Do I Use High Or Low Pressure
Does the display seem confusing to you? There is a high, low, less, normal and more. What do they all mean?
Here are the basics:
- There are two pressure settingshigh or low. I use high on 99.9% of my recipes and so do most other people. Always use high unless specifically indicated in the recipe. High is the default setting on the Lux Instant Pots . On other Instant Pot models you can toggle back and forth between high and low pressure by pressing the pressure cook/manual button and then and then the pressure button.
- The Less, Normal and More refer to the Saute function, not the pressure level. You can toggle between less, normal and more by using the Adjust button. Saute is a good setting to use when you want brown meat or saute onions before pressure cooking. LESS is for simmer, NORMAL for sauté and MORE for browning .
- What about all the other buttons on the Instant Pot like rice and meat? These buttons are suggested times for that specific food. I like to use the manual/pressure cook button because I dont always agree with the specified times.
Dont Get Too Caught Up In What All The Buttons Mean
For the most part, the buttons on the control panel are there to help you decide on your cooking time. For example, if there is a fish button, pressing it will likely mean that your food will cook for a short time . The chicken button will be slightly longer . Some electric pressure cookers have a saute feature, which comes in handy to pre-caramelize your mirepoix, if youre making soup or stew . New models have a sterilize function , and most come with a slow cook option, which means exactly what you think it means: slow cooking without pressure. When it comes to frozen food, learn if you can cook frozen meat in an Instant Pot.
Psst: Heres why you should trade your slow cooker for an Instant Pot.
Ok So Lets Get To The Differences Of An Instant Pot Vs Crock Pot Express Shall We
#1 Lets talk about price
- The 6 qt. basic Instant Pot is going to run you about a hundred bucks
- The Crock Pot Express varies depending on the seller and the day as well but is always cheaper, Ive seen it as low as forty bucks with a note that the box was damaged
#2 Lets talk about the size
- The Instant Pot comes in 3 sizes now. They have an 8 qt, a 6 qt , and now a mini 3 qt pot which I have as well and would be perfect for a couple without any kids or meals for one
- The Crock Pot Express pressure cooker only comes in a 6 qt (but is plenty big enough to feed the 5 of us0
#3 Lets talk about the functions of an Instant Pot vs Crock Pot Express
Instant Pot functions for the 7 in 1 model
- Soup
- Yogurt
- Dessert is the extra button the IP doesnt have
#4 Lets talk about how the buttons are different on the Instant Pot vs Crock Pot Express multi use programmable pots
Which one should you buy??
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Tips On How To Make Slow Cooker Recipes In An Instant Pot
Tip #1: Adjust the Liquid Level
Every Instant Pot recipe must start with at least 1 cup of liquid. The liquid is required to prevent burn and to help the Instant Pot build pressure correctly.
Because the heating is so gradual in a slow cooker, the odds of something burning are slim BECAUSE enough juices from the food has been released by the time the slow cooker has reached its highest heating temperature.
Tip #2: The Instant Pot is designed to get really hot, really fast.
This means you have to START with liquid, otherwise your food will burn before its had a chance to release any juices.
- With that said, anytime you make a slow cooker recipe in an Instant Pot, you need to adjust the recipe so that youre starting with at least 1 cup of liquid. This might mean adding additional liquid in order to reach the minimum needed.
- This additional liquid can be water, stock or the same liquid that the slow cooker recipe calls for its your call. But make sure theres 1 cup of liquid at the bottom of your Instant Pot before you start cooking.
Tip #3: Natural Pressure Release vs. Quick Pressure Release
Anytime you make a recipe, the Instant Pot must build pressure, then cook your food, and then release the pressure. The pressure is typically released one of three ways:
The type of pressure release you choose for your slow cooker turned Instant Pot recipe matters, because anytime there is pressure inside the Instant Pot, your food is cooking.
Other Ingredients to beware of:
The Quick Way: Pro Tip For Converting From Instant Pot Recipes To Slow Cooker
I try to keep in mind that not everything is meant to be cooked in the crockpot. The same goes for the Instant Pot. Make sure that the recipe you are trying to convert is suitable for the crockpot.
Now for the good stuff: the cheaters path to quickly converting slow cooker recipes.
Find a similar crockpot recipe and use that as a base for your temperature and cooking time base.
A great example is cooking something like my Instant Pot Lasagna. Although my recipe is a healthier alternative you can use a regular crockpot lasagna recipe as a guide for how to layer the lasagna and how long to cook it for.;
Recommended Reading: How To Meal Prep With Instant Pot
Quick Or Natural Release
Meats generally do best with a natural release. I make exceptions when I’m doing a recipe in stages like I need to add vegetables and cook more. In which case, I do a quick release, add the veggies, and add a few minutes under pressure, then quick release again.
Vegetables do best with quick-release, otherwise, they get mushy.
In my experience, rice and beans do well with either type of release.
Do Instant Pots Use High Heat
As Instant Pot cooks food so fast , it makes sense that individuals think these devices use extraordinarily high heat.;
However, you might be surprised to learn that oven baking or grilling utilizes a much higher flame than Instant Pots or any other pressure cooker.
Instant Pot pressure cooking is a healthier way to prepare traditional foods! The shorter cooking times lend to better preservation of vitamins and minerals while intensifying each recipes flavors and enhancing the texture and taste. Yum!
Read Also: What To Make In An Instant Pot
What Kind Of Recipes Should You Not Cook On The Slow Cooker Setting
DO NOT use slow cooker baking recipes when you Slow Cook in Your Instant Pot. They will fail.
A 6-quart slow cooker that I recommend has a large bottom baking area that none of the Instant Pots have. At this writing IP does have a Ninja slow cooker competitor and it is a slow cooker first and can be baked in, but it does not have a pressure cooker setting.
DO NOT use dried beans when you Slow Cook in Your Instant Pot. The timings are too off.
The other issue Ive run across is the timing of cooking dried beans. On normal, it can even take unsoaked black-eyed peas over 8 hours to cook. But on high you can cook unsoaked pinto beans in the 4 hours youd expect.
Of course, beans are a variable in themselves since many beans will be a little old when you buy them in the store. The older the beans the longer it needs to cook.
To avoid this timing issue I recommend that you dont cook the recipes that use dried beans or substitute cooked beans and reduce the water amount in those recipes.
How To Do An Instant Pot Water Test
Now that you have completed the water test, you are ready to cook in your Instant Pot!
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Instant Pot Parts And Accessories
The first thing youll want to do is wash the parts of your Instant Pot. The Instant Pot lid, steam release valve and stainless steel inner pot are dishwasher safe; however, I wash mine by hand. The base unit is not dishwasher safe never immerse the base unit in water.
Add Liquid When Necessary
When cooking with a pressure cooker there is very little moisture lost, which is why you add only a cup of liquid for each recipe in the Instant Pot. This means that there doesnt need to be a lot of liquid to begin with. Cooking in the Crockpot is very different because its not a sealed environment and the cooking process takes a lot longer.
Make sure you add enough liquidespecially when cooking things like pasta, rice, and meat. This will help avoid dried out or undercooked meals. Also make sure youre not adding too much liquid, so your meal doesnt turn out too watery.
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How To Make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Place a diced onion into the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Combine spices together in a small bowl.
- Gently pat the pork roast dry with a paper towel, so that the rub adheres to the pork better.
- Rub the seasonings evenly over the pork roast. ingredients for the rub and generously rub pork roast evenly with the rub.
- Place pork roast on top of the onion in the slow cooker.
- Mix together the apple juice, vinegar, sauce, and honey together and pour over the pork.
- Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
- After cook time, remove pork from slow cooker and place in large bowl or cutting board.
- Strain off cooking liquid and pour over pulled pork to coat. Note: If you want to strain off the fat that accumulated prior to pouring liquid over pork, simple place liquid in the freezer for 5-10 minutes, then scoop the solidified fat off the liquid,;;
- Return the sauce to the slow cooker. If you would like your sauce to thicken up, turn the slow cooker to high heat and cook the sauce uncovered for 20- 30 minutes
- Shred pork with 2 forks or a handheld kitchen mixer and return to the cooking liquid
Release The Pressure Safely
When you release the pressure, the escaping steam will be very hothot enough to burn you. So make sure the hole on top of the steam release is facing away from you before pressing the release button. Also, the quick-release method is not suitable for soups or cereals , because quick release may cause food to splatter out with the steam.
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The Ultimate Guide For Making Any Crockpot Recipe In An Instant Pot
Did you know you can convert slow cooker meals to Instant Pot or pressure cooker?
Save time and have dinner perfectly cooked every time!;Here is the ultimate guide for making any Crockpot recipe in an Instant Pot.
With so many family favorite meals already perfected in the slow cooker, we wanted to figure out the best ways translate them for pressure cooking. Weve found that most recipes translate just as well if not better! No need to totally re-invent your recipe collection when you can follow these guidelines to convert.
How To Thicken Split Pea Soup
I doubled the recipe and replaced one can of Rotel in place of one can of diced tomatoes to spice it up some more. I also wondered how to store the extra adobo chilis after I used what I needed for the recipe. I ended up putting them in a ziploc bag in the freezer. Then I just pull them out and take the amount I need for the next recipe.
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How To Use An Instant Pot As A Crock Pot
Content
Bone-in chicken wont cook at the same rate as the vegetables so I would avoid that. For hard boil eggs use the steam button low pressure for 6 minutes. Let naturally depressurization for 5 minutes then do a quick release.
Before serving make sure the internal temperature of the pork loin is at 145°F at its thickest point then allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Return the pork to the pressure cooker and cook on high . Turn the Instant Pot to the high saute setting. Whisk the cornstarch with the water and add to the Instant Pot.
This maybe a weekly dish for my husband and I. Gina, I would still love to have your input on this. I made these tonight with my stovetop pressure cooker and just put it under pressure for 50 min. Although the flavor was really delicious, it didnt shred at all and wasnt soft. I had to cut it up into pieces and it was a bit tough. Family loved it though but Id love to know how to get it soft/shreddable.
Are you flouring your meat when browning? That can cause a layer of thick gravy to build up that can cause an overheating error. I keep getting the E6 error, even when making soup and stew. There is plenty of fluid in the pot and I am below the max line. Hi Keri you probably dont have enough liquid in the pot.
A New Generation Of Pressure Cooking
Instant Pot introduces a new generation to pressure cooking and shows people how to instantly cook a healthy meal.;
This guide is for you whether you recently bought a new Instant Pot or youre already using it.
These instructions are updated to show you how to use your appliance most effectively without creating any trouble.;
Well also answer frequently asked questions with helpful Instant Pot user tips.;
And also, share easy Instant Pot recipes, too!
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Key Ingredients For Pulled Pork
- Pork Roast: You can use a pork butt, sometimes referred to as pork shoulder roast, or a pork loin. For really tender, flavorful pulled pork, pork butt is best, as it is super marbled with fat and will get really tender. A pork loin won’t be as tender, but much less fatty and still delicious.
- Dry Rub: This is a simple mixture of salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder that is rubbed onto the pork roast and adds incredible flavor to not only the meat but seasons the homemade barbecue sauce.
- Homemade Barbecue Sauce: To cook the pork roast you need liquid. You could simply use apple juice, beer or stock, but I find adding in apple cider vinegar, tomato sauce, and honey will allow the pork to cook in a homemade barbecue sauce that adds so much flavor to your pulled pork.
