and dehydrator

Love mine. Don’t use it weekly, but use it fairly regularly. Got rid of my crockpot.

I use mine for risottos, macaroni cheese, curries, stews, soups and stocks. I’m not very adventurous so it doesn’t get the use it could but I do really like it. Also love the air fryer - I’m hoping they break at the same time so I can get an all-in-one job and reclaim the counter!

@womanity

Also, they’re really ugly. Like really.

Mine has a Futurama Bender sticker on it.

@BrownEyedGirl80

My ninja is pressure cooker,grill,oven,slow cooker and saute and dehydrator

The Instant Pot Crisp is the equivalent of that then.

Love ours - chilli, bolognese, curries, soup, gammon joint. Made a beef rendang last week which was delicious. Usually make a pot full so can freeze several portions.