The Pot-in-Pot method of cooking in Instant Pot gives you a lot of flexibility with preparation time and cleaning. In addition, you can use accessories that are already in your kitchen. From making yogurt in mason jars that you can easily grab on the go to rice in a bowl so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot and cooking the main protein along with vegetables or grains at the same time, there are plenty of creative ways to use the pop-in-pot technique.
Instant Pot has made life much easier in the kitchen. Can it be faster or more convenient? Maybe it were possible to cook more than one dish at the same time with less cleanliness? It is! It’s known as the pot-in-pot method and it’s about clever ways to use the inner pot and extra accessories to cook several things at once or to cook food inside an extra pot. Let’s look at this in more detail.
WHAT IS POT-IN-POT PRESSURE COOKING?
Instant Pot’s Pot-in-Pot cooking method, also known as PIP, is the process of using a heat-proof dish to cook your main dish, side dish or dessert by placing it inside the inner pot of your Instant Pot for separate cooking. PIP is a broad term that can be done in several different ways using various containers and tools. Just make sure that what you buy actually fits within the model of your Instant Pot.
- Raised steam grid or trivet
- Multi-level stackable containers
- Egg molds
- Ramekin
- Mixing bowl (glass, ceramic, metal)
- Steam basket
- Cake pan
- Bundt Mason
- jars
dishes
Spring frying pan
Always add liquid to the inner pot, even with the pot-in-pot method. Any container used for cooking PIP should be placed on a rack and not directly in the inner pot. If you don’t have a steam rack with handles to lift the container, you can make a folded aluminum foil one in a sling to remove the container from the instant pot. Aluminum foil can also be used as a cover for the container when needed (e.g. to prevent condensation droplets)
Why use the pot-in-pot method?
- Avoid the BURN warning – No one wants to see that notice, but it can happen when you cook certain ingredients like pasta or rice with tomato paste or sauce, which can caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pot, resulting in a warning of BURN.
- 2-for-1 offer: Add a meal to the bottom of your Instant Pot and then another on top, such as meat and potatoes
- Take turns – When you have a curry you need rice. Cook the curry first, then make the rice immediately afterwards.
- Dinner just for you, two or three – Perfect for small portions like rice or quiches
- Sensitive ingredients: Protect delicate foods and sauces (e.g. seafood).
- Specific accessories – Recipes that need specific molds or accessories to make such as crème brulee or poached eggs.
- An alternative to the microwave – You can add water to the bottom and place frozen food on top of the steamer, such as soup. Never put a frozen glass container inside, the glass cracks due to a sudden change in temperature.
- It’s easier to wash smaller containers than a large pot, especially if you have a shallow sink.
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Easier cleaning:
Some recipes will take a little longer to cook with the pot-in-pot method since there are two materials that are involved in the pressurized environment. Weighing that extra time with cleaning time and the option to cook more than one recipe can easily solve that drawback. The positives definitely outweigh this negative.
What if you have different cooking schedules?
When trying to cook more than one dish with the PIP method, try to have the same cooking time for the two dishes you are cooking. Partially cook the longer cooker, release pressure quickly and add the second element and continue cooking both items.
Consider how sensitive your ingredients are. Some recipes can be cooked longer and not be greatly affected. You can tightly cover the container of the fastest cooking item with a double layer of aluminum foil. The sheet slows down the cooking of the contents. Meats cook faster when cut into small pieces so you can reduce the pressure time.
Materials can also affect time. Cooking the fastest cooker in a glass, ceramic or silicone container instead of stainless steel will slow down the cooking time a bit.
Here are some Instant Pot recipes to start from breakfast to dinner and dessert.
MEDITERRANEAN EGG BITES WITH HERBS AND FETA CHEESE <
img src=”https://instantpoteats.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/egg-bites-instant-pot-low-carb-600px.jpg” alt=”MEDITERRANEAN EGG BITES IN INSTANT POT WITH HERBS AND FETA CHEESE” /
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