Instant Pot thread

[omaniphil]

Yeah, Yeah, we have crock pot thread and a pressure cooker thread already, but I want to talk about some things that are Instant Pot specific.

Has anybody ever made yogurt in one of these? I've been trying my hand at it for the last month, and I love how ridiculously easy it is. I've been buying the large 48oz containers of Kirkland Greek Yogurt at Costco, but those things are expensive at $6-7ish dollars a pop, and one of those only lasts me for about 3 breakfasts.

On the other hand I can buy a gallon of skim milk for $1.39 and make that into greek yogurt, which lasts me about the same length of time as the $7 store bought variety.

Traditionally, to make yogurt, you have to warm milk slowly up to 180F constantly stirring so you don't get hot spots or burns, then you have to let it cool down to 115F, add your culture, and then rig some sort of system with warm water bath in a cooler, or in a oven or something to keep it warm for the 4-5 hours while you let it the culture do its thing.

With the instant pot all you have to do is press the yogurt button three times till it says "boil" and it will heat slowly and evenly and automatically turn off at 180F. Then you let it cool, but you can put it in the sink with cold water and cool it rapidly, because even if it gets too cold, it will go back in the instant pot where it will be warmed back up to 105-110. To do that, you just press the yogurt button twice, and set the time (4-5 hours for basic set, less tart yogurt, 12 hours for nice and tart yogurt, less lactose). Then you strain it for 2-3 hours and presto, Greek Yogurt.

I like this bag to strain the yogurt - fits a gallon perfectly, and it is easy to wash and keep clean.

[mgil]

We recently purchased an instant pot. I had no idea yogurt was that easy. I’ll prod my wife and see if she wants to try this.

[damufunman]

Sous vide works well for yogurt too.

[OrderInChaos]

It's not really groundbreaking, but I want to contribute my lowly, lazy IP technique of the week before derailing this into a yogurt thread. I'm a big fan of microwave 'baked' russets for easy work food, but sometimes miss crisp potatoes. I'm working "3.5" days/week, from 7:30pm to 7:30am which sucks for food prep, so sometimes I'll do this in batches:

1. Largely dice russet potatoes (3-4 med usually is max for my 6qt IP) into ~inch cubes
2. Use the pot-in-pot method with a bowl on a trivet, or the steamer basket, with water beneath for ~15min high pressure to fully cook them through
3. Spread potatoes on a cooling rack set on a half baking sheet, quick spray of costco canola oil, salt, pepper, Goya adobo, seasoned salt... whatever takes your fancy
4. Hi broiler for ~60-90s once fully heated, set to low broil for 3-5min (depends how distracted I get preparing for commute)
5. If you're not lazy or rushed you could flip or rotate them for extra crisp... or go full Kenji and add a modest amount of baking powder. I don't do either

It's a lazy and easy way to get carbs when I'm sick of micro-potatoes or rice, and I don't have to tend a frying pan. Been meaning to try it with 'fries' and smaller diced hash, but I think it'd be hard to fight the sogginess of too fine a dice.

Then you let it cool, but you can put it in the sink with cold water and cool it rapidly, because even if it gets too cold, it will go back in the instant pot where it will be warmed back up to 105-110. To do that, you just press the yogurt button twice, and set the time (4-5 hours for basic set, less tart yogurt, 12 hours for nice and tart yogurt, less lactose). Then you strain it for 2-3 hours and presto, Greek Yogurt.

Using this method, I assume you add the culture after the quick sink cool and before starting the Yogurtx2 function?

Sous vide works well for yogurt too.

Derailing from IP a bit, you'd run your sous vide to do what Phil described above? ~180 for a few minutes at temp, then reset to 110 for desired hours with culture added once the temp drops?

[PuddingFace]

@OrderInChaos that sounds delicious. This place i used to live near had a side called whole-browns (as opposed to hash browns) which was a baked potato, cubed lengthwise then fried. This sounds like an excellent method to recreate, will be trying this weekend.

Also, IP is indispensable for hard cooked eggs. Easiest peeling eggs, we eat 2 doz/week for lunch.

[damufunman]

Sous vide works well for yogurt too.

Derailing from IP a bit, you'd run your sous vide to do what Phil described above? ~180 for a few minutes at temp, then reset to 110 for desired hours with culture added once the temp drops?

Ha, I thought I'd get shit for my post...

Yeah, I put about 1.5 cups of milk in each of 4 mason jars, bring a bath up to 180F with the jars in it for ~10 minutes (make sure they're heated throughout), cool down to 110 with cold water, add starter, then let sit at 110 for a few hours. Haven't done it in about 18 months since the boy was born though. Need to start doing it again, though Aldi is making the yogurt purchases not too terribly expensive, and the time saved is worth the little bit more cost at this point.

[omaniphil]

Using this method, I assume you add the culture after the quick sink cool and before starting the Yogurtx2 function?

Yes, that's right. Don't want to kill the culture by dropping it in to 180F milk. If the milk is too cool at 90F or whatever, it's no big deal, because the instant pot will bring it back to 110 pretty quick. It will set at 90F too, but it will take longer and have a slightly different flavor (after discovering that Yogurtx1 setting is for 90-95)

[omaniphil]

Made some quark in the instant pot a couple of days ago. Shockingly easy. Pour a quart of cultured buttermilk into the instant pot, hit the Yogurtx2 setting for 8 hours, and then drain it for 2-3 hours using the strainer I linked to above. I spread it on some toast along with some honeycomb this morning. Delicious.

[Allentown]

My instant pot might as well be an egg-hard-boiler-machine, because that's all I use it for. Sometimes I throw some meat off the grill in there if I want it to soften up. Did rice a few times, but I haven't looked up the correct dry rice/water ratio so it's never turned out very well. Wouldn't hurt to figure it out so we could get rid of the rice cooker.

[Mattjd]

My instant pot might as well be an egg-hard-boiler-machine, because that's all I use it for. Sometimes I throw some meat off the grill in there if I want it to soften up. Did rice a few times, but I haven't looked up the correct dry rice/water ratio so it's never turned out very well. Wouldn't hurt to figure it out so we could get rid of the rice cooker.

I bought a Cuisinart dedicated egg cooker. Its up to 10 eggs at once but it has a special measuring cup that tells you how much water to use for whatever type of egg you want. Its also got a special tray for omelettes. It can do various hard boiled or soft boiled eggs, and omelettes. Does it all with steam. I'm presuming it works based on some thermometer. Basically it heats up and boils the water to steam, and then when the water runs out the boiling plate gets to a certain temperature and then it starts beeping, indicating to turn it off. Fairly dumb downed design, but effective. I make my morning hardboiled eggs in there, the night before, and then chill them immediately with ice and water in the fridge. I have never had a difficult to peel hardboiled egg with that machine and process.

[Allentown]

Instant Pot works well. Put little wire tray in. Add some water. Press "Pressure Cook" and set time to 1 minute. Make sure "keep warm" is off. Let it naturally vent when it's done. Add a bunch of ice.

[mbasic]

For real, I always thought it was called "Insta-Pottm", not "Instant Pot".

And even to this day, now that I know it is really Instant Pot, I still say Insta-Pot to this day.

Instant Pot just sounds stupid, like you are conjuring a/the pot out of thin air,
or maybe some kind of accordion collapsible pot you'd use for camping or something.
A Pot that is Instant.
Stupid name.

And the food it makes is hardly Instant at all .... still takes quite a bit of time.

[omaniphil]

Made a chicken biryani in the instant pot tonight. Turned out pretty great, although the rice was a littler soggier than I prefer it. Might use slightly less water next time. I got the recipe from here: https://ministryofcurry.com/chicken-bir ... stant-pot/. I think I will try some of her other recipes. The chicken karahi looks pretty good.

[Mattjd]

Think it be hard to make pot cheese in the instant pot?

[heidikay]

Made a chicken biryani in the instant pot tonight. Turned out pretty great, although the rice was a littler soggier than I prefer it. Might use slightly less water next time. I got the recipe from here: https://ministryofcurry.com/chicken-bir ... stant-pot/. I think I will try some of her other recipes. The chicken karahi looks pretty good.

I really want to make this, but I don't have an instant pot. May try to just make it without . . .or maybe I'll just buy the instant pot:
I'm intrigued by the idea of making yogurt in it. We eat tons of Greek yogurt.

[iamsmu]

Looks like there are 4 different models, at least. (I typed "insta-pot" too. . . .)

The Max is the most expensive at $200 for 6 quarts. Reviewers seem to favor the Ultra, since it seems that it gives you better control over pressure release.

The Ultra 6Q is $109.



It's usually $150.

https://camelcamelcamel.com/Instant-Pot ... B06Y1MP2PY

Looks to be close to the lowest price ever.

Then there is the DUO and some others. Some find the DUO interface more intuitive. . . .

The DUP Plus is only $69



Comparison sheet:

https://instantpot.com/wp-content/uploa ... 7-2017.pdf

The Ultra gives you a little more temperature control and a different interface. I'm not sure it's worth 40. The simple interface on the DUO Plus looks just fine. (I'd pay an extra $40 is it could play a song. twinkle twinkle . . . would be nice.)

[omaniphil]

I have the Duo 8qt. I find the interface to be very intuitive.

[iamsmu]

I have the Duo 8qt. I find the interface to be very intuitive.

Good to know. Do you need the 8qt capacity? I'm wondering if a 6 would be fine. 8 seems pretty big.

[omaniphil]

I have the Duo 8qt. I find the interface to be very intuitive.

Good to know. Do you need the 8qt capacity? I'm wondering if a 6 would be fine. 8 seems pretty big.

I picked the size as I anticipate having to feed 4-5. With just my wife and I, and 2 kids under the age of 3, I've never come close to needing the full 8qts.

[damufunman]

I have the Duo 8qt. I find the interface to be very intuitive.

Good to know. Do you need the 8qt capacity? I'm wondering if a 6 would be fine. 8 seems pretty big.

I picked the size as I anticipate having to feed 4-5. With just my wife and I, and 2 kids under the age of 3, I've never come close to needing the full 8qts.

Good to know here. Though at the rate my 18 mo is eating and growing, I'm fully expecting an 8 qt. to be necessary just for 3 of us at some point...