Instant pot

[AlexaShutUp]

I appear to have inherited an instant pot from a friend who has moved overseas and isn't coming back.

Are they any good? What can I do with it, please?

I want one!

I use mine as a pressure cooker: it cooks up a (relatively) quick stew or pan of beans AND you can just leave it to it.

Remember however it can take a while to depressurise after cooking time is over.

I have one. Have mostly just made soup. I have also made stock from chicken or turkey bones.

I also now boil eggs in it, on the trivet, two minutes on pressure cooking, then vent to depressure.

It sounds long winded compared with boiling but they are so very easy to peel!

Thank you. Does the depressurising mean that you have to wait before you can eat what it has cooked? Or something else?

Beans are good, we eat a lot of those. And soup. I should have mentioned in the initial post that we don't eat meat.

@AGreenerShadeofKale

I also now boil eggs in it, on the trivet, two minutes on pressure cooking, then vent to depressure.

It sounds long winded compared with boiling but they are so very easy to peel!

That's good to know, I make a right hash of peeling eggs sometimes!

I'd buy another Instant Pot immediately if mine broke. I use it for all of the above, plus making risotto and yoghurt and proving bread.

I use it for parboiling roast potatoes. They don't get soggy and are the best ever.

Mash is great too and so easy.

Ooh, I love a good risotto!

And I'm interested in the thing about making yoghurt, didn't know it could do that!

I have heard it makes a very good cheesecake

So what are the main benefits exactly. Is it speed? Ease of use?

@DogFoodPie

I have heard it makes a very good cheesecake

Now you're talking!!!

Speeds up long cooking times.
Can be left to its own devices unlike a pan on the hob that might boil over / boil dry.
Less cooking smell.

I've made yoghurt with it, it was very good. I used uht milk to simplify the process.

I do veg in, broccoli for 1 minute is perfect.

Eggs.
Curries.
Meat for stew.

Weirdly, cheesecake is fantastic made in it.

There is a hugely active FB group.

Oooo I'm intrigued by this thread as I am looking at getting an instant pot!

Does anyone have any idea what the slow cooker function on it is like? Is it any good as a slow cooker?

I make porridge in mine every morning (pot in pot method).

Risotto is excellent in it no stirring is a bonus.

It sounds amazing.

I haven't seen it yet. (DH stored it in our loft when friend left and thought she might be coming back but now she isn't.) Do they come in different sizes? We are only a family of 3 but she lived on her own.

I hope she has left a manual!

We eat a lot of curry. Porridge is interesting too.

It sounds magic.

In pressure cooker mode, before you can open the pan it needs to either be vented quickly (which is okay with non- mushy) or for mushy food that could clog the vent, allowed to depressurize naturally over time - this can take about ten minutes.

How do you make yoghurt in it. I keep meaning to try!

Placemarking to set you up some links later

The easiest way to make yoghurt if you have an IP model with a yoghurt setting is to take about 2 spoonfuls of live natural yoghurt, stir into a litre of UHT milk, put in a container (I use a washed out 1l yoghurt pot), set on the yoghurt programme for about 10 hours, pop in the fridge when done.

I'd recommend joining the uk instant pot Facebook group, lots of useful tips and recipes.

Thanks Una.
Do you have to sterilise your container prior?

Ooh yes yoghurt! Also makes a good Dahl and curries. But get new rubber rings for the lid or you will get curry flavoured yoghurt. 😳

Oh and beetroot - it’s really nice. Also soups, easy peasy.

Just remember that the liquid isn’t boiled off as it would be in a pan - but you get used to us.