Do Chefs Use the Instant Pot (Pressure Cookers?) (2024)

Do Chefs Use the Instant Pot (Pressure Cookers?) (1)

Do Chefs Use the Instant Pot (Pressure Cookers?) (2)

Do Chefs Use the Instant Pot (Pressure Cookers?) The Instant Pot, colloquially known as the Instapot, is the most popular pressure cooker on the market. Widely loved and praised for its ease of use, safety, and hands-off cooking, it is the kitchen application of choice for many busy families.

Many Instant Pot beginners find themselves saying, “Surely this is be too good to be true.” Subsequently, one common follow-up question is, “do chefs use Instant Pots?”

Instapots are multi-cookers. In addition to pressure cooking functionality, they offer a variety of bonus features (depending on the model). Your Instant Pot can act as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sautér, food warm, yogurt maker, sterilizer, cake maker, canner, and sous vide-er.

Because even the most bare-bones Instant Pot models are comparable to ‘traditional’ pressure cookers, the question you really want to know is…

Do Professional Chefs Use Pressure Cookers?

Answer: Yes! …and, no! The answer is nuanced, so let’s explain.

When are pressure cookers commonly used in professional kitchens?

They are most commonly used in industrial settings to quickly prepare meat or stocks. However, in most scenarios, Elite Chefs avoid using pressure cookers because they provide less control over the final dish. Chefs often prefer slow cooking techniques that accentuate and pull out the flavors of the food.

Benefits of Cooking With an Instant Pot

  • Even professional Chefs find benefits in the Instant Pot’s ability to reduce total cooking time.
  • The pressure cooker’s steam moistens the food in the pot. This cooks the food quickly without losing moisture.
  • Little to no nutritional value is lost because pressure cooking is a closed cooking method.
  • The Instant Pot does not heat up the kitchen and saves on energy costs.
  • The style of cooking prevents flavors from escaping and fully extracts flavors from bones and herbs in minutes.

What Dishes Do Chefs Cook with Instant Pots?

Pressure cookers are popular among chefs, but they aren’t the primary cooking technique they employ. One of the most popular dishes Chefs use pressure cookers for are curries. An Instant Pot will allow them to cook curries considerably faster with little downside.

Check out this video where professional Chef Carla demos how to make Polenta Cacio e Pepe with the Instant Pot!

Why Are Instant Pots Popular Appliances in Busy Kitchens?

If you need to prepare food on a tight schedule, a pressure cooker is one of the most popular go-to cooking tools. With the power to prepare food rapidly, this innovative kitchen appliance transformed domestic kitchens.

As a result, it may appear natural for experienced cooks who are continuously pressed for time to employ it. Surprisingly, this is not always true. Do chefs make use of pressure cookers?

Disadvantages: Why Chefs Don’t Use Instant Pots?

Time, speed, and efficiency aren’t everything! There are several key reasons why some chefs opt for a different style of cooking.

  1. Ingredients cook at different rates

    Do Chefs Use the Instant Pot (Pressure Cookers?) (3)

Some ingredients cook quicker than others. For example, root vegetables take longer than leafy greens. So, you might struggle to use a pressure cooker for recipes with many components that require varied cooking periods. This might not be noticeable for at-home recipes, but a Michelin star chef will disagree!

The solution: traditional pans allow chefs to keep adding ingredients at various stages of cooking.

A pressure cooker’s cover cannot be opened while cooking because all the steam (and pressure) will be released. Any recipe that requires gradual ingredient additions won’t be suitable for Instant Pots. Another solution: modify the recipe or avoid using the pressure cooker.

  1. Zero visibility – you can’t check on the food as it cooks

Chefs frequently check on their foods while they cook. The best usually continually taste, color, etc.

An Instant Pot does not allow you to monitor the food inside. Although most recipes have perfected the exact cook time, your food may be overdone or undercooked if you are experimenting with something new.

The solution: Either use an excellent recipe or take a chance. The issue frequently occurs when a recipe’s duration is unknown.

  1. No ‘season-as-you-go’

A chef’s meal is a work in progress, from start to finish. You will be hard-pressed to find a chef who doesn’t like to taste his or her meal (multiple times) while preparing it.

This continual tasting process helps them to fine-tune the flavor and texture. A pressure cooker does not allow for highly granular control. Seasoning can only be applied before or after cooking. Renowned chefs will find it tough to achieve comparable taste depth with using a pressure cooker versus traditional gradual cooking.

What Are The Worst Foods For Chefs To Cook With An Instant Pot

Pressure cookers are especially unpopular for the following dishes:

  • Meats
  • Sauces

In conclusion, just because most of the top Michelin Star chefs might not use pressure cookers on a daily basis, doesn’t mean the Instant Pot isn’t a perfect addition to your kitchen! Unless you’re preparing highly specialized meals and have all day to prepare, it is unlikely that the opinion of the world’s top chefs should seriously impact your decision to use an IP in your day-to-day cooking.

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Do Chefs Use the Instant Pot (Pressure Cookers?) (2024)

FAQs

Do Chefs Use the Instant Pot (Pressure Cookers?)? ›

Even professional Chefs find benefits in the Instant Pot's ability to reduce total cooking time. The pressure cooker's steam moistens the food in the pot. This cooks the food quickly without losing moisture. Little to no nutritional value is lost because pressure cooking is a closed cooking method.

Do top chefs use pressure cookers? ›

In fact, many renowned chefs have sung the praises of pressure cookers. Heston Blumenthal has written extensively about their stock-making abilities, while chefs like Jamie Oliver and Tom Aikens have demonstrated their effectiveness on their shows.

Do people still use Instant Pot? ›

More recent data would suggest that the Instant Pot's popularity is on the decline. Search interest for the device in June 2021 was the lowest it's been since 2018, and its big spikes in interest — which happen like clockwork every winter — failed to hit the same highs in 2020 and 2021.

Is Instant Pot good for pressure cooking? ›

The most useful function of an Instant Pot is its ability to pressure cook, so you want to get a model that quickly comes to pressure. Since many pressure cooker recipes start with a searing or sautéing step, it can help to have an Instant Pot with inner pot stability, so the pot doesn't spin while you're cooking.

Are instapots worth the money? ›

If you're looking to save counter space or don't want to spend a lot of money on separate appliances, then an Instant Pot could be worth the expense. However, if you're only going to use one or two functions of the Instant Pot, it's worth considering if separate devices would be more cost-effective.

What cooker does Gordon Ramsay use? ›

Gordon Ramsay is not someone who does things by halves. Unsurprisingly, the crowning glory of his new house is the half-million pound kitchen, a room designed and built as an extension, with underfloor heating and whose centrepiece is a £67,000 Rorgue cooker.

Why I don't use an Instant Pot? ›

1. The Instant Pot doesn't cook things as quickly as it seems. While you can supposedly cook recipes such as potatoes, soup, stews, rice, and more in a shorter amount of time, there's a major catch: For most recipes, you have to wait for the machine to properly release the pressure slowly.

What is the disadvantage of Instant Pot? ›

Con– The Instant Pot uses steam under pressure to cook food and not everything is meant to be cooked in the Instant Pot. I attempted a crustless quiche which turned out well but it was too wet and moist to my liking and I prefer to cook it in the oven with dry heat.

Why don t chefs use Instant Pot? ›

They are most commonly used in industrial settings to quickly prepare meat or stocks. However, in most scenarios, Elite Chefs avoid using pressure cookers because they provide less control over the final dish. Chefs often prefer slow cooking techniques that accentuate and pull out the flavors of the food.

What is the lifespan of an Instant Pot? ›

The average lifespan of an Instant Pot ranges from 2-5 years, but it can last longer depending on how often it's used and how well-maintained it is. So it's safe to say Instant Pots aren't commonly being replaced, and may even be a one-time purchase.

What's the point of an Instant Pot? ›

It's simply an electric pot that lets you cook fast (with the pressure-cooking function) or slow. People love it because it's a convenient, time-saving device that lets them quickly cook dinner without having to keep an eye on the stove.

Is the Ninja pressure cooker the same as an Instant Pot? ›

Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 Pro Pressure Cooker features:

Pressure cooks, steams, slow cooks, makes yogurt, sous vides, air fries, bakes, roasts, broils, dehydrates, and warms. Both the Instant Pot and the Ninja Foodi offer the same functions with the exception of yogurt making and dehydrating.

Are Instapots better than crockpots? ›

If you are interested primarily in slow cooking, you should buy a dedicated slow cooker. They're more reliable with a range of slow-cooker recipes than an Instant Pot. We found Instant Pot multicookers specifically could not successfully slow-cook dense, high-volume recipes such as beef stew or pot roast.

Why do people love Instapots? ›

People love the Instant Pot for lots of reasons. It's safe, it cooks slow-cooker recipes fast and it's a snap to clean. Brian Bennett is a former senior writer for the home and outdoor section at CNET. You've been toying with the idea of getting an Instant Pot for ages.

Are Instapots better than air fryers? ›

Cooking times: Instant Pots can often prepare food more quickly than air fryers. Food choices: Although both small kitchen appliances can prepare a wide range of foods, Instant Pots offer more recipe options. Ease of use: Air fryers are good for beginners, while Instant Pots have a learning curve.

What type of cookware do top chefs use? ›

These days, cookware options are endless: ceramic, copper, nonstick, cast iron — they all have their positives and place in the kitchen. But the prized possession and frequently sought-after by professional chefs and serious home cooks alike is stainless steel.

Do the French use pressure cookers? ›

Invented in 1953, the SEB Cocotte-Minute® pressure cooker manufactured at Selongey in the Côte-d'Or, revolutionized the daily lives of French people in their kitchens.

What type of cooktop do professional chefs use? ›

Why Do Professional Chefs Prefer Gas Stovetops? Professional chefs know what it takes to deliver so take some tips from the experts. To start cooking like a pro, start with their preferred tool - a gas cooktop. Gas stoves offer an incredible experience with every use.

Do people still cook with pressure cookers? ›

Everyday Cooking

Still, if you're looking to create your own recipe, focus on dishes and things that are normally braized. Soups, stews, and risotto are all able to be cooked easily in a pressure cooker. For a truly one-pot meal, you can layer your dishes in your cooker.

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