I bought an Instant Pot in July of 2018 after reading some articles about a single appliance that can replace a crock pot, rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker and more. It sat unused gathering dust throughout the summer. We grilled chicken, steaks, hot dogs and hamburgers well in fall.

When the days grew colder, I finally plugged it and ran the pressure test. I was a little intimated after reading stories of mishaps that involved sprays of hot sauces, but my fears were misplaced. If one follows the directions it is very easy to use.

It is not difficult to find recipes online and I’ve been collating the best recipes into a personal cookbook. I have learned to ignore the time estimations. Most of the recipes call for 10 minute of prep time. In reality I spend 30 minutes looking for a sharp knife and throwing away wilted celery that I find in the refrigerator. The cooking time may be listed as 20 minutes, but it takes 15 minute to get up to pressure and maybe another 15 to depressurize.

I learned an important lesson when I attempted to make beef stew. On a stove top I would dredge the beef chunks with flour and brown in oil before adding the other ingredients. While cooking I would deglaze the pan scrapping the juices and flour which would thicken the stew. In the Instant Pot the flour and juices acted as an insulator which triggered the unit to power off with an ominous burn display.

I was able to recover from this setback by scraping the bottom of the liner and adding more liquid. DIt is important to follow the instructions carefully and add ingredients in the order listed. In most cases it is best NOT to stir the ingredients before sealing to ensure proper heat transference for pressure. The liquids should be at the bottom. Bon appétit!