Hi, everyone,
Has anyone discovered the Instant Pot (a counter-top electric pressure cooker)? I've had mine for about a year and I love it.
It takes awhile to get used to, but for me, being retired and loving to cook, it's been a lot of fun to play with. I live where it's very cold, and making a delicious three-bean chili with dried beans, all from scratch, in the middle of a blizzard is very satisfying. Even supermarket eggs are so fresh here that, for hard-boiled eggs, I used to have to age them in the fridge for 3-4 weeks in order to hope to be able to peel them after hard-boiling. With the IP, I can buy farm-fresh eggs at the Farmers' Market and make deviled eggs the same day. I've abandoned traditional mac & cheese because it's so easy to make in the IP: no Bechamel needed. Chicken stock: decades ago, I was taught that I would go straight to hell if I didn't simmer my stock on the stovetop for 6-8 hours; but, just before Thanksgiving, I made phenomenal chicken stock for our Thanksgiving gravy in the IP in an hour. Then, the day after the meal, I made more stock for the freezer with the turkey carcass, again in less than an hour. Perfect.
I'd love to hear what others are doing with their IP's. They're not for everyone, and they're not "instant," but, for many dishes, they not only shave hours from cooking time, but actually improve the quality of the result. Because they're a countertop appliance, you don't need to tend it as you would a stovetop pressure-cooker: you can put in your morning oatmeal, set it, and go take a shower. They also function as a slow-cooker and yogurt-maker, the latter being next on my list to try.
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