Here’s what you need to know?
Everyone raves about Instant Pots all the time. But what is it exactly? The popular multi-cooker brand is great for two reasons. Multi-cookers can replace multiple kitchen appliances, so you don’t have to buy separate egg cookers and rice cookers. Some of them can also be used as yogurt makers or sterilize baby bottles. ).
Instant Pots have made Sunday morning meal prep so much easier since I discovered their magic. An Instant Pot allows me to cook up a week’s worth meals (and even dinners!) It takes only about one hour to cook, and you don’t have to worry about dirty pans or pots.
What is an Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot is a multicooker with tons of functions. It can be used for pressure cooking, slow cooker, steaming, warming, sauteing and many other tasks. This helps speed up the cooking process. In 2010, the first Instant Pot was launched. In 2021, the first Instant Pot was introduced. All of them are great, but experts recommend the Instant Pot Duo for most people because it offers both low and high pressure settings.
What is the difference between an Instant Pot and a pressure cooker?
An Instant Pot can be used as a pressure cooker but they are different. Our Kitchen Appliance Lab experts from the Good Housekeeping Institute clarified the differences between the terms.
Pressure cookers are a quick and easy way to quickly get food on the plate. A pressure cooker can be either an electric or stovetop pressure cooker. It reduces the cooking time by increasing the boiling point of the water and trapping steam. After your food has been cooked, you have two options: either manually release the pressure with the knob or wait until the steam naturally releases.
People who love to have a hot meal waiting for them at home after work are well-suited for slow cookers. You can set it and forget about it appliances. Simply put ingredients in the slow cooker the morning and it will cook at low heat all day. They can be set to cook for a specific amount of time and then switch to a keep-warm setting.
Crock-Pot slow cooker brand is very popular. Its name is often used interchangeably with slow-cooker, but the brand also makes multicookers. Instant Pot is the most well-known multi-cooker brand.
Are Instant Pots dangerous?
Although pressure cookers from the past were dangerous, an Instant Pot has an outer pot, a stainless inner pot and a lid. All of these have safety features that make them safe. Nicole Papantoniou from Good Housekeeping Institute’s Kitchen Appliance & Culinary Innovations Lab director says that the silicone gasket prevents steam escaping and regulates pressure. However, if your gasket has become damaged or worn, it is best to replace it.
The Instant Pot has a floating valve that indicates when it is unsafe to open the lid. The floating valve raises the lid and locks it when the pressure is too high.
You have two options to release pressure after cooking: the quick release feature which quickly extinguishes steam from the pot (typically in 1-2 minutes) or the natural release which releases steam slowly over time. Papantoniou recommends natural release for foods like stews or pastas that don’t need to be overcooked. To release steam from the nozzle, use tongs instead of your naked hands if you use quick release.
The Instant Pot’s automatic heat setting can help ensure food safety. This is the temperature range where bacteria quickly multiply in food. It ranges from 40 to 140 degrees F according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
What are the best recipes for Instant Pot cooking?
There are so many options! An Instant Pot can be used to cook rice and hard-boiled eggs. They’re perfect for meal prepping and large families. Although I am not a great cook, I do love cooking large quantities of rice and then sautéing vegetables in the Instant Pot. Then I simmer my favorite tikka masala sauce. My coworkers say my lunch smells amazing when I prepare it. I also tell them how easy it was to cook in my Instant Pot!
Making pasta may seem simple, but you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to use an Instant Pot. You don’t have to wait for the water boil to get hot. The pasta will stick to the sauce even if there is a little starch water left. I add sauce, spinach, or other vegetables after the pressure cooker is finished so that they don’t become mushy.
Instant Pots are a favorite of our Kitchen Appliance specialists for cooking stock, chili, and soup. Steel-cut oats are a favorite, but you may not know how long it takes to cook them on the stove. In an Instant Pot they can be done in just eight minutes. To cook meat faster, make sure you cut large pieces into smaller pieces.
