Sous vide cooking has become increasingly popular in recent years as an easy and convenient way to cook food to perfect doneness. Sous vide involves cooking food sealed in plastic pouches submerged in temperature controlled water. This allows the food to cook evenly throughout without over or undercooking.
Instant Pots have also surged in popularity for their versatility and ability to quickly cook foods using pressure cooking. So can you use an Instant Pot for sous vide cooking? Let’s take a closer look.
How Sous Vide Cooking Works
First, it helps to understand the basics of how sous vide cooking works:
- Food is seasoned and vacuum sealed in a plastic pouch to remove all air.
- The pouch is submerged in a water bath heated to the target cooking temperature.
- The food cooks slowly over longer periods of time (usually 1-4 hours).
- The water bath surrounds the food in gentle, even heat leading to very precise cooking.
Sous vide enables food to be cooked with an exactness that is nearly impossible to achieve through other cooking methods. It ensures edge-to-edge even doneness and predictable results every time.
Key Factors for Proper Sous Vide
There are a few key factors required for proper sous vide cooking:
- Precise temperature control – The water bath must maintain a precise set temperature throughout the entire cooking time. Even small fluctuations above or below the target temperature can negatively impact results.
- Water circulation – The water should gently circulate around the food pouches to ensure heat is evenly distributed.
- Consistent water immersion – All sides of the pouches need to remain fully submerged during cooking to prevent uneven cooking.
Standard sous vide setups are designed to provide these elements for optimal cooking with features like precise temperature regulators, water pumps for circulation, and fitted containers to prevent floating of pouches.
Can Instant Pots Be Used for Sous Vide?
Instant Pots are electric pressure cookers with functions like pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming, and sautéing. They are self-contained countertop appliances.
Theoretically, an Instant Pot inner pot filled with water could be used as a water bath for sous vide cooking. However, Instant Pots lack some of the key functionality for proper sous vide:
- Temperature precision – Instant Pots heat to within +/- 5°F which can negatively impact sous vide results. Dedicated immersion circulators control to within +/- 0.1°F for accuracy.
- Circulation – Instant Pots do not circulate water so there are hot and cool spots. Immersion circulators use pumps for even distribution of heat.
- Consistency – The shape and size of Instant Pots makes it hard to fully submerge multiple pouches. Standard sous vide containers allow pouches to remain immersed.
While Instant Pots share similarities with sous vide in using moist heat cooking, the differences in design mean they cannot achieve the precise control needed for proper sous vide cooking.
Tips for Using an Instant Pot for Low Temperature Cooking
While Instant Pots have limitations for true sous vide, they can still be used for low temperature cooking with some care and workarounds:
- Use a digital thermometer with a probe to manually monitor water temperature. Adjust heat to maintain the target temp.
- Only cook one pouch at a time to allow proper water circulation around it.
- Weigh down the pouch with plates or other weights to keep it fully submerged.
- Minimize opening the lid to reduce heat loss and fluctuations.
- Stir the water periodically to distribute heat more evenly.
This mimics some of the sous vide conditions. While not a perfect substitute, it can produce satisfactory results for basic cooks.
Recommended Accessories for Instant Pot Low Temp Cooking
Certain accessories can help improve an Instant Pot for sous vide-style cooking:
- Trivet – A metal trivet can hold pouches down in the water.
- Glass lid – A clear glass lid lets you monitor the cook while minimizing opening the main lid.
- Insulation – Wrapping a towel around the pot helps regulate temperature.
Best Foods for Instant Pot Low Temp Cooking
While instant Pots have limitations for sous vide, some foods are better candidates for low temp cooking in an Instant Pot:
| Food | Cook Time | Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Breasts | 1-2 hours | 145°F |
| Fish Fillets | 30-45 minutes | 125°F |
| Pork Chops | 1-3 hours | 140-145°F |
| Steaks | 1-4 hours | 125-140°F |
Thicker cuts of meat and dense vegetables that require longer cook times at lower temperatures tend to work better than quick cooking foods.
Should You Use an Instant Pot for Sous Vide?
While Instant Pots don’t offer full sous vide functionality, they can be used with care for low-temperature cooking applications. However, for optimal results, dedicated sous vide equipment is recommended. Key advantages of proper sous vide setups include:
- Precise temperature control for guaranteed accuracy.
- Effective water circulation to prevent hot and cold spots.
- Ability to cook multiple pouches together evenly.
- Custom vessel designs to keep pouches fully submerged.
- Typically faster heating than Instant Pots.
For frequent sous vide use or cooking delicate foods like fish or eggs where precision is vital, a purpose-built sous vide immersion circulator and container provides the best results. For occasional low-temp cooking, Instant Pots can serve as a decent workaround with some limitations to their effectiveness.
Conclusion
While Instant Pots share some similarities with sous vide cooking, they lack the advanced features and precision temperature control to be considered true sous vide devices. Their shape and size make it difficult to fully replicate key sous vide conditions like complete submersion. However, Instant Pots can be used with care and workarounds for basic low temperature cooking applications. For the best sous vide results, dedicated equipment designed specifically for this cooking method is recommended.