I'm late to the instapot party. It was not something that I thought I had a use for. I've been served a couple of truly gross mushy meals by instapot partisans. All in all, it just seemed like a weird, faddish hack for people who hadn't learned any real cooking theory. Plus, I've got a couple of conventional pressure cookers, so why do I need an InstaPot?
My wife and I received this thing as an unexpected gift this year. After staring at it dubiously for a week or so, we decided to give it a try.
The digital timing and temperature controls really do make some processes easier. Prepping beans is a particular strong point. It will probably save us the cost of the machine within a year or so by letting us easily switch from canned beans to dry beans.
This model also holds low temperatures very well and I've discovered that it is great for sous vide-ing steaks. I can put a steak in a plastic bag in the machine in the morning, set it for about 121 degrees, and then finish it by flash searing the steak on cast iron in the evening. This produces a perfectly evenly done rare steak with a crispy crust and a very thin margin.
I suspect that it will work very well for precision boiled eggs, though I haven't tried that yet.
I'm late to the instapot party. It was not something that I thought I had a use for. I've been served a couple of truly gross mushy meals by instapot partisans. All in all, it just seemed like a weird, faddish hack for people who hadn't learned any real cooking theory. Plus, I've got a couple of conventional pressure cookers, so why do I need an InstaPot?
My wife and I received this thing as an unexpected gift this year. After staring at it dubiously for a week or so, we decided to give it a try.
The digital timing and temperature controls really do make some processes easier. Prepping beans is a particular strong point. It will probably save us the cost of the machine within a year or so by letting us easily switch from canned beans to dry beans.
This model also holds low temperatures very well and I've discovered that it is great for sous vide-ing steaks. I can put a steak in a plastic bag in the machine in the morning, set it for about 121 degrees, and then finish it by flash searing the steak on cast iron in the evening. This produces a perfectly evenly done rare steak with a crispy crust and a very thin margin.
I suspect that it will work very well for precision boiled eggs, though I haven't tried that yet.
I use mine to steam eggs every week. Eggs come out perfect every time.
I use mine to steam eggs every week. Eggs come out perfect every time.
You should try Hams some time.
Potatoes in the Instant Pot will change your world.
I was working from home this afternoon and gave Instant Pot mashed potatoes a shot with lunch. Yum! I did 8 minutes and then a quick release. They were perfect, and took me about 5 minutes of focus time in total.
I did 8 minutes and then a quick release.
I usually end up doing that when I "work from home" as well, but usually 5 minutes is all I need.
Godzilla Blitz wrote:I did 8 minutes and then a quick release.
I usually end up doing that when I "work from home" as well, but usually 5 minutes is all I need.
Yeah, I saw 5 minutes here but wasn't sure if that involved a slow or quick release, so I looked at a recipe online. That said 10 minutes. I split the difference and went with 8.
At 8 minutes they came out buttery smooth, but it sure looked like 5 minutes would be fine as well.
Got a instant pot a few days ago. Tried making cheesy rice with bacon and olives. Turned out great especially considering I jut tossed in what I had on had. Then I tried making hard boiled eggs. Also turned out great. The eggs were easy to peel and the yoke was easy to remove. Made making devil eggs even easier.
Next I'm going try getting married, having a kid, and buying the kid a rabbit. Then I'll cheat on my wife with a crazy person that will steal the rabbit and cook it in the instant pot when I try to break up with her. I like rabbit, taste like chicken. hmmm maybe I'll just try chicken, rice, and mixed veggies instead, probably easier.
Got a instant pot a few days ago. Tried making cheesy rice with bacon and olives. Turned out great especially considering I jut tossed in what I had on had. Then I tried making hard boiled eggs. Also turned out great. The eggs were easy to peel and the yoke was easy to remove. Made making devil eggs even easier.
Next I'm going try getting married, having a kid, and buying the kid a rabbit. Then I'll cheat on my wife with a crazy person that will steal the rabbit and cook it in the instant pot when I try to break up with her. I like rabbit, taste like chicken. hmmm maybe I'll just try chicken, rice, and mixed veggies instead, probably easier.
How big is your pot to put all of that in it? I mean to there is no way I could fit a kid in mine let alone a relationship.
Hard boiled eggs is a good idea though. I will have to try that.
Yeah, for some reason hard boiled eggs that are cooked in my instant pot seem to be much easier to peal.
How big is your pot to put all of that in it? I mean to there is no way I could fit a kid in mine let alone a relationship.
Some relationships are smaller than others. Kids too.
Does anyone have the Ninja Foodi? My wife just saw the infomercial and is convinced she wants one. It looks like it is basically an pressure cooker with a crisping lid (hot coils + a fan). If it works it could be pretty good. The claim is that iti is something like an Instapot that can crisp.
Sams Club actually has it for $10 cheaper and it would be easier to return.
Does anyone have the Ninja Foodi? My wife just saw the infomercial and is convinced she wants one. It looks like it is basically an pressure cooker with a crisping lid (hot coils + a fan). If it works it could be pretty good. The claim is that iti is something like an Instapot that can crisp.
Sams Club actually has it for $10 cheaper and it would be easier to return.
No, but Instant Want. 
A friend of mine replaced her insta pot with one and absolutely loves it. She said it does everything her instapot did plus the airfrying.
The back rib recipe previously shared is my new favorite recipe, have made it twice now and soooo good.
We ended up getting the Ninja Foodi and cooked 3 things with it tonight - all separate because we wanted to keep it simple.
1) Steak on broil setting. My wife likes very lean steak, so the cut wasn't that great (I think a tip steak?). The cook on it seemed pretty good and it was still juicy inside. So I give that a good job. Interested in cooking a NY Strip Steak with it.
2) Frozen French Fries on air crisp setting. These were actually pretty good and I'd say a bit better than cooking them in an oven spread out in a single layer.
3) Frozen brussel sprouts on air crisp setting. My wife coated them with just a little olive oil and Worcestershire sauce. These actually turned out pretty good and I don't like brussel sprouts. They browned up nicely.
Ugh! I never thought to cook brussel sprouts in the air fryer! Thanks! That sounds amazing.
Brussel sprouts are great in the oven.
Get a half sheet pan and just blast them. This is a great general purpose scheme for cooking vegetables.
Had brussel sprouts tonight. Cut in half, put in a baking dish with cranberries and pecans, drizzled with olive oil and coarse salt, and roasted. Wonderful.
Marinating them in soy sauce before cooking them is really good too.
I cook my brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, pepper and... honey! 
Cooking them in some balsamic vinegar in the slow cooker is pretty tasty and I'm not usually a fan of balsamic vinegar and then Parmesan on them after cooking.
I usually cook brussel sprouts by dumping them in the trash and setting the trash on fire. Then I burn down the house with the trash inside of it to make sure the evil doesn't get out. After that I bury the ashes and salt the Earth. The salt gives it that added kick.
I usually cook brussel sprouts by dumping them in the trash and setting the trash on fire. Then I burn down the house with the trash inside of it to make sure the evil doesn't get out. After that I bury the ashes and salt the Earth. The salt gives it that added kick.
Who's up for seconds?
Kit does brussels sprouts on a cookie sheet with balsamic and bacon. I'm not sure what else she adds on there. She never ate them before we were married but once we started hosting Thanksgiving for the family, I had her whip some up and they've been a hit ever since.
I love all the suggestions above and will have her try some variations.
Get a half sheet pan and just blast them. This is a great general purpose scheme for cooking vegetables.
Yuuuuup. Sweet potato and parsnips cut into fry sized slices are great this way. Kit does random veggies all the time roasting in the oven.
And.... to keep on the title of the thread, a nice cheap snack for when I have the guys over for gaming or whatever is to get big drumsticks from Costco at $0.79/lb and cook them in the pressure cooker with some BBQ sauce and random seasoning then finish real quick in the broiler.
-BEP
I am so getting an 8-quart Ninja Foodi during Prime Week in July.
Roasted brussel sprouts are my absolute fav but I'm also fine eating them just by boiling them for a couple minutes and adding in lemon juice and pepper.
Is it crazy that I’m considering buying a second one of these? I’d like to be able to run 2 at once sometimes. Or at least prep more than one. Maybe I need a second bowl.
Is it crazy that I’m considering buying a second one of these? I’d like to be able to run 2 at once sometimes. Or at least prep more than one. Maybe I need a second bowl.
Absolutely not! So many dishes I make with my IP go great with steamed veggies or rice. I have the largest IP but I’m getting a second smaller one for my bday.
Made this one tonight with Chicken Broth instead of vegetable broth. It worked really well; a delicious soup. Creamy, without being a real cream soup - something about the starch from the potato, I'd imagine. Filling enough to be everything we served and no one went away hungry. Recipe will serve 4-6 adults, depending on how much each adult eats, obvs.
Total time from starting to peel potatoes to sitting down at the table: 55 minutes.
Anyone have tips on cooking frozen chicken breasts in an Instant Pot? I'm trying to do this again in order to get more protein and lower my blood sugar and I keep ending up with dry, chewy chicken.
Pages