Instant Pot. Multi-function cooker (Part 4)

[Toliver]

4 hours ago, Dave the Cook said:

Ooh! Ooh! I know!

 

I think Toliver is confused...

Yep. I guess I was. Thanks Dave for correcting me!

[JAZ]

11 hours ago, Anna N said:

 Over on the dinner topic I posted photographs of a crustless quiche. This is a recipe from @JAZ' book "Instant Pot Obsession".

 For less than three dollars for the Kindle edition I think this book is well worth a serious look.  It impresses me most for being honest about the time it takes to make something in the Instant Pot.   Unlike many recipes I have seen it includes the time taken for the pot to reach pressure.   So far only one recipe has me scratching my head and that is a recipe for poached eggs which requires bringing 2 quarts of water to a simmer in the Instant Pot. Seems as if it's a bit of a stretch unless one has no other method of poaching eggs.

 

Thanks, Anna, for mentioning my book. I admit that the poached egg recipe was kind of a stretch. For what it's worth, my editor had some recipes she really wanted me to include, and one of those was poached eggs. But, like many people, she thought of eggs steamed in cups as "poached," so that's what she had in mind. I have rather strong views on poached eggs, and although I think eggs cracked into a silicone or glass dish and cooked are delicious, I couldn't in all good conscience call them "poached." On the other hand, she was interested in recipes that used the Instant Pot in unusual ways, so we decided to include the recipe for "real" poached eggs. That all being said, it's definitely easier to do in a saucepan on the stove. But you really can do it in the IP, if you're so inclined.

[Anna N]

Also from @JAZ' book. It would have benefitted from just a little longer cook time.  Perhaps because once again I chose a 6 inch pan rather than a 7 inch pan and the extra depth of the batter made all the difference.  I would like to repeat this because the other concern was that there was no water at all left in the liner of the IP.   Did I perhaps mis-measure? Or is one cup not enough?  Will need to get more apples  before I can experiment.  Certainly I believe it is worth a repeat performance.

[ElsieD]

@Anna N. Mmmmm, that looks good!

[Shelby]

That really does look awesome Anna!  

[JAZ]

2 hours ago, Anna N said:

I would like to repeat this because the other concern was that there was no water at all left in the liner of the IP.   Did I perhaps mis-measure? Or is one cup not enough?  Will need to get more apples  before I can experiment.  Certainly I believe it is worth a repeat performance.

 

Anna, I only had that experience once (very little water left) when I was testing recipes. It wasn't with this one; it was with a cheesecake. While it was cooking, there was quite a bit of steam escaping from the vent, so I assumed that was why. Did that happen while you were cooking the cake? In any case, adding extra water would probably be a good idea, and shouldn't affect the cooking too much.

[Anna N]

48 minutes ago, JAZ said:

 

Anna, I only had that experience once (very little water left) when I was testing recipes. It wasn't with this one; it was with a cheesecake. While it was cooking, there was quite a bit of steam escaping from the vent, so I assumed that was why. Did that happen while you were cooking the cake? In any case, adding extra water would probably be a good idea, and shouldn't affect the cooking too much.

 No I didn't see an excessive amount of steam escaping and I am still not sure how well I measured. I do know I used a measuring cup so I didn't just guess but was my mind fully on the job?  I do know I can lose focus.  

[Anna N]

3 hours ago, ElsieD said:

@Anna N. Mmmmm, that looks good!

 

1 hour ago, Shelby said:

That really does look awesome Anna!  

 Always happy to take credit but I believe the kudos belong to @Jazz.  

[ElsieD]

On March 15, 2017 at 8:54 PM, ElsieD said:

I finally got around to checking the temperature of the slow cook function of my two Instant Pots.  I put 8 cups of cold water in each of them.  The readings for the Smart Cooker were 202F on low, 212F on normal and 212F on high.  Odd that both normal and high read the same 212F.  The readings for the DUO 60 7in1 were 182-183F on less, 193-194F on normal and 202-203F on more.  I would say that the Smart Cooker can only be used to slow cook on the low function and only if one would use the high setting on the DUO.  I'm going to contact them and see what they have to say.

 

I don't usually quote myself but I did want to give you an update on this and it was easier to refer back to this quote than to explain the problem again.

 

It took about a week to hear back after I wrote to them.  When they responded, they asked me to do a test on the IP which I finally got around to doing yesterday.  Today they wrote back to say they were shipping me a new base, to keep the lid and inner pot and that I didn't have to return anything.  They are sending it FedEx.  Pretty good service, I'd say.

[lindag]

On 4/4/2017 at 7:30 AM, Anna N said:

 Over on the dinner topic I posted photographs of a crustless quiche. This is a recipe from @JAZ' book "Instant Pot Obsession".

 

 

 

 

 

I did order this book tho I opted for the print edition; I just don't care for cookbooks ithat are digital, i just need these to be in print.

[saluki]

On 4/6/2017 at 0:29 PM, lindag said:

 

I did order this book tho I opted for the print edition; I just don't care for cookbooks ithat are digital, i just need these to be in print.

I have not been happy with most kindle cookbooks I've purchased so far, never-the-less I'd like to to know if any of you are happy with the kindle version.  Does the layout work?  Is it easy to navigate?   Is the print easy to read?   Don't know whether to try the kindle version first or not.....

[Anna N]

3 minutes ago, saluki said:

I have not been happy with most kindle cookbooks I've purchased so far, never-the-less I'd like to to know if any of you are happy with the kindle version.  Does the layout work?  Is it easy to navigate?   Is the print easy to read?   Don't know whether to try the kindle version first or not.....

 Why don't you download a sample? 

[saluki]

Downloaded a sample.  Print is one of the clearest I've seen  but, as in many cookbook samples for kindle they stop short of showing how an actual recipe renders.  If I have to navigate to different pages in the middle of a recipe I'd much rather have the print version.  

On a different topic, I wanted to thank you for your Polenta PIP instructions.  Polenta came out perfect......

[Anna N]

54 minutes ago, saluki said:

Downloaded a sample.  Print is one of the clearest I've seen  but, as in many cookbook samples for kindle they stop short of showing how an actual recipe renders.  If I have to navigate to different pages in the middle of a recipe I'd much rather have the print version.  

On a different topic, I wanted to thank you for your Polenta PIP instructions.  Polenta came out perfect......

If you mean does every recipe take up one single page then answer is no but I have very few hardcopy books in which this happens also. So I'm not entirely sure what you are getting at.  I have many, many hard cover books which are referring me to another page in the middle of the recipe and I find that far less onerous when I can simply click and be taken to that page.   But we each have our comfort levels with how publications handle layout.  In the early days the Kindle formats were atrocious but I have rarely had a Kindle book recently that caused me grief. 

 

 For a complicated recipe ( not likely to be found in this book)  I will take a screenshot of the relevant pages and then either print them out or just refer to them as photographs.  You can also save recipes from a Kindle book using this method and store them in Evernote or elsewhere.   You are likely aware of all this.

 

 I'm happy to know your polenta worked.  

[palo]

I don't have a Kindle, I do have a different brand. On my eReader the only way of going to a different page (if it's not the next one) is to input the page # and then go there, unless the author has made the page# a hyperlink.

 

Not too convenient for me as I often keep a finger in a page while I flip to another and then back to the original page, how does a Kindle handle this?

 

p

[saluki]

 

4 hours ago, Anna N said:

For a complicated recipe ( not likely to be found in this book)  I will take a screenshot of the relevant pages and then either print them out or just refer to them as photographs.  You can also save recipes from a Kindle book using this method and store them in Evernote or elsewhere.   You are likely aware of all this.

 

Actually, I was't aware.  I'm a smartphone illiterate.  I think you've just made several of my Kindle cookbooks usable 

I don't need to see the whole recipe on one page but, I would prefer to see all the ingredients listed on the same page and instructions on the next...... The other reason I was thinking I'd be happier with the print version is because the kindle repeatedly shuts off while cooking from the recipes....very frustrating

 

Palo..   Most of my Kindle cookbooks have location numbers instead.  I'm at a loss to see how they correlate to anything.   I just swipe my finger forward or back till I get to what I'm hunting for.  I did notice the Bruce Weinstein Kindle book has  page numbers.  

 

If it goes back to three dollars I'll order the Kindle version otherwise I'll probably opt for the print version of Instant Pot Obsession..

 

 

 

 

Edited April 9, 2017 by saluki (log)

[MelissaH]

13 hours ago, palo said:

I don't have a Kindle, I do have a different brand. On my eReader the only way of going to a different page (if it's not the next one) is to input the page # and then go there, unless the author has made the page# a hyperlink.

 

Not too convenient for me as I often keep a finger in a page while I flip to another and then back to the original page, how does a Kindle handle this?

 

p

My standalone Kindle is an ancient e-ink model with a keyboard, and best suited to serial reading. But when I use the Kindle app on my iPad, if you tap and hold, you can zing through pages in either direction, like you might do in a print book fanning through with your thumb till you see the page that catches your eye, and tap that to go there. The app even gives you a convenient mini-picture of the page you came from, so you can tap that to return where you were.

[palo]

@MelissaH - I was only thinking of the Kindle eReader, I hadn't considered using a tablet. I'm familiar with the Kindle app and have used it with my tablet, not as convenient than the hardcopy, but cheaper and taking up less space.

 

p

[kayb]

There's been a great deal written about smells from highly spiced foods settling into the silicone ring. I had made an Afghani chicken and rice dish spiced with saffron, turmeric, ginger and allspice. Not only did it smell like someone had just rolled and smoked a big ol' joint (or blunt, as the current vernacular would have it), but both the ring AND the steel liner itself now smell like that.

 

Both are currently soaking in a solution of hot water, vinegar and dishwashing liquid. I was planning on making yogurt today, but weed-flavored yogurt just doesn't even sound appetizing, marijuana edibles in Colorado notwithstanding.

 

[Smithy]

25 minutes ago, kayb said:

There's been a great deal written about smells from highly spiced foods settling into the silicone ring. I had made an Afghani chicken and rice dish spiced with saffron, turmeric, ginger and allspice. Not only did it smell like someone had just rolled and smoked a big ol' joint (or blunt, as the current vernacular would have it), but both the ring AND the steel liner itself now smell like that.

 

Both are currently soaking in a solution of hot water, vinegar and dishwashing liquid. I was planning on making yogurt today, but weed-flavored yogurt just doesn't even sound appetizing, marijuana edibles in Colorado notwithstanding.

 

 

Thank you for that warning. I wonder why the steel insert would take on an odor like that?  Please let us know whether the soaking works, or what other steps had to be taken.

[MelissaH]

I'm also surprised to hear that the steel liner would take on any kind of flavor.

 

We have one silicone ring that I've written off completely to only use with oniony and spiced dishes, another ring that is still reasonably clean, and a third that is brand new, waiting for the first to get intolerable.

[kayb]

Update: I guess I must not have washed the liner well enough; the soak and a good wash took care of the smell. The ring, though -- that may be past hope. It didn't get that smelly when cooking chili, which was previously the most smell-inducing thing I'd made in the IP. It's presently soaking in a sinkful of hot water and baking soda, and if that doesn't work, I'm chunking it. 

 

Fortunately, I had a couple of spares on hand. Yogurt in process.

 

Which brings me to another question. On the Instant Pot forum on Facebook, which I don't trust as much as I do this one, several people have noted that if you use reconstituted dry milk for yogurt, you can skip the bring-to-180F step, because the milk proteins are already denatured. Anyone care to weigh in on that?

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

On 4/4/2017 at 6:30 AM, Anna N said:

Over on the dinner topic I posted photographs of a crustless quiche. This is a recipe from @JAZ' book "Instant Pot Obsession".

 For less than three dollars for the Kindle edition I think this book is well worth a serious look.

 

On 4/4/2017 at 7:23 AM, lindag said:

Just so you know, the ebook is no longer available at that price, it's now $6.29 but it is rated 5 stars.

 

The price for the Kindle version was again $2.99.  At least it was for me, today.

 

Edited to add that at this price, I'd recommend that anyone unsure about getting an Instant Pot download this one and skim through it.  It gives a great overview of the models, functions and accessories and the recipes are a good representation of what sort of dishes the IP is useful for.

Edited April 12, 2017 by blue_dolphin (log)

[Anna N]

42 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

 

 

The price for the Kindle version was again $2.99.  At least it was for me, today.

 

Edited to add that at this price, I'd recommend that anyone unsure about getting an Instant Pot download this one and skim through it.  It gives a great overview of the models, functions and accessories and the recipes are a good representation of what sort of dishes the IP is useful for.

 

Yes.  The Kindle edition is currently $3.09 on the .ca site. 

Edited April 12, 2017 by Anna N
Typos (log)

[ElsieD]

2 hours ago, Anna N said:

Yes.  The Kindle edition is currently $3.09 on the .ca site. 

 

 

I ordered it and all that showed up was the intro and the index.  That's it.  I reversed the purchase.  I have not had that happen with kindle editions of other books.