Oops! I just realized I left my readers hanging in my last post. Chalk it up to getting ready for Easter and catching up with some household chores.
Anyway, let me reveal the new toy that arrived in my kitchen two weeks ago:
It's called an Instant Pot and it's an electric pressure cooker--and so much more! Here's a close-up of it's touch panel:
In addition to pressure cooking, it is also a rice cooker, a slow cooker, and has specialized setting for grains, soups, and beans. I used it for the first time on Easter to cook rice for my dad. Dad has had to go on a total no-salt diet and so I fixed him a chicken dish with plum sauce and thought rice would go well with it. Cooking rice can be hazardous in a busy kitchen (boil over, anyone?), but it cooked perfectly with no attention once I put on the top and pressed the rice button, and waited patiently when done until I scooped it out. Yay!!
Last week I did some pork chops that were thick and tough (I'd used a few from the pack previously), and they were fork tender when done. I also used it for split pea soup with ham left from Easter. Dan was at a meeting across town and I wasn't sure when he'd call me to pick him up (I'd dropped him off that morning to save the hassle of trying to find an all-day parking place). By using this new toy, I didn't have to worry about leaving while in process! There's even a saute button so you can brown meats and/or veggies before beginning the pressure cooking process. I still love my stovetop pressure cooker, but this one is truly a set it and forget it pot.
Oh, here's a picture of the insert--it's like a big stainless steel bowl and washes like a dream:
Cuisinart also makes an electric pressure cooker, but its insert is non-stick which requires some care. I found my new toy at Amazon and I see it's still at a great price. (I get nothing for this link--I'm putting it up in case anyone is interested.) I'm all for anything that makes cooking more fun and/or easier!!
Love,
The Gadget Girl ♥
Yes, we've been dangling out here in Cyberland, waiting for you to tell us about your new toy. I've checked every day for a new post. And there you go again, enticing me at a time when my resistance is down. It looks like a wonderful pot. Did you know about the Instant Pot and shop for it? Or did you just happen onto it?
ReplyDeleteJudy at Patchwork Times, who helped get me started pressure cooking, wrote about it after she got hers. I read the (many!) reviews on Amazon and decided to go for it. I've put my big crockpot in the basement pantry because this can be used instead. (I'll use the real one if I go to a potluck or picnic,)
DeleteSorry to have kept you dangling. I confess to having forgotten that I ended my last post with a teaser. (I wrote it when I was recovering from a kidney stone and was probably still in a semi-drugged state.)
I am seriously considering the Instant Pot as one of my staycation rewards. As you know, the game birds I cook require "special handling." I don't have a basement in which to stash my big Crock Pot, but undoubtedly I can find some place for it.
DeleteIf you go to youtube, there are videos you can watch--just type Instant Pot. Another good site is http://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/ She has some videos and lots of recipes. I'm excited to try a cheesecake soon! The price is, in my thinking, quite good for something that performs multiple functions and does them well. Judy even made yogurt in hers although I think I'll just continue to buy mine. :-)
DeleteI regret that I failed to express my concern that you had to cope with a kidney stone. I hope you're feeling much better now.
DeleteWell, it seems to me that you did a pretty good job of selling the Instant Pot. I don't feel the need to keep researching, though maybe I should.
After having purchased the pot (Mike calls it "keeping up with the Millers"), my main disappointment is the lack of practical recipes. If not for the sites you suggested here, I would have struggled. Hopefully I'll have more ideas as I gain confidence and experience.
DeleteI agree that the recipes which accompany the pot are lacking. I think we can use any pressure cooking recipe, but if they are for the stovetop models, we need to add a few minutes because the pot doesn't get as high a pressure. I have Lorna Sass's book Pressure Perfect and it's a good primer even though it's for the conventional models.
DeleteI hope I'm not on Mike's "list"!!