If you do not know about the pressure cooker setting, turning an instant pot into a pressure cooker can be overwhelming. You can use the instant pot for cooking slow cooker recipes with ease when you learn some tweaks and alterations. Instant pots are designed for fast cooking, but there are inbuilt features to use as a slow cooker. The pot offers the same taste, tenderness, and texture, just like a slow cooker.
Settings
The instant pot comes with three standard settings; less, normal and more. You may assume the low setting is more akin to a slow cooker. But the less setting emits temperature up to 190 degrees Fahrenheit, which is lesser than the “low” of slow cooker settings, which gives a 195-205 degree Fahrenheit. Use the normal or more mode for slow cooking dishes. If you are cooking in slow cooker function in more modes, add fifteen minutes to every hour on the original method. If it takes one hour to prepare the dish in the slow cooker, it will take one hour fifteen minutes to cook the same in the instant pot.
Heat delivery
As the slow cooker’s bowl is made of heavy ceramic, heat distribution is even and constant. The vessel’s wall heats up and radiates energy uniformly, which keeps the texture of the food tender and succulent. On the other hand wall of an instant pot cannot retain heat for a more extended period as the walls are thinner. The confined steam within generates enough heat, which is suitable for both quick and slow cooking. As the heat generated is evenly distributed within the cooker, the food’s texture remains tender and delectable.
Quantity of liquid
The liquid is one of the essential ingredients to prepare food in an electric and stovetop pressure cooker. Mostly it is water, but you can use broth, stock, or other cuisine fluid, depending on the dish you are cooking. You need one cup of water or other liquid for 3 and 6 quart instant pot and two cups for 8 quart instant pot. But if you want a cuisine with a thick texture, cooked in low flame, a slowly conventional slow cooker is ideal. The steam remains confined in an instant pot; only a little portion is released through the safety valve. Using the slow cooker function in the instant pot, you get a result very close to what the traditional slow cooker provides. The taste and texture are almost perfect but a tad soggy.
Preserve nutrients
Instant pot glass rid with safety valve and the stainless steam rim is ideal for slow cooking in the instant pot. Through the glass lid, you can always peep, which gives a great feeling. If you do not have one, regular instant pot lead is good enough. More nutrients are preserved when you cook food in slow cooking mode. On the other hand, nutrients lose value when cooked rapidly at high temperatures. Another advantage of slow cooking is you intake less amount of glycation end products (AGEs) and toxins compared to grilled, fried, and broiled fish, meat, cheese, or other products of animal origin.
