TSmitty wrote:How about IP vs. canned? Who wins that smackdown?!?

IP all day, though certainly not if time is your primary limitation. Controlling what goes into the pot has a huge impact on the output. Starting a cook with a quality fat of your choice, freshly-chopped onions, garlic, herbs, etc. pretty much makes it a no-contest, imo. Even when cooking vegan, I often find that the pot liquor is tasty enough to enjoy on its own. I can't say I've ever been tempted to eat the liquid I typically discard when I open a can of beans.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

TSmitty wrote:How about IP vs. canned? Who wins that smackdown?!?

I can't say I've ever been tempted to eat the liquid I typically discard when I open a can of beans.

=R=

Thanks!! Point well made!!

I'll add a few points...
I make a TON of stock and "rotisserie-style" chicken in my IP--and the results far exceed what I was ever able to make via traditional methods for both. I use chicken stock in lieu of water in making rice now, when making beans and cooking most veggies--a huge flavor boost all around. I doubt I'd do that if I wasn't making regular stock in the IP. I also use it for braising pork; making taco fillings; processing tomatoes for freezing; making sauces,salsas and gravies; beans (same comments as Ronnie's above) and soups galore. The only thing I DON'T cook in the IP is rice lol! I tried it once and it was the only item I really disliked using it for--my Zojirushi rice cooker is still my most-used kitchen appliance. But the IP is a close second (Vitamix and Cuisinart are my other two counter-claiming appliances).

boudreaulicious wrote:The only thing I DON'T cook in the IP is rice lol! I tried it once and it was the only item I really disliked using it for--my Zojirushi rice cooker is still my most-used kitchen appliance.

Well, there goes my plan for replacing my rice cooker! I don't know if I can justify buying 2 new appliances.

I love cooking rice in my instant pot. I've always thought the most important factor is an air tight seal and the IP provides that. Cooking under pressure seems to help things along, and then it's just about getting the water ratio and timing correct.

We do more brown rice than white and the IP makes brown totally perfect every time - white as well, but brown has always shown slightly skewed results any other way. Got rid of the rice cooker.

Additionally, I do a lot of soups/chilis in the winter - all day affairs that simmer and fill the house with great aromas....until I tried a few in the IP. An hour or less and the final product is as good (or better in some instances) than traditional. And I don't have to keep checking volume levels as the day goes on. Just miss those scents as it simmers.

Ugh. Now that I've posted and started to think about actually getting one, I'm seeing that the less expensive versions don't do yogurt or eggs.

TSmitty wrote:Ugh. Now that I've posted and started to think about actually getting one, I'm seeing that the less expensive versions don't do yogurt or eggs.

If you can hold off a month, there will be a plethora of deals leading up to black Friday

WhyBeeSea wrote:

TSmitty wrote:Ugh. Now that I've posted and started to think about actually getting one, I'm seeing that the less expensive versions don't do yogurt or eggs.

If you can hold off a month, there will be a plethora of deals leading up to black Friday

I can certainly hold off a month, seeing as I probably have held off on replacing the rice cooker for about 5 years now!!

Which model do you all recommend?

TSmitty wrote:Well, there goes my plan for replacing my rice cooker! I don't know if I can justify buying 2 new appliances.

For some odd reason I never buy expensive rice cookers, stems from my $15 Hitachi 2-button rice cooker giving me terrific service for a dozen years or more.

I have been happy with my Aroma rice cooker, in fact I have two, a 8/cup model currently selling for $29.95 on amazon, Link and 20/cup for $39.95. Link. The siren song of Zojirushi calls but I do not answer.

As mentioned if you wait Amazon will have stellar deals on Instant Pots, I resisted for a couple of years but finaly succumbed for $49, or was it $59. I only seem, like others, to use mine for eggs, corn and the occasional bean but its hell on wheels for eggs and corn.

With a little patience you can have both rice cooker and Instant Pot for under $100. Unless you simply can not resist a fuzzy logic Starship Enterprise rice cooker.

My 2c, no change given.

G Wiv wrote:
With a little patience you can have both rice cooker and Instant Pot for under $100. Unless you simply can not resist a fuzzy logic Starship Enterprise rice cooker.

My 2c, no change given.

No Starship Enterprise rice cooker for me! My old one is an Aroma as well - only reason I want to replace it is that the cord is frayed almost thru in several spots and I'm fairly certain that I will set my kitchen on fire with it at some point!

So, you use the IP that you have for eggs. Is that a Duo plus then?

TSmitty wrote:So, you use the IP that you have for eggs. Is that a Duo plus then?

Not sure of the various designations of Instant Pots. According to Amazon this is what I purchased. Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1.

Works fine for my somewhat limited use and I don't see myself exploring its capabilities anytime soon. Instant Pot lives in the basement, 8/cup rice cooker on the kitchen counter,

G Wiv wrote:

TSmitty wrote:So, you use the IP that you have for eggs. Is that a Duo plus then?

Not sure of the various designations of Instant Pots. According to Amazon this is what I purchased. Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1.

Works fine for my somewhat limited use and I don't see myself exploring its capabilities anytime soon. Instant Pot lives in the basement, 8/cup rice cooker on the kitchen counter,

I have the IP-DUO80 7-in-1, 8 quart., for which I think I paid $99. It doesn't have any of the wifi or bluetooth capabilities, which I never find myself wanting, anyway.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:It doesn't have any of the wifi or bluetooth capabilities, which I never find myself wanting, anyway.

Ha, wifi on an Instant Pot, what's next meat thermometers that send streaming info to your phone.

TSmitty wrote:

G Wiv wrote:
With a little patience you can have both rice cooker and Instant Pot for under $100. Unless you simply can not resist a fuzzy logic Starship Enterprise rice cooker.

My 2c, no change given.

No Starship Enterprise rice cooker for me! My old one is an Aroma as well - only reason I want to replace it is that the cord is frayed almost thru in several spots and I'm fairly certain that I will set my kitchen on fire with it at some point!

So, you use the IP that you have for eggs. Is that a Duo plus then?

I have the 6 qt duo and it does all the things you mentioned. And yogurt I believe but nave never tried.

Id recommend getting the 8 as mine is a tad small.

WhyBeeSea wrote:Id recommend getting the 8 as mine is a tad small.

The 6/qt is fine for me, and that was what was on Amazon Prime sale. I bought an Egg Steamer Rack Trivet $8.99, lets me do 12-eggs and, with just the bottom rack in place, 6 ears of corn.

There have been a few instances where more Instant Pot space would have been nice for corn but I have a Le Creuset 7.25/qt that lives on my stove top, so that's a non issue. Plus a giant stainless steel pot/turkey fryer setup in case I want to cook corn for a troupe of traveling carnival folk.

Other than the loss of counter space, I am glad we have the 8-quart.