Instant Pot Accessories That Are Worth It
Perry SantanachotePerry Santanachote
Air-Fryer Lid Price: $79
The air-fryer lid combines two of the most popular countertop appliancesmulti-cookers and air fryersinto a cooker that can truly do it all. The lid fits on top of the Instant Pot, turning it into a mini convection oven that adds roasting, baking, broiling, reheating, and dehydrating functions to the multi-cookers already long list of programs. But while it saves you from buying yet another space-hogging appliance, its not exactly compact: Its 11 inches wide and 7 inches tall. And its not compatible with all Instant Pot models, so be sure to check here before you buy.
The lid comes with an air-fryer basket that you slip into the Instant Pots stainless steel inner pot. The downside is that the 3.5-quart basket is quite small. It may not make sense for large families, but its just right for couples or people cooking for one, or if youre willing to do multiple batches.
While you need the basket to crisp up fries, you can use the air-fryer lid with just the Instant Pots stainless steel pot to brown and bake. I pressure-cooked a whole chicken in the stainless steel pot and swapped out the lid for the air-fryer lid to crisp up the skin. The result was a tender, juicy chicken with golden-brown skin.
Metal Egg Racks Price: $20
Ceramic Nonstick Inner Pot Price: $20
Perry SantanachotePerry Santanachote
Springform Cake Pan Price: $13
Silicone Steam Rack Price: $9
Buy at: and Walmart
Ways To Use The Instant Pot Trivet
Learn how to use the Instant Pot trivet with this handy guide-post. From making cakes to steaming vegetables to pot-in-pot cooking, we show you 7 different ways for how to utilize this accessory for cooking delicious food with a pressure cooker.
When you first unbox your Instant Pot, youll find a few additional items that come with it. One of those key accessories is the trivet or the metal insert with collapsible sides. In the example of the Instant Pot, it is designed to keep ingredients out of the water.
While pressure cooking, it is necessary to use 1-2 cups of water for every recipe. However, you dont always want it mixing with your food. Could you imagine a soggy cheesecake? Gross. This is where the trivet comes in handy, and no its not just good for dessert! Theres a reason why it comes with the Instant Pot.
Here are some of our favourite ways to utilise the Instant Pot trivet that will inspire you to cook more and step outside of the box.
New to Instant Pot? Check out our Instant Pot beginner series. Learn how this pressure cooker actually works here, settings and buttons lowdown here, learn how to make perfect rice, creamy mashed potatoes, Tuscan chicken pasta or easy pork shoulder and gravy with our step-by-step recipes.
Or Replacing The Sealing Ring
If you haven’t been keeping up with the cleaning process and your ring is a smelly lost cause, it’s probably time to replace it. Aside from odors, you should also keep an eye on its integrity cracks or other damage can lead to leaks. Thankfully, the sealing rings are inexpensive and, as of February 2018, won’t set you back more than $9 .
Note that rings sold by unauthorized dealers have not been tested or certified by Instant Pot, and according to their website, “the use of third party sealing rings may have unexpected effects on your product, and would void the Instant Pot warranty.”
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Extra Instant Pot Liner
I love having an extra liner for my pots! Oftentimes, Im cooking 2-3 things in my pots and I cant keep up! Especially when Im making yogurt, It is SO nice to be able to put the pot of yogurt in the fridge and still be able to use the Instant Pot with another liner.
- Pros: You can use your IP when the other liner is dirty or being used .
- Cons: More dishes to wash?
- Uses: See Pros
- BUY HERE
Using Saute Function After Cooking
The Sauté function is also useful for finishing the dish after pressure cooking is done. Once the pressure has been completely released, open the lid and then press Sauté button again. Press the button again to cycle through Less or More for lower or higher temperature.
Use it for:
- Simmering the sauce or broth in the dish that needs to evaporate and reduce or thicken.
- Adding more fragile or no-cooking-required ingredients like baby spinach, fresh tomatoes, fruit, cheese, milk or cream.
- Thickening sauce with butter, cream or flour.
Read Also: How Long To Cook Frozen Chicken Thighs In Instant Pot
You’re Not Cleaning The Sealing Ring
If you notice a less-than-pleasant odor emanating from your Instant Pot, chances are it’s the sealing ring. Strong foods can infuse the silicone ring, and after a few meals it’s bound to take on a gross combination of smells. But before you toss it in the trash, try this method to clean it: Pour two cups of white vinegar into the pot, close the lid, then run it for two minutes on the “steam” setting. Remove the ring and let it dry before reinstalling. It should now be odor-free.
Electric Pressure Cooking Eggs
Set-up: Pour water into the pot, place the rack inside, and evenly space out the eggs. The metal rack elevates the eggs above the water so they can steam efficiently once the pressure has built up. The rack that comes with the Instant Pot only fits 6 eggs in a single layer. However, if you want to cook more at one time, there are stackable egg steamer rack trivets that you can purchase.
Cook Time: The exact minutes of cook time makes a huge difference. Cook the eggs using the manual setting on high pressure. Pressure cooker soft-boiled eggs require 3 minutes. Hard-boiled eggs need 5 minutes.
Pressure Release: A quick release of the pressure is used for soft boiled eggs so that the temperature can swiftly drop down and not overcook the eggs. A 5-minute natural pressure release is used for hard-boiled eggs, then manually releasing the rest of the pressure.
Read Also: What To Do When Instant Pot Says Food Burn
You’re Underestimating The Time A Recipe Takes
Yes, the Instant Pot is fast, but you might be a little disappointed when the mac and cheese recipe that promises to cook in five minutes takes longer than five minutes. This is because the time needed for the machine to come to pressure isn’t taken into account but there is a way to shave a few minutes off the process. Just turn on your Instant Pot right as you begin your recipe, even if you’re not ready to close the lid yet. Make sure you have whatever cooking liquid in so you’re not heating an empty pot, then finish the remaining prep. The pot will start to heat up while you’re working, and won’t have to start from cold once you do close the lid. Now you’re that much closer to cheesy pasta goodness.
Safety Lesson : No Quick Release For Thick Recipes
Thick meals like chili, rice and bean dishes, and porridge could possibly trap steam pockets inside the food, which could *pop* if the lid is opened after a quick release. Yikes!
Natural pressure release is best for these recipes, but many arent written that way. If you do need to quick release steam on a thick food recipe, at least give the whole machine a little jiggle to release any possible steam pockets before opening the lid.
Read Also: How To Cook Frozen Tamales In Instant Pot
Instant Pot Accessories That Are Not Worth It
Perry SantanachotePerry Santanachote
Mesh Baskets Price: $30
All the Instant Pot models in our ratings do relatively poorly in our lab tests for steaming vegetables. Do fine-mesh wire baskets help at all? They do not. Still, if you use your Instant Pot to steam veggies regularly, this basket allows you to make large batches without having to transfer the pieces one by one out of the pot when theyre done. The smaller basket also nests inside the larger basket, so you can steam two vegetables while keeping them separated.
Dont Overfill The Instant Pot
This can really be a big issue, as overfilling may lead to safety issues or food not getting cooked.
Only fill 2/3 full with normal recipes and 1/2 full when cooking dry beans or anything foamy. Ignore the max fill line if youre cooking with pressure that mark is for slow cooking in the Instant Pot only.
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When Should I Use Keep Warm Function
The Instant Pot can be kept on Keep Warm after cooking most foods. In fact, its very handy if you are finished cooking before youre ready to serve food. Some foods like rice, quinoa, or anything that has soaked up a lot of liquid should be monitored or warmed in a more moist environment to prevent dryness or burning. You can select Keep Warm cycle before you start cooking or after.
What Is The Timer Button For
Some models have a button that reads Timer. While you may think that this is the button that sets the cooking time for your Instant Pot, it actually delays cooking time and will start the cooking when the timer counts down. You can set the cooking time with the plus/minus buttons or the dial, depending on the model.
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You’re Slow Cooking On Low
The miraculous Instant Pot also moonlights as a slow cooker, but you won’t get very far if you’re using the “low” setting for your beef stew. Because “low” is more comparable to the “keep warm” function on your slow cooker, you can imagine that your meat will still be about as raw as when it went in, even after hours of cook time. Use the “normal” setting for a true slow cooker “low,” and the “more” setting for “high.” Or scrap the raw beef stew and opt for plan B: steak tartare.
Instant Pot Coconut Rice
Instant Pot Coconut Rice is the best side dish for the spicy Asian foods I love. Its like regular rice, only better! Creamy coconut milk adds flavor and richness. Add a touch of sugar, which is optional, to take it over the top.
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Ive always loved coconut rice when Ive had it at my favorite Burmese restaurant. Its just better than regular rice. Its full of delicate coconut flavor with a hint of sweetness and just so good! Its my favorite side dish to round out many Asian meals.
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Which Instant Pot Accessories Are Worth It
We tested 10 of them to see which ones are game changers and which are a waste of space
One of the selling points of an Instant Pot multi-cooker is that it saves space by replacing a number of other countertop appliancesslow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker.
What no one tells you is that in order to make the most of your Instant Pot, you’ll need a bunch of accessories that will clutter your cabinets.
But which ones are actually worth the money and storage space? We bought 10 of these accessories so I could test them at home to see which ones boost my Instant Pot gamewhich I’ve been honing for eight years nowand which ones languish alongside my other kitchen outcasts.
Below are the details on the accessories that would make a great gift for yourself and your loved ones, plus two that you should skip. You can jump to each item using the links below.
How To Use The Pot In Pot Method In Your Pressure Cooker
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Wondering how to use the pot-in-pot method to cook in your pressure cooker? This tutorial will walk you through the whole pot-in-pot processhow to set it up and what equipment youll need, as well as tips for adapting recipes to cook pot-in-pot!
Have you tried pot-in-pot cooking yet? The pot-in-pot method of cooking in the electric pressure cooker has several benefits!
- Cooking pot-in-pot lets you make a dish in the pressure cooker without dirtying the inner cooking pot, which is useful if you plan to use the pressure cooker again .
- Pot-in-pot also lets you make two separate parts of the meal at the same time in the same pressure cooker .
- Pot-in-pot is necessary for baking things like cheesecakes in the pressure cooker.
- Its also automatic portion controlthe pot-in-pot method uses cute, smaller-size dishes like cake pans, half-size Bundt pans, mason jars, and ramekins.
I recently had the chance to walk a friend through the pot-in-pot method, and I thought Id take some photos to share with you!
Youll find lots of pot-in-pot recipes in my dessert cookbook, Instantly Sweet.
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Silicone Trivet Without Handles
This silicone trivet is made by the Instant Pot company and fits 6 quart and 8 quart Instant Pots.
This silicone trivet is very easy to clean because its made of silicone and is dishwasher safe. The design allows steam to circulate and liquid to cover the bottom of the inner pot which helps prevent the Burn Message and the food to cook evenly.
Do Use The Saut Function
It’s what really makes the Instant Pot an all-in-one appliance, letting you sauté onions and sear meats for added flavor without dirtying an extra skillet. So dont be tempted to skip browning as you do with most slow cooker recipes. And if your stew or sauce is thin after cooking, the sauté function will reduce the liquid to the perfect consistency.
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Bonus Boil Water In The Instant Pot With The Saut Button
Ever just needed an extra burner to bring some water to boil? Instant Pot to the rescue.
Simply add water and turn on the sauté button!
You can also use the sauté function to warm leftovers, brown meat or veggies that are part of your IP recipe anyway, or as a way to pre-heat the Instant Pot to help it come up to pressure more quickly.
To save time on coming up to pressure, turn on the sauté function with liquid in the pot as you prep your food and adding ingredients to the Instant Pot. The hot liquid will come up to pressure faster.
Note: Official Instant Pot instructions recommend against this practice. Ive never had a problem with it, but make sure you have a few extra minutes on the other side just in case, especially if youre cooking a tough roast or something that really needs all its time at pressure.
How To Start The Instant Pot
Step 1. Place the Instant Pot on a sturdy countertop or a table close to a power socket. Make sure there is plenty of open space above the pot as you will have steam eject from the lid up in the air if you quick release the pressure.
Step 2. Make sure the inner pot is inside the cooker base and is clean. Plug the power cord in. Instant Pot will switch on and the OFF status symbol will appear on the control panel. This is called a standby mode.
Step 3. Decide on which cooking method you want to use from the below scenarios. This will depend on what you want to cook. Usually, recipe instructions will guide you along here.
In general, your choices will come down to whether you want to Sauté food first and then whether you want to use a manual setting or one of the smart programs.
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How To Use Instant Pot Trivet For Pressure Steaming
During pressure steaming, the trivet can reach temperatures as high as 233°F .
Watch How Easy It Is To Make A Rack Of Lamb In An Instant Pot
First, we mix a few ingredients together and marinate the lamb .
Add water and a trivet to the instant pot, place the lamb standing upright on top by interlocking the bones, and close the lid!
Put the lamb on a plate and right before serving, call your family/friends to the table to oooh and ahhhh as you pour a cumin-spiced buttery sauce overtop the lamb.
Everyone will think you are SO fancy!
This is the perfect dish to make for any celebration: a birthday, a holiday, or you know, on a random weekday because rack of lamb just so happened to be on sale at Costco, lol.
Find a reason to make this, you wont be disappointed.
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