Fastest Way to Cook Brown Rice and Beans with Minimal Effort
October 13, 2020 9:13 PM Subscribe
I rely on brown rice and beans for my diet because they are cheap and healthy but I have a busy schedule. Is a pressure cooker like the Instant Pot the answer to my woes?
I do not have the time to watch over a pot on the stove so I have been relying on canned beans but I want to stop because they are expensive (one can is never enough), mushy and not very healthy. I eat mostly red kidney beans, chickpeas, pinto and cannellini beans.
Current equipment consists of a no-frills rice cooker (there is only an on-off switch) and a purple clay slow cooker (something like this but ancient and the lid is also purple clay) that my mother bought for brewing herbal soups. The rice cooker is always in use for cooking white rice by someone else in the house. I dislike using the slow cooker because the inner pot/lid is porous purple clay, heavy, fragile, sensitive to sudden temperature changes and I dread washing it.
Another problem with using the slow cooker to cook beans is that I like to eat kidney beans and cannellini beans which must be boiled for at least ten minutes to neutralize the toxins in another pot on the stove because the slow cooker never gets hot enough. Which means more work and another pot to wash.
I have always wanted to buy a pressure cooker to cook beans but I didn't grow up with one because my mother is terrified of them (pressure cookers often exploded in her era) and I have no idea how they work and how to release pressure and stuff like that. I have visions of me burning my face/hand with the escaping steam or something.
Assume that the brown rice and beans are soaked overnight ahead of time to save time. How long will it take, how much attention would it need and how difficult would it be step-wise to cook something like Mexican beans and brown rice in an Instant Pot? I am hoping to get a six-quart when I have the money to circumvent the problem of the rice cooker in the house always being in use and the bean boiling problems. I'm single but I would get the six-quart because I'm fine with eating the same thing over and over and freezing the extras to save time.
My ideal is that I set it going in the morning, start working (I work from home), return to the kitchen at lunchtime and quickly get the meal onto the table fast so I can get back to work. I don't have time to keep going to the kitchen to check on it.
I am not looking for gourmet-quality meals here, I'm just aiming for palatable, fast, easy and healthy.
Another question: Is the Instant Pot hard to wash? It seems the sealing ring needs to be dismantled for washing? What about the vent part? I do not own a dishwasher so everything will be washed by hand.
I have very little money and don't know how long I will need to scrape together enough money for one (they aren't that cheap) so this will be a major investment/sacrifice and I need to be sure it's the right buy that would eventually pay for itself in terms of time and money saved. I've wanted one for years so it isn't a whim.
I do not have the time to watch over a pot on the stove so I have been relying on canned beans but I want to stop because they are expensive (one can is never enough), mushy and not very healthy. I eat mostly red kidney beans, chickpeas, pinto and cannellini beans.
Current equipment consists of a no-frills rice cooker (there is only an on-off switch) and a purple clay slow cooker (something like this but ancient and the lid is also purple clay) that my mother bought for brewing herbal soups. The rice cooker is always in use for cooking white rice by someone else in the house. I dislike using the slow cooker because the inner pot/lid is porous purple clay, heavy, fragile, sensitive to sudden temperature changes and I dread washing it.
Another problem with using the slow cooker to cook beans is that I like to eat kidney beans and cannellini beans which must be boiled for at least ten minutes to neutralize the toxins in another pot on the stove because the slow cooker never gets hot enough. Which means more work and another pot to wash.
I have always wanted to buy a pressure cooker to cook beans but I didn't grow up with one because my mother is terrified of them (pressure cookers often exploded in her era) and I have no idea how they work and how to release pressure and stuff like that. I have visions of me burning my face/hand with the escaping steam or something.
Assume that the brown rice and beans are soaked overnight ahead of time to save time. How long will it take, how much attention would it need and how difficult would it be step-wise to cook something like Mexican beans and brown rice in an Instant Pot? I am hoping to get a six-quart when I have the money to circumvent the problem of the rice cooker in the house always being in use and the bean boiling problems. I'm single but I would get the six-quart because I'm fine with eating the same thing over and over and freezing the extras to save time.
My ideal is that I set it going in the morning, start working (I work from home), return to the kitchen at lunchtime and quickly get the meal onto the table fast so I can get back to work. I don't have time to keep going to the kitchen to check on it.
I am not looking for gourmet-quality meals here, I'm just aiming for palatable, fast, easy and healthy.
Another question: Is the Instant Pot hard to wash? It seems the sealing ring needs to be dismantled for washing? What about the vent part? I do not own a dishwasher so everything will be washed by hand.
I have very little money and don't know how long I will need to scrape together enough money for one (they aren't that cheap) so this will be a major investment/sacrifice and I need to be sure it's the right buy that would eventually pay for itself in terms of time and money saved. I've wanted one for years so it isn't a whim.
yes, the IP will do what you want.
You may need to fiddle a little bit with the timing of the cook cycle, to accommodate the fact that you're going to be leaving the rice in the pot for some hours after it's done; it will cook more during that time since it will still be under pressure for a while, so you might be wanting a shorter cook cycle than a typical recipe recommends. But this is totally fine. Your food is sterile in there after the pressure cook, and it's kept serving-hot; it will happily wait for you however many hours.
You asked how long it will take. The answer is some number of minutes, but who cares? You're going to set it and it's going to be waiting for you when you get home.
(A lot of recipes online suggest a "quick release" which is when you use the handle of a wooden spoon or something to push the steam lever open and vent the steam, releasing the pressure immediately after your timed cooking. I dislike this for a number of reasons and I never "quick release" anything anymore.)
I was also terrified of pressure cookers and would never have gotten a stovetop one, but the IP is easy and safe. I use it all the time, especially in the winter.
ETA it is not at all hard to wash. You just clean the rubber gasket with a drop of dishsoap and your fingers and rinse it. Ditto the lid generally. The pot itself cleans up as easily as any other stainless pot. Don't burn tomatoes on it and you won't have any trouble. If you do, just scrub it off, no big deal.
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:31 PM on October 13, 2020 [4 favorites]
You may need to fiddle a little bit with the timing of the cook cycle, to accommodate the fact that you're going to be leaving the rice in the pot for some hours after it's done; it will cook more during that time since it will still be under pressure for a while, so you might be wanting a shorter cook cycle than a typical recipe recommends. But this is totally fine. Your food is sterile in there after the pressure cook, and it's kept serving-hot; it will happily wait for you however many hours.
You asked how long it will take. The answer is some number of minutes, but who cares? You're going to set it and it's going to be waiting for you when you get home.
(A lot of recipes online suggest a "quick release" which is when you use the handle of a wooden spoon or something to push the steam lever open and vent the steam, releasing the pressure immediately after your timed cooking. I dislike this for a number of reasons and I never "quick release" anything anymore.)
I was also terrified of pressure cookers and would never have gotten a stovetop one, but the IP is easy and safe. I use it all the time, especially in the winter.
ETA it is not at all hard to wash. You just clean the rubber gasket with a drop of dishsoap and your fingers and rinse it. Ditto the lid generally. The pot itself cleans up as easily as any other stainless pot. Don't burn tomatoes on it and you won't have any trouble. If you do, just scrub it off, no big deal.
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:31 PM on October 13, 2020 [4 favorites]
I'd stick with a stovetop pressure cooker. They're very safe, they don't explode (they have lots of safety features these days), and you can usually 'fast vent' them by just running them under cold water, or let them depressurize naturally. Many have the option to 'fast vent' them via the pressure swtich, but I don't do this just because it's kind of a mess (which would not be avoided necessarily with an IP). While you sacrifice automation, they're much cheaper, and given the lack of eletronics and other moving parts, would last much longer. I picked up a T-Fal one for like $40 bucks, 8-9 years ago and it hasn't needed anything. The only part it could need is a new silicone gasket, which just costs a couple bucks.
Beans often only take 15-20 minutes at pressure to cook, and you don't need to really do anything other than turn your heat down during that time to conserve energy; if the pressure cooker becomes overpressureized, they just vent on their own and make some noise. They're not exactly set it and forget it like an IP is, but they need much less attention than most cookery.
posted by furnace.heart at 9:43 PM on October 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
Beans often only take 15-20 minutes at pressure to cook, and you don't need to really do anything other than turn your heat down during that time to conserve energy; if the pressure cooker becomes overpressureized, they just vent on their own and make some noise. They're not exactly set it and forget it like an IP is, but they need much less attention than most cookery.
posted by furnace.heart at 9:43 PM on October 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
Instant Pot, put dry beans in, they are ready to eat in one hour. Takes under a minute to start and less than a minute to drain and clean after (cooking with sauce can take longer to clean, but not beans.)
posted by flimflam at 9:50 PM on October 13, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by flimflam at 9:50 PM on October 13, 2020 [2 favorites]
I was also raised on stories of exploding pressure cookers and had some fears when I bought my Instant Pot. But it has been very easy to operate! In my mom’s day you had to stand at the stove and manage the heat/pressure on the cooker but the Instant Pot lets you set the timer and walk away. In fact, you can move into another room for the duration of the cooking if that helps you gain some confidence in it’s ability to not explode.
Watch a couple of videos on what a quick release looks like so it’s less startling. (There will be a dramatic amount of steam! Do not be alarmed!) Throw a dish towel over the vent so it doesn’t spatter and use a wooden spoon or something to turn the valve and you should be fine. For extra peace of mind, silicone oven mitts can go a long way toward avoiding burns from hot steam or water. But you may never need to use the quick-release function—if your plan is to set it in the morning and walk away, you should be fine with the pot releasing on its own and then keeping the beans warm for you.
I have found the cooking insert really easy to wash. Much easier than, say, a food processor.
posted by corey flood at 10:01 PM on October 13, 2020 [3 favorites]
Watch a couple of videos on what a quick release looks like so it’s less startling. (There will be a dramatic amount of steam! Do not be alarmed!) Throw a dish towel over the vent so it doesn’t spatter and use a wooden spoon or something to turn the valve and you should be fine. For extra peace of mind, silicone oven mitts can go a long way toward avoiding burns from hot steam or water. But you may never need to use the quick-release function—if your plan is to set it in the morning and walk away, you should be fine with the pot releasing on its own and then keeping the beans warm for you.
I have found the cooking insert really easy to wash. Much easier than, say, a food processor.
posted by corey flood at 10:01 PM on October 13, 2020 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: More info: I don't live in North America and Instant Pots aren't popular or common where I am but I wish to buy one because they have stainless steel inner pots and there are so many recipes online.
Can anyone tell me how many minutes can be saved for soaked beans and soaked rice because most Instant Pot recipes seem to assume I am starting with dry beans and rice? I always soak both overnight for digestibility/health reasons and discard the soaking water.
Stovetop chickpeas that have been soaked overnight first takes about 45 minutes. How much time would it take in an Instant Pot? The suggested 40 mins for dry chickpeas seems like it would result in mush for presoaked chickpeas. Ditto for kidney, pinto and cannellini.
Also, for beans and rice, I assume you cook the beans first and add in the rice later? Since it seems that the rice will cook faster but I'm not familiar with pressure cooking.
posted by whitelotus at 10:48 PM on October 13, 2020
Can anyone tell me how many minutes can be saved for soaked beans and soaked rice because most Instant Pot recipes seem to assume I am starting with dry beans and rice? I always soak both overnight for digestibility/health reasons and discard the soaking water.
Stovetop chickpeas that have been soaked overnight first takes about 45 minutes. How much time would it take in an Instant Pot? The suggested 40 mins for dry chickpeas seems like it would result in mush for presoaked chickpeas. Ditto for kidney, pinto and cannellini.
Also, for beans and rice, I assume you cook the beans first and add in the rice later? Since it seems that the rice will cook faster but I'm not familiar with pressure cooking.
posted by whitelotus at 10:48 PM on October 13, 2020
I am no kind of fancy cook and I've made some really great meals in my instant pot, including tasty dishes with beans. My mom gave me advice to watch for the price to drop around Thanksgiving, and it did. This was last year. It's also Prime Day on Amazon right now, which means that lots of places have sales right now (not just Amazon), so it might be worth looking in the next 12 or so hours.
Wirecutter has a great round-up of the various kinds of Instant Pots and why it probably won't explode.
I find it pretty easy to clean in the sink.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:50 PM on October 13, 2020
Wirecutter has a great round-up of the various kinds of Instant Pots and why it probably won't explode.
I find it pretty easy to clean in the sink.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:50 PM on October 13, 2020
I like basmati rice, and my experience with a pressure cooker is that it markedly reduces the aroma as well as the unique flavor of that rice.
posted by jamjam at 10:52 PM on October 13, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by jamjam at 10:52 PM on October 13, 2020 [2 favorites]
You might want a cookbook, or to join the Instant Pot group on Facebook (if you have an account). There are a ton of recipes online.
I haven't done any recipes where I cook something and then add something else to the pot. It takes a fair amount of time for the instant pot to come up to pressure, so it would have to come up to pressure twice. You can also google around for soak vs no soak; it's controversial and people have very strong feelings.
But it'll take some figuring out, too.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:55 PM on October 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
I haven't done any recipes where I cook something and then add something else to the pot. It takes a fair amount of time for the instant pot to come up to pressure, so it would have to come up to pressure twice. You can also google around for soak vs no soak; it's controversial and people have very strong feelings.
But it'll take some figuring out, too.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:55 PM on October 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
Oh, one other possibility: the instant pot is a fabulous rice maker. Would it be possible to make a very large batch of beans all at once and keep them in the fridge for a few days, and then just cook the rice you need?
posted by bluedaisy at 10:58 PM on October 13, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by bluedaisy at 10:58 PM on October 13, 2020 [4 favorites]
I don’t know about accessibility to amazon where you are at, but it is Prime day through tomorrow and Instant Pots are up to half off. We got one a few years ago and love it.
posted by ericales at 11:29 PM on October 13, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by ericales at 11:29 PM on October 13, 2020 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Yes, get an instapot. I've been eating approximately the way you describe lately - lots of beans and rice, to which I add whatever's convenient and tasty - and when I'm on top of things I usually have rice going in one instapot and beans in the other. It works great! Except when the rice dries out from being left too long on "keep warm", but doesn't that happen with every rice maker?
Really, the instapot is overkill for rice - the cook time may be faster than a regular rice maker, but the addition of cooldown time (I only vent steam if I'm in a hurry) makes it take about as long. If we didn't already have two instapots (one ours, one on loan from my parents who never use it) I'd just get a regular rice maker.
As with a rice maker, cook time for rice is not preset. (Ok, you could do it that way with an instapot, but why?) If you choose the "rice" setting, the temperature sensor on the bottom of the pot tells it when to turn off. If you give it the right rice:water ratio it will make perfect rice every time. I don't know how long presoaked rice would take, but it'll probably be just a few minutes of actual cook time. It will take a while to get up to pressure beforehand and cool down afterwards, though. Really, I see no advantage to using an instapot for rice if you can find a ricemaker with a stainless insert instead of the usual teflon junk.
Beans, though. It's perfect for beans. If I remember to put them in at night, I'll set a delay timer to let them soak for ~6 hours and then cook for 20 minutes (I know, I shouldn't cook them in the soak water, but it's so much easier), and they're ready for breakfast!
I tend to like beans soft, though. The little instapot cookbook says black beans should take 20-25 minutes dry or 4-6 minutes soaked. Chickpeas are 35-40 minutes dry and 10-15 minutes soaked. (of course, that's not counting the time to pressurize first and cool off afterwards)
You aren't going to cook beans and rice in an instapot at the same time. As you say, the rice will turn to mush long before the beans are ready. Not sure if this is what you meant, but just to be clear: There is no adding things halfway through - the pot is sealed, pressurized, and locked. Once the lock pin pops up (shoved into place by pressure inside the pot) you don't mess with it until it's done. Cook your beans and your rice separately, then combine.
Cooking simple things like beans and rice in an instapot requires zero attention once you've started a pressure cook cycle. More involved recipes may involve sauteeing ingredients first (e.g. I'll sometimes sautee some onion with spices and then add my beans if I'm planning to make refried beans, or something similar for soups) or processing at the end (e.g. pureeing, garnishing, or adding some quick-cooking ingredient like greens). For plain beans or rice, though the process is:
- add rice or beans
- add water
- close lid
- select mode, set time, etc.
- hit start (it no longer needs you; go do something else until your food is done)
- after 5-15 minutes, depending on how full the pot is, it beeps once when it's pressurized
- it cooks for however long you tell it to, then beeps 10 times when it's done with the cook time (or, in rice mode, when the sensor tells it to)
- if you don't vent it immediately or put it in cold water, it will usually take somewhere between 20 and 40* minutes to cool off. it makes a little "click" when the pressure lock releases, and your food is available to eat
* Don't rely on these numbers. My partner and I prefer the 3-quart instapots. We have a 6-quart right now but have never yet filled it anywhere near full. I think the cooldown time (like the warmup/pressurizing time) depends on how much is in the pot and how much of it is steam, but I have not experimented and don't know the actual upper limit.
posted by sibilatorix at 1:23 AM on October 14, 2020 [6 favorites]
Really, the instapot is overkill for rice - the cook time may be faster than a regular rice maker, but the addition of cooldown time (I only vent steam if I'm in a hurry) makes it take about as long. If we didn't already have two instapots (one ours, one on loan from my parents who never use it) I'd just get a regular rice maker.
As with a rice maker, cook time for rice is not preset. (Ok, you could do it that way with an instapot, but why?) If you choose the "rice" setting, the temperature sensor on the bottom of the pot tells it when to turn off. If you give it the right rice:water ratio it will make perfect rice every time. I don't know how long presoaked rice would take, but it'll probably be just a few minutes of actual cook time. It will take a while to get up to pressure beforehand and cool down afterwards, though. Really, I see no advantage to using an instapot for rice if you can find a ricemaker with a stainless insert instead of the usual teflon junk.
Beans, though. It's perfect for beans. If I remember to put them in at night, I'll set a delay timer to let them soak for ~6 hours and then cook for 20 minutes (I know, I shouldn't cook them in the soak water, but it's so much easier), and they're ready for breakfast!
I tend to like beans soft, though. The little instapot cookbook says black beans should take 20-25 minutes dry or 4-6 minutes soaked. Chickpeas are 35-40 minutes dry and 10-15 minutes soaked. (of course, that's not counting the time to pressurize first and cool off afterwards)
You aren't going to cook beans and rice in an instapot at the same time. As you say, the rice will turn to mush long before the beans are ready. Not sure if this is what you meant, but just to be clear: There is no adding things halfway through - the pot is sealed, pressurized, and locked. Once the lock pin pops up (shoved into place by pressure inside the pot) you don't mess with it until it's done. Cook your beans and your rice separately, then combine.
Cooking simple things like beans and rice in an instapot requires zero attention once you've started a pressure cook cycle. More involved recipes may involve sauteeing ingredients first (e.g. I'll sometimes sautee some onion with spices and then add my beans if I'm planning to make refried beans, or something similar for soups) or processing at the end (e.g. pureeing, garnishing, or adding some quick-cooking ingredient like greens). For plain beans or rice, though the process is:
- add rice or beans
- add water
- close lid
- select mode, set time, etc.
- hit start (it no longer needs you; go do something else until your food is done)
- after 5-15 minutes, depending on how full the pot is, it beeps once when it's pressurized
- it cooks for however long you tell it to, then beeps 10 times when it's done with the cook time (or, in rice mode, when the sensor tells it to)
- if you don't vent it immediately or put it in cold water, it will usually take somewhere between 20 and 40* minutes to cool off. it makes a little "click" when the pressure lock releases, and your food is available to eat
* Don't rely on these numbers. My partner and I prefer the 3-quart instapots. We have a 6-quart right now but have never yet filled it anywhere near full. I think the cooldown time (like the warmup/pressurizing time) depends on how much is in the pot and how much of it is steam, but I have not experimented and don't know the actual upper limit.
posted by sibilatorix at 1:23 AM on October 14, 2020 [6 favorites]
We cook rice (any colour, not instant) in the microwave: one unit volume of rice and roughly one unit volume of water in an microwave container (having a vent hole). Four minutes at full power (1000W), then at low power (90W) for the rest of the cooking time advised on the package. The amount of water may need a little tweaking the first few times. No monitoring, stirring etc., so this leaves you free to prepare whatever else constitutes the rest of your meal.
posted by Stoneshop at 4:50 AM on October 14, 2020
posted by Stoneshop at 4:50 AM on October 14, 2020
I was also terrified of pressure cookers and would never have gotten a stovetop one,
The one stovetop pressure cooker I know and have used had a vent tube sticking up out of the lid which you kind of closed with a weighted stopper which just sat on/over it. It didn't lock down in any way, and while it's possible that one of the ingredients inside could have jumped up and plugged the tube, I consider that extremely unlikely as it would have to be something that wouldn't go soft/mushy during cooking while fully jamming the vent; IIRC the tube extended inside for a bit, with several sideways holes. The lid also had a standard safety valve.
posted by Stoneshop at 5:14 AM on October 14, 2020
The one stovetop pressure cooker I know and have used had a vent tube sticking up out of the lid which you kind of closed with a weighted stopper which just sat on/over it. It didn't lock down in any way, and while it's possible that one of the ingredients inside could have jumped up and plugged the tube, I consider that extremely unlikely as it would have to be something that wouldn't go soft/mushy during cooking while fully jamming the vent; IIRC the tube extended inside for a bit, with several sideways holes. The lid also had a standard safety valve.
posted by Stoneshop at 5:14 AM on October 14, 2020
Do you have an oven? We use Alton Brown’s recipe (google it) for making brown rice in the oven (have also used it for white rice); it takes an hour and we’ve never had a failure.
posted by serendipityrules at 5:25 AM on October 14, 2020
posted by serendipityrules at 5:25 AM on October 14, 2020
Response by poster: The oven is broken and needs replacing (I miss baked potatoes) and I don't possess a microwave.
posted by whitelotus at 5:34 AM on October 14, 2020
posted by whitelotus at 5:34 AM on October 14, 2020
I cook lots of rice and beans in the Instant Pot. I tend to cook them separately in batches and then re-heat a portion of rice and beans in the microwave when I want them.
Brown rice cooks well in the 'pot in pot' method and I find that cooking it this way means it doesn't tend to dry out as much as if it's cooked directly in the pot, as there's water in the base of the Instant Pot creating steam which stops it from getting too dry if it's left on the 'keep warm' setting.
If I want rice and beans at the same time, I'll cook the rice in the microwave using this microwave rice cooker.
posted by essexjan at 6:18 AM on October 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
Brown rice cooks well in the 'pot in pot' method and I find that cooking it this way means it doesn't tend to dry out as much as if it's cooked directly in the pot, as there's water in the base of the Instant Pot creating steam which stops it from getting too dry if it's left on the 'keep warm' setting.
If I want rice and beans at the same time, I'll cook the rice in the microwave using this microwave rice cooker.
posted by essexjan at 6:18 AM on October 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
Right this minute, Instanpot on Amazon is 49.99, and also at Walmart; out of stock online.
You can bake potatoes in a crockpot.
posted by theora55 at 6:19 AM on October 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
You can bake potatoes in a crockpot.
posted by theora55 at 6:19 AM on October 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
I would be concerned about cooking the beans and rice together since they typically require different cooking times -- you risk ending up with overcooked rice or undercooked beans.
We use our instant pot all the time for cooking beans. It takes some experimenting to figure out cooking times for each variety; we have found some heirloom beans to require much, much longer cooking times, for example, while others cook very quickly. Once you cook the first batch, then you know exactly how long to cook that variety.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:42 AM on October 14, 2020
We use our instant pot all the time for cooking beans. It takes some experimenting to figure out cooking times for each variety; we have found some heirloom beans to require much, much longer cooking times, for example, while others cook very quickly. Once you cook the first batch, then you know exactly how long to cook that variety.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:42 AM on October 14, 2020
I'm not really sure why you're married to pre-soaking the rice and beans. Here's my Instant Pot method for brown rice, which I use about every other week -- I make a big batch of rice, then put it in ziploc baggies and flatten it out, and those go straight in the freezer. Since you don't have a microwave that part won't work for you right now, but just in case you get one, there it is.
IP Brown Rice
1:1 rice to water
salt and/or oil optional for taste
24 mins pressure cook
10 mins natural release
That's it.
As for beans, I'm very much a non-meal planner, so the IP has been great for beans -- I don't have to remember to soak them or set aside 4 hours to cook them. Just put everything in the pot and pressure cook for the amount of time in the booklet (usually around 30 minutes).
I too am deathly afraid of old-fashioned pressure cookers and would still never use one. I use caution around the IP but it really feels much more safe. The top locks until the pressure is gone, so there's no absent-minded trying to open a pressurized vessel.
As for cleaning, it is super quick and easy. I have a dishwasher but I wash the parts by hand because it's so quick. The silicone ring is easy to remove and replace, all any of it takes is a bit of soap and a quick scrub and you're done.
I don't think I would have bought one for myself but after getting one as a gift, I don't think I could do without the IP. I'd replace it in a heartbeat if I needed to.
posted by fiercecupcake at 6:54 AM on October 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
IP Brown Rice
1:1 rice to water
salt and/or oil optional for taste
24 mins pressure cook
10 mins natural release
That's it.
As for beans, I'm very much a non-meal planner, so the IP has been great for beans -- I don't have to remember to soak them or set aside 4 hours to cook them. Just put everything in the pot and pressure cook for the amount of time in the booklet (usually around 30 minutes).
I too am deathly afraid of old-fashioned pressure cookers and would still never use one. I use caution around the IP but it really feels much more safe. The top locks until the pressure is gone, so there's no absent-minded trying to open a pressurized vessel.
As for cleaning, it is super quick and easy. I have a dishwasher but I wash the parts by hand because it's so quick. The silicone ring is easy to remove and replace, all any of it takes is a bit of soap and a quick scrub and you're done.
I don't think I would have bought one for myself but after getting one as a gift, I don't think I could do without the IP. I'd replace it in a heartbeat if I needed to.
posted by fiercecupcake at 6:54 AM on October 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
I don't live in North America and Instant Pots aren't popular or common where I am but I wish to buy one because they have stainless steel inner pots and there are so many recipes online.
I'd be very careful when buying one of these to make sure it works with your electrical power system. I just checked the bottom of mine and it only says 120V, not 120-220. In my experience living outside of the US, some things are ok using voltage converters, but appliances with heating elements often aren't.
posted by msbrauer at 7:33 AM on October 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
I'd be very careful when buying one of these to make sure it works with your electrical power system. I just checked the bottom of mine and it only says 120V, not 120-220. In my experience living outside of the US, some things are ok using voltage converters, but appliances with heating elements often aren't.
posted by msbrauer at 7:33 AM on October 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: The little cookbook that comes with the Instant Pot has a table of suggested cook times for dry beans vs. pre-soaked beans. A couple of examples: For red kidney beans, the “dry beans” time is 25-30 minutes; the “soaked beans” time is 20-25 minutes. For chickpeas, the “dry beans” time is 35-40 minutes; the “soaked beans” time is 20-25 minutes. For black beans, the “dry beans” time is 20-25 minutes; the “soaked beans” time is 10-15 minutes. Hopefully that is enough to give you an idea of bean cooking times. I find that cooking beans with tomatoes tends to add about 30% to the cooking time, but that is starting with dry beans; soaked beans might have less of that issue.
There is a recipe for “perfect brown rice” in the beginning of the cookbook that uses 2 cups brown rice (not soaked) to 2.5 cups water and has you cook on Manual, high pressure, for 22 minutes. (The Instant Pot does have a “rice cooker” setting but I usually cook brown rice on Manual.)
I find cleaning the IP to be pretty easy. The silicone sealing ring pulls out easily for cleaning and pops back into place easily. I don’t clean the vent cover every time, but it also pulls out and pops back in easily. I like that the inner pot is just plain stainless steel, so I can scrub it with steel wool if necessary without worrying about scratching it.
I use my Instant Pot all the time for beans. I like it because I don’t have to plan ahead to start beans in the slow cooker. I’ll often still do rice on the stovetop (though you can do “pot-in-pot” methods to cook rice and beans at the same time in the IP — I usually have the IP too full of beans to add a second pot for rice!)
posted by snowmentality at 7:44 AM on October 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
There is a recipe for “perfect brown rice” in the beginning of the cookbook that uses 2 cups brown rice (not soaked) to 2.5 cups water and has you cook on Manual, high pressure, for 22 minutes. (The Instant Pot does have a “rice cooker” setting but I usually cook brown rice on Manual.)
I find cleaning the IP to be pretty easy. The silicone sealing ring pulls out easily for cleaning and pops back into place easily. I don’t clean the vent cover every time, but it also pulls out and pops back in easily. I like that the inner pot is just plain stainless steel, so I can scrub it with steel wool if necessary without worrying about scratching it.
I use my Instant Pot all the time for beans. I like it because I don’t have to plan ahead to start beans in the slow cooker. I’ll often still do rice on the stovetop (though you can do “pot-in-pot” methods to cook rice and beans at the same time in the IP — I usually have the IP too full of beans to add a second pot for rice!)
posted by snowmentality at 7:44 AM on October 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
We have a (Breville, not Instant Pot) electric pressure cooker. We've experimented with soaking the beans beforehand and putting them in dry, and it's fine to put them in dry. Start to finish, cook time is about an hour this way, much of that being the slow pressure release, which I think is calculated into the cooking time, and which prevents foam that can get into the release valve. I've tried fast-releasing the pressure and the beans definitely seemed underdone.
I see that your oven is broken, but when we make brown rice, we make it in the oven and it turns out perfectly following the America's Test Kitchen recipe.
posted by adamrice at 7:54 AM on October 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
I see that your oven is broken, but when we make brown rice, we make it in the oven and it turns out perfectly following the America's Test Kitchen recipe.
posted by adamrice at 7:54 AM on October 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
Oh, and if you are still reading, I learned NOT to use the rice setting on the InstantPot when making rice. They added some extra logic to the 'rice' setting that was causing it to freak out when cooking brown rice. Luckily other people on the Internet noticed it, and the solution is to just not use the rice setting.
posted by Dmenet at 8:06 AM on October 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Dmenet at 8:06 AM on October 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
I cook brown rice and black beans together in the instant pot. It works great and is a simple, one pot meal. It's not perfect, but it's not super mushy with the brown rice.
posted by lab.beetle at 8:39 AM on October 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by lab.beetle at 8:39 AM on October 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
I love cooking rice (brown) and beans (pinto, black, adzuki) together in my InstantPot! I haven't tried pre-soaking rice. When I want rice and beans I mix 50:50 rice and beans and add twice the amount of water, cook for 20 min. It is delicious and wonderful. I haven't perfected the kidney beans because they're bigger and take longer to cook, so I've stuck with smaller beans but if you're committed you could just try to cook it a bit longer. Maybe pre-soaking would solve the problem. More often I cook the rice (every few days) and beans (as needed) separately. I use it all week long and have never regretted buying it because I essentially live on rice and beans and it is perfect for that.
Somehow I always wind up running the thing for 20 minutes, pre-soaked or not. I forget how long chickpeas took, sorry.
posted by stinker at 1:02 PM on October 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
Somehow I always wind up running the thing for 20 minutes, pre-soaked or not. I forget how long chickpeas took, sorry.
posted by stinker at 1:02 PM on October 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
Oh and cleanup is extremely easy, I normally soak in hot soapy water for maybe a minute and then scrub with steel wool for a very fast clean up but this is probably overkill. A normal sponge with hot soapy water will suffice.
posted by stinker at 1:04 PM on October 14, 2020
posted by stinker at 1:04 PM on October 14, 2020
You don't really have to wash the sealing ring unless you're cooking smelly, splattery, or oily foods, or like, switching between sweet and savory. It doesn't sound like you plan on doing either of those things, so I wouldn't worry about that adding much to the cleanup time.
posted by batter_my_heart at 7:06 PM on October 14, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by batter_my_heart at 7:06 PM on October 14, 2020 [3 favorites]
One thing I haven't seen mentioned given the way you describe wanting to use the IP is the delay start function. Since pressure cooking is relatively short, you can put everything in there, tell it how long you want it to cook, but then also tell it to not start until x amount of time from now. So you can still put everything in there in the morning, but then just delay start until half an hour or so before you want to eat, and it works out like you are saying without overcooking and sitting there.
I don't think all models have this so you'll want to read carefully.
posted by pixiecrinkle at 6:20 AM on October 15, 2020 [1 favorite]
I don't think all models have this so you'll want to read carefully.
posted by pixiecrinkle at 6:20 AM on October 15, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by zdravo at 9:29 PM on October 13, 2020 [2 favorites]