I used to think cooking pasta dishes in an Instant Pot was ridiculous until my family gave me one for Christmas.
I’m always a late adapter to trendy things; from creating a Twitter account to using bath bombs to getting an Instant Pot.
This all changed last month when I was trying to prep beef stew in the crock pot before work. Nine hours later, that dreaded thing happened. I walked back into my house and didn’t smell a thing. Upon opening my front door, the hopeful waft of cozy, fragrant slow cooked beef didn’t hit my face. Just the normal everyday smells of our dog and traces of my hollyberry wax melt. Noooooooooo.
“That’s it” I exclaimed. “This would never have happened if I had an Instant Pot.”
People may make mock me for microwaving scrambled eggs in the mornings, but if I can’t remember to turn on a crock pot, I’m not sure I want to juggle a hot pan. Chef Mike is all I want to deal with at 5:30 in the mornings before running to the bus stop.
Jake sees my struggle each morning which inspired him to give me three microwave egg cookers. He ordered them from Amazon. All of them are made by Nordic Ware, a good ole Minnesotan company. Here’s a summary of my impressions:
- Eggs N’ Muffin Breakfast Pan: Let’s be real, there’s nothing earth shattering about this tool. It’s a sturdy, shallow pan in which you can stir 1-2 eggs and microwave until cooked. The lid is nice, the material is non-stick, and costs about $3.50 at Target. I’ll use this a lot so I consider it worthy.
- 2 Cavity Egg Poacher: Nordic Ware instructs you to crack an egg in the cavity, poke the yolk, and add 1/2 teaspoon of water before microwaving for 30-seconds (more for two eggs). While I wouldn’t declare this a poached egg, the tool created something closer than what I imagined. You’ll have to experiment with cooking time to get that perfect runny yolk, though. This gadget costs around $6.
- Egg Boiler: I was most skeptical about the microwavable hard-boiled egg maker. The egg-shaped design is fantastic. The top opens to a cavity in which you add water and then place eggs above on the small rack. Microwave for the suggested number of minutes (based on your wattage) and cool under cold water. I hard boil eggs on a regular basis – these microwaved eggs tasted the same as regular hard-boiled eggs. It worked so well I felt kind of terrible getting so excited about this gadget. Oh well!
And finally, the Instant Pot!
Jake picked out a recipe and ingredients to make this first beef stew. After flipping through the instruction booklet, I began. I felt most intimidated by the pressure valve and safety features. Once you walk through that first use, you’ll feel comfortable as you proceed with more recipes.
Typically beef stew in the crock pot is an all day affair. From placing the prepped ingredients in the Instant Pot to serving, the beef stew took about an hour and a half. This particular recipe required a second cooking period where you add the vegetables. And I’m still trying to understand when you’d want to use each type of release. Using the 10-minute natural release is still faster than allowing the pot to depressurize on its own, but adds 20 minutes to a two-step recipe.
Initial Instant Pot Thoughts:
- All in all, I found it easy to use and look forward to trying more recipes.
- I’ll probably gravitate towards recipes that don’t require the second cooking period.
- Keep in mind the amount of time it can take for the pot to pressure before cooking – the manual says anywhere from 20-40 minutes. A recipe may state a three-eight minute cooking time, but realize the process can take longer. So, maybe don’t use it to make that 3-minute asparagus side dish recipe.
- The browning function is a beautiful thing that some crock pots don’t have that lets you create that true, one-pot meal.
Do you have any thoughts on microwave egg cookers and Instant Pots? Feel free to share any thoughts below!
Have you tried hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot yet? It’s the only thing I’ve tried so far…
The Real Person!
I haven’t but hear it works really well!
Hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot are the best and easiest. Four minutes for hard and three if you still want them a bit soft with quick release. I have never done two, but it would be worth a try if you ever wanted to make something like a Scotch egg. I love my instant pot. I use it at least weekly if not more. I save ALL my chicken bones to make the best and easiest broth. Rice and beans are also easy to cook. Mac and cheese – awesome! I agree, the two-step with veg is a PITA so I avoid those types of dishes. I hear cheese cake is very easy too and I got a Fat Daddio’s springform pan for Christmas and can’t wait to try it.
The Real Person!
Thanks for the tips! Loving it so far.
I appreciate your egg cooker reviews. I do love my IP. My faves that I make are hard eggs & dried beans or lentils. It makes great roasts as well.
The Real Person!
Thanks for sharing what’s worked well for you!
You know what? I have had an Instant Pot for years and never used it that way. I know. Shame on me. I bought it by mistake when I was furnishing our Love Nest house in Dothan. When I checked out I was surprised at how high my bill was but then later when I got home I realized that I had not gotten the basic crock pot that I thought I had placed in the cart. The pressure valve thing scares me a bit and I have yet to use it as an Instant Pot but have used it plenty for crock pot recipes. I usually don’t have a crunch for time when making meals so I haven’t jumped on the bandwagon but maybe one day. My real excitement this Christmas is the Sous Vide that Micah and Wendy got me. I am going to be testing that baby out when I get home you can be sure! As for the egg bakers–good for Jake! I use the Tupperware egg cooker a lot these days and it makes great frittatas and other egg dishes. Shout out to Mary Hopper on that one.
The Real Person!
The pressure cooker valve is intimidating. The most important thing to remember is to set the steam release at the correct position and not to open the pot if the pressure knob thing is in the sealed position.