Talk to me about your instant pot

[graysor]

I've recently found out about the awesome sounding instant pot, and think I need one in my life!

But which one?

Which one do you have? What do you use it for? And is it significantly better than a standard pressure cooker?

Thanks!

I have the 7 in 1 in 6L and 8L. I use them all the time. Tonight I batch cooked a lamb curry and set the timer so that I could go upstairs and bath the kids. When I came down I had curry in one and rice in the other. It cooks amazing rice and risottos. Not great if you're low carbing!

In the morning I will cook my DD's boiled eggs. It's not a time saver but it does mean that I just chuck them in and can get on with other things. If they weren't so fussy about the eggs being runny I could put them in the night before and come down to them being ready. I do that with porridge quite often.

As for standard pressure cookers - if you mean hob top ones - don't even think about it. An instant pot surpasses it by a million miles and I do have a hob top one. I just will never use it again.

There is an ultra coming out soon. I think the 7 in 1's are better than the Lux's because they have top holders on the side and are generally just nicer. Whilst I don't make yoghurt much i do think it's a more up to date model.

On the whole I don't necessarily use the instant pot to save me time. I use it because it's massively convenient once you get used to it all. Yes, it can cook a stew in less time and yes, it can cook stock brilliantly without stinking the house out for the entire duration. But for me it's the ability to chuck things in and forget out them and once you understand the timings of things, the ability to cook things to perfection with very little effort. However, be prepared to look at it in intimidation for quite a while! For me it really was a case of experimenting for quite a while until i got braver.

Ooh, great That's exactly the kind of info I need.

Realistically I'm only going to stretch to one to start with. Would you recommend the 8l? I too want to batch cook a lamb curry, and have it cooking while I bath dd!

I concur with needing a long learning period. But great curry, paella, risotto, Bolognese, chilli. It's very good for pulses from dry or after a quick soak. Biryani is great.

It does take a while to get the hang of it. This week I have cooked a gammon in mine (45 mins), then done potatoes and veg while it crisped in the oven, braising steak stew, melt in the mouth tender in less than an hour, yogurt which is easy peasy, soup also dead easy. It's so clean compared to doing things on the hob. Plus you can sauté in it to brown/soften.

I agree about the learning period, also it doesn't always save time, but being able to switch it on and go out, not having to stir, it makes life very easy.

Just one is pretty good! Most people don't have two. I'm just constantly knackered and having two really works for me as I use them so much now.

As for the 6 litre or 8 litre - (did you know they're on sale in Costco right now for £71??? Only available for 2 or 3 more days and in store only. Can't remember if 6 litre or 8 litre.) - they are quite big machines. I thought the 6L was big til the 8 arrived. The 8 can obviously fit more in but it takes a little more time to depressurise (and pressurise but it's only depressurising where I notice). The 8 gives you more choice though cos it can fit pretty much anything in. I'd probably go 8 but you'd be happy with a 6. Depends on price, size of kitchen, and definitely where you're going to store it. You need a big cupboard or enough countertop space. And when I say big cupboard space I really mean it!

Ours is the 6L, I keep it out all the time but it does take up quite a bit of space. There is a great UK based FB community run by the company where users share recipes and encourage you to buy all sorts of accessories too, things like steamer baskets.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ my Instant Pot!

I use it most days I think, often more than once. I work from home and I tend to make a big batch of soup in mine to heat up through the week. I can sauté the veg in there, add stock and pulses and then leave it to do its thing. I made ham and split pea soup yesterday with ham I’d cooked in the pot and the stock from it.

It makes amazing risotto, gorgeous lamb shanks and the curries are brilliant. In the summer I cooked chicken breasts from frozen and sliced them up for salads.

The Facebook group associated with it is very good, well moderated and has lots of excellent recipes.

I used to love my slow cooker but would often get to 2pm on a Sunday and realise it was too late to make a casserole in it. With the IP I can be a lot less organised than I had to be with the slow cooker

Plus I’ve saved loads on electricity as I don’t turn the oven on much these days.

I can get a whole average sized chicken In my 6l easily.

Good to know calman! Is yours a duo?

Yes... brilliant piece of kit. The facebook group for the UK has been invaluable. Plenty of tried and tested recipes there. You need to remember to use less liquid than you would normally. Oh and it didn't brown the chicken... it was super moist but very pale skin. If you like crispy skin then you'd need to pop it in the oven for a quick blast.

Are they just pressure cookers?

What's an instant pot? Is it like a slow cooker? But quicker.

Off to google instant pot seems like I need one in my life

Black Friday soon, Op, I’m sure the Duo will be on sale. Fantastic things, worth every penny. Worth it just for the cheesecake ;)

@DottyBlue2 it’s a pressure cooker

Oh god, I grew up on the smell of burnt lentils in a pressure cooker, and images of my mother rushing through the house running to turn it off!!! Ppphhhhoowwweereeereeeeeee!

I love mine. I like the no stir risotto, I can leave beans to cook without fretting about them frothing all over the cooker top, it makes perfect brown rice each and every time. I could go on and on, I bought it to replace the elderly slow cooker and thought I might use it now and again as a pressure cooker but I use it probably more as a pressure cooker than as a slow cooker.