The temperature, the usage, the control settings, and the cooking times are all things you should learn about an instant pot. The instant pot is one of the best multicookers you can go for, it is electronically controlled, and has a combined pressure cooker and slow cooker.
There are a couple of things you shouldn’t cook on an instant pot and most importantly, there are heat sources that shouldn’t be anywhere near it.
Instant pots are those kinds of appliances you don’t think you need until you get one. It is quite versatile, it might be just one appliance, but it has tons of functions. You can also have it converted to a steamer, and it cooks food faster than the oven or the traditional stovetop.
Instant pots should not be put on stoves or even placed anywhere near any heat source. The inner pot is not designed to be placed on the stovetop and manufacturers strictly warn against going this. You should only use the inner pot inside the instant pot housing alone. Instant pot is sure going to be damaged or warped if it is placed on a stovetop.
One of the ways you can ensure you don’t mess up your instant pot is to learn the dos and don’ts and this is because there are lots of rules about this cooking appliance. There is no reason to get scared about the correct way to use it, this blog post has a few key points that can guide you.
Things You Should Know About Instant Pots
If you are using instant pots for the first time, it is okay to assume the inner pot is built just like every other pot, but it is not.
Instant pot is a versatile multicooker, and it offers you convenience in the kitchen which is also why you need to know what it can and can’t do. It can serve as a slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker, and yogurt maker. It tends to adjust its time to work for any kind of dish.
Instant pot happens to be one of the most popular cooking appliances on the market and before rushing out to get it, know that it is not instant as the name implies, but it is faster than the average cooking pot. Below are things you need to know about instant pots.
- It comes with sensors and self-regulating temperature features, so you don’t have to worry about overcooking. It self-regulates and controls the pressure and temp.
- The inside of the pot is under a lot of pressure, so you can’t open the lid immediately food is done. You can wait till the pressure is released or manually move a valve on the lid to release the pressure first.
- It is not small kitchen friendly as it produces lots of steam
- You can’t simply open the lid to check if the food is done or not and the sauce can’t be tested to see if it’s enough or not, and it can’t be adjusted either.
- It will cook massive chunks of meat fast and tender. Read about marinating here.
Can You Put Instant Pot On Stove?
There are quite a lot of misconceptions about how to use instant pots and one of them is using instant pots on the stove. Lots of people have claimed to try it and the result happens to be a damaged inner pot.
There are so many things you can cook and do with your instant pot but putting the inner pot on the stovetop or any heat source is not one of them. The inner pot is only created for the instant pot cooker base.
Instant Pots are made of stainless steel which is not a very good thermal conductor and since stoves have a very concentrated heat output, it is only going to buckle the bottom of the inner pot.
Instant pots might be overall impressive, but it is not magical and has to be used with caution. The cooker base is only home to the heating unit while the inner pot is the one being housed and happens to be where all your ingredients for the cooking will be.
So, the inner pot is just as important as the housing base, and using it on a stove will only damage it.
Can I Cook Everything In An Instant Pot?
Knowing what kind of meals you can cook in an instant pot is just as important as knowing how to use it. Instant Pots are not magical pots where you toss in anything to cook, they can cook lots of varieties of foods but not everything.
They are good at cooking foods that are meant to take a while on the stove, but you don’t have a while to make them. The table below shows what you can cook and can’t cook on an instant pot.
| What Not to Cook In Your Instant Pot | Best Foods To Cook With Instant Pot |
|---|---|
| Pasta | Rice |
| Cakes | Flan |
| Canning | Beans |
| Yellow and red lentils | Risotto |
| Seafood | Mashed potatoes |
| Delicate cut meats | Ramen |
| Dairy/creamy sauces | Ricotta |
| Burgers | Chicken noodle soup |
| Yogurt | |
| Salmon | |
| Butter chicken |
Which is Better Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot?
The main difference between the pressure cooker and the instant pot is the technology and usability. Pressure cookers are used similarly to instant pots, but instant pots come with more advanced safety features while the pressure cooker has to be used carefully to avoid the risk of explosion.
The pressure can also be used to cook food on the stovetop but the instant pot has its heating element.
The cooking time for the pressure cooker is faster and more convenient than for the instant pot. The amount of pressure both trap is another way to differentiate them. As steam builds up for the pressure cooker, the pressure also increases while the instant cooker creates heat under a tight seal and the steam can’t escape.
Wrapping Up
Your instant pot can be your all-in-one appliance, but you might want to avoid cooking anything delicate that can turn soggy in it.
The instant pot is an electric pressure cooker which is also why the inner pot can’t be used on the stove.
Note that the instant pot does not do a good job of sauteing meat or browning veggies hence study shows most people use the instant pot briefly to do that on the stove, but we will recommend you ditch the instant pot/cooker altogether and use your skillet pan for that.