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Do you have an Instant Pot? Do you know that Instant pot has slow cooker function? Do you know how to convert your Instant pot to slow cooker? Well, if you don’t know, no worries.
Today I will be sharing with you tips on how to use instant pot as a slow cooker. In fact, after reading this article you throw away your traditional slow cooker because slow cooking meals taste better when prepared in an Instant pot than traditional slow cooker.
Instant pot is a type of electric pressure cooker on the market made by Instant pot Company (i.e. Instant pot is one the best brand of electric pressure cooker on the market if not number one). It is #1 America electric pressure cooker.
Instant pot pressure cooker can add a lot of valued space in you your kitchen and also save cost for you because it has many cooking functions such as pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice/porridge cooker, yoghurt maker, poultry cooker, sauté, warmer, sterilizer, steamer and pressure canner.
The type of instant pot of you have determines the functions you will get. As there are different functions in different models – there are Instant Pot LUX series, DUO series, ULTRA series, SMART WIFI series and MAX series. The least is Instant pot LUX series and the highest is Instant pot MAX series. You can read more on instant pot here.
But the BIG question is Can you throw away your slow cooker just because your Instant Pot has a slow cooker function?
And I will answer YES but . . .
A lot of our audience has been sending email, asking how can they convert their Instant pot to slow cooker because it does not a their slow cooker recipes well.
To solve this challenge, hence, I developed this article to help them understand the theory behind Instant pot pressure cooker heater and slow cooker heater. And also provide you with tips on how to use Instant pot as a slow cooker.
Keep reading to get the tips!
Instant Pot Vs Slow Cooker
One thing you must know is that Instant was made to pressure cook foods at high temperature, therefore, their heating method differs and it is only when you understand their heating theory that you can convert your Instant Pot into slow cooker.
Slow cooker has its heater at the bottom, so it heats from the bottom and spreads gradually up to the sides, and the heavy ceramic crock soaks up the heat and spread it out in all directions. Instant pot pressure cooker also has its heater at the bottom but the thin metal pot cannot spread out the heat like the crock because the body is stainless.
This works fine for pressure cooking but there tricks to apply on the Instant pot when you want to use the slow cooking function and it will cook you’re your meal perfectly.
So you still need to keep your traditional slow cooker until you learnt how to use your Instant pot as a slow cooker.
Tips On How To Use Instant Pot As A Slow Cooker
Before converting your Instant Pot pressure cooker to slow cooker, these are tips you’ve to know and bear them in mind. With these tips you will have a perfect and tasty slow cooking recipes for yourself and your family.
- Instant pot heating theory is different form slow cooker heating theory. This has been discussed above.
- Instant pot button functions for cooking are not same with slow cooker button functions for cooking. See this below to understand:
- Instant pot’s slow cooker ‘Less or Low’ button function is equal to slow cooker ‘keep warm’ button function.
- Instant pot slow cooker ‘Medium or Normal’ button function is equal to slow cooker ‘Low’ button function.
- Instant pot slow cooker ‘High; button function is equal to slow cooker ‘High’ button function.
So with these information above, you see that you can mistakenly press low or less button function on your instant pot thinking that you’re slow cooking without knowing actually that you’re keeping warm.
- Make sure you add at least 1 cup of liquid (either water or stock) and above (the range is 1 to 2 cups of water) to your recipes before slow cooking. This will help your Instant pot cook your food well and reduce burning.
- If you want to slow cook your food on a ‘Low’ function adjust the button function of your Instant pot to ‘Normal’ function.
- If you want to slow cook on ‘High’ adjust your Instant pot on High’ function and add extra 15mins to every hour.
- Recipes that calls for flouring and searing meat, just skip the flouring part and sear the meat in a bit of oil in the Instant pot from building pressure.
- Recipes that calls for tomato paste, add it the tomato paste to the top of your food, cooked and mix them after the pressure has been release.
- Recipes that call for wine, add the wine after you have release the pressure and leave the lid off so that the alcohol burns off and flavors deepens.
- Recipes that calls for milk, sour cream, cheese, corn starch, arrowroot powder, cream based soups, add them after you have release the pressure. This is to avoid cooking burnt food.
- If you recipes call for meat and vegetables, do not cook them together to avoid having mushy vegetables at the end of the day. If the meat cut you’re using is big, then add all your recipes except vegetables, set your Instant pot at the desired settings and cooking time. Minus 10mins from the time. When the timer goes off, switch the valve for a quick pressure release. When the steam is done releasing, add your vegetables, reset the instant pot at desired settings and set the cook time to 10mins. You’re done.
- But if the meat cut is small, go ahead and cook them together.
Conclusion
Whether you own an Instant pot for years or you’re just a beginner, no problem. Instant pot is very easy to master and use. Just follow these tips and any other from the manufacturers.
Once you have successfully convert your Instant pot to slow cooker, you can now get rid of the traditional slow cooker if your wish. Because I don’t think you’ll go back to your traditional slow cooker after tasting that of the Instant pot.
For more Instant pot slow cooker recipes or pressure cooker recipes, go Facebook and join some groups to get more ideas there are too many group giving out free recipes for instant pot and slow cookers.
Now that you’ve learnt how to use Instant pot as a slow cooker, trust you will just do that right away.
Thank you for stopping bye. Let me know your minds, comments, queries and suggestion at the comment section.
