Instant 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker & More

There are so many people who say the can’t cook, but I swear I’m on a whole new level of not being able to cook. This little appliance helps expand our menu and I Have learned to do so much with it. I will sum up in a nutshell, I love how easy it is and how I throw everything in it comes out done. No stirring and not many messy dishes. I still don’t love it for meats (which I don’t eat much of anyway), but I think that’s just a matter of needing to experiment more with them. I seriously can’t believe how many foods can be cooked in here!

What got me thinking about the IP was talking to a friend at work who is a firefighter. He works long shifts with mostly men, they can’t really cook, but they just buy meat and throw it in here. He swore by it. Then someone else chimed in and said they pressure cook a lot. About a month later it went on sale for Prime Day and I picked it up. I am all of a sudden a much, much better cook! There are so many cookbooks for this, my favorite being 

Hip Pressure Cooking: Fast, Fresh, and Flavorful

 and there’s a wonderful Facebook page where people post their successes and fails, so we can all learn from each other. This whole last month has been wonderful. I’ll highlight some things I’ve tried or heard about:

-Chicken: For the first time every I cooked a whole chicken (see picture of it falling apart). My husband couldn’t believe I cooked a whole chicken since I usually buy them at the store already made. It was excellent. I did 6 minutes per pound + 2 minutes. I also cook chicken thighs for dinner about once a week, which I had never cooked before. I do that for 10 minutes with some chicken broth and whichever seasoning sounds good. Ironically enough, I can’t get my classic boneless, skinless chicken breasts to turn out, but based on my Facebook group a lot of people have success with them.
-Pot roast: I tried this once and it didn’t work great. It was a very lean, thick cut of meat. I heard that the leaner meats are harder to do. Next time I’ll try something different.
-Eggs: I can hard boil 30 eggs at once!!! I work 12 hour shifts and eat 4 with my lunch and 4 with my dinner. Since I work 4 days in a row I have to hard boil 32 eggs. I used to use my egg cooker and do 7 at a time, which was a pain. Now it’s quick and easy!
-Steel cut oats: Another thing that I never ate before. At one point a couple years ago we tried making them a few times, but it’s so annoying having to stir the pot all the time and then half the time I ended up with some crusted on the bottom which was annoying to clean up. Now I use the PIP (pot in the pot) method. I put 1 cup of water in the bottom, then the trivet in, then 1 cup of steel cut oats in a large Pyrex glass dish with 2 1/2 cups of water. I put it on for 10 minutes manual high pressure and walk away. Once the pressure releases and I open it they are perfect! I then divide them up into mason jars and put them in the fridge. At breakfast time I warm them up, add some milk for creaminess and they are perfect. We eat them every single morning now. The only dish I have is the Pyrex bowl and I just rinse the metal pot out since it didn’t touch any food.
-Soups: I had never made soup before this. I have made chicken noodle soup many times and everyone loves it. I HATE how chicken noodle soup always has mushy noodles. Not mine! I cook the noodles to how I like them. I’ve bene wanting to experiment with more soups, but I’ll do that in winter.
-Yogurt: Another amazing feature. I’ve made yogurt 3 times and love it. My 2 year old only eats my yogurt. I can make a gallon of organic yogurt for a fraction of the cost of buying it at the store. It takes some patience, but the hands on work part of it is only about 20 minutes. There’s a lot of waiting for things to heat, cool, incubate, set. I’ve finally learned when to start to have each step finish at the right time. Feel free to ask if you have questions.
-Sides: I found a recipe for a mac and cheese that everyone loves. My daughter and her friends are always begging me for it. The best part? It’s only 5 ingredients (pasta, heavy whip, butter, salt and cheese). It also only requires washing a cheese grater and the pot and it only takes 20 minute from start to finish. No hard to pronounce, artificial, food dyed ingredients. I have also mastered spaghetti with meat sauce. Before this I had never once made spaghetti with meat sauce. Now I do it all the time. Again, I only have ONE thing to clean afterwards. If I tried doing with without the IP I would have a pan for the meat, pot for the pasta, strainer. It only takes about 20 minutes start to finish. It can be real simple (meat, jar of sauce, pasta, water) or get really complicated with making your own sauce (even then it’s still pretty easy).
-Veggies: Many veggies can be cooked in here. Delicate ones, like broccoli are harder to do. Con on the cob in here is amazing though. Much quicker than any other method.
-Deserts: I haven’t made a desert yet, but on my Facebook group a ton of people are making cheesecake. I try to keep deserts out of the house and just have them for special treats when we’re out. So I haven’t tried this. A ton of people in my Facebook group are doing it and they look like they turn out great.
-Chicken broth: I am not the type of woman who makes chicken broth. My step-mom does that kind of stuff and I look at her like “why don’t you just buy it”. Well, now I am the type of person who makes chicken broth. After throwing a whole chicken in here I take the carcass (I hate that word!) and put it back in with some veggies, set it for 2 hours and it’s done! I strain it and then have beautiful, healthy, yummy chicken broth. The first time I did it my husband looked at me like I was cray-cray. Now he helps by saving his bones. There is no better chicken noodle soup that when it’s made with homemade broth! Yummy!!!
-Spaghetti squash: This is one food I accepted that it’s harder to make than it’s worth, so we hadn’t eaten it in years. Not anymore! I put it in for 20 minutes without cutting it. When I opened the pot the squash is intact, but with the skin peeling off. It’s easy to cut it in half from there, scoop out the seeds and separate it.
-Applesauce: Whenever my apples start getting too soft, I peel them, use my little apple slicer and throw them in here with some cinnamon. There are recipes for if you want to add sugar, lemon, honey, ect. I prefer just apples and cinnamon though since it’s healthy and natural. My kids love it. 8 minutes on manual with a natural release. I just stir it with a fork and don’t even need to blend it. There are small, very soft chunks. I wish I had this when my son was a baby!

Those are a few of them things I’ve made. I have learned to experiment more. Since I usually don’t have to do many dishes with the IP I tend to enjoy experimenting. I have a cookbook I write all of my successes in. My family is constant surprised at how much this has changed how we eat. I usually don’t keep appliances out on my counter, but since I use this at least once a day I never put it away. The only downfall is I think there is a learning curve to it. It’s a little intimidating at first and requires some trial and error. I was terrified of almost everything the first time I did it. 90% of everything has come out great. I’m learning what I like to cook and don’t like to cook in it. I love that when we have a last minute neighborhood get together (it happens a few times a week) I can whip up a pasta dish and veggie real quick.

Tips (Added Jan 2017):
-Recipes generally don’t include time to come to pressure. Think of this is the same as your oven warming up or water boiling. After your food goes in the pot it has the pressurize, then the timer starts counting down. You can speed this up but turning on “saute” first. It cuts the time more than in half.
-Instructions have lingo related to you the pressure gets released. First there’s natural pressure release (NPR). This is just leaving the pot alone until the pin drops, indicating there’s no pressure in the pot. The lid can then be removed safely. Then there’s a quick release (QR), which is where you turn the pressure release valve at the far side of the pressure cooker. This takes about a minute and releases a bunch of steam, so you probably don’t want this under a cabinet. There is also a chance of some food/fluid coming out, depending on what’s in the pot and how full it is. If that happens you can wait for it to do the NPR or you can do short, slow bursts.
-If you’re having problems with getting anything to work check all the parts first. Is the silicone ring in place? Is the pin in place and able to move up and down? Is the valve set to “sealing”? Is there enough water/fluid in the pot to pressurize?

Nov 2016 update: Well, it’s not longer sitting on my counter, but I still use it about 2-3 times a week, which is more than any other appliance. I got over the honeymoon period, where I tried EVERY food in here. Now I know what I like and what I don’t like in here and I stick with that. I recommend you get 2-3 good cookbooks with this and start finding fun recipes on Pinterest. I keep adding pictures and things in my review.

Very happy with my purchase. Easy to use. Saves gas. Multiple features. Quite portable. Online demo was helpful as well by Mr Suyash.

Llegó muy bien empacada, es suficiente para una familia pequeña, súper fácil de usar, silenciosa y rápida!

his versatile appliance has become an indispensable part of my kitchen, and here’s why:

Versatility:
The 7-in-1 functionality is a game-changer. Whether I’m pressure cooking, slow cooking, making rice, steaming vegetables, sautéing, or even making yogurt, this appliance handles it all with ease. It simplifies meal prep by combining multiple cooking methods into one device, saving both space and time.

Ease of Use:
Using the Instant Pot is incredibly straightforward. The control panel is intuitive, with clearly labeled buttons and a digital display that makes selecting the desired cooking function a breeze. The preset programs for different dishes take the guesswork out of cooking, ensuring consistent and delicious results every time.

Speed and Efficiency:
One of the standout features of the Instant Pot is its speed. Pressure cooking drastically reduces the time needed to cook meals that would normally take hours. I can prepare tender, flavorful dishes like stews, roasts, and soups in a fraction of the time it would take using traditional methods.

Quality of Cooking:
The food quality is consistently excellent. The pressure cooking function locks in flavors resulting in delicious, healthy meals. Rice cooks perfectly every time, and the slow cooker function delivers excellent results for recipes that benefit from low and slow cooking.

Safety Features:
I appreciate the multiple built-in safety features, including a locking lid, pressure release valve, and overheat protection. These features give me peace of mind, knowing that the Instant Pot is designed to operate safely.

Easy Cleanup:
Cleanup is a breeze with the Instant Pot. The inner pot is stainless steel and dishwasher-safe, which makes washing up after cooking hassle-free. The lid and accessories are also easy to clean, adding to the overall convenience.

Durability:
The build quality of the Instant Pot is excellent. It feels sturdy and well-made, and after many uses, it still functions like new. The stainless steel inner pot is particularly durable, showing no signs of wear or scratching.

Value for Money:
Given its versatility and the number of appliances it replaces, the Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 is excellent value for money. It’s a worthwhile investment that pays off through time saved and the variety of meals you can easily prepare.

Conclusion:
The Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker is a must-have for any kitchen. Its versatility, ease of use, and consistent performance make it an invaluable tool for both novice and experienced cooks. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to simplify their cooking routine and expand their culinary possibilities.