Many Of The Parts Are Dishwasher Safe
I know I said that the Instant Pot is the appliance Id take with me to a dessert island, but the only reason thats true is because I figure my dishwasher wont be that useful there.
Officially, Instant Pot says that the inner pot, steam rack, and spoons are dishwasher safe. Ive found this to be true and incredibly useful with multiple washings.
Unofficially, Ive also found that the lid and gasket do fine in the top rack of the dishwasher and it does quite a good job of getting them clean despite the warnings that there are too many small parts and crevices.
Not feeling as lazy as I am? The Kitchn has created a very comprehensive step-by-step guide to cleaning your Instant Pot for the more meticulous owners.
Safety Features In The Instant Pot
Since I kept referring the Instant Pot safety mechanisms, I think its only fair to have a quick look at the ten basic ones that are available in each one of their cookers:
If You Use It Right It Wont Explode
It doesnt take much to find over 100,000 people who have shared their experiences of pressure cookers exploding. When I first started using one it was the biggest question that I got from both participants and the main thing I worried about myself.
Here are the reasons I dont worry about that as much with my Instant Pot:
- There is an anti-blockage vent: a vent block is one of the main reasons pressure cookers explode
- Automatic pressure control: if youve used a stovetop pressure cooker in the past, you know the struggle of adjusting the stove heat to ensure the pressure stays at the right level. The beauty of the Instant Pot is that it does this for you automatically.
- It has lid detection: getting the lid on right seems to be one of the most important safety precautions of using a pressure cooker. The Instant Pot has both lid close and lid leak detection that will not allow the machine to come to pressure if its not functioning properly.
All in all, Instant Pot has 10 safety features to help ensure the stress-free operation of their appliances.
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Instant Pot Tips And Tricks
1. Read up on all the functions before you start
We all love jumping in and getting started, especially when we buy a new cooking toy, but definitely read up on the instructions and details before you embark on your Instant Pot cooking. Its a little different and requires getting used to. Youll experience more success if you do your homework beforehand.
2. Use plenty of liquid
Pressure cooking is all about steam, so your food needs plenty of moisture to heat up. The Instant Pot works well for soups and sauces. While not much moisture will be lost during cooking, its not a dry heat. You wont get a crust or crispiness from the Instant Pot.
3. Food cooks by surface area rather than volume
Big foods like a roast or a large potato will cook slower than foods cut into smaller pieces. The steam and pressure must reach the inside of each piece of food, so if you want to speed up your cooking time, cut food into smaller pieces.
4. Plan before you cook
Be sure to read through recipes before getting started. Some recipes will call for extra suppliesi.e. a spring-form pan, different sealant rings or a steamer insert, which youll need to purchase separately. Set the Pot to sealing rather than venting, if youre cooking food.
5. Dont overfill
6. Use separate sealing rings
7. Prepare ingredients in large quantities
8. Use the steaming insert for quicker cooking foods
9. Use caution with dairy and cheese
10. Thicken after cooking
11. Delay cooking with the timer
To Recap Here Are 14 Instant Pot Tips And Tricks
1. Read up on all the functions before you start 2. Use plenty of liquid 3. Food cooks by surface area rather than volume 4. Plan before you cook 5. Dont overfill 6. Use separate sealing rings 7. Prepare ingredients in large quantities 8. Use the steaming insert for quicker cooking foods 9. Use caution with dairy and cheese 10. Thicken after cooking 11. Delay cooking with the timer 12. Keep in mind the lid locks 13. Clean with vinegar 14. Wash most of it in the dishwasher
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Reason #: Frees Stove Space
When you are reheating the soup on the stove, one burner is taken up by a big pot. Lets say you are pan-frying something , an extra pot on the stove can be a nuisance 🙂
Seriously, if you own an Instant Pot, there are no downsides to reheating soup in your Instant Pot. The only time I still reheat soup on stove is when my Instant Pot is already cooking another recipe from my growing Instant Pot recipes collection 🙂
Can You Use The Keep Warm Setting With A Dish Of Food
If you have a dish of food youd like to keep warm, you can use the Keep Warm setting to do that!
Simply put the food in a heatproof dish that will fit into the Instant Pot. Place the trivet into the insert pot and lower the dish onto the trivet.
The Keep Warm button will maintain a warm temperature in the pot! If the food is something that could dry out over time, you may want to add a small amount of water in the bottom of the insert pot, which will create more of a steamy environment and keep food moist.
Recommended Reading: How To Cook Sirloin Tip Roast In Instant Pot
Warm Plates For Serving
If there isn’t a lot of time between when the food is done and when you’re going to serve it, but enough time for the food to cool down slightly, heating the plates the food will be served on is a solution. Make sure your plates are oven-safeceramic plates maintain heat nicely.
To warm plates for serving, stack them in an oven for 15 minutes at the lowest oven temperature, like 150 to 200 F. You could also use a warming drawer or toaster oven, if large enough. Alternatively, you can warm the plates in the microwave for one to two minutes. If you do a lot of entertaining, you might want to invest in an electric plate warmer.
If you warm plates in the oven, make sure you use an oven mitt at all times, inform others that the plate is hot, and do not shock the plate by putting it in a cold place like a refrigerator. The thermal shock from hot to cold can cause the plate to break.
Reheat Chili In Instant Pot
The chili from the night before always tastes better, but only if its reheated correctly. Chili is such an instant food. Cook in bulk, freeze it and eat it whenever the hunger pangs strike. If you dont have time to cook each day, cooking and storing chili for later is your solution to a quick meal. If you plan to cook loads of chili, youll need to learn the proper way to reheat chili in instant pot. Thats the quickest, or shall we say instantaneous, way to reheat this delicious and mouthwatering food.
Also Check: What Does Burn Mean On Instant Pot Display
Why Do I Need The Keep Warm Mode
The biggest reason to use the keep warm mode on your Instant Pot is to do just that, keep your food warm until you are ready to serve.
In fact, how many of you dish up dinner and end up putting one meal aside for someone who will be home later?
Or how about when you want to keep food warm at your potluck or dinner party? With keep warm mode, you can keep your food at the ideal temperature.
Rules To Reheat Leftover Chili In Instant Pot
If you have leftover chili or youve cooked in bulk to freeze and eat later, dont leave the chili or any leftovers for that matter outside for more than two hours. Two hours is the max you can go, and exceeding it threatens both the flavor and freshness of the dish. You need to place the leftover chili in an airtight container.
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What Happens To Food When Its Been Warming In A Slow Cooker For Too Long
If youve accidentally overcooked your food in a slow cooker, theres a likely chance that your food will shrink as well as become very tough to eat. This is because the longer you keep your food cooked, the more the food becomes denatured. The vitamins and the nutrients inside wither away.
The food becomes all mushy, and at the same time, it gets dry and tough with all the liquid leaving the food itself.
How Do I Reheat Food In The Instant Pot #askwardee 047
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Could your Instant Pot finally help you kick your microwave out of the house for good?
Ann A. is wondering the same thing! She asks, How do I reheat food in an Instant Pot? Can it possibly replace my microwave so I can finally get rid of that unhealthy appliance?
The answer is you bet you can!
While everyone talks about what an amazing pressure cooker or slow cooker the Instant Pot is
one of the things I do the most with my Instant Pot is to reheat foods!
We haven’t had a microwave for years. I adjusted pretty easily to reheating leftovers on the stovetop or oven.
Yet now that I have an Instant Pot and use it for reheating foods, I feel like I have a microwave again! I can benefit from all the good things like that it’s fast and easy and that I can reheat multiple dishes at the same time without mixing them
with none of the downsides! However, rather than get into all of the downsides today, instead I’m going to show you how to use your Instant Pot to reheat foods. It’s fast and so easy!
Ready?
Below, you can watch the video replay of today’s #AskWardee where I show you how to do it with leftovers from my fridge or listen to the episode or just read the quick notes. Whatever works best for you.
Subscribe to #AskWardee on iTunes, Stitcher, , or the Podcasts app.
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What If My Jars Dont Seal
If any of your jars dont seal, you can reprocess your food. The first step is to remove the jars lid to check if there are any knicks on the rim of the jar. If yes, transfer the contents to a new jar and reprocess them. If it still doesnt work, store the jar in the refrigerator and consume it within a few weeks.
Leaving An Instant Pot Unattended What You Need To Know
Instant pots are a great household appliance that allows you to cook quick and tasty meals and save on a lot of washing afterwards. Instant pots are the fast version of a slow cooker and so with that, there is a common question of can Instant Pots be left unattended?
Instant pots are similar to slow cookers in the sense that they can be left unattended and that is one of the design features though Instant Pots work on a quicker time frame so shouldnt be left longer than the cooking time stated on the appliance.
In this article, I am going to talk about whether it is safe to leave an Instant Pot unattended, what to know before you do and what to be aware of.
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Its Super Easy To Use The Instant Pot To Keep Food Warm Read On To Learn How
Its possible to cook a dish ahead of time and then keep food warm in the Instant Pot!
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The Instant Pot is one of my favorite appliances for cooking. It makes practically everything faster, which is perfect when youre busy and cant stay in the kitchen all day!
I also reheat leftovers in the Instant Pot, because its a great way to preserve texture .
But not only can you reheat and cook in the Instant Pot, but you can also use it to keep food warm!
Reheating Food: Should You Use The Microwave
In the recent years, there have been many claims about the microwave for instance, many have claimed that the device zaps the nutrients out of foods and that it causes cancer. How accurate are these statements? How safe really, is it to use the microwave?
How Does a Microwave Work?
Designed to be quick and efficient, the microwave utilizes electromagnetic waves to heat up food. To be more specific, the water molecules inside the food heat up after absorbing the radiation.
Does it Kill Nutrients?
Contrary to popular beliefs, its unlikely that microwave cooking has a significant impact on a particular foods nutritional value. In fact, some studies have shown that microwaving can actually help to preserve nutrients, as the process does not require water .
The Downfalls of the Microwave
With that said, the microwave is not foolproof. In fact, it is prone to food contamination risks due to its uneven nature of heating . To ensure proper food safety, the item must be stirred repeatedly during the re-heating process so that the middle portion reaches the proper temperature.
While that may solve the issue of having a cold center, however, it defeats the purpose of the microwaves convenience- after all, this means that youll have to continually stop the device to stir the food. Arent there any better options?
Things You Shouldnt Reheat Using a Microwave
As capable as it is, there are some things that shouldnt be re-heated using a microwave. Weve listed them below.
Also Check: Crock Pot Leaking From Bottom
What Is An Instant Pot
Instant Pot is the Canadian brand of multicooker i.e. the cookers which can serve multiple purposes just by using this one equipment. The multicooker is a combination of pressure cookers and slow cookers and is an electronically controlled equipment.
The design of this appliance is such that it can consolidate both cooking and preparing of food in one device.
Seems InterestingIsnt it??
Imagine the surveillance duty of cookers being deleted with such a lucrative automatic cooker which can serve multiple purposes. It would be wonderful!
To make it more interesting and also before dealing with the question in hand, lets understand the safety features of this multicooker so that answering the question becomes much verified and easy.
Safety Features offered by the Instant Pot
The question to be answered further has much more to do with the safety features of the Instant Pot so that the answer becomes much more obvious with the additional information which we will be telling about that question.
Manual / Pressure Buttons
This is probably going to be the buttons you use most on the Instant Pot. It will allow you to pressure cook and manually select the time you want rather than the preset buttons . You can adjust the pressure, temperature and time by selecting the +/- buttons. Be sure to follow recipes and note whether meals should be cooked at low or high pressure. Check out more Instant Pot tips and tricks.
The Instant Pot does default to High Pressure when the Manual button is selected, so adjust accordingly. And remember that the Manual / Pressure buttons are for pressure cooking not for other functions like saute, yogurt making or slow cooker
High Pressure239°F to 244°F
Low Pressure5.8 to 7.2 psi229 to 233°F
Note: The Instant Pot pictured in this post shows the Manual button. The newer models of the Instant Pot have the same feature its called the Pressure Cook button.
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How Do You Keep The Meat Warm While Resting
To keep the meat warm while resting, you can opt to use a warming plate set on low so it does not cook while warming.
Letting the meat rest first off and away from the heat. This will let the juices spread throughout with the meat becoming more tender and juicy. To rest it correctly allow five minutes before you keep it warm again.
