I was there in your place a couple of months backs, standing in front of the home appliances aisle in Target, debating whether I should take the plunge into the world of programmable pressure cooker or not. I did decide, what was it? You'll know in a bit, and probably it will aid you in deciding as well! Life is so busy today, that we decide to get gadgets to make our day a bit easier. Just like we get an Amazon Alexa or Google Home or maybe install a camera to know who was at the door when you were away, programmable pressure cookers like the Instant Pot is yet another feather in your cap which will only make our life easier, not complicate it further, promise! Hang on tight there as we explore the pros and the cons for both our beloved age-old pressure cooker and the new-age Instant Pot.
What is an Instant Pot?
The new age programmable electric powered pressure cookers are the new way of cooking now. Can this trend stand the test of time just like our good old traditional pressure cooker? Only time will tell but for now, it opens up a whole new world of convenience. The brand Instant pot has become so popular that we refer to this whole universe of electric cookers as Insta Pots. In reality, there are a variety of brands available for electric cookers, we'll talk about that in a bit, for sure!
What is a Pressure Cooker?
The steam-powered pressure cooker or the ageless cooking wonder {I prefer to call it that} has been around for long. My grand mom's recipes have instructed me to use this kind of cooker and trust me, all the recipes turned out great! And these cookers are still around in our kitchens {justifies, me calling it ageless}. I have two of them in different sizes. What's the best part of using this? It cooks almost everything, especially those hard potatoes, beans, meats, chickpeas. I love my pulses pressure-cooked into a mushy consistency. Did you try cooking veggies or stews or soups in your pressure cooker? Give it a shot, it’s worth a try!
What’s the Difference Between Them?
Are you trying to decide between an instant pot or a traditional cooker? Don't let the process intimidate you, ok! It just a matter of your cooking style and how much convenient cooking you are looking for. If you are a busy bee and do not like to stand and babysit your stovetop cooker {read: counting whistles, I always end up miscounting them}, you want your cooker to be very versatile and do not mind the cooking process to get a bit longer just because it will cook on its own- the electric pressure cooker it is for you! Try recipes like the Chunky Potato Cheese soup or the Rice Pudding or the Corned Beef and Cabbage Sesame Chicken recipe with your electric cooker. Find more recipes at Pressure Cooking today.
But if you are more like my mom, who would want to cook up a storm in a jiffy, does not mind counting the whistles and will stand in front to turn the cooktop off, want to sauté and sear in the same pot or you just don't want to try this new jargony thing- the traditional stovetop pressure cooker is your hero! Try the beans and rice recipe or the tender bone-in-ham or fresh corn chowder or the all-time favorite chicken noodle soup, all cooked really fast! Find more recipes at Real HouseMoms.
How to Find the Best Pressure Cooker for Your Needs
Are we trying to find a new pressure cooker for our kitchen? Well well, here's a heads up on what we should be looking for, some easy points.
If I was buying, I would definitely look for how easy it is to use, the quality and judge if it would be long-lasting, if cleaning is a hassle or you can manage it, does it hold up to your needs, how safe is the product and of course your budget.
Let's figure out some options:
#1 Fissler VitaQuick, is pretty looking with a pressure vent on top and is noise-free! Also, if you are new in the pressure cooking game, the indicator light which confirms that the cooker has been sealed nice and proper will be very helpful. Will you cook in small batches or less quantity? This one might be the one for you. A good one for sautéing and browning though a tad pricier.
#2 T-fal 6.3 Qt. Pressure Cooker, has a stainless steel body making it durable and health-conscious people happy. This cooker has many accompanying safety features like pressure indicator, steam release valve, a secure locking mechanism among many more. This one is perfect for small families.
#3 Presto 01370 8-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker, Amazon vouches for its sautéing, cooking and searing capabilities, all this at only one pressure setting. Use it for making your favorite bone broth! At this price point, you really can't go wrong with this one!
How to Find the Best Insta Pot for Your Needs
Now you can see me referring to Insta Pots a lot of time. Well, Insta Pot has actually a metonymy for all-electric pressure cookers around! So, when I say Insta Pot, I might be actually referring to all-electric cookers! Don't scratch your head over this, we will go through the best possible electric models soon. What pointers should you look at before swiping your credit card, let's look?
Consider the size which would be best for you according to your cooking needs, family size and your budget. It could be 3, 4, 5, 6 or the 8-quart size. Also consider what all you would want to do with your cooker- sauté, steam, slow cook, warming food or need varying cooking temperatures.
#1 Instant Pot Duo Mini 3 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker s probably the most popular model. Though you could go for the Instant Pot Lux, Duo or the Multi-purpose models available in different sizes and prices. Use it for soups, broths, stews, cooking chili, beans, porridge, slow braising, making homemade yogurt. A powerful combo!
#2 Crock Pot 6 Quart 8 In 1 Multi-Use Express Programmable Pressure Cooker priced at $50 is great for slow and pressure cooking, browning, sautéing and steaming. This versatile genius has eight pre-set functions like the meat/stew, rice/risotto, dessert, poultry and many more.
#3 GoWISE USA 8-Quarts 12-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, priced at $82 also comes in 6, 8, 12 and 14-quart sizes and is one of the most versatile electric cookers around with 12 pre-sets. Along with the regular pre-sets this one comes with the egg maker, seafood, canning and multigrain. Look at the Copper color variant, adds a dash of color to your kitchen.
Recipe Ideas for Your New Instant Pot
I am absolutely sure that by now you must have already made up your mind. If you are venturing into the world of electric cooker and decided to go for the Instant Pot {or any other from the clan}, I am sure you are already chalking out in your mind what you will try first. Let's chart a plan for what we'll try first.
#1 Bone Broth
I mean why did you buy the Pot? Because apart from the other fantastic features, you can just put everything into it and let it slow cook, right? Perfect!! Then go make the bone broth, using those veggies which have been sitting in your fridge and the bones and make this nutrient-rich superfood. What will you need?
-bones of chicken with a little meat still left on it
-vegetables whatever you could get your hands on, but try to include carrots, onions, celery, some ginger & garlic, red chilies, bay leaves, black pepper, salt, vinegar and water about 2.5 liters.
Put everything in the Pot and follow safety instructions. You could possibly use this broth as the base for your chicken or vegetable soups or stews.
#2 Risotto
You like Risotto, but do not like babysitting your cooker, ok that's why you got your Pot, right? So, don't wait to try this cheesy gooey dish with that perfect texture that you want with your Instant Pot. What will you need?
Arborio risotto rice, white wine, lemon zest, vegetable stock, chicken stock, butter, cheese {I prefer parmesan, you choose your liking}, garlic, salt, fennel, asparagus, onions all go in the pot. You could garnish with pan stirred fried asparagus, fennel with olive oil salt and lemon juice. Please do follow all safety instructions before turning the pot on.
#3 A zillion types of pasta
So, I am subscribed to this Instant Pot cooking group on Facebook and whenever I see my feed, I notice pasta recipes tried by a fellow Insta Potter. I must admit they look and taste awesome. There is a gamut of pasta variants like the Pasta with Meat Sauce, the good old Mac'n'cheese, Meatballs Spaghetti, Enchilada pasta, and whatnot. Do you want the detailed recipe, get it on Instant Pot Eats.
With Your New Pressure Cooker
Ok, I understand that we also love our stovetop pressure cooker and decided to go ahead and buy a newer version of it and want to try it out. You could make any of these.
#1 Chicken Broth
Fast, easy, flavorful and healthy and all this under 30 minutes when you use your pressure cooker. What will you need? Chicken parts, onion, celery, carrot, black pepper, bay leaves, salt, and water. You could use any other seasoning as per your liking too. Just put all the ingredients together and check the time. Voila! The rich broth is here ready to be used.
#2 Hummus base
You and I both know that homemade hummus is, of course, healthier than store-bought ones, right. So, pre-soak the chickpeas the night before and put it into the cooker and cook for about 15 minutes in high. After it's done drain the water and put the soft boiled chickpeas along with the other ingredients olive oil, tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic cloves, cumin powder and salt into the blender and go for that creamy texture.
#3 Lentil/Pulses soup
A steaming bowl of lentil soup on a cold winter afternoon or evening sounds like a plan! Pre-soak the lentils for an hour before cooking, drain the water and keep aside. Let's list the ingredients first- Onions, tomatoes, garlic cloves, bay leaves, salt, pepper, potatoes {if you want}. Sauté the onions and tomatoes and garlic and lentils together and pour water and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat. After the steam is released add the bay leaves, pepper, salt, and potatoes and cook on high for another 5 minutes. You could also add many more ingredients like sausages or whatever comes to your mind. Serve hot!
Want more recipes like these, you could look up Fast Cooking for many more.
The Last Bite
So, I should tell you this, both the traditional stovetop pressure cooker and the electric pressure cooker are very useful additions to your kitchen. Ok ok, you knew this already!! But before deciding on which one to buy read over your mind again-budget, size, use and everything else we talked about. I did buy the Instant Pot 3 quart after going through all the deliberations. And it's worth a try for all who are apprehensive about taking the final call. But I can guarantee you that you will still continue reaching out for the traditional pressure cooker.
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