Instant pot top
We’ve picked products we think you’ll love and may earn commission from links on this page. Read about why you can trust BBC Good Food instant pot top. Pressure cooking can seem terrifying, but this electric version makes the whole experience easy to use and looks and feels very safe. As a counter-top cooker it’s relatively compact, smart to look at and reasonably priced.
Cons: The slow cook function isn’t an efficient as a slow cooker and as the heat source is at the base, it cooks from the bottom up. The silicone seal picks up aromas from the food that don’t wash out so it needs airing and cleaning regularly. How does an Instant Pot work? An Instant Pot Duo is an electric pressure cooker that can slow cook, too.
It also has a sauté function so you can brown your ingredients in it before starting the cooking process or bubble off liquid at the end. Other functions include making yogurt and cooking rice. Instant Pot sell multiple models in different sizes. We reviewed the Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1, which comes in three sizes.
In pressure cooking mode, the Instant Pot locks the lid on and heats the liquid within it to make steam and it’s this steam that increases the pressure within it. This in turn speeds up the cooking time considerably, because under pressure water boils at a higher temperature, and the pressure forces the liquid into the ingredients faster. This is particularly obvious when you cook cheaper cuts of meat that are tougher at the start. The pressure inside the cooker is kept under control by a valve that pops up to seal the lid as the pressure increases and a valve that lets out pressure as steam if it needs to bring the pressure down. When the cooking time has finished you can open the valve to decrease the pressure quickly, which produces a stream of noisy steam. Alternatively, you can leave the pressure to drop over time. An Instant Pot is for you if you like to use cheap cuts of meat that need a long cooking time to tenderise.
Similarly, if you eat lots of beans and pulses and like to cook them from dried, or steam your fish and veg, or eat lots of rice. Though you’ll have to make an initial investment, over time you will be able to spend less on cheaper ingredients. Because the Instant Pot slow cooks and steams, you could clear some counter space if you have several appliances. Choose a recipe to suit pressure cooking. Anything with bones in it will cook well, from whole chickens, wings and thighs, to beef and pork ribs. Grains and pulses do well but do check the fill line rules if you are starting with dried ingredients.
