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Post by SockMonkey on Aug 2, 2016 20:07:36 GMT
What if I'm kind of afraid of pressure cookers?
Is it like, huge and terrible and always in the way?
If I say, never used my spiralizer, do you think that's a sign I shouldn't get one or does everybody kind of buy a spiralizer and forget about it?
Does it really save a lot of time and do things like meat come out browned or is it just going to be a lot of gray meat and shit?
I'm a teacher and when I get home I'm starving and exhausted. I need easy. I need quick. Is it really as instant as they say?
I know there are experts about. Fill me in, yo.
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Post by elaine on Aug 2, 2016 20:26:04 GMT
Oh, sock sock sock.
You, of all people, with your work schedule, NEED an Instant Pot.
If you click on my name, and then recent threads, you will see the bazillion Instant Pot/Electric Pressure Cooker threads I've started since February- probably 99% of your questions have been asked and answered in those threads.
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IAmUnoriginal
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,894
Jun 25, 2014 23:27:45 GMT
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Post by IAmUnoriginal on Aug 2, 2016 20:40:02 GMT
Totally different than the pressure cookers our mothers and grandmothers used. Tons of safety features take the fear right out of it.
Not huge, takes up about the same amount of space as a Crock Pot. I took my Crock Pot out of the cabinet and put the Instant Pot right into the same space.
It's not a fun quirky gadget. Once you find your groove with it, it won't be set aside.
It does save some time. It has a saute feature that allows you to brown meat before the cooking process starts. No grey meat. No weird, boiled-all-day textures.
I've only had mine since Prime Day and am still learning. But, I don't regret my purchase at all. I made a whole chicken last night. It was delicious and so fast. (Just over 30 minutes for a 5.25 pound chicken)
Yep, you probably need one.
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scrappert
Prolific Pea
RefuPea #2956
Posts: 7,811
Location: Milwaukee, WI area
Jul 11, 2014 21:20:09 GMT
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Post by scrappert on Aug 2, 2016 21:01:29 GMT
Yes.
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Aug 2, 2016 21:06:24 GMT
YES!! Yes, you DO need an Instant Pot, lol!! I do NOT ordinarily cook, and I think I've used mine at least 3-4 times per week since I've figured out how it worked. My boyfriend has not given me compliments on my cooking this often since- well, since never (I'm not a natural cook). It is useful even for things as simple as sautéing or steaming vegetables-- the sides are taller than a sauté pan, so nothing splatters onto the cooktop while I'm sautéing, and it's SO much easier to just set the controls and walk away while things are cooking- no checking the flame or heat level on the stove, no risk of things burning, etc. Just wait for it to beep! ETA: -- I made steamed broccoli last night in about 5 minutes total (it took me more time to chop up the broccoli florets than it took to cook). -- I made perfect cilantro-lime rice (NOT instant rice) in, what-- 15 minutes? (something like that) and I have NEVER made rice before, except for the instant 5-minute kind, which always tasted yucky. -- I made pork carnitas (for burrito bowls) in 90 minutes cooking... I can now make things in an evening for dinner that I would ordinarily wait for 'some' weekend to (maybe) cook because I don't want to leave my crockpot unattended during the day while we're at work. **Personally, I think I've actually done more bona-fide 'cooking' since Amazon Prime day than I've done in the past 6 months, and it is due SOLELY to the Instant Pot (and elaine). |
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Post by blarneygirl on Aug 2, 2016 21:06:52 GMT
After my memories of my mother's pressure cooker growing up, I was terrified of them. I couldn't resist the Prime sale. Between all of the help here and the Facebook group, the fear is gone!
Yes, you need one!
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Post by Prenticekid on Aug 2, 2016 21:16:15 GMT
Yes. But, understand that in addition to the cooking time, there is time to bring it up to pressure, and time to bring it down. The beauty of it though is with an Instant Pot, you just push a button or two and walk away. You do not have to mind the stove, or check the oven. You can be decompressing or doing something else you'd rather being doing.
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Post by elaine on Aug 2, 2016 22:05:31 GMT
From a blog:
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 2, 2024 2:52:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2016 22:07:59 GMT
I read your thread as, "Do I need instant pot?" and I was thinking wow, I didn't know such a thing existed, I could sure use some. (Sucky day at work)
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Post by SockMonkey on Aug 2, 2016 22:12:33 GMT
I read your thread as, "Do I need instant pot?" and I was thinking wow, I didn't know such a thing existed, I could sure use some. (Sucky day at work) Hhahahahahah! Yeah, sometimes I feel like I need that, too!  SaveSave |
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SweetieBsMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,618 
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Aug 2, 2016 22:15:49 GMT
I love my Instant Pot. LOVE IT. Yes, you do need one.
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Post by needtime2scrap on Aug 2, 2016 22:16:26 GMT
You guys all convinced me and I'm not even Sock! Mine will be here on Friday 😊
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Country Ham
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,313
Jun 25, 2014 19:32:08 GMT
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Post by Country Ham on Aug 2, 2016 22:20:43 GMT
Since I have no reason to toss aside a perfectly good slow cooker, and a perfectly good pressure cooker I will not be buying one. But I do use both of mine quite often.
ETA: A lot of times I have meat in the slower cooker all day then I use my pressure cooker for sides when I get home. I feel I need my devices separate.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 2, 2024 2:52:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2016 22:22:01 GMT
You guys all convinced me and I'm not even Sock! Mine will be here on Friday 😊 I have to admit that all this talk has me intrigued too, and I almost made yet another PIP (Pea Influenced Purchase). But here's the dealbreaker for me: I just know myself too well, that's not going to happen. It's bad enough I have to cook, I'm not reading any damn manual. |
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Post by refugeepea on Aug 2, 2016 22:22:08 GMT
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Deleted
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Jun 2, 2024 2:52:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2016 22:22:15 GMT
I was a crockpot girl all the way. But since getting my IP on Prime Day, I've not used the crockpot once. But if I wanted a slow-cooked meal, the IP has the capability to do that.
Everything I've made in it has been a hit with my family. And I've tried a wide variety of recipes - pasta, meatloaf, chicken, pork, beans, rice, even dessert (cheesecake). The Italian sausage and tortellini dish I made yesterday for lunch took about 20 minutes.
I say yes, you need it.
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Aug 2, 2016 22:26:48 GMT
You guys all convinced me and I'm not even Sock! Mine will be here on Friday 😊 I have to admit that all this talk has me intrigued too, and I almost made yet another PIP (Pea Influenced Purchase). But here's the dealbreaker for me: I just know myself too well, that's not going to happen. It's bad enough I have to cook, I'm not reading any damn manual. ^^^ the instruction manual SUCKS-- it's arranged very poorly, and written in a very confusing manner. But don't let that stop you; just don't bother with it!! If you Google, watch some Youtube videos, and read elaine's threads here, you'll find out everything you need to know about it. |
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Post by elaine on Aug 2, 2016 22:26:59 GMT
You guys all convinced me and I'm not even Sock! Mine will be here on Friday 😊 I have to admit that all this talk has me intrigued too, and I almost made yet another PIP (Pea Influenced Purchase). But here's the dealbreaker for me: I just know myself too well, that's not going to happen. It's bad enough I have to cook, I'm not reading any damn manual. It is very true that you need to read a manual and learn a new way of cooking. For example, when cooking meat/poultry, you end up with more liquid than what you started with, instead of less. There is no evaporation and liquid/juices/fat dissolves into the liquid you poured in, which should be MUCH less than what you are used to. BUT, once you understand how cooking in it works, it is a huge timesaver. I made rice pudding last night, for the first time ever, with about 10 minutes of work on my part and I walked the dog while the rice was cooking. It came out perfect! |
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Post by littlemama on Aug 2, 2016 22:28:50 GMT
Yes, you do! I made pulled pork in it on Sunday that was amazing-nothing like the flavorless mush that usually comes out of the slow cooker. That being said, I still could not have made the pulled pork on a weeknight because it still takes too long-with the recipe I used. I would think you could cut the meat smaller and it would take less time, but I'm not sure how much to reduce the time. Anyway, I've made beer brats in it that did not taste steamed, Mac and cheese- we didn't like the recipe, but the pot did a great job. And hard cooked eggs that were absolutely perfect.
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Post by refugeepea on Aug 2, 2016 22:29:08 GMT
BUT, once you understand how cooking in it works, it is a huge timesaver. I made rice pudding last night, for the first time ever, with about 10 minutes of work on my part and I walked the dog while the rice was cooking. It came out perfect! recipe please! |
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Post by elaine on Aug 2, 2016 22:32:50 GMT
BUT, once you understand how cooking in it works, it is a huge timesaver. I made rice pudding last night, for the first time ever, with about 10 minutes of work on my part and I walked the dog while the rice was cooking. It came out perfect! recipe please! The Best Pressure Cooker Rice Pudding Dessert, Pressure cooker Makes Yield: 8 servings ∙ Source Pressurecookingtoday.com INGREDIENTS 1 cup Arborio rice 1 1/2 cups water 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups whole milk, divided* 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 cup raisins DIRECTIONS In pressure cooking pot, combine rice, water, and salt. Lock the lid in place and select High Pressure and 3 minutes cook time. When beep sounds turn off pressure cooker and use a natural pressure release for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, release any remaining pressure with a quick pressure release. Add 1 1/2 cups milk and sugar to rice in pressure cooking pot; stir to combine. In a small mixing bowl, whisk eggs with remaining 1/2 cup milk and vanilla. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into pressure cooking pot. Select sauté and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to boil. Turn off pressure cooker. Remove pot from the pressure cooker. Stir in raisins. Pudding will thicken as it cools. Serve warm or pour into serving dishes and chill. Served topped with whipped cream, and a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg, if desired. NOTES The rice will continue to absorb liquid as it cools. Stir in additional milk or cream until your desired consistency is achieved. *For a richer, creamier rice pudding you can also use half heavy cream. Sent from Paprika Recipe Manager This is my photo of the end product!  |
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Post by momstime on Aug 2, 2016 22:34:21 GMT
I say yes. I use mine every single day, sometimes multiple times. I only had one fail, and it was user error. I love my instant pot.
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Post by ellewood on Aug 2, 2016 23:09:04 GMT
Easy? Instant Pot has got you! Last night, I threw in (in this order) a few cups of water, frozen store bought turkey meatballs, 1 lb pasta, 1 jar pasta sauce. Set for 7 minutes and pulled out leftover green salad. A while later (7 minutes cooking time plus coming to pressure- this can be annoying but as everyone said, you just walk away and it'll tell you when it's done then keep it warm). This wasn't my healthiest meal but it was easy and I was tired. And then I was full and still tired, but I also had lunch for me and the fiance the next day! If you didn't want to do salad, you could add frozen veggies and cook it together, but I think it's a bit of a learning curve for how not to "melt" the vegetables from overcooking. Cooking whole meals in it can be tricky. There is the sautee function that keeps meat from just shredding when you brown it first. You just have to deglaze it before you cook it and whatever else you want with it so it doesn't burn on the bottom. I think the real beauty of it is that it holds a ton of food. You can cook a batch ahead and use it for different things. Last week, I made a giant pot of potatoes (4 minutes + come-to-pressure time). Half of them got mashed up for mashed potatoes that night and half chilled for potato salad later in the week. Tonight, I made 6 cups of rice (5 minutes! plus 10 minutes natural release). Some of it was for chicken stir fry for dinner tonight and half is getting saved for fried rice later. This thing makes AMAZING rice! It's fluffy and sticky and incredible! I just use the pressure function, not the rice function. It does take some getting used to and I did a lot of thinking before hand for what I was going to use it for, but I have used it a million times (exaggerated!!) since Prime Day! Just make sure it does stuff you want  |
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Post by SockMonkey on Aug 2, 2016 23:26:11 GMT
Okay, okay. It's in my AmazonSmile cart. Do I need any extra accessories or like a glass lid? I don't know what the f*ck I'm doing. But, it's probably happening. Between being able to do hard boiled eggs and make my own yogurt, I think I'm in. Anything to save me some freaking time, because Ain'T NOBODY got time for cooking in the fall.
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Post by ellewood on Aug 2, 2016 23:29:56 GMT
Okay, okay. It's in my AmazonSmile cart. Do I need any extra accessories or like a glass lid? I don't know what the f*ck I'm doing. But, it's probably happening. Between being able to do hard boiled eggs and make my own yogurt, I think I'm in. Anything to save me some freaking time, because Ain'T NOBODY got time for cooking in the fall. There are some threads on here about accessories but I didn't get any and don't miss them. It comes with a trivet, which I use to hold up veggies or potatoes to keep them out of the water. It does the trick. I also already have silicon tipped tongs that help turn meat and don't scratch the stainless liner. |
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Post by Zee on Aug 3, 2016 0:28:02 GMT
YES!! Yes, you DO need an Instant Pot, lol!! I do NOT ordinarily cook, and I think I've used mine at least 3-4 times per week since I've figured out how it worked. My boyfriend has not given me compliments on my cooking this often since- well, since never (I'm not a natural cook). It is useful even for things as simple as sautéing or steaming vegetables-- the sides are taller than a sauté pan, so nothing splatters onto the cooktop while I'm sautéing, and it's SO much easier to just set the controls and walk away while things are cooking- no checking the flame or heat level on the stove, no risk of things burning, etc. Just wait for it to beep! ETA: -- I made steamed broccoli last night in about 5 minutes total (it took me more time to chop up the broccoli florets than it took to cook). -- I made perfect cilantro-lime rice (NOT instant rice) in, what-- 15 minutes? (something like that) and I have NEVER made rice before, except for the instant 5-minute kind, which always tasted yucky. -- I made pork carnitas (for burrito bowls) in 90 minutes cooking... I can now make things in an evening for dinner that I would ordinarily wait for 'some' weekend to (maybe) cook because I don't want to leave my crockpot unattended during the day while we're at work. **Personally, I think I've actually done more bona-fide 'cooking' since Amazon Prime day than I've done in the past 6 months, and it is due SOLELY to the Instant Pot (and elaine). You ALMOST have me convinced... |
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Post by 5peanutsnana on Aug 3, 2016 0:32:13 GMT
If you're on FaceBook join the Instant Pot Community. So very helpful.
I waited until I got mine before I ordered accessories. Check your cupboards and pantry. I had quite a few things already I could use.
1) One of those umbrella type collapsible steamers
2) Silicone grabber mitts
3) Pyrex straight sided bowls
4) Silicone cupcake liners (for poached eggs)
5) Glass lid from my Green Pan set fits perfectly
I did just did order a Push Pan, because, you know, cheesecake.
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AmandaA
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,502
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Post by AmandaA on Aug 3, 2016 1:35:44 GMT
I had a lid from my regular pots and pans that was a perfect fit to use as a slow cooker and saved myself the money. But I did get "the tongs", an extra SS insert, a steamer basket, and a cheesecake pan because I need it all.... Just in case!
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Post by SockMonkey on Aug 3, 2016 12:28:23 GMT
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Post by elaine on Aug 3, 2016 12:36:39 GMT
Yes. They help immensely when you need to take the liner/pot out and it is still hot. In fact, that is the only accessory I would recommend buying until you see how much you will use the IP and for what types of cooking. |
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