Instant Pot Users: talk me into it or out of it

[Laurie4b]

Our situation: I have a family member with some texture/taste aversions so I usually cook food plain, adding sauce, etc. at the end. 

 

Is Instant Pot primarily a time-saving devise? 

 

How much time would you guess that it would take to cook 6 frozen chicken breasts? 

 

Can I cook something like ground meat in there? 

 

What do you use it for most often? 

 

I would like to start cooking beans from dried rather than using canned, so I figure it will be good for that. 

 

Any time saved on cooking things like soup? 

[Lara in Colo]

I have been thinking about getting one of these and will be interested to hear the replies as well

 

[VaKim]

Well, I guess it depends on how you usually cook, and how much. I got one, thinking it would be great for beans and soups and meats. I have used it two times in about 6 months. While it did fine, it was more hassle and less speedy than I expected. By the time the pot gets up to pressure, does the cooking, then comes down (which they recommend with some things, like beans), it was really not so fast. When I did a roast, I had to cook the roast most of the way first, then add the potatoes and carrots and cook some more, as they cook super fast. I'd just as soon stick it all in the crock pot and not have to worry about it. Now, if you don't already have a crock pot, it can be used to slow cook, though I haven't tried that yet. 

 

Others have them and love them, so you may too. I think people who already used regular pressure cookers like them most. 

[zoobie]

I use it for pressure cooking, slow cooking, and steaming. Hard "boiled" eggs (actually steamed) are so easy in it, and peel like a dream.

 

You can cook frozen chicken breasts either with pressure or slow cooker functions. Time for pressure depends on how many you're cooking and how thick they are. This recipe says 12 minutes: http://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/salsa-lime-chicken-with-melted-mozzarella/(just an example. You can use any liquid.) I made something similar and needed to cook it longer, but mine were two frozen together. That blog and hippressurecooking are good to poke around and see time ballparks. The cook time doesn't include time to reach pressure or reduce pressure, which vary. A full pot of cold things will take longer to reach pressure than something small.

 

I cook ground beef or turkey using the sauté feature, then switch to slow cooking for chili or taco filling or soup.

 

Soup is easy. Sauté your onions and whatnot, add in the rest, and either pressure cook or slow cook.

 

I made homemade turkey stock yesterday in under an hour and a half. Brown the parts for 7-8 minutes, throw in veg, add water, high pressure for 30, natural release for 30, and done. Then I washed out the pot and made 5 lbs of mashed potatoes (7 min), mashed them in the pot, and kept warm until serving.

[mathnerd]

I cook once a day with it - I am vegetarian - so, I do a lot of lentils, beans, mixed grains (quinoa, brown rice, barley etc.) for which the best way to cook is to pressure cook. I retired my stove top pressure cooker when I bought instant pot. Many people cook pasta in it, I have not yet tried it.

Soup, Chili etc are all very easy to make. I also second the hi pressure cooker website mentioned by PP.

 

My trick is to use small stainless steel containers and separate the ingredients inside the pot so that I can cook them all at the same time. I usually cook a grain, a lentil and a veggie at the same time.

 

I tried to make yoghurt in it, but the hassle was not worth it for me as it is a lot simpler to make it in the normal way.

[Laurie4b]

I cook once a day with it - I am vegetarian - so, I do a lot of lentils, beans, mixed grains (quinoa, brown rice, barley etc.) for which the best way to cook is to pressure cook. I retired my stove top pressure cooker when I bought instant pot. Many people cook pasta in it, I have not yet tried it.

Soup, Chili etc are all very easy to make. I also second the hi pressure cooker website mentioned by PP.

 

My trick is to use small stainless steel containers and separate the ingredients inside the pot so that I can cook them all at the same time. I usually cook a grain, a lentil and a veggie at the same time.

 

I tried to make yoghurt in it, but the hassle was not worth it for me as it is a lot simpler to make it in the normal way.

 

Do you just use stainless steel containers that you have or are they a separate purchase?

[mathnerd]

Do you just use stainless steel containers that you have or are they a separate purchase?

I just use the stainless steel containers that I have - mostly a small mixing bowl type or cup type container. For e.g. I put beans or quinoa or brown rice or other grains in the instant pot container with enough water as per directions and I put potatoes cut into quarters or peeled and cut carrots in one mixing bowl and rest another small stainless steel container of lentils with enough water to cook on top of it. I cook it all on manual setting with high pressure for 20 minutes and let it release pressure naturally. What I like is that I can cook 3 items in one shot - saves time and electricity.

 

I have something like this, not exactly this one, and I got mine several years ago from Bed Bath and Beyond:

http://www.amazon.com/Chef-Buddy-Stainless-Plastic-Silver/dp/B00SYF1RP0

[MistyMountain]

I had one. When I used it I was mostly vegetarian so I used it for rice and beans. I did not love it as much as I thought. My friend's rice cooker cooked rice fluffier then the pressure cooker and I always needed more water then directed for the beans. Like a pp mentioned it did not seem to save a lot of time because it takes time to get to pressure and then for the pressure to go down afterwards. We used it for a while and then it broke which for the price we paid I was not happy about. We eat poultry now so maybe I would use it for that if I still had it and it would be more useful.

[DawnM]

My friend bought one during the last sale, Sept. maybe?  She wasn't using it so I asked if I could borrow it.  I used it 3 times in the week I had it.

 

I really liked it and so did my husband.  In fact, he was the one to point out the deal of the day today as he wanted me to get one!

 

It cooks things in 20-30 min, but you still can't open the top until it cools a bit, so yes, it does take an hour or so before you can get your food out, but the food is SO GOOD!  I like it better than my crockpot.  It makes meat very tender and cooks beans with more infusion flavors than simmering.

 

I am sold.

[FriedClams]

I hated mine and gave it away. The texture was weird to me and everything tasted the same. I'd save the money and get a Le Crueset Dutch oven instead.

[Corraleno]

It makes the BEST bone broth I've ever had — it's worth it to me for that function alone. We eat a lot of roast chicken and I always make soup with the carcasses; the broth I make in the Instant Pot is so much better than in the crockpot or on the stove top I can't believe the difference — and it only takes 3 hours instead of 12.

 

Hardboiled eggs are also amazingly easy and peel instantly.

 

The only thing I haven't liked making in it was a mixture of brown & wild rice, which came out mushy and sticky and yet still chewy. But it might work fine for plain rice, I just haven't tried it.

Edited November 28, 2015 by Corraleno

[zoobie]

My friend bought one during the last sale, Sept. maybe? She wasn't using it so I asked if I could borrow it. I used it 3 times in the week I had it.

 

I really liked it and so did my husband. In fact, he was the one to point out the deal of the day today as he wanted me to get one!

 

It cooks things in 20-30 min, but you still can't open the top until it cools a bit, so yes, it does take an hour or so before you can get your food out, but the food is SO GOOD! I like it better than my crockpot. It makes meat very tender and cooks beans with more infusion flavors than simmering.

 

I am sold.

You can manually release the pressure. Turn the valve toward you and hold it while the steam releases. Some recipes call for you to let it release naturally for 30 minutes. Make sure you turn OFF the keep warm button when it's done for those. Then after 30 minutes, check the valve and open. If you let everything cool down manually, you'll overcook things that don't need that long. I forgot about some eggs once. I could bounce them!

[Paige]

I love mine! I can cook 6 frozen chicken breasts in about 45 min from the time I pull it out of the freezer to putting it on the plate; maybe closer to 30min. I'm still learning what times work best. I've used it for soups, broth, roasts, chicken, etc. I made our turkey in it and it was the best turkey ever. We didn't do a whole turkey, but did breasts and thighs, and I was impressed with the flavor. It was tender, but not falling off the bone like it usually is when I cook chicken, pork, or beef. 

 

I haven't tried beans, oatmeal, or yogurt yet. I've been thinking about getting another so I can make more with it. I rarely use our oven anymore. For me, it's great because we have a large family and I'm not so good with planning. I can take something out of the freezer and have a meal in 45min at the most that I don't have to babysit. I hate thawing meat. My daughter likes to bake, so it's a plus that I can make dinner while she makes her cupcakes and cookies too! 

[kitten18]

I like mine a lot.

 

I use it a couple times a month for brown rice or pinto beans.

 

I really like it for pork roast (shoulder) when I'm making carnitas or pulled pork. I do NOT like meat cooked in the crock pot but the texture out of the Instant Pot is great.

 

I've used it for ground beef taco meat. I browned the meat most of the way (in the instant pot) then added my spices and let it pressure cook for about 5 minutes.

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

My husband has suggested that we sell the oven since I use my Instant pot just about everyday.

 

My family loves Mac n cheese made in it.

http://dadcooksdinner.com/2013/04/pressure-cooker-macaroni-and-cheese.html/

 

And Chicken soup

http://busy-at-home.com/homemade-chicken-veggie-soup-with-rich-chicken-stock-made-in-the-pressure-cooker/