Pressure cookers are known by the popular brand that makes them: Instant Pot. And just like us, you've probably stumbled upon countless Pinterest recipes, Instagram hashtags, and Facebook groups dedicated to this popular kitchen appliance.
However, leaving aside the growing popularity, this versatile tool has proven to have great staying power and purchase in recent times. In fact, Instant Pot was one of the best sellers in Spain on Amazon Prime Day 2019.
Instant cookers are known for cooking food super fast, allowing you to get delicious dishes, meals and even desserts faster. But aside from the quicker cook time, there are other culinary and nutritional benefits this tool has to offer, making it a device you can add to your shopping cart if you want to start improving your meal preparation game. .
How does an instant pot work?
Simply put, the pressure cooker combines heat and steam to cook food quickly, a method that has been used for hundreds of years. Using one is fairly simple, as most devices come with different settings (plus a cancel button) that cook different foods like porridge, yogurt, and rice.
Because this appliance cooks using steam, the heat is evenly distributed throughout the pot. This means there is no flipping or shaking, making it an absolute life saver for novice cooks and busy parents alike.
To use your Instant Pot like a pro:
- Add the ingredients. Add the solid and liquid ingredients and the herbs and spices. If the recipe calls for sautéing solid ingredients (think meat, onion, and garlic) in the instant pot, do so before adding the liquid.
- Locks the lid. Make sure the lid is locked in place and the vent at the top (also known as a steam valve) is closed and sealed.
- Choose your settings. Press the pressure cook button and then press the pressure button to change the pressure setting, depending on whether you want it to be low or high. You can also adjust the cooking time. However, if you are using a preset function, time and pressure selections will be made. Check that these are correct if you are following a recipe.
- Wait for the timer to sound. Once these features are set, the pot will begin to build pressure. Once the pressure is reached, cooking begins and you will be notified when the time is up.
- Release of pressure. When the timer goes off, you'll need to release the pressure using a quick or natural release.
For quick release , it releases the steam valve from seal to vent, which quickly and safely releases steam that has built up in the pressure cooker.
To release naturally , simply turn off the electric pressure cooker (ensuring the steam valve remains closed) and the food will continue to cook as the pressure dissipates over time. This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the recipe. In some cases, you can try the natural release method for a certain period of time and then end with a quick release.
What can I cook in an instant pot?
- meats
- Vegetables
- Rice or other grains
- Noodles
- Vegetables
- Yogurt
- Broths or soups
- Eggs
- Potatoes
- Hot drinks (such as mulled wine)
- Sauces
It can be a fairly versatile kitchen appliance for those who don't have much time to cook, as they work quickly to increase pressure in the pot. Instant cookers also have several other functions, making them a convenient tool for cooking and preparing food quickly and easily.
Pressure cookers vs slow cookers
A pressure cooker like the instant cooker may look quite similar to a slow cooker at first glance, but there is a clear difference between the two.
An instant cooker is a pressure cooker that cooks food by increasing the pressure and heat inside the container. A slow cooker is a pot that allows you to cook food evenly at a low temperature for long periods of time.
Both slow cookers and pressure cookers are energy efficient, but Instant Pot has the added benefit of many additional features apart from pressure cooking alone. Different models have different functions, but most pressure cookers can also act as slow cookers, rice cookers, as well as steaming, stir-frying and heating your food.
Health benefits of using pressure cookers
Believe it or not, there are health benefits to using Instant Pots. They are ideal for those living with sensitive intestines and autoimmune conditions , as they break down lectins into grains, nuts, and beans.
Lectins are controversial proteins that bind to carbohydrates. And since they resist breaking down in the intestine, this can link them to stomach upset and diarrhea.
And yes, it is speculated that cooking in a pressure cooker may decrease the nutritional value of your food. But this is usually true for all forms of cooking. As with all cooking methods, pressure cooking can reduce the nutritional value of heat sensitive nutrients [such as vitamin C]. However, it can increase the bioavailability of some nutrients , such as protein, fiber and starches because the method increases digestibility.
Are instant cookers safe to use?
We've all seen those horror stories from the kitchen, where people have shared their tales of messy food explosions going everywhere, including the kitchen ceiling.
But before you start thinking about returning the pressure cooker you received for your birthday, you should know that many modern instant cookers have safeguards and power outages to avoid pressures or temperatures that can pose a danger to your home.
Instant cookers have built-in sensors that regulate the pressure and temperature of the cooker according to the program you choose, and cooking automatically turns off when it detects an unsafe temperature. And while there have been some reports of certain Instant Pot models melting in 2018, these units (which were multi-kitchens) have been recalled,
With this in mind, there is no reason to be discouraged when purchasing a pressure cooker, as it is generally considered safe to have it on hand in the kitchen.
