The Ninja Foodi is an innovative multi-cooker that offers a variety of cooking functions, including pressure cooking, air frying, steaming, and more. Two of the most popular cooking modes on the Ninja Foodi are the steam and pressure cook settings. While both utilize steam to cook food quickly, there are some key differences between these two modes.
Steam Cooking
The steam cook setting on the Ninja Foodi uses steam to gently cook foods. To use this setting, you simply add water to the cook and crisp plate, insert the reversible rack, and place food on top. The Ninja Foodi heats the water to create steam which surrounds and cooks the food. Some benefits of steam cooking include:
- Retains more nutrients and vitamins compared to other cooking methods
- Doesn’t require oil, keeping foods lower in fat and calories
- Preserves bright, vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables
- Tenderizes meats and fish
- No monitoring required – food won’t burn or overcook
On the Ninja Foodi, the steam cook setting has a max temperature of 210°F. It can be used to gently cook delicate foods like fish fillets, vegetables, eggs, dumplings, and more. The steam environment evenly surrounds food for thorough, gentle cooking. Foods cook up tender while maintaining their moisture and texture.
Ideal Foods for Steam Cooking
Here are some of the best foods to make using the Ninja Foodi’s steam cook mode:
- Vegetables – broccoli, green beans, carrots, cauliflower, etc.
- Seafood – fish fillets, shrimp, clams, mussels
- Meats – chicken breasts, pork chops
- Dumplings and buns
- Eggs
- Rice and grains
- Fruit
The gentle steam prevents dense vegetables from becoming mushy, keeps seafood tender and juicy, and allows meats to cook through without drying out. Delicate foods that would easily fall apart or overcook using other cooking methods remain perfectly intact with steam cooking.
Pressure Cooking
Whereas steam cooking relies solely on steam for heat, pressure cooking takes it a step further by trapping the steam inside the cooker to build pressure. This allows foods to cook up to 70% faster compared to traditional cooking. Here’s an overview of how pressure cooking works on the Ninja Foodi:
- Water and food are added to the pot.
- The lid is locked into place, sealing the pot.
- Heat from the cooker causes the liquid to turn into steam.
- The steam is trapped inside, quickly building pressure.
- High pressure steam raises the boiling point of water from 212°F to 250°F.
- The high-pressure environment transfers heat rapidly into the food, dramatically reducing cook times.
As pressure builds, the hotter steam can penetrate deep into dense foods. This allows the insides to cook through without overcooking the outer surface. Meats become extremely tender and fall-off-the-bone, beans cook perfectly al dente, and cheesecakes come out smooth and supple.
The Ninja Foodi max pressure cooking temperature is 250°F. The pressure cooker setting gives you complete control to adjust cook times and pressure levels based on what you’re making.
Best Foods for Pressure Cooking
Pressure cooking is ideal for food that require longer cook times by traditional methods. Here are some examples:
- Tough cuts of meat – roasts, ribs, whole chickens
- Beans and legumes
- Soups and stews
- Cheesecakes and custards
- Rice, grains, and risotto
- Vegetables requiring less cooking time like potatoes, beets, corn
The hot pressurized environment breaks down connective tissues in tougher meats to make them fall-apart tender in a fraction of the normal time. Dried beans can be perfectly cooked from scratch in under an hour without presoaking. Delicate foods like custards and rice develop properly without scorching on the bottom.
Similarities Between Steam and Pressure Cooking
Although steam and pressure cooking use different mechanisms, they do share some common characteristics and benefits:
- Use steam for heat: Both cooking modes rely on steam to transfer heat for quick cooking.
- Locking, sealed lid: A tight sealing lid is required to trap steam inside the cooker.
- Low added liquid: A small amount of liquid produces steam – no need to submerge foods.
- Even heating: Steam distributes heat evenly and prevents burning.
- Nutrient retention: The moist, enclosed environment retains more vitamins and minerals.
- Natural flavors: Foods maintain bright, fresh flavors without added liquids or oils.
- Low supervision: Set it and forget it – no stirring required once cooking.
Both steam and pressure cooking utilize steam for fast, healthy meals with minimal effort required. They work differently but provide similar benefits.
Differences Between Steam and Pressure Cooking
Now let’s look at some of the main differences between the Ninja Foodi’s steam and pressure cook settings:
| Factor | Steam Cook | Pressure Cook |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking temperature | 210°F max | 250°F max |
| Pressure | Low pressure | High pressure |
| Speed | Faster than oven | Up to 70% faster than traditional cooking |
| Cooking time | Typically under 30 minutes | As quick as 1-2 minutes for some foods |
| Best foods | Delicate seafood, vegetables, eggs, dumplings | Tough meats, beans, hearty stews and soups |
| Liquid needed | 1-2 cups | 1/2 to 1 1/4 cups |
The main differences come down to pressure and temperature. Steam cooking relies solely on steam at lower pressures. Pressure cooking dramatically increases heat and pressure to cut cook times substantially. This makes it better suited for foods requiring longer cook times.
Pressure Levels
Here is an overview of the different pressure settings on the Ninja Foodi and when you would use them:
- Low Pressure: 2.5 psi. Best for more delicate foods like fish, vegetables, eggs.
- High Pressure: 7.6 to 14.8 psi. Ideal for tough meats, beans, hearty dishes.
- Custom Pressures: Adjustable from 0.5 to 15 psi. Gives full control over pressure based on recipe.
The ability to choose different pressure levels gives you flexibility to fine-tune the pressure cooking time and intensity. Lower pressure is less intense for quicker-cooking recipes. Max high pressure provides the full intensity to tenderize tough cuts of meat in minutes.
Choosing Between Steam and Pressure Cooking
So when should you use each mode? Here are some general guidelines:
When to Use Steam Cooking
- Cooking delicate seafood, eggs, dumplings
- Blanching vegetables
- Gently reheating leftovers
- Preparing rice, grains, oatmeal
- Poaching fruit
- Steaming artichokes, tamales, crab legs
Steam cooking is ideal any time you want to preserve moisture, texture, and fresh flavor. It works best for quicker cooking foods where high heat and pressure aren’t needed.
When to Use Pressure Cooking
- Braising tough, fatty cuts of meat
- Making bean soups and stews from scratch
- Cooking large batches of chili or oatmeal
- Preparing cheesecakes, custards, and crème brûlée
- Quickly cooking potatoes, beets, artichokes
- Infusing broths and stocks
Pressure cooking really shines for foods traditionally requiring longer cook times. The pressurized environment forces steam into the food to cut cook times substantially.
Tips for Best Results
To get the most out of both steam and pressure cooking modes, keep these tips in mind:
- Use the reversible rack in steam mode to elevate foods above water.
- Keep pressure cooking liquid to a minimum to prevent dilution.
- Allow pressure to fully release before opening lid after cooking.
- Cut food to even sizes for uniform steaming and pressure cooking.
- Adjust steam or pressure release to natural or quick as recipe directs.
- Add a little oil to removal cooking rack for easy release of foods after pressure cooking.
Follow recipe guidelines for liquid amounts, cook times, and pressure levels when starting out. Adjust as needed based on your preferences.
Conclusion
While the Ninja Foodi’s steam and pressure cook settings utilize steam to cook food quickly, they work in different ways to provide unique results. Steam cooking gently cooks delicate foods at lower temperatures. Pressure cooking rapidly penetrates dense, tough foods by building intense heat and pressure. Understanding the differences allows you to leverage both for faster, healthier meals.