I impulsively bought an Instant Pot. Can you give me some hope that I will eventually not regret it?

[Laurie4b]

I bought an Instant Pot on July Prime day. 

 

I am not a recipe user because I am always adjusting for health reasons , so I rarely use a recipe "as is." 

 

Given that I need to be able to use this for my own cooking, will I ever like it? Do I dislike it because I'm not used to it or because it's not a good match for me? 

 

I have so far cooked Cajun chicken and sloppy joes in it. 

 

The Cajun chicken came out tender and juicy, but the spice was diluted, so I would have to use a whole lot more spice to get the same impact. (and that is costly over time) Additionally, it took about the same time it would have taken in the oven because of the time needed for pressurizing. 

 

The sloppy joes were a total fail. I looked at some pressure cooker recipes online to make sure my recipe had enough liquid in it, and mine was similar,  then I put in the ingredients including the ground turkey and set it to manual 8 minutes. Ithe time in some of the online recipes.) The ground meat came out overcooked on the outside and pink on the inside and the sauce was a watery mess. I had to strain the meat out and finish cooking it on the stove to get out the pink,  and I had to remake sauce again on the stove. Additionally, I realized that when I cook ground meat, I strain it and dry the grease off before putting in a recipe, so any time I use ground meat in the Instant Pot, the recipe will be higher fat.

 

Maybe I can just cook the ground meat in the Instant Pot and the sauce on the stove? But how do I do that and have it cook evenly? (I just put the slabs of meat in there as per another thread.) I assume I would need to add 1 1/2 cups of water, so I would essentially be steaming it. 

 

I also dislike having to figure out what to do with cups of liquid that we didn't use for the meal. 

 

This is not even counting that the instruction manual totally stinks. I can eventually learn how to do things, but that has added to the aggravation. (ie no mention in the manual of minimum liquid needed to come to pressure. No mention in the manual of how the timer was set up. I assumed it was like my microwave. Wrong.)

 

I bought it because I often start dinner late, but there has not been a huge time savings. 

 

 

I haven't yet tried it for dried beans or for soups. (I generally don't eat soup in the summer.) Does it make soups more quickly than it takes on the stove? 

 

 

I really wanted to like this, but right now, I totally regret the purchase. Can anyone give me some hope or some things that it does work better than the oven for? 

[Lawyer&Mom]

You need the hippressurecooking cook book. Yes it has a lot of recipes. But more importantly it has a lot of great reference material about how to actually use a pressure cooker. It gives you the knowledge you need to start improvising.

[Another Lynn]

I also bought on prime day. I don't regret it yet, but I'm all ears for more help using it. I agree the manual and included recipes are not helpful.

[Pippen]

I'm also all ears, so thanks for starting this thread for us newbies.

 

I've made the macaroni and cheese linked in an earlier thread. We didn't care for the seasonings or texture, but I totally loved the one pot, quick, no draining method. I figured there would be a learning curve and this has good potential. 

 

The second dish I made was a recipe for two small, marinated pork tenderloins that I usually do in my dutch oven. It wasn't quite done after 25 minutes so I popped it back in a little longer and the meat came out great. The problem I'm having now is the silicone ring smelled strongly of the marinade even after washing. It was soy and Worcestershire sauces, oil, onion, and garlic, so it's not a pleasant odor and I'm really sensitive to odors hanging around on stuff. I looked around online and tried soaking in baking soda and vinegar and dish soap overnight. I also tried (twice) the vinegar/lemon rind steam method recommended on the website, plus some extra soaking time in the solution afterwards. It's improved, but not gone.

[StaceyinLA]

Well I haven't regretted mine. I'm not sure what type of chicken you were cooking, but considering I can throw chicken breasts in mine FROZEN, and have them shreddable in under an hour, I'm inclined to consider it a time saver for sure. I throw 4 frozen boneless, skinless breasts in, sprinkle them with salt, pepper, garlic and a bit of cumin, dump a jar of salsa and a little water (just a bit in the jar to shake the excess salsa out) over them and throw in a bunch of cilantro (I cut it all the leafy parts directly over the IP with my scissors). This makes amazing shreddable chicken for tacos, burritos, etc.

 

I'm not a recipe follower either; I often modify and adjust to make healthier versions. I can cook a whole chicken (thawed - not frozen) in 20-25 minutes in my IP (yes, it has to come to pressure and depressurize, but it's still 50 minutes max, and my oven can't touch that).

 

Beans also cook in a fraction of the time and I don't ever have to worry about pots boiling over or anything like that. I simply throw in a pound of dried beans, water about double the volume of the beans, all my seasonings and even my cut-up raw sausage or ham or whatever I want in there (if any meat at all). I set that for 35 minutes, so in appx 1 hour I go from dried beans to creamy, cooked beans.

 

The other day I pressure cooked a top sirloin in about 25 minutes (so maybe 50 counting all the pressure/depressurize), and while that was cooking I prepped a bunch of soup veggies. As soon as the meat was done, I broke it into smalle chunks, threw all the veggies in with a box of chopped Pomi tomatoes, seasonings, etc., and did another 12 minutes on manual. Yeah it took about an hour and a half total time, but the meat was falling apart tender, all the veggies were cooked perfectly, and I didn't have to worry about it sitting on the stove for half the day to achieve the same effect.

 

I've been doing potatoes too - about 12 minutes for medium potatoes (slightly longer if you like them really soft). I do mine for 12 then take them out, cut them in half, drizzle with olive oil, course salt and pepper then broil a few minutes to get a super crispy amazing potato that still takes under an hour. Last night I skipped the broiling and they were still awesome; just not crispy on the outside. Sweet potatoes also take a fraction of the time, as I feel mine normally take well over an hour in the oven to get them the way I like them.

 

Play around with it. I think you will love it! If not, I'll buy it from you! ;-p

[Laurie4b]

Well I haven't regretted mine. I'm not sure what type of chicken you were cooking, but considering I can throw chicken breasts in mine FROZEN, and have them shreddable in under an hour, I'm inclined to consider it a time saver for sure. I throw 4 frozen boneless, skinless breasts in, sprinkle them with salt, pepper, garlic and a bit of cumin, dump a jar of salsa and a little water (just a bit in the jar to shake the excess salsa out) over them and throw in a bunch of cilantro (I cut it all the leafy parts directly over the IP with my scissors). This makes amazing shreddable chicken for tacos, burritos, etc.

 

I'm not a recipe follower either; I often modify and adjust to make healthier versions. I can cook a whole chicken (thawed - not frozen) in 20-25 minutes in my IP (yes, it has to come to pressure and depressurize, but it's still 50 minutes max, and my oven can't touch that).

 

Beans also cook in a fraction of the time and I don't ever have to worry about pots boiling over or anything like that. I simply throw in a pound of dried beans, water about double the volume of the beans, all my seasonings and even my cut-up raw sausage or ham or whatever I want in there (if any meat at all). I set that for 35 minutes, so in appx 1 hour I go from dried beans to creamy, cooked beans.

 

The other day I pressure cooked a top sirloin in about 25 minutes (so maybe 50 counting all the pressure/depressurize), and while that was cooking I prepped a bunch of soup veggies. As soon as the meat was done, I broke it into smalle chunks, threw all the veggies in with a box of chopped Pomi tomatoes, seasonings, etc., and did another 12 minutes on manual. Yeah it took about an hour and a half total time, but the meat was falling apart tender, all the veggies were cooked perfectly, and I didn't have to worry about it sitting on the stove for half the day to achieve the same effect.

 

I've been doing potatoes too - about 12 minutes for medium potatoes (slightly longer if you like them really soft). I do mine for 12 then take them out, cut them in half, drizzle with olive oil, course salt and pepper then broil a few minutes to get a super crispy amazing potato that still takes under an hour. Last night I skipped the broiling and they were still awesome; just not crispy on the outside. Sweet potatoes also take a fraction of the time, as I feel mine normally take well over an hour in the oven to get them the way I like them.

 

Play around with it. I think you will love it! If not, I'll buy it from you! ;-p

 

I cook frozen chicken all the time. Put it in the oven while it's preheating and yeah, an hour would totally cover it, probably more like 45 minutes. I do buy filets, though, so maybe that makes a difference. 

 

 

When you open it, does it take just as long to come back to pressure as it did the first time? 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I recommend using guides and recipes until you get the hang of it.  Or just experiment. 

 

I really like it for stuff that takes a long time to cook.  Something like sloppy joe is pretty quick cooking so I really don't see the point in making that in the pot. 

 

If all else fails, it makes superb and quick chicken broth.  You can't really kill chicken broth. 

[JumpyTheFrog]

If you like yogurt, you can start making your own for about half the cost of buying it.

 

I love being able to put a frozen roast in and have it be done so quickly without having to babysit it.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I made three things in mine this morning already.  LOL

 

Rutabega, mashed potatoes, and a large quantity of pasta sauce with sausage (for later in the week).  I like the fact I can set it and forget it.  I don't have to hover over the stove waiting for stuff to come to a boil, check on the water level, reduce the heat, etc.

 

I've got a turkey in the oven.  I'm making a Thanksgiving dinner in July.  :laugh:

[JustEm]

My Crock-Pot broke and I'm dying to buy an IP to replace it but I fear not liking it. I hope you find a way to like it.

[Laurie4b]

I made three things in mine this morning already.  LOL

 

Rutabega, mashed potatoes, and a large quantity of pasta sauce with sausage (for later in the week).  I like the fact I can set it and forget it.  I don't have to hover over the stove waiting for stuff to come to a boil, check on the water level, reduce the heat, etc.

 

I've got a turkey in the oven.  I'm making a Thanksgiving dinner in July.  :laugh:

 

 

How do you make mashed potatoes in it? That would appeal to me! 

[KungFuPanda]

I don't own an insta pot, but it seems overkill for sloppy joes made with turkey. This appliance seems more suited to saving time by pressure cooking or allowing you to brown meat then continue cooking longer like with a roast. Ground turkey cooks so fast in a pan that you don't need anything else and it could be done in the time it takes to build pressure. Also, you can't lock up your food in a pressure cooker if you want to strain it, so ground beef recipes might not be the best choice either. Ground meats need stirring if you want them browned nicely and not just steam-cooked.

 

I'm not opposed to the insta pot. People seem to love them. It's just that I already have and use appliances with those features. If I want to brown and slow cook, I use my dutch oven on the stove then transfer to a low oven. If I want to brown then pressure cook, I use my pressure cooker. I use my crockpot for things that can cook a long time. However, for things that are super quick on the stovetop, I just use a normal pan or pot. Even my yogurt recipe only involves about 15 minutes of hands-on time at the stove, so I'm not going to complicate that.

 

I'm sure if I had an instapot I'd use it for lots of things, but not dimple stove top recipes.

Edited July 25, 2016 by KungFuPanda

[SparklyUnicorn]

How do you make mashed potatoes in it? That would appeal to me! 

 

I cut the potatoes in half or fours depending on size.  Fairly large chunks. Skin on (red potatoes).  I put in a bit of water and some salt.  I did 7 minutes high pressure slow release.  Drained the water and mashed them as usual in the pot.  If you find it necessary you could turn on the saute function.  I put them in a container in the fridge to serve for later so I didn't care if they were hot enough.  It was hot enough to melt the butter and stuff though. 

[DawnM]

you need to start with EASY recipes.

 

I do make sloppy joes in mine and they come out fine, but YMMV.

 

Two nights ago I put a jar of Trader Joe's Curry sauce in there with 2 large frozen chicken breasts  (actually I doubled this, but this is the recipe)

 

Poultry setting for 1 batch, add 5 min. for 2nd batch.

 

I like dump and go. 

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

 

 

I like dump and go. 

 

This is exactly why I love it.  I used to use the crock pot a lot for hands off cooking.  I'd be home anyway so it wasn't like I couldn't do it on the stove, but I don't have to babysit it.  This is even better because it's a lot faster and I think it retains a lot more of the flavor than the crock pot did.  Plus I don't have to use a separate pot to brown stuff. 

 

I'm tempted to buy a second one.  I have the biggest one which is great.  I'm thinking of a smaller one when I want to do more than one thing at a time. 

[crazyforlatin]

you need to start with EASY recipes.

 

I do make sloppy joes in mine and they come out fine, but YMMV.

 

Two nights ago I put a jar of Trader Joe's Curry sauce in there with 2 large frozen chicken breasts  (actually I doubled this, but this is the recipe)

 

Poultry setting for 1 batch, add 5 min. for 2nd batch.

 

I like dump and go. 

 

Does yours come out with a lot of liquid? I tried chicken breasts, drumsticks, and salmon, but each batch produces a lot of liquid (around 1-2 cups). I used 1/2 jar of barbecue sauce and dumped frozen wings, but again lots of liquid came out.

[sarasue7272]

I wouldn't try to cook ground beef using pressure. If I wanted to make sloppy joe's (and I probably wouldn't because it's just as quick on the stove) I would brown the meat using the saute function. When I make veggie soup I use ground beef, but I buy the frozen rolls from costco that are 97/3 fat. I brown the meat using saute, add frozen veggies, cubed potatoes, tomatoes, broth or soup, and pressure cook for about 35 min. Not super quick, but it tastes like it has been cooking for a very long time, and it gets to a thick consistancy, probably because of the okra I use. The point is - it takes about 15 minutes of my time, about 50 minutes cooking, and tastes like it's been simmering for hours.

I own a stovetop pressure cooker, I like the instantpot better because I have never burned anything in it! and I don't have to babysit it. 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

With anything that involves wanting a thicker sauce, I do think you have to massage things a bit.  Depending on what it is you can do a few different things.  If you use BBQ sauce, you could cook without the sauce, drain when cooked, dump the sauce on top and heat it up using the saute function.  For something that is not an already to go sauce you can take the meat out when done, turn on the saute function and either boil until reduced to your liking, or help it along by mixing in Wondra flour or a mix of some sort of cold liquid with corn starch (using cold liquid will help avoid lumps...whisk it in once the liquid is boiling).  Could also use some heavy cream if you don't want the added carbs.  The pot is still pretty hot at that point so it comes up to a boil on high very quickly and reduces more quickly than on the stove. 

 

 

 

[Mona]

I've had my Instant Pot for a couple years. Before that, I used stove top pressure cookers. I like that the IP takes the place of so many appliances; pressure cookers (I had three different sizes), slow cookers, steamers, yogurt maker, saute pan, etc. saving me storage space. (I kept my rice cooker because I usually make rice alongside my IP meals.) I used to hate it when a slow cooker recipe would require to cook stuff on the stove first. With the IP, it's no big deal, just saute in the IP then switch to slow cook. There's no extra dirty dishes. Then it switches to keep warm when it's done cooking which I love, and it doesn't heat up the house either.

 

I use it to make fresh soft boiled eggs about 3 mornings a week. I love that my eggs peel so easily. Today, I made beef and broccoli. I also use it to make meatballs. I know most people are using the IP as a pressure cooker for the quick meals, but the meatballs are better on the slow cooker setting. You can use the pressurized setting if you are pressed for time though.

 

I want to try the pasta recipe someone posted before, but I'm not gonna use frozen meat. I didn't know that was possible.  I guess that's fine in a pinch if you forgot, but I normally would thaw the meat, season it, saute it in the IP, then add the other ingredients. 

For me, the IP is a space saver and it looks good on the counter, so I just leave it out. 

 

Beef and Broccoli or Chicken and Broccoli

 

1+ lbs. of beef strips or chicken strips

1/2 cup onions, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

fresh ginger, minced (If you don't have ginger, leave it out. It will still taste good.)

1 cup chicken or beef broth (I usually use chicken stock no matter what meat I'm cooking up.)

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp sesame oil

pinch of red pepper flakes

2 tbsp cornstarch

broccoli

rice

 

1 add meat, onions, garlic, ginger to IP

2 stir together broth, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil

3 pour mixture into IP, add pinch of red pepper flakes if desired

4 Put on lid, close vent, press either Meat/Stew or Poultry setting depending on what you used. Meat will come out tender.

5 When it's done release pressure, take out some broth and mix it with CS in a small bowl. Add back to IP, stir.

 

I steam my broccoli while the rice is cooking and add it to the IP right before serving on top of rice

 

 

[Sneezyone]

I just got mine and started experimenting today. Mostly, I think I will use it in place of my crockpot for low/slow recipes, not for anything I would ordinarily cook on the stovetop or in the oven. Today, I used it for bulgogi (Korean beef ribs) and found there was a lot of leftover liquid (although the meat was nice and tender). While this doesn't bother me as my peeps like to ladle it over rice, next time I will add 1 tsp of cornstarch to my sauce to thicken it a little. We had zero leftovers and only one pot to clean (the rice was leftover) so I count that a win!

[jewellsmommy]

I have been putting frozen chicken breasts in mine along with a half a bottle of lawry's marinade and 1/2 cup water or chicken stock (depending on which marinade) and cooking under the poultry setting. Yes, there is liquid leftover but the chicken retains a lot of flavor from the marinade. I just use a slotted spoon to pull the chicken out and put it on plates along with vegetables and sometimes a side.

 

I have done this with the sweet asian barbecue, terryaki, and wine& garlic. Sometimes I add fresh garlic or pepper etc.

 

I have also done frozen chicken, 1/4 cup taco seasoning sprinkled over evenly, dump a jar of Trader Joes Cowboy Caviar (salsa with black beans and corn) and cook. Shred chicken in pot, used slotted spoon to get chicken and beans and corn, place in tortilla that I coated in encilada sauce, add cheese and sr cream or whatever else you like...really good.

 

Another...frozen chicken breasts, top with italian dressing seasoning, and 1/2 cup cooking sherry, 1/2 cup stock. Cook. Pull out chicken and shred. Put cream cheese (1-2 blocks-depending on prefrence) in pot (while chicken is out), blend cream chs into liquid and saute. Add chicken back in. Italian Cream Chicken. This is great served with sauce over zucchini noodles, green beans, or rice. 

 

I have done hard-boiled eggs and pulled pork as well.