# Instant Pot



## chopsaw (Jul 23, 2018)

My Daughter bought herself an instant pot from the Amazon event . Used it to make a chicken pasta dish tonight . I'm thinkin , ( with my 1960 model year mind set ) this is never gonna work . Put it all in the pot , chicken breast , uncooked penne pasta , cream cheese and chicken stock . Sets it for 4 minutes ,,,, ok . 
WOW , was I wrong . I cannot believe how good this was . It was all cooked perfect , the chicken , pasta and the sauce . I'm amazed .


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## motocrash (Jul 23, 2018)

Maxwell Smart had a shoe phone






Star Trek had food replicators





You my friend have Instant pot





And you think technology can't get better





Just keep watching sci-fi for the latest update


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Jul 23, 2018)

I know! I can't believe it either! There are actually some things I'm afraid to make because I still don't believe it could work, especially uncooked pasta and meat...lol. I've  got the crockpot brand pressure cooker. It works great. My problem is sometimes overcooking things, making them a little mushy, because I'm always thinking, "no...c'mon... it must need more time than that!" The flavors are concentrated so well too. Pork, kielbasa, and sauerkraut with beer are perfect in record time. Ground beef is nice and soft for all kinds of uses. Soup!


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## chilerelleno (Jul 23, 2018)

I almost pulled the trigger on the Instant Pot Ultra 8qt 10 in 1, but my wife was rolling her eyes.


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Jul 23, 2018)

chilerelleno said:


> I almost pulled the trigger on the Instant Pot Ultra 8qt 10 in 1, but my wife was rolling her eyes.


They are nice. She might not know what she's missing. I don't think I ever would have bought myself one, but I'm so glad my uncle gave it to me as a gift. It can get dinner together fast. I've put frozen ground beef in it when I've forgotten to defrost in time. I'm making chili in it tomorrow. Adding the beans last so I don't obliterate them... again:rolleyes:...lol.


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## drunkenmeatfist (Jul 23, 2018)

I bought one last year. That thing is great especially in the colder months for easy stews and soups. Syracuse Salt Potatoes are a snap in it.


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## cooker613 (Jul 23, 2018)

From what can tell all an “instant pot” is just an electric pressure cooker. A stove top come up to pressure in about half time with cooking times about the same.


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## bregent (Jul 23, 2018)

OK folks, you know it's just a pressure cooker, right? The built in timer does makes it more convenient, but if you already have a pressure cooker you can make all the same stuff.


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## SonnyE (Jul 23, 2018)

At first, I was thinking more about something along the line of Wacky Tobaccy...
I got tainted by all the Pot Shops in Port Orchard.

We are on a reduction mode.
Remodeled the kitchen several years ago. Now it seems full.
And I brought home a six quart enameled steaming/boiling pot.
It currently resides in my MES 30... 
Outside... under a cover... 

I admit it! I'VE GOT TOO MUCH CRAP! :eek:


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Jul 23, 2018)

bregent said:


> OK folks, you know it's just a pressure cooker, right? The built in timer does makes it more convenient, but if you already have a pressure cooker you can make all the same stuff.



Lol...I learned about pressure cookers after I got the electric pressure cooker. I'd, maybe, heard of them but didn't know anything about them. I've never known anyone who used one and I read the stove-top ones were apparently dangerous sometimes. I was even a little concerned about using the electric one. It was pretty much a whole new thing for me. Everything thing comes out cooked... so fast... like magic! What is this voodoo? :p


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## tallbm (Jul 24, 2018)

I own an Instant Pot and I really like it.  I don't use it to much but it is an awesome alternative to more expensive and heavier duty pressure cookers (which are the kind to buy).

I purchased a giant  "All American" brand stove top pressure cooker for my mother so she could do tamales more efficiently and we could waterbath and pressure can items.  This is a really top notch stove top pressure cooker but again it has different purposes than the Instant Pot.

I can say the convenience of the Instant Pot is very nice to have.  When it comes to soups, shank dishes, and my favorite use of making beans, it is hard to beat!

I still haven't been able to get a "braised" dish consistency perfected with my venison shanks but that is ok because what I have ended up with was very Amazing pot roast hahahaha.  I LOVE making wild/feral Pork Shank ramen noodle soup in it as well!

If anyone is into Mexican Menudo Soup here is my instant pot recipe that I figured out by sitting with my mother as she made it and I took measurements of all the ingredients hahahaha.  Enjoy :)
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/mexican-menudo-soup-pressure-cooker.259073/


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## drunkenmeatfist (Jul 24, 2018)

cooker613 said:


> From what can tell all an “instant pot” is just an electric pressure cooker. A stove top come up to pressure in about half time with cooking times about the same.





bregent said:


> OK folks, you know it's just a pressure cooker, right? The built in timer does makes it more convenient, but if you already have a pressure cooker you can make all the same stuff.


Really wish I would have been able to read these posts before I wasted the $50 I spent on mine. Who would have known that an Instant Pot Programmable *Pressure Cooker* is actually just a pressure cooker??? Can't believe all of these people are throwing away tens of dollars to be able to use a pressure cooker that allows you to time and set the amount of pressure with the press of some buttons. Thanks for opening my eyes to the absolute painfully obvious truth that virtually everyone knows upon reading the name of the device.


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Jul 24, 2018)

If anyone was wondering how my chili turned out in the crockpot Express pressure cooker for tonight, it didn't...lol. I got an E6 error, which I THINK means that there's not enough liquid in the pot and what's in there is so thick it will burn if it doesn't shut off. I don't want chili soup. I want proper chili!

Anyway, I moved it to the crockpot and left it on high for two hours. It did goof up dinner time because you never know when you're going to get that error reading...20 minutes from when you expect it to be done...:mad:... But, I'm ok now, I made it through and the crockpot chili hit the spot. Live and learn...


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## MeatSkull (Jul 24, 2018)

I have a Bella pressure cooker, same thing. I can make a pot of pintos in 1 1/2 hours from dried beans no soaking. I also use it to make stock from scraps. Crockpot on steriods.


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## drunkenmeatfist (Jul 24, 2018)

KrisUpInSmoke said:


> If anyone was wondering how my chili turned out in the crockpot Express pressure cooker for tonight, it didn't...lol. I got an E6 error, which I THINK means that there's not enough liquid in the pot and what's in there is so thick it will burn if it doesn't shut off. I don't want chili soup. I want proper chili!
> 
> Anyway, I moved it to the crockpot and left it on high for two hours. It did goof up dinner time because you never know when you're going to get that error reading...20 minutes from when you expect it to be done...:mad:... But, I'm ok now, I made it through and the crockpot chili hit the spot. Live and learn...


Don't be afraid to add a little more liquid than you might expect. If it is still too thin once the timer is up you can take the lid off and use the sautee function for a little while to thicken it up.


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Jul 24, 2018)

drunkenmeatfist said:


> Don't be afraid to add a little more liquid than you might expect. If it is still too thin once the timer is up you can take the lid off and use the sautee function for a little while to thicken it up.



Maybe I should just try it, but I can't see descent chili coming out of as  much liquid as it seems to need. I mean, I already added tomato sauce and canned tomatoes with their liquid. And, it already looked liquidy enough. Sautee to thicken it up? Without adding anything? No corn starch or flour?

Tomorrow, I'm going to make pork, kielbasa and sauerkraut with beer, and I know it likes beer... LOL. So, tomorrow it should be fine.


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## drunkenmeatfist (Jul 24, 2018)

Yep it's just like taking a lid off the pot on the stove. The excess liquid will be evaporated.


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 24, 2018)

I love my Instant Pot... Need a crockpot? It can do it. Rice Cooker? It can do it! Pressure cooker? It can do it!

I've made tapioca pudding in it too :)


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## zachd (Jul 24, 2018)

1. Find a stainless steel cup that is just short of the lid of the insta pot
2. Add water beer or whatever to cup
3. stick cup against the wall of the insta pot turn on sauté mode to get the cup and water hot
3. and chilli around the cup but don't add so it goes over the top of it
4. Shut lid and cook like you would have should be enough liquid now to get the pressure build up without watering down your chili


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## johnmeyer (Jul 25, 2018)

If you are going to use the instapot mostly as a pressure cooker you are MUCH better off getting a traditional stove-top pressure cooker. Why? Well, it heats up _much _faster for one. Another thing is that you can brown your ingredients more easily, because of the higher heat you can generate on a stove top. This is important for some things.

Next, it is much easier to do a "quick release" of the pressure because you can simply put your entire stove-top pressure cooker under some running water and it will come down in temperature in a few seconds.

Finally, most stove-top cookers are bigger.

I use my pressure cooker many times each week and consider it one of the most essential tools in my kitchen. Here is what it does really well.

1. Rice. It produces rice that is better than any rice cooker I've every used. The secret is to put the rice and water in a cooking bowl placed on a trivet, above the water in the bottom of the pressure cooker. The rice steams at 260 degrees (the temperature of steam at 15 psi). This produces quite a different result from steaming at sea level pressure. I use slightly less than the 2:1 water/rice ratio. Bring the pressure cooker up to temperature (it takes less than a minute with only one inch of water in the bottom of the cooker). Once the steam is escaping, cook at 15 psi for six minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for six more minutes. Then let off the excess steam, fluff the rice, and serve.

2. Mashed potatoes. This took awhile to perfect. Originally I was cooking the potatoes in the pressure cooker water, just like I would if I boiled them. However, the potatoes came out with too much water in them, and when I put the potatoes through my food mill, to mash them, they were gooey. Once again, the solution was to steam them. I cut each potato into really big chunks (about 4-8 chunks for each large potato). I put those in a steamer basket, with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of the pressure cooker, and then bring it up to pressure. I then use exactly the same cooking times as for the rice (six minutes under full pressure; then six minutes without heat, but without releasing any pressure). I then put the potatoes through a food mill, stir in some butter and milk to the desired consistency, and serve.

This makes the best mashed potatoes I've ever had.

3. Beans. You will never cook dried beans without a pressure cooker, once you tried it. They cook more completely and in about 1/4 the time.

4. Stews. I have all sorts of recipes for stews, including a wonderful Asian short rib recipe with Hoisin sauce.

5. Soups. I love making soup, and it always turns out better and faster in the pressure cooker. Some of my favorites: lentil soup; black bean soup; and split pea soup. The split pea soup is the only one that may not be better in the pressure cooker because the split peas sometimes break down too far.

I can go on.

If you want to get some of the best pressure cooker recipes, buy what is probably the most famous pressure cooker cookbook. It is from Lorna Sass and is called "Cooking Under Pressure."


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## pc farmer (Jul 25, 2018)

Ok guys.  This isn't a debate between a insta pot and a pressure cooker. 

 chopsaw
 was posting a new toy.  I have a Ninja, it does alot of stuff.  Some not so great but it still does it.


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## motocrash (Jul 25, 2018)

I agree with Adam...


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Jul 25, 2018)

zachd said:


> 1. Find a stainless steel cup that is just short of the lid of the insta pot
> 2. Add water beer or whatever to cup
> 3. stick cup against the wall of the insta pot turn on sauté mode to get the cup and water hot
> 3. and chilli around the cup but don't add so it goes over the top of it
> 4. Shut lid and cook like you would have should be enough liquid now to get the pressure build up without watering down your chili


Have you tried this to see if it works?
A problem with that might be that the liquid/content is so thick that it will scorch and burn, because a couple times when I got the error things were starting to burn on the bottom from the heating up cycle before the cook.


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## johnmeyer (Jul 26, 2018)

c farmer said:


> Ok guys.  This isn't a debate between a insta pot and a pressure cooker.
> 
> chopsaw
> was posting a new toy.  I have a Ninja, it does alot of stuff.  Some not so great but it still does it.


I wasn't trying to start a debate, but only pointing out that if your main reason to get the Instapot is for the pressure cooker, there are a lot of advantages to getting a "real" stovetop cooker.

And, I'll add one more argument to the ones I presented.

In this post, Chris says his Instapot shut down probably because the bottom got a little dry and therefore exceeded 212 (I assume that is how the sensor works). With a stovetop cooker, you don't have that limitation.

Having said that, I've made dozens and dozens of chili meals in my pressure cooker (it does a fabulous job on chili, both ground beef and meat cubes) and, if you don't pay close attention to both the heat and the liquid, it will burn a little bit on the bottom.


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## campfire218 (Jul 29, 2018)

cooker613 said:


> From what can tell all an “instant pot” is just an electric pressure cooker. A stove top come up to pressure in about half time with cooking times about the same.


I have both, and the stovetop pressure cooker sits unused on a shelf in my garage now. I actually like the ability to "set it and forget it" I've never gotten an error code on my instant pot and have had far fewer food failures with it than I did with the stovetop unit.


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