Pressed for time? This Instant Pot will surely help. I always contemplated buying an Instant Pot as it was just another pressure cooker, with fancy buttons and the works. I finally gave in and bought it this month. Also got the air fryer lid option that turns the Instant Pot into a mini oven. I'm actually digging it. I know!
Working full time from home with H leaving to work at 5;30 and two teenage boys (on summer break!) that are forever hungry, you get the idea. Let's add some more to the mix. H is super food conscious, only takes salad, fruit, eggs and no carbs to work. Kid 1 is a sports kid, super picky, very few fruits and veggies, food has to be tasty, has to have meat and watches his sugar intake. Kids 2 and I are practically the easiest to live with. We can eat just about anything. Fruits, veggies, carbs, sugar, junk, healthy :-))
This is where the Instant Pot comes in handy. I can make fresh boiled eggs every morning in 5-7 minutes. One-pot lunches, be it rice pilafs, pasta, dal curries, meat curries, done in under 15 minutes. Yes, the pressure cooker did the same things, but the Instant Pot keep it hot for upto 10 hours without burning the food. Weekday dinners are a breeze. Our family usually has rice, curries, chapatis and stir fries. I try to keep a good chunk of vegetable and lentils. On the side we enjoy a fish filet, wings, or a chicken breast. Thats when the air-fryer comes in handy. 20 minute broils are amazing.
The Instant Pot does all that any age old pressure cook would do, except that it does not need a stove, its practically a mobile pot, and a smart one! I can imagine how useful this pot will be when I take it on road trips, and vacations. This little magic pot can saute, steam, pressure cook, bake, air-fry, grill, broil, and even keep things warm. The feature I love the most about it, is food burn detection. When your food starts to burn it will beep and turn off.
Here are some Pros and Cons that may help you decide if you need an Instant pot in your kitchen.
Pros:
- Its an electric pressure cooker on the go! A win-win for vacationers who want home0cooked food in a hotel room while on vacation
- Safer than the traditional pressure cookers - I can trust my kids are safer around the Instant Pot.
- It's only one pot to clean.
- Cooks faster as food is under pressure.
- Food burn detection.
- Stay warm option that keeps food hot for upto 10 hours!
- Waking up to fresh yogurt in the morning.
- You use less oil.
- Its great for cooking rice, dals, curries, pilafs, pasta, even lasagna, not to mention, little desserts for a family of 4, even a little birthday cake! Boiled eggs are magical!
Cons:
- The price - its is going to be a costly affair if you club the air-fryer lid along with a 6 quart Instant Pot. It may end up costing close to $179 for both together.
- It will take up space on your counter. It's big and bulky. If your kitchen is small, that is something to think about.
- It is not 'Instant' contrary to what they call it - it will take time and contents are under pressure. So natural cool down time will easily take 15-20 minutes, before you can open it.
- Quantity - you cant get veggies and meat baking/grilling at the same time, you will need to make two batches. That would be better for a large oven.
- Too many buttons - can be overwhelming.
It will take a while to know all the features and how well they actually work
I will be posting recipes that revolve around the Instant Pot in the future. please bear with my rambling and thanks for coming on this ride with me.