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Instant Pot for sous vide?

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    Instant Pot for sous vide?

    Does anyone use an Instant Pot to cook SV? I heard a rumor that you can use the Ultra for sous vide, and I was thinking about getting an Instant Pot anyway. So... has anyone a) confirmed this, and 2) had success with it?

    #2
    I can't imagine that an Instant Pot (or any crock pot) would work very well for SV. Typically, you're looking for very accurate and precise temperature control for SV ... and you aren't likely to get that unless you fill the pot with water and clamp an actual SV circulator to the pot.

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      #3
      Never tried it in mine. I have heard of folks try it a time or two but don't remember the results. The precise temp control, and circulation is what you are after and the Instant Pot won't provide that really as it is not really designed to it.

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        #4
        I have both and they are great tools

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          #5
          I have both as well. They each are fantastic tools.

          Comment


            #6
            I recently bought the Ultra and was going to copy the section of the user manual or recipe booklet that discussed sous vide cooking with the "ultra" setting. Well I just looked again and can't find that. Must have been a website (not Instant Pot) that was discussing this. I was just going to give it a try with a steak but maybe I'll run an experiment first to check stability of the temperature control. I don't have a graphing thermometer. Might have to sit down with a timer, my remote thermometer and 3 to 4 beers to check this out.

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              #7
              A bit of research over the weekend reveals that the SV function on the Ultra functions adequately, but not admirably. It doesn't circulate, and it only has a precision of +/- 5 degrees... so you won't get an exact temp using it.

              But... that's better than having to buy a separate SV device for something I might do once or twice a year.

              Comment


                #8
                If I couldn't control better than +/- 1*F, I wouldn't bother on anything other than things that I'm going for braised texture. Pork at 130 is not good for me, at 140 is overcooked. at 135 is simply perfect.

                So, yeah, I wouldn't bother... you may as well sous vide in mason jars in your dishwasher.

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                  #9
                  FTR - I wouldn't use it for something that is ONLY SV cooked. More like to SV a steak or chop before finishing it with a sear, so cooking to perfection in the SV wouldn't be the end game. But yeah... that wasn't the reason I got the Instant Pot.

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                  • Potkettleblack
                    Potkettleblack commented
                    Editing a comment
                    I'm not clear. Maybe I'm not being clear.
                    Even with SV as a middle step in QVQ, keeping a reasonably tight band on the temp (like +/- 1*F) is imperative. At the low end, there are food safety issues. At the high end, you can overcook before you ever get to sear.

                    an IP isn't made for SV. I wouldn't bother.

                  #10
                  Not trying to be argumentative... what food safety issues exist in SV that wouldn't exist in a reverse sear? If you're giong to bring the meat above the microbe-killing temp and finish with a sear, what's the difference?

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                  • Potkettleblack
                    Potkettleblack commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Reverse sear, you are constantly adding steady, 225* heat... it kills things fairly fast. SV set for 129 with a +/-5*f swing gets to 124 at the bottom. 129 is a very slow bacteria kill. 124 might actually be in the growth range for some pathogens. I suppose you can sear it hot, but having food poisoned myself a few times, I don't play with food safety anymore.

                  • Buck Flicks
                    Buck Flicks commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Roger.  Thanks for the knowledge bomb!

                  #11
                  Originally posted by Buck Flicks View Post
                  Does anyone use an Instant Pot to cook SV? I heard a rumor that you can use the Ultra for sous vide, and I was thinking about getting an Instant Pot anyway. So... has anyone a) confirmed this, and 2) had success with it?
                  I'll go with "sort of, maybe." I have done thick ribeye steaks in the large regular Instant Pot, but basically just with the cooler method in the Pot. In other words, I got the water to 130 F, turned off the pot, and put 2 sealed steaks in with the lid on. 45 minutes later the water was 120 F so I bumped up back up to 130. Another 45 minutes later (90 minutes total) the internal temp was even at 128 F. I seared on a very hot griddle with clarified butter and served. It was more tender but less flavorful than identical steaks done traditional sear-first over lump and cooked to Med Rare.

                  Come to think of it, that's the only thing I've used my Instant Pot for in the last 9 months or so. But anyway, from what I've read, the IP Ultra will do sous vide, but the classic will not unless you hack around like I did. Okay for short time, not practical for long soaks.

                  Comment


                    #12
                    I don't have the "pot" yet, but kicked around the idea of sous vide since it got popular on AR. I was skeptical about how little I would use it, but went ahead and dropped the $120 on an Anova and now use that thing 2-3 times a week. I'm equally skeptical of the "pot", but will likely get one soon as I expect a similar experience. Intuitively I doubt the instant pot would function nearly as well as a sous vide.

                    Comment


                    • EdF
                      EdF commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Definitely not for SV. But there are a lot of good uses for a good pressure cooker. I've been a fan for 40+ years, and the electric ones just make it easier.

                    #13
                    CaptainMike Definitely not for SV. But there are a lot of good uses for a good pressure cooker. I've been a fan for 40+ years, and the electric ones just make it easier.

                    Check out this book for all kinds of ideas. Just bear in mind that an electric PC runs around 10lbs of pressure, so recipes for 15lbs have to be adjusted (multiply the time by 1.4): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

                    Comment


                    • CaptainMike
                      CaptainMike commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Thanks for the nudge EdF . We live at 4000' so probably need to adjust further, but look forward to giving it a try.

                    • EdF
                      EdF commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Good luck with it Mike. Kind of wish I lived at 4000'
                      Last edited by EdF; May 9, 2018, 01:55 PM.

                    • Buck Flicks
                      Buck Flicks commented
                      Editing a comment
                      The Ultra model automatically adjusts for elevation.

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