tallpines
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Favorite Vegetable:: This week, it’s Rhubarb
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Post by tallpines on Feb 7, 2020 13:02:11 GMT -5
(Did not want to interrupt the thread on Air Fryers)
What about the Insta Pots?
What is your experience with them? Do you like yours? Would you recommend the purchase of one?
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Post by pepperhead212 on Feb 7, 2020 17:14:46 GMT -5
I got mine about 2 1/2 yrs. ago, and have used it countless times, with great results. I have used it in most of its modes, and have made many one dish meals in it. The sauté mode makes it easy to start many of the dishes, then continuing to slow cook or pressure cook. It is also great for cooking batches of grains or legumes, to use in recipes. The yogurt cooking mode works great, too, making up to 4 pints at a time. I use it a lot in the summer, since it puts out much less heat than the gas burners. I would recommend them, but of course, it depends on your cooking habits, whether it would be good for you.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2020 18:02:07 GMT -5
Pepperhead; what brand do you have? I am told that there are worthless knock-offs. Saute, yogurt, pressure--all useful.
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Post by brownrexx on Feb 7, 2020 18:10:17 GMT -5
tallpines , I bought one last year and I started a thread which has some good information notjusttomatoes.proboards.com/thread/4792/instant-potI was intimidated at first but I have decided that I really like it. You need to get used to a different kind of cooking and what settings to use but I have discovered some terrific recipes. I just made beef stew in the IP 2 days ago and last month it was chicken and broccoli which was fabulous. Meat cooked in the IP is super tender and the pulled pork that I made in the IP is the best I have ever made. It took some getting used to but I am sold on this thing. 20200205_174432 (2) by Brownrexx, on Flickr Chicken and Broccoli (2) by Brownrexx, on Flickr
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Post by pepperhead212 on Feb 7, 2020 19:22:58 GMT -5
Pepperhead; what brand do you have? I am told that there are worthless knock-offs. Saute, yogurt, pressure--all useful. Mine is the real Instant Pot - the original, 6 qt one. They have changed considerably in just a few years, with things like HB egg mode, since that is one thing so many have found it great for. Some can be confusing, as the old MANUAL button was simply for setting the pressure cooker, now they renamed the button, so you'll sometimes see an old recipe saying to set MANUAL and wonder what it is! Many of the better brands of "knockoffs" are good, but most start with NS pots, most of which are not DW proof. IP has a sandwich stainless pot; a NS pot is available, but not what it comes with.
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Post by september on Feb 7, 2020 23:47:49 GMT -5
I bought one about two years ago, the original Instant Pot. I guess I was fooled by the "Instant" connotation. Which it is not. I admit that I have not given it a fair chance, only made a pork roast in it, which was ok, but I either didn't have enough liquid with it, or cooked it too long, as the pot was somewhat scorched. I keep thinking I will try it again, but there is too much planning involved in each use which turns me off. As pepperhead212 said, whether you like it will depend on your cooking habits, and it does not fit with mine. I don't like fussing in the kitchen, and for me, the waiting time for the pressure release isn't worth it. It would not save me any prep or cooking time per meal, even though the actual cooking time may be shorter. I bought a larger Air Fryer made by the Instant Pot company during the pre-Christmas sales, and for my style of cooking it is much better. I have enjoyed using it because of the quicker results and crisp browning. My Instant Pot got put back into it's box. I realize I am in the minority here, since I don't enjoy cooking and spend as little time on it as I can. But thought you should see an alternate opinion.
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tallpines
Pro Member
Posts: 298
Zone:: 4a
Favorite Vegetable:: This week, it’s Rhubarb
Joined: February 2019
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Post by tallpines on Feb 8, 2020 8:28:53 GMT -5
Well now! I was all set to go on Monday, with my 30% off coupon, and buy myself an Insta pot based on the first replies. But .... after reading the comment by september, I’m not too sure 😜. I hate fussing in the kitchen! When we built this house, I briefly considered not putting in a kitchen ...🙃. Hmmm .... Any more thoughts or comments?
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tallpines
Pro Member
Posts: 298
Zone:: 4a
Favorite Vegetable:: This week, it’s Rhubarb
Joined: February 2019
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Post by tallpines on Feb 8, 2020 8:30:52 GMT -5
brownrexx, Those photos certainly look wonderful!
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Post by Hensaplenty on Feb 8, 2020 8:38:12 GMT -5
I, too, have the original and use it a lot! This morning I made steel cut oats and apples!
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Post by brownrexx on Feb 8, 2020 10:16:07 GMT -5
tallpines , pepperhead212 , and I both enjoy cooking and trying new things but september , does not like to cook and it sounds like you might not enjoy cooking either. I really like my IP and would definitely buy it again but it is not a "pull it out of the box and use it" kind of appliance. It takes a little experimentation but once you figure it our, it's easy. I look at recipes all of the time. It's a hobby for me. I think that the IP produces really good food but if you are just looking for something to save time, then it is probably not for you. My DIL had the idea that she could come home from work and make dinner in 15 minutes and it is just not that easy. It does require some advance planning and sometimes some prep work depending on what you are cooking. The pot make take 15 minutes to come up to pressure and 15 minutes to release pressure so you need to add this to the time required but in my opinion it's worth it. I told her to stick to her Crock Pot and she would be happier. Some people online are thrilled with it and they make one pot meals with pasta and cheese but I just do not make that kind of food. Some people even make spaghetti in the IP and they say that the pressure pushes the sauce into the pasta but that's more trouble than it's worth to me. I just boil pasta for a few minutes andadd sauce. That's easier in my opinion. I look at the IP as more of a different kind of cooking and flavor than a time saver. I feel that the meats cooked in the IP have more flavor than those cooked in a Crock Pot.
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tallpines
Pro Member
Posts: 298
Zone:: 4a
Favorite Vegetable:: This week, it’s Rhubarb
Joined: February 2019
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Post by tallpines on Feb 8, 2020 11:56:53 GMT -5
So .... you could probably make those same recipes in the crock pot or traditional stove/oven .... only difference is the flavor is not as intense?
Yes, my cooking is not so much for special “gourmet” flavors as it is to just have a hot meal to fill those that need food .... as quickly and simply as possible.
Thanks for your input ....
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Post by pondgardener on Feb 8, 2020 12:03:46 GMT -5
brownrexx mentioned that some people cook spaghetti in the Instant Pot and I am one of them. I use a carton of chicken broth instead of water. BUT some of the time I get a burn message part of the way through which has me perplexed. But the end result is great. And depending on what you do cook, waiting for the pot to pressurize and then later to vent, may not be for a lot of people. And there are a multitude of recipes available online, especially for the 6 quart. And I do have the brand name InstantPot, like pepperhead212.
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Post by brownrexx on Feb 8, 2020 13:45:44 GMT -5
So .... you could probably make those same recipes in the crock pot or traditional stove/oven .... only difference is the flavor is not as intense? I think that is a fair statement. I always made chicken and broccoli on the stovetop but the IP recipe tasted better in my opinion. Both were good though. I also have the brand Name Instant Pot, 6 qt.
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Post by bestofour on Feb 9, 2020 22:41:08 GMT -5
Lots of good info here and thanks. I have a friend who loves hers and was thinking about it but I don't think it's for me.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2020 1:10:17 GMT -5
Like the immersion circulator, I did pick one of these up mmmm, last year or longer, Aldi's brand. It is still in the box. Guilty. I do have experience with using pressure cookers and canners both, but have put off trying this one out.
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Post by brownrexx on Feb 10, 2020 8:35:28 GMT -5
@imp, I bought mine and was intimidated by it at first. It seemed like too much trouble to figure out all of these new settings but then I found out that all I really needed was saute and pressure cook. All of those other buttons like rice, steam, etc are not really even needed. They are like those extra buttons on my microwave that I never use. They really are just pre-programmed times and pressure. You can just push pressure cook and pick your time and pressure level.
I like it now and it is super easy to clean. The pot must be a really good quality stainless steel because nothing sticks to it and it is DW safe.
I think that I remember you mentioning cooking ribs and I'll bet they would be really good in the IP. I don't cook those so I don't know for sure but all of the meat I have cooked has been really tender. I only ever cooked ribs one time about 30 years ago and all I remember is that they were tough and horrible so I probably didn't cook them right.
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Post by octave1 on Feb 10, 2020 10:25:52 GMT -5
tallpines , perhaps a simple pressure cooker would be a better option for you: it cooks fast, and you can release the pressure in a minute by lifting the valve yourself. I am a "short order cook", except when I make pizza and/or bake, and my most used cooking utensils are stainless steel skillets. I own crock pots and a variety of pressure cookers, but they no longer do for me. If I had an Instant Pot I would never use it.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Feb 10, 2020 16:30:29 GMT -5
I am an Instant Pot fan. I have an 8-quart and a 6-quart. The 8 quart lives on my counter for easy use, the 6 quart I have yet to decide on a permanent home for. Probably the basement since it won't be used as frequently.
I use mine a lot for dried bean dishes or lentils. Lentil dal is amazing in the IP, as are curries. I do like it for rice, hard boiled eggs and stews, but I especially love being able to make a meal out of completely frozen chicken in very little time. On those rare days I don't plan ahead and have to rustle something up, I can pull a package of chicken drumsticks out of the freezer and in about 40 minutes with release time I have perfectly cooked chicken drumsticks that I run under the broiler to crisp up.
Which reminds me, the IP makes the BEST chicken broth out of any chicken parts. When I make chicken broth, I run the bones through twice and the second batch of stock is just as flavorful as the first.
I could purchase and use a regular pressure cooker to accomplish all these things, so that doesn't really make the IP totally indispensible. I use mine almost exclusively as a pressure cooker and not like a slow cooker. I've made a few "meals" in mine, and while they were okay, they weren't fantastic, and nothing worth repeating in that regard.
Ribs are amazing! They get fall off the bone tender, so all you need to do is brush on your favorite sauce- I like to pop mine under the broiler for a little caramelization at that point.
My intention with my 6 quart pot is to use it for making yogurt and/or desserts and keeping the gasket on it away from the curries and chili powders that I use a lot of.
Oh, and as to the question about IP brand or knock-off, my reasoning for IP brand only is 100% for the stainless steel insert. I don't wish to cook on non-stick coating for many reasons, but mostly for health. Plus, that stainless steel cleans up SO easily, I don't know why you'd even need the non-stick.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Feb 10, 2020 20:16:49 GMT -5
You obviously like to cook, ladymarmalade, and I see you do a lot of the same things I do in the IP. Pressure cooking is great for making stock! seriouseats.com did an experiment once, comparing making stock in a slow cooker, regular simmering, and pressure cooking, and the pressure cooking won hands down, and the slow cooking lost hands down. They figured that the temperature of the slow cooker just didn't get high enough to extract the flavors, and this explains why meat and poultry dishes in crock pots just never seemed to get the flavor, IMO. I often will use the slow cook mode to cook dried beans, when I don't want to cook them too soft, as it is easier to stop them before they get too done.
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Post by brownrexx on Feb 11, 2020 9:06:34 GMT -5
I've made a few "meals" in mine, and while they were okay, they weren't fantastic, and nothing worth repeating in that regard. I totally agree. I have not even made any of those because they didn't look good to me. Some of them call for stopping and starting the cooking process a couple of times so that you can add food at different times. Sounds like a pain to me but if you put all of the ingredients in at the same time, some of them will be mush. I did find that out by making a pot roast with potatoes, onions and carrots. Potatoes were OK but onions and carrots were mush.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2020 11:13:19 GMT -5
The one thing about carrots and onions going to mush in either a chicken or beef stock/meal situation, is you can have some really good gravy, LOL.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 18, 2020 22:32:25 GMT -5
This is about an Instant Pot cookbook, that I had to get, since Milk Street put it out! It's Fast And Slow, and I got a deal on it, for ordering before it was published; until I ordered this, I think I had set a record for the amount of time I had gone since buying another cookbook! lol My sister bought me a couple of IP cookbooks, about a year after I got mine, but they really weren't very good. This one, however, is really good, with a lot of good tips and information, in addition to great looking recipes. With most of the dishes they give you an option of making it in the pressure cooker, or slow cooker, and give you time it takes doing it fast, or slow. In some, they only give you fast, and tell you why the slow cook mode doesn't work in those. Many, if not most, of the 150 recipes I definitely want to make! Many I want to make need something from the summer garden, so I put a colored bookmark in those. I was going to make one of the recipes tonight, but I had some leftover leftovers (stuff from the freezer yesterday) I had to finish, so I'll do that tomorrow. Something some of you might not like - in the recipes that call for spaghetti, it is broken, to fit into the pot.
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Post by september on Apr 19, 2020 9:09:16 GMT -5
This is about an Instant Pot cookbook, that I had to get, since Milk Street put it out! It's Fast And Slow, and I got a deal on it, for ordering before it was published; until I ordered this, I think I had set a record for the amount of time I had gone since buying another cookbook! lol I don't know if I should thank you for mentioning this or not! I had pretty much decided to give my unused Instant Pot to my son and his girlfriend around their birthdays next month. I had a look at the Amazon ad for the book, and after the first few pages which were excellent at explaining the workings, as well as good pictures and other handy tips, I decided to order the book, and MAYBE give the pot another try. I suspect I will still end up giving it away, but then they'll also get this great cookbook to go with it (along with another mediocre one I got earlier - too much use of other pre-processed foods.)
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Post by brownrexx on Apr 19, 2020 9:31:05 GMT -5
september , it's definitely a learning experience but I am happy with mine and I think that if you try a couple of recipes that you like, you will be hooked. I used to make beef stew in my crock pot but after I tried it in the IP I am never going back. The meat is much more flavorful. I bought beef cubes and plan on making stew this week.
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Post by september on Apr 19, 2020 10:20:56 GMT -5
brownrexx , it's the time involved that I object to! Not an "instant" pot for me, 20 min to come up to needed steam temp, and then another 20 for slow release for some things, plus the cooking time. I need quick and dirty and out of the kitchen! I'm sure things turn out great, but I don't have the patience for a learning curve ... remember, I hate to cook! Too bad I love to eat. It's tough!
20 minutes or less is what things take total in my air fryer, which I really love.
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Post by daylilydude on Apr 19, 2020 10:24:11 GMT -5
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Post by brownrexx on Apr 19, 2020 10:50:05 GMT -5
september , I know that we have discussed this before and the IP is not as instant as many people expect but you can't make beef stew in your air fryer! You don't need to stand around and watch it for 20 minutes as it comes up to pressure either. I go an do other things like getting on the forum usually and when I hear the bell ding, I know that it is time to head back to the kitchen. I do allow it to do it's own 15-20 minute slow release for meats because they are more tender that way but I use that time to prep the side dishes that we will be eating with the main meal.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 19, 2020 11:37:11 GMT -5
september, Something that I forgot tell about the book - at the top of each recipe they give 3 times (or two, for those that they determined don't do well slow cooking): Fast time, Slow time, and a Hands On Time, meaning your actual work time, which is often 15-20 min. Now, these aren't the type of recipes where you dump everything in, and walk away, like those old slow cooker recipes that were so bad! In most, something is cooked briefly in sauté mode, then the liquid is added, and the top is put on, and time set. That's the great thing about the IP - you just set the pressure cook time, and walk away! Old pressure cookers, while useful, I had to stay there with until the steam started escaping, then reduce the heat, and then finagle with it, to let it just be escaping, but not too much. One drawback to these is the low level beeper, that is not very audible in other rooms. What I do is watch for that number to start counting down (I don't stand there and watch for it! I just clean up from the first part of the recipe, and maybe get something ready for the end, and usually, it starts counting down by then), after it has gotten up to pressure, and I add that number to the amount of time I am supposed to reduce the pressure when the initial cooking is done, then set my usual timer, and I can hear that thing upstairs! lol You might want to look at that Milk Street Class on the IP - Probably the class I found most useful of the ones I went through. Definitely got some good tips, that I had not tried. A lot will be in this book, too, but I think that you will get some good ideas, and start using the IP, and get hooked on it, for a lot of things. milk-street-cooking-school.teachable.com/courses/
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Post by september on Apr 19, 2020 13:57:52 GMT -5
daylilydude , I bought the Instant Vortex pot (made by Instant pot, hah!) I like the large square basket and it had good reviews, I got it almost half price during one of the Christmas sales last winter. brownrexx , I still use my mom's ancient big crockpot for venison roasts and stews. That's actually my preferred means of cooking. I can put it together in the morning and not have to do a thing until supper! I have a smaller crockpot for smaller cuts of meat, since the big one is sometimes overkill for two people. pepperhead212 , I will definitely go through that cookbook, but I don't think I have the patience for cooking classes -- that would be almost as bad as being stuck in the kitchen for me! I enjoy reading recipes and wish I could taste so many of them, but only if I could wave a magic wand and have them magically appear! I'd rather be outside or read a book, I get irritable and nasty if I am stuck in the kitchen too long!
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 19, 2020 17:21:02 GMT -5
september, That class is just a number of short essays, STS, with some videos in between. You can watch one one day, and go back later, or the next day. You aren't watching a live class, or something you have to go through start to finish. However, I liked that IP class so much I almost went through it start to finish - a break to eat, of course, but I think I finished it at around 2 am! Another thing they have at the bottom of each page for the classes is a downloadable pdf with all of the recipes discussed in the classes. Something you may want to check out - many of the recipes have been in the magazine, and were even ones I have made, but there were some new ones, and of course, ones designed for the IP, in that course. I am making my first recipe from that book - the black beans with tequila, which I couldn't pass up! I'll post the results later - I just heard the beeper, and my timer will go off in 20 min., which is when the pressure is released (if not already), and the finishing ingredients are added.
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