Flat Wire Round Trivet
This flat wire rack with low legs works great not just for the Instant Pot but is a perfectly-sized cooling rack for round cake pans or to protect your countertop from hot dishes.
I use this round trivet to slightly elevate chicken or other meats that are cooking in liquid. Many times this technique helps me avoid the Burn Message. I also use it to separate multiple containers that are stacked on top of each other.
Instant Pot Accessory Set
This Instant Pot accessory kit includes multiple steamer baskets, trivets, egg mold, springform pan, and lots more.
If youre brand new to the Instant Pot and are planning on purchasing some accessories, make sure you look at this set to see if it has everything you need. You might save some money buying a set. It comes in different colors too.
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Paint the Kitchen Red
What Instant Pot Accessories Do I Need My Top 5 Must Haves
The Instant Pot pressure cooker is phenomenally versatile and has been a massive hit with home and commercial cooks alike. And of course, the aftermarket offering of accessories to make your Instant Pot even more versatile seems limitless. But what instant pot accessories do I need? This is a question I had when I purchased my IP and one which I get from many owners of this must-have kitchen addition.
In reality, the IP is ready to go, straight out of the box, you dont need any additional instant pot accessories to get started, pressure cooking, slow cooking, sauteing, making yogurt, etc. But, if you want the world to be your oyster, there are plenty of great additions to your instant pot that can be bought cheaply, and add great functionality.
So here is a list of the instant pot accessories I could no longer do without, ones I use every week at least. Of course, this is a personal opinion, your needs may differ.
But firstly, to avoid buying stuff you dont need, lets quickly refresh our memories (assuming we already have an instant pot, of what is included in the box.
- Paddle spoon
- Ladle
Anyway, these are my faves
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From Frozen To Cooked
If you go to make dinner and realize you have forgotten to thaw out your ground beefYOU ARE NOT ALONE! I have done this more times than I care to admit.
As you most likely know, it is NOT safe to thaw meat out at room temperature, but what about safely cooking ground beef from frozen in an instant pot?
It works like MAGIC!
Just like the Instant Pot can cook frozen chicken breast, and frozen pot roast, The Instant Pot can be used to cook frozen ground meat effortlessly.
Which Items Can You Cook At The Same Time In The Instant Pot
Cooking with White Rice:
White rice cooks quickly, in just 4 minutes of high pressure cooking, but it can go up to 10 minutes when cooked in a separate bowl on a trivet. I always allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before moving the steam release valve to venting, then removing the lid. When cooking white rice, rinse it well in a fine mesh strainer to help keep the grains from sticking together, then use a 1:1 ratio of rice to water in the bowl.
The following items work well when cooked at the bottom of the Instant Pot, with the white rice in a bowl on top.
Cooking with Brown Rice:
Brown rice takes 22 minutes to cook in the Instant Pot, but it can withstand a little extra cooking time up to 30 minutes when cooked in a separate bowl on a trivet. Allow the pressure to release naturally for an additional 10 minutes before removing the lid. Below are some ideas to help you get started, but you can use any recipe on the bottom of the Instant Pot that requires 22-30 minutes of cooking.
When cooking brown rice, rinse it well in a fine mesh sieve to prevent the grains from sticking together, then use a 1:1 ratio of rice to water.
Cooking with Vegetables:
As I noted above, most vegetables will turn to mush if you cook them longer than 1-2 minutes at high pressure. As a result, you can easily make a vegetable mash to go with your main entree all at once.
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Instant Pot Egg Bite Mold
I recently purchased an Instant Pot egg bite mold and I actually really like it! This is a silicone mold that you can use to cook in your Instant Pot.
- Pros: Incredibly sturdy, thick, nonstick, and the holes are much larger than I anticipated. It also comes with a lid.
- Cons: Youll need to buy a couple if youre cooking for a lot.
- Uses:Instant Pot Cheddar Bacon Egg Bites, Pumpkin Pie bites and Mini Cheesecake bites , freezing single portions of baby food or bone broth.
- BUY HERE
To Get Started With Pot
- a 7-inch oven-safe bowl, to hold a side dish, like rice or vegetables
- a 2.5-inch trivet, to keep the bowl out of your main course
You may already have a 7-inch bowl in your kitchen that will work , so you might only need to get a trivet to move ahead with pot-in-pot cooking. I bought this 2-piece trivet set on Amazon, and while I use the 2.5-inch trivet most often, the 4-inch trivet comes in handy when I want to place a cook a couple of small sweet potatoes at the same time as a main entree.
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What Is The Best Instant Pot Trivet
And now, the answer to your most burning question: which one is the best trivet?
There are a few good options on the market, including the standard one that is delivered with the IP. However, everyones choice is different as you also have to consider the size of your pot, whether or not you want handles, the material, and the price.
I have used many trivets over the years, so I tried to review a wide series of products, so everyone can have a choice. So, without further ado, here are my top 6 trivets:
How To Use Trivet In Instant Pot
I think its evident that the Trivet will be the first item in the inside pot. It may even go before the water since you can put it into the pool after placing the Trivet.
It would be best if you first placed the Trivet in the Instant Pot.Then place a second pot over the Trivet, or place portions of food right on top.
When everything is put in place, close the lid and determine the pressure and time following the recipe. When the cooking has stopped and you removed the cover, you can use the Trivet handles to remove the whole object from the cooker.
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Why Is It Called A Trivet
The word comes from the Latin tripes, which means tripod and its main purpose is to protect a surface from a hot pot or pan. Basically its a support that allows the heat to dissipate.
The devices used in an Instant Pot dont always have three feet, but their job is to keep the food and pots out of the water at the bottom of the inner pot.
Making Instant Pot Eggs Couldnt Be Easier Check Out Our Test Kitchens Foolproof Method For How To Make Hard
Instant Pots are all the rageand with good reason! The multi-cooker is equipped with an easy-to-use panel of buttons, accompanied by an Instant Pot manual to help you use them all correctly. In order to perfect the best instant pot recipes, start with the simpler of techniques first. I always have hard-boiled eggs on hand for a quick snack or lunch, but had never made my hard-boiled eggs in an Instant Pot before.
After hearing that the machine was able to cook big batches of perfectly hard-boiled eggs in a flash, I asked my friend, chef and dietitian Abbie Gellman, MS, RDN, to bring over her Instant Pot to see if the hype was true.
Dont have an Instant Pot yet? Heres how to choose the best Instant Pot for you.
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Change The Size Of The Meat
Large cuts of meat require much longer in the pressure cooker than that same cut of meat diced into bite-size pieces. So if you want to cook a side with a longer cook time, consider changing up the size of the meat. For instance, the thinly sliced beef strips in Beef and Broccoli only take 12 minutes at high pressure, so theyre too long for white rice and too short for brown rice. However, beef cut into 2- or 3-inch cubes would need about 20 minutes at high pressure, making them a good match for brown rice, which has a 22-minute cook time and a 20-minute natural pressure release.
Instant Pot Cooking Time Guides
Also, those time sheets/magnets/charts with cooktimes- ehh. I dont think they are a good resource since every chart Ive seen online doesnt seem accurate to me. Unless it guide comes from a blogger or recipe creator you absolutely trust, I wouldnt spend money on it.
Personally, I would stick with tried and true recipe and methods with researched recipes
Just my two cents!
So what do you think? Do you have some of these accessories? What would you add to the list?
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Are A Rack And Trivet Different
One of the significant differences between racks and trivets is that racks are mainly used for steaming. It raises your food off the bottom of the pressure cooker to keep it from scorching.
Whereas, trivets can also cook dishes in small pans or even help remove meats from a pressure cooker. However, they are also raised and keep food away from direct heat.
Youre 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 isnt 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 youre not ready to close the lid yet. Make sure you have whatever cooking liquid in so youre not heating an empty pot, then finish the remaining prep. The pot will start to heat up while youre working, and wont have to start from cold once you do close the lid. Now youre that much closer to cheesy pasta goodness.
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My Honest Advice About Instant Pot Accessories
This might be weird to hear from someone like me, but DONT go out and buy a million accessories for your Instant Pot right away! Especially if youre a beginner, I want you to get your Instant Pot, and USE it.
I get a lot of messages that sound a lot like this: Hi Lisa! I just got my Instant Pot and have no idea what Im doing with it! What accessories do you recommend I buy?
I always give the same response: none.
Figure out what youre cooking, and how youre cooking! A bunch of accessories arent useful to you if you have no idea how youre using your Instant Pot.
Get that pot out of the box, and USE IT! Youll quickly find out what you need and what youre lacking.
If youre finding yourself making a lot of vegetables or find yourself confident enough to make a cheesecake, youll figure out that your cooking process could be a lot easier with a steamer basket or a specific pan.
Best Instant Pot Trivet Guide
Because you always want to know more, I will inform you all about the Trivet and its function when cooking in the Instant Pot. In this post, Im only going to speak about trivets. Suppose youre reading this because you would like to learn the details about steamer baskets.
In this Instant Pot Guide, were going to demonstrate how to use the Instant Pot trivet, the purpose of a trivet, and give you some suggestions on cooking using the Trivet inside the Instant Pot.
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Check Silicone Sealing Ring
How to install sealing ring on Instant Pot? Put the sealing ring on top of the rack on the Instant Pot lid, then gently run your fingers along the ring as you push it into the rack.
Its criticalto ensure the silicone sealing ring is seated properly, and there isnt anything stuck on the ring or rack.
*Caution: Never pull the ring by force as it may stretch or damage the ring and affect the sealing function. Dont use it if it has cracks, cuts, or any other damages.
Do you need a spare sealing ring? Its always good to have a spare Silicone Sealing Ring because they do wear and tear. Plus, the ring may get stinky as it absorbs food odors over time. If you like, you can dedicate 1 Sealing Ring for Savory food, and the other for Sweets.
Aozita Stackable Steamer Insert Pans
These tiered steamer pans allow you to cook your sides and main dish all in one pot. It comes with two interchangeable lids, one for steaming and one airtight lid for baking, cooking, or food storage.
I usually use it to simultaneously cook my rice and steam my veggies, or to thaw my meat. 10/10 would buy again, says one reviewer.
Buy It: Aozita Stackable Steamer Insert Pans, $30
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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.
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.
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Glass Bowl For Pot In Pot Cooking
The 7 cup Pyrex glass bowl fits perfectly in the 6 quart Instant Pot and is great for making smaller quantities of rice . The best part is that you can store the food in the same dish that it was cooked.
Ive been using a Pyrex glass bowl for Pot in Pot cooking for many years and havent had any issues. However, some people are hesitant to use glass in their Instant Pot so I suggest you check the manufacturers instructions and use at your own discretion.
Steaming Veggies On Trivet
Delicate veggies dont take long in the Instant Pot. If youve experimented, you likely know that things like asparagus, broccoli, beets and cauliflower only take around a minute to make. Perfectly steamed veggies are still a little crisp. Cooking them in the Instant Pot can be a gamble.
For great texture and maximum nutrient retention, place your delicate veggies on the trivet to steam so that they remain out of the water. A steamer basket or even a cake tin placed on top of the steam rack trivet will also do the trick. For more ways to cook vegetables with your Instant Pot, check out our 101 series here.
Baked potatoes are a thing of the past. Pressure cooked potatoes are in because the method is hands-off, the timing is quick, and the results are fantastic every time. The trivet works to keep them out of the water so the bottom of your spuds doesnt get soggy. You can use the trivet steaming method for potatoes with both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes. Check out these baby potatoes with butter and dill.
You might also want to check out these 5 delicious ways to make Instant Pot potatoes.
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