Crockpot AND instapot?

L25

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 1:37 pm

I think my crockpot doesn't get hot fast enough so I think I'm going to get rid of it. I basically have been using the high as a low and even so...
I have an instapot that I haven't taken the time to really figure out how to use it but that's a different issue. I'm wondering if people use their instapot as a slow cooker for shabbos... or if you have both a crockpot and an instapot?

also trying to figure out what size crockpot to get. We aren't a very large family but sometimes I like to make large quantities of things like taco soup and then freeze. I just made shredded beef in the crockpot and it was so simple, I want to be able to stuff like that. My current crockpot has different size inserts. I don't know if I've ever used the 2 qt but I'm pretty sure I use both the 4 and 6 qt. I think the fact that it doesn't fully surround the crockpot makes it not cook as well though... don't really want to clog up my cabinets with two full crockpots...

any advice including which crockpot you have would be greatly appreciated!

mha3484

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 1:41 pm

I have both an instant pot and a slow cooker. I only use the crockpot for cholent for shabbos everything else I use the instant pot. With the exception of cholent, I think food really comes out much tastier in the Instant Pot because its easier to control how long it cooks. It does soups and shredded meat and chicken very well. I think the pressure mechanism really makes the chicken fall off the bone and shred up so well.

L25

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 1:46 pm

hm... what size instapot do you use?
we actually aren't currently making cholent right now, have just been warming up shnitzel... so if it does things like chili, shredded beef... then I might not even need a crockpot right away...

mha3484

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 1:50 pm

I have a 6qt for a family of 6. I have one 10 year old boy who has a big appetite and 3 under 6 who eat a more moderate portion. The 8qt takes up lots of space on the counter and takes longer to come to pressure so I didnt see the point.

mha3484

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 2:43 pm

I get a lot of recipes from google. I also use standard stove top recipes and adapt them to reduce the cooking time by 2/3rds. Also if you do facebook there is a kosher instant pot group that I have gotten excellent recipes from as well.

estreya

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 4:37 pm

L25, the Instant Pot slower cooker function doesn't work the same way as a conventional one. It heats only from the BOTTOM and not the sides; a regular crock pot heats from the sides and bottom.

What some people do for cholent, for example, is to make it using the pressure cooking function and cook it completely and then use the slow cooker function over Shabbat. It doesn't cook it the same way a regular crockpot will if you try to do it over Shabbat.

You also have to have the glass lid and need to disengage the the beeping (I've never done it so I don't know how). If you have FB, join the kosher group for it and search the posts or post your questions.

Hatzlacha.