Okay guys, I said I would dedicate an entire post to this fabulous kitchen appliance so here it goes…lots of words blah blah, sorry! My mom used to use an old school stove top pressure coo
ker and I never paid much attention to it. All I knew, as a kid, was that it was dangerous and she was very careful when and how she would use it. Well, those days are gonzo! My mom introduced me to this electric version with all the bells and whistles and I was sold. It has some pretty awesome user friendly features to make your life (in the kitchen) easy and quick. I know I sound like an informercial, but let it be known that everything I share on this site, I believe to be amaZAzing! A true pearl! So what’s so amazing about a pressure cooker to begin with? Let’s start with cooking with the high pressure reduces cooking time by up to 70% and that low pressure avoids overcooking delicate food just as quickly. This cooker can cook with high and low pressure. Here’s a breakdown of the features as taken from Amazon.com.
- Functions as a Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Saute/Browning, Yogurt Maker, Steamer and Warmer
- Large, easy to use control panel with 14 Micro-Processor controlled programs, Dual pressure, Automatic keep-warm and 3 temperatures for saute and slow cook
- UL and ULC certified with 10 proven safety mechanisms; Highly energy efficient and kitchen friendly
- Include 3-ply bottom stainless steel cooking pot, stainless steel steam rack with handle & manual and recipes in English, Spanish, Chinese and French
- Note: indeed it is recommended filling liquid no higher than the MAX line on the inner pot, but for dry food, such as a chicken, pot roast, or steaming vegetables, the inner pot can be filled with food over the MAX line. The inner pot capacity is rated 6Qt for the full size. Outer Rim is not made of stainless steel and coated with a thick heat-resistant paint.
- 14 Micro-Processor controlled programs: Soup, Meat/Stew, Bean/Chili, Poultry, Sauté, Steam, Rice, Porridge, Multigrain, Slow Cook, Keep-Warm, Yogurt, Pasteurize and Fermented Rice (Jiu Niang)
- 3-ply bottom Food Grade 304 (18/8) stainless steel cooking pot for durability
- Finger-print resistant brushed stainless steel exterior
I bought mine on Amazon and currently it sells for $115. Keep in mind it replaces your slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer and has other fun options like making yogurt. I’ve yet to try that out but I will one of these days.
It cooks so quickly that you can throw in a roast 45 minutes before you want to serve it and its fall off the bone tender. Not only that, it has a sauté setting where you can brown you roast and then change the setting to meat,…all in the same pot! So simple! You can have a stew that tastes like it’s been cooking all day long in 25 minutes and I ain’t kidding! I really liked using my crock pot but frequently would forget to start it at noon to be ready for dinner and it was frustrating to miss my window of opportunity. With this Instant Pot, I don’t have to worry about it because at 5pm, I can start something great for dinner and it’ll be ready by 5:30pm. It has many safety features for the venting system too and it doesn’t hurt that the instructions manual is very detailed to help you configure the settings. I also love that when it finishes cooking, it depressurizes and then keeps warm automatically. For safety purposes, it has a lock top that will not allow you to open it when it is pressurized, so no worries there!
The curry recipe I posted yesterday was made in 25 minutes and it had that cooked-all-day rich flavor.
Let me know if you have any questions and I hope you can explore getting one. I know there are other brands that make electric pressure cookers but you know how I am with reviews. This Instant Pot brand is a Top Seller on Amazon and has stellar reviews so I feel safe buying tried, true and reviewed. Click the link on the sidebar for a direct link to this exact model.
Wow! I had no idea! I just remember the “Do not touch the pressure cooker!!!” Kind of cookers.
I will definitely check it out!