TdeV

Better and better!

I know there are many threads on egullet about Instant Pot and read many of them some time ago. Some threads are quite old–there's a sense of delight and discovery about the new device (toy). What's harder to determine is the comparison between Instant Pot and a true pressure cooker. Is there anything which a pressure cooker can do which the Instant Pot cannot? I know the Instant Pot Ultra model can cook at high pressure as well as low pressure. Also I'm interested to know how many features are used by experienced owners? (Everyone on Instant Pot's website has owned the device for 2 weeks). I'm concerned that the Instant Pot has a whole lot of buttons which I may never use. How many different cooking methods do you use? Do you customize any of the settings? I'm wondering why one is focussed on migrating away from the stove; is there a reason to prefer an Instant Pot?

@Okanagancook, thanks. I vacuum sealed the partial leg in a food safe bag already, but I'm going to bring it out for a dinner party this weekend. I've already paid for the bag and would be disinclined to spring for a second one, but I get very anxious around dinner parties and try to do as much in advance as possible. Question: Is the fell easier to remove when the meat is cooked? (Hence I should wait until after cooking)

Does anyone else keep spices in the freezer?* I've been looking at these freezer safe jars from Lee Valley but I can't see any reasonable way to organize my inadequate freezer space. Edited to add: * Could you post some photos, please?

Here is my new spice cabinet. It is 4.5" deep, 41" wide, and 87" tall.

I am unable to link to another post, so here is my former spice cabinet:

@paulraphael, could you please post a photo of this arrangement? I keep my nuts in the freezer but I have just been reading that I should be keeping seeds there too. Many of my spices are in glass jars, and maybe I'll need to change that.

@liuzhou, what volume is this container?

Looking for something else, I came across silicone seals for canning jars, where the silicone replaces the metal + rubberized lid, but not the band. They're all reusable. Some might be BPA free. I've never done any canning, but I keep thinking I should try it. I have a lot of canning jars which I use for other storage. Are these a good idea for canning? Any caveats?

The bones were on a rack above the pan, not in the water. The pans were tricky to move, so I removed most of the water. The bones got quite charred, but there wasn't very much water at that point. Edit: I have edited the original post to reflect this.

Yes, no carmelized fat. I also couldn't move the pans around, so I have poured most of the water off.

Somewhere I read that one should put a little water in the bottom of the baking pan so that the fat doesn't stick to the pan. I've put in about 1 1/2 cups in a half sheet pan. Will that prevent the soup bones from developing a grilled flavour? Edited to clarify that these bones were on a rack above a sheet pan partly filled with water.

If I'm understanding what the fell is on lamb, should one remove it prior to cooking the leg sous vide?

@JoNorvelleWalker, I've blown through 2 KitchenAids, so curious what you'd recommend. I'm thinking of Bamix as heavy duty; are you saying it's not? I'm about to remodel my kitchen . . . and am thinking where to place appliances.

I also posted this on another Bamix thread: To anyone who owns a Bamix: Would you be willing to take (and post) a photo(s) of the Bamix while it's supported by the wall bracket? I'd like to see what kind of space it needs. TIA.