Why Use An Instant Pot
Instant Pots are basically a home cooks cheat machine, using the power of pressurized cooking to turn long cooking times into a delicious meal incredibly easily.
The biggest challenge of making any dish involving pork shoulder is getting enough heat into the collagen in the tough meat so that it becomes delicious rather than rough and chewy. The extreme pressure Instant Pots create makes cooking pork shoulders an absolute breeze, turning what could be a multi hour cooking process into only 60 minutes.
Pork Shoulder In The Instant Pot
If youre looking for fool proof fall apart pork shoulder then you must make it in the Instant Pot. Not only does this free your oven up for other things, but it also takes a fraction of the time of other methods. This three ingredient shredded pork is delicious in tacos or enchiladas, or on its own with rice and beans. My personal favorite is to make pulled pork sandwiches with homemade BBQ sauce.
What Kind Of Liquid Should I Add To My Instant Pot
When we say that you need water or liquid for your pot to come to pressure, know that liquid can also come from the food in your pot. Vegetables usually release a lot of liquid when cookingthink about zucchini.
Also, frozen chicken releases a lot of liquid when its cooking, which is why its great to use when cooking dry beans and rice like in my Instant Pot Burrito Bowl Recipe.
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How To Store Your Instant Pot
Store your cooker like this, with the lid upside down and the gasket loose. Condensation builds up in the gasket, which can become moldy if you lock a damp lid on the cooker.
This method allows for lots of air circulation. Its not so pretty on a countertop, I know. If nothing else, make sure you at least never store your cooker with a damp lid.
What Are The Parts Of The Instant Pot Duo Crisp
The first thing that you notice about the Duo Crisp is that the box is freaking huge. Its twice the size of a regular Instant Pot box, and when you open it up you realize why: the Duo Crisp has more parts than a regular Instant Pot. Here are the parts of the Instant Pot Duo Crisp:
- Instant Pot body
- Dehydrating/broiling tray to add a second level to the air fryer basket
- Condensation collector
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What Should I Serve With Pork Roast
Instant Pot Gravy is a great idea! You use the liquid that is left in the Instant Pot after you take out the roast. And you cook the gravy using the sauté function of the Instant Pot after the roast is finished cooking. That way, you dont dirty an extra pot!
What else to serve with the roast pork? If your oven is free, go ahead and make a batch of these amazing roasted potatoes too. Such a perfect dinner!
- Yield:46 servings 1x
- Category:Entrée
About Christine
Hi! Im Christine. My passion is creating recipes that take less time in the kitchen, so that we can all spend more time enjoying life! Im a busy single mom of two, so I totally get how tough it can be. Thats why Ive been figuring things out for my own family, and thats why I want to share this knowledge with others. I now help over 2 million people a month get delicious meals onto their tables. Come along with me and see how much easier it can be!
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Combining All The Dry And Wet Ingredients
Now combine all the dry and wet ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Keep mixing them until the dough comes together and no dry patch of dough is left. You can use the back of a wooden spatula to do that.
Now, cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
This process is called autolyze. It helps in gluten development.
- Before first Stretch and Fold
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Ready Lets Cook Some Water
The first time you use your Instant Pot, make waternot food. This way, you can familiarize yourself with simply operating itno anxiety over ruining dinner. Ive been pressure cooking for over a decade, and I still do the water test every time I try out a new cooker.
Here’s what to do:
First, check the gasket. Make sure its snugly in the ring in the lid 99 percent of the time, if your Instant Pot isnt coming to pressure, its a simple issue of the gasket not sitting in the ring quite right.
Next, put 3 cups of water in the insert. When following recipes, you should still measure liquids, but note that the insert has hash marks to give you a rough idea of the volume.
Now, lock on the lid. Use the arrows on the lid and the cooker to guide you.
Check the steam release valve to see its in Sealing position. If the valve is in Venting position, the cooker wont come to pressure.
Press Manual” on the Duo or select “Pressure Cook” on the Ultra. The display will say to 30:00. Its programming initially defaults to 30 minutes cook time of high pressure, which we can toggle up or down depending on how much time the recipe calls for. For our water test, well leave it at 30 minutes.
Now…do nothing. In a few seconds, the cooker will beep three times, and the display will read On. That means its heating, but not at pressure yet.
Emma Christensen
How To Cook A Whole Chicken In The Instant Pot
Instant Pot Whole Chicken is tender and juicy. Its the perfect tool for meal prep, a Sunday dinner, or for recipes throughout the week!
Chicken can be carved and served like a rotisserie chicken, or you use the meat for sandwiches, casseroles and more. And dont throw away the bones theres a use for that, too!
Yep, thats right! Save the bones and use them to make your own rotisserie chicken bone broth!
Youve seen the rotisserie chickens at the grocery store, and yes, theyre convenient. And the Costco chickens are a real deal, too!
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How Many Different Size Instant Pots Are There
With such a variety of different brands and sizes, youre likely asking yourself, what size Instant Pot do I need? You want to make sure you have an Instant Pot that fits your needs and your familys needs.
Luckily, these tips and suggestions should answer those burning questions and youll feel confident knowing which Instant Pot size is right for you.
If youre buying the Instant Pot Brand of Pressure Cooker, they offer these Instapot sizes:
Instant Pot Steam Setting
The Steam setting on the Instant Pot is perfect for cooking vegetables, fish and seafood, tofu and any other food that is suitable to steaming. This function uses Low pressure, which helps to avoid overcooking the food and means that the Instant Pot will come to pressure quicker. You need to use the trivet/steam rack provided to elevate food from cooking liquid. Always use QR to prevent food from overcooking. Below is how to use the Steam setting on Instant Pot.
- Turn the Instant Pot on, it will say OFF to indicate the Stand-By mode. Add a cup of water to the inner pot and place the trivet on top. You can place the vegetables or a piece of fish or thinly sliced chicken on top of the trivet OR you can use an additional steam basket or a round pan with holes that fits inside the pot. A steamer basket might be useful for smaller-sized vegetables or cut-up vegetables to prevent them from falling into the water.
- Secure and lock the lid. Press the Steam button. The default setting is pre-programmed to set the pot to cook at Low pressure for 10 minutes. If you press the Steam button again, you can adjust the mode from Normal to Less or More.
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What If The 6 Quart Instant Pot Is Too Small
What Will You Be Making In The Instant Pot?
Now think about what you might be making for your meal.
If I make soup for dinner, I usually serve it with a side of bread or some sandwiches.
Chicken? Often I will serve it with a side of rice or mashed potatoes.
Do you see where I am going with this? The main dish can either be the whole meal or just a part of your dinner.
If you have a large family and you tend to make one pot meals, then maybe upping to the 8 quart Instant Pot is right for you.
Or perhaps you like to make extra food for leftovers again, a larger size could be better.
But here’s a twist
Why Not Get 2 Instant Pots?
If you have the space, you may consider getting 2 Instant Pots instead of one big one.
This way you can either make two different dishes at once. Or, if you want to make a larger portion of one dish, you can split it up between both the Instant Pots.
Choices, my friend, choices.
- making Instant Pot Yogurt with a half gallon of milk,
- smaller portions or side dishes.
It’s also really cute, but that is beside the point.
My parents, who have a 2 person household, just bought the 3 quart version and are very happy with it.
Shaping The Instant Pot Bread
Now, this is very crucial. I made two types of bread in terms of shape one as a boule and the other as separate rolls. Although both baked well, the rolls were better. Baking the whole boule takes longer and sometimes can remain undone from the center, and then, you have to put it back in the instant pot.
Though, that should not happen if you follow this instant pot bread recipe as such.
Still, I like to shape my instant bread as separate rolls. If you are a first-timer, I suggest you do the same.
So, I divide the dough into seven equal parts. Then, I roll each ball into a roll by smoothing the surface and tucking the edges underneath.
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Instant Pot Nova Plus
Sizes: 6 quart
Functions: These are basically the same as the Duo model.
- The Nova Plus was designed exclusively for Costco.
- The Nova Plus has an LCD display and four status indicators: Heat, Pressure Cook, Keep Warm On/Off, Sound On/Off. The Heat icon shows that the Instant Pot is heating up and The Pressure Cook icon shows that pressure cooking has been selected, for example.
- The Nova Plus has the same LCD display as the Duo Plus but the same body and buttons as the Duo model. Basically, its the Duo but with a nicer display.
Instant Pot Duo Nova Review
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The Instant Pot Duo Nova is the last of the new pressure cookers unveiled in 2019. The Nova has the button layout of the Duo mixed with the auto-seal lid of the Ultra. You can buy the Nova in a 3, 6, 8, or 10-quart size!
The Instant Pot company recently released the Instant Pot Duo Nova and sent me a 6-quart to review!
The Nova has all the functionality of the best-selling Instant Pot Duo, but with an improved display and button configuration on the housing. AND the push-button pressure release that I love from the Duo Plus.
And, if youre interested in cooking large batches, the Nova is the first Instant Pot to come in a 10-quart size.
Read my complete review for everything you need to know about the new Instant Pot Duo Nova!
Looking to Buy? The Instant Pot Duo Nova 6-quart is available now on and is also available from many retail stores. If youre looking for the 10-quart, however, Ive only found it available online from and Kohls.
Just Bought a New Nova? Read the review for the basics of your machine, then hop over to my Getting Started Guide to get cooking in your new Duo Nova! Ill walk you through everything!
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Is This Thing Safe
Its actually safer than conventional cooking or stovetop pressure cooking. Everyone has heard stories about old-time pressure cookers exploding. Your Instant Pot wont do that because the temperature and pressure inside the pots is carefully monitored and regulated through its internal programming.
Remember: Its your trusty cooking robot.
What Size Instant Pot Do You Need
If youve been wondering What Size Instant Pot should I use? this is the guide for you! Read on to learn about the different Instant Pot sizes available, along with useful info and handy tips that will help you make sure youre using the right size for your needs.
Whether youre thinking about adding an Electric Pressure Cooker to your holiday wish list, preparing to score a deal on a new Instant Pot, or are just looking for a quick and easy way to make family meals, you truly cannot go wrong with an Instant Pot.
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What About Other Instant Pot Models
- Duo Plus: Like the Duo, but with a blue LCD display and few more settings . You can toggle to sound off or on.
- Smart WiFi: Generally like the Duo, but you can pair it with an app and use your smartphone to control some of its functions.
- Lux: No yogurt making setting. Does not need a drip catcher. Each setting will remember the cook time you programmed most recently.
- Ultra: Has a central control knob, not as many buttons, and a few more special settings. Has a feature to automatically adjust for pressure cooking at altitude. Quick release button keeps fingers away from the steam release valve. Each setting will remember the cook time you programmed most recently.
- Max: This has a touch screen, a sous-vide function, heats faster, can be programmed to automatically release steam, and offers an altitude adjustment option.
Does Instant Pot Really Cook Faster
An Instant Pot uses pressurized heated steam to cook the food. In many cases, this will cook most foods faster and more thoroughly than other cooking methods. A great example can be found when cooking meat that you want to be extra tender.
In order to achieve desired tenderness, you would have to slow cook many types of meat all day either in an oven or slow cooker to get really tender meat. An Instant Pot can achieve the same result in a fraction of the time.
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Why I Love My Instant Pot For Pork Roast
There are three things that I really love about cooking a pork roast in my Instant Pot .
The first is the sauté function. Using it creates a lovely, caramel-colored layer on the pork. Which means I dont have to pull out another pan and get it dirty. Love it!
After searing the roast, I remove it from the Instant Pot and put the trivet that was included to get the roast up out of the cooking liquid and off the bottom of the pot. I think it helps to maintain the color from the searing as well as ensuring that the bottom doesnt burn.
The second thing that I love is the fact that once the lid is locked on and cooking time is set, Im free to focus on something else.
Finally, the result is like a slow-braised, tender pork roast, but in the Instant Pot, it cooks in much less time.
Which Instant Pot Size Is The Best
The size of Instant Pot you need is going to depend on how you plan to use it and the size of your family. In general, the Mini 3 quart Instant Pots would work well for small families of 1 or 2 people, the 6 quart is a great option for most families up to 6 people , and for larger families of over 6 people the 8 quart Instant Pots would be the best bet.
The 6 quart Instant Pots are the most popular size of Instant Pots purchased.
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How To Use A Mixer To Shred Chicken
Once your chicken is cooked and cool enough to handle, you can dice it up or shred it for use in your recipe.
- For easy shredding, you can place the chicken in a bowl and use a hand mixer like this one to shred the chicken. If you have a hand mixer or stand mixer, you need to try this trick!
- You can also shred the chicken with two forks by hand.
Heres what the above looks like as a quick step-by-step.
Test : Rich Bread Vs Lean Bread
Rich loaves of bread have tenderizing agents such as butter, oil, or milk that give them a soft and tender texture. Most of our sandwich bread is rich bread.
Bread made with only flour, salt, and water is called lean bread. There are chewy interiors and crispy exteriors. They usually require 400-500 0 F to bake.
| Type of bread |
So, the lean bread surprised me with the texture, but the rich bread saddened me with the dense texture. All the bread I have seen on the internet is quite similar to that. Denser and doughy!
So, I decided that I do not want to go the rich bread route with my instant pot bread.
Which types of bread can or should I make in Instant Pot ?
Based on test 1, I concluded that: Though, you can make rich or lean either type of bread with satisfactory results in an instant pot. But the rich bread tends to stay a bit denser. So I recommend going for lean bread.
Or anywhere in between. Like not a super-rich bread, but adding just about 2 tbsp of butter. And no other tenderizer. Hmmm, that sounds like another project!
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