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 don't. I then strain mine to get Greek strained yoghurt. Delicious.

Join the instant pot FB group, you'll get lots of recipes and tips
Yogurt, clotted cream, risotto and curry are my favourites. Curry tastes like its been cooking for hours and takes about 15 mins
Butter chicken (you could use chick peas/cauliflower) is amazing

Oh yes - I got a strainer dip-dah off the internet and it world really well (I found straining through a bit bag very messy).

You don't need a seal on for yogurt
I do have a curry seal though

I have separate ones for different things - I didn’t realise until I started making yoghurt that the plastic can hold the cooking smells so I now have 3: yoghurt, curries, other...

Can you use it without a ring?

It needs to be a Duo rather than an Evo to have a yoghurt setting, which makes it straightforward. Easiest way is to use UHT milk and some live yoghurt and then you can do what is referred to as "cold start" yoghurt. You just press the yoghurt button and leave it to it, overnight is probably most convenient. There are Facebook groups, both UK and north American, which have lots of tips and there's a recipe file on the UK one.

Stews come out much better than they do slow cooked. I love mine!

@KittenKong

I have separate ones for different things - I didn’t realise until I started making yoghurt that the plastic can hold the cooking smells so I now have 3: yoghurt, curries, other...

Can you use it without a ring?

Yes as the yoghurt setting isn't under pressure. I use a glass lid for yoghurt making. You could even use a dinner plate as long as it covers the inner pot.

I didn’t know that! I assumed the lid would fit properly without (you know the ‘soooooook’ that it makes when you twist it on?) but that makes perfect sense!

I use long life milk with a live culture starter - on for 10 hours then strain (for about an hour). I decant it into Kilmer jars, then proceed to strut and crow, telling everyone that I HAVE MADE YOUGHURT, probably in the manner of the first human to make fire.

I think it's better than a slow cooker. Pressure cook, then leave on keep warm if you need it to cook dinner while you're at work.

I love mine and use it loads. You can join groups on Facebook - they are usually American, so some things that wouldn’t be to my taste (lasagne in a pot??). I’m still not getting the love of apple purée that seems to be very popular.

@KittenKong

I didn’t know that! I assumed the lid would fit properly without (you know the ‘soooooook’ that it makes when you twist it on?) but that makes perfect sense!

I use long life milk with a live culture starter - on for 10 hours then strain (for about an hour). I decant it into Kilmer jars, then proceed to strut and crow, telling everyone that I HAVE MADE YOUGHURT, probably in the manner of the first human to make fire.

I love this!

Bloody love mine. I'd marry it if bigamy to a kitchen gadget was legal.

I love mine. Stews that normally take hours are melt in the mouth tender in less than 30 minutes.

I like this website, think it has a beginner guide guide too which you may find useful.

[[https://instantpoteats.com/]]

instantpoteats.com/

Link fail.

I bought one but was unimpressed. I found it made all food have the same generic, frozen food-like 'savoury' aftertaste - even curries made with fresh ingredients! Nothing I put in there was any different, no matter how meticulously it was cleaned, even rice pudding! Also in some cases, such as pasta & many others, by the time it's got up to pressure you could've cooked the food regularly. You also lose the benefits of searing meat during cooking, unless you do it first then finish in the IP but that defeats the object!

@Knittedfairies

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.

@knittedfaires How do you prove bread in it please? Is it faster than a normal prove?

@iklboo

Bloody love mine. I'd marry it if bigamy to a kitchen gadget was legal.

Thank you for the link @MrsKippling, that beginners' section looks really useful!

@minatrina I use the slow cooker function all the time on it. The low setting on the ip is the same temp as the high setting on my old broken Morphy Richards so it's been a learning curve. It's great though.

@AlexaShutUp

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

Casseroles/stews etc done under and hour, tastes nicer than a slow cooker.

@FrozenoutofCostco

I bought one but was unimpressed. I found it made all food have the same generic, frozen food-like 'savoury' aftertaste - even curries made with fresh ingredients! Nothing I put in there was any different, no matter how meticulously it was cleaned, even rice pudding! Also in some cases, such as pasta & many others, by the time it's got up to pressure you could've cooked the food regularly. You also lose the benefits of searing meat during cooking, unless you do it first then finish in the IP but that defeats the object!

But you can use the saute function to sear it first so that isn't true. I cooked a large beef casserole when I first got my IP and did half in there and the other half I slow cooked in a Dutch oven. The version in the IP was much more tender and tasty and took less time even with the coming up to pressure and natural release times factored in.

I use mine for risotto, dried chickpeas (much nicer than tinned) and Brazilian feijoada. I’m going to have a look at the yogurt recipe as I’d love to make my own.

For proving I use the yoghurt setting.
Rice comes out perfect every time - I use 2 cups of water for every cup of rinsed rice, cook for 4 minutes on high, wait 2-3 minutes then reduce the pressure quickly. Voila, perfectly fluffy rice.
I like chickpea curries and refried beans cooked in it as well. I don’t eat meat but I occasionally put a whole chicken in for the rest of the family, it takes about 20 minutes + heating up and pressure release time and it literally falls off the bone.
And one more thing - dulce de leche 😋

We’ve ordered an Instant Pot http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/foodandd_recipes/3347436-We-ve-ordered-an-Instant-Pot

www.familyfreshmeals.com/2018/04/instant-pot-honey-garlic-chicken.html

thesaltymarshmallow.com/instant-pot-mac-and-cheese/