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Topic: Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot (Read 536 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #25 –

I haven't used the 5-liter Tayama cooker, but a friend owned a 6-liter Sunpentown thermal cooker for a few years and it worked well. She, however, had an impatient nature and ended up switching over to a pressure cooker, which produced much faster results. :-)

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Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #26 –
I bought and returned (via Amazon) one of the sub-$100 thermal pots. The Nissan is simply built better. Is it worth $100 more? That's a personal choice. Amazon's prices do change, so I put the Nissan in a wishlist and watched it until it hit a price I was willing to pay. I use mine regularly and think it's something likely to last decades (like many good kitchen tools), so $150-175 seemed reasonable.
Andrew
2008 Rear Bath
(previously 1999 TK)
Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #27 –
Well ya get whatcha pay for, right?

The thermal pot I recently purchased on eBay for $30 lists for around $85, so the price for entering the Thermal Cook Off was reasonable enough.

It sure looks like the Thermos (pics included) but I'm sure insulation and vacuum play a big part in its overall efficiency.

With a little practice, it may prove to be a worthy LD addition. Then again, I may be ponying up for the real Thermos before long.

You never know.

Kent
2015 27' RB "MissB.Haven"
Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #28 –
Hi Nancy, good to see you on the board!

The cooker you linked to has all the features that my expensive Thermos/Nissan has without the high price. There seems to be a lot more to choose from than when I bought mine. Go for it, you're going to enjoy what it does.   ;)

Dolly is looking good!
Steve S.
Lazy Bones & Cedar
2004 30'IB (Island Bed)
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery
Live for the day!
Re: Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #29 –
Quote from: Nancy M  - 
Here's a thermal cooker on amazon that's a lot less expensive than others I've seen. I don't own it, but considering getting it. Reviews are good.

Amazon.com: Tayama TXM-50CF Energy-Saving Thermal Cooker, 5 L, Black:...

If anyone here has any experience with this one, I'd like to know the pros and cons.

Thanks,
Nancy


Wow, you just can't beat the price and I only looked at the "verified purchases."  Thanks!
As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Cheryl (a.k.a. Desert Diva)
1998 Lazy Daze (26.5 mid-bath)
2002 Honda CR-V
Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #30 –
Hi Judie,

It's hard to pick a favorite recipe.  I use my Instant Pot for hard boiled or soft boiled eggs, steel cut oats, congee, pot roast, soups, stews, rice, beans and lots of other things.  Lately, the favorite around here has been smoked sausage layered with sauerkraut, potatoes, an apple and a little bit of bacon and cooked under pressure for about 10 minutes.  A pressure cooker is great for quick one pot meals.  I also like it for steaming vegetables and cooking less tender cuts of meat like oxtails or lamb shanks.  If you are on Facebook, there is a very active Instant Pot Community page.  They have a huge archive of recipes. I have several cookbooks on my Kindle that were recommended by the folks on that page and many of them were free.  The Instant Pot corporate website also has an archive of recipes.  I hope you enjoy using your Instant Pot as much as I've enjoyed mine. 

Jean


Quote from: Judie Ashford  - 
I have a Saratoga Jack's thermal cooker, but use it mostly as an incubator for my yogurt. Although it is pretty bulky to haul around, I do it anyway.

Today, after a couple of years of watching it, today I ordered an Instant Pot.  I'm hoping to replace several items in the motorhome with this one item.

What uses have you found for the Instant Pot?  Favorite recipes?

 Virtual hugs,

 Judie  <-- Sierra Vista, Arizona
 Adventures of Dorrie Anne | Photographing the West

 Today:    Rodeo Sunset
 **********************************



Jean Gunter

2000 Mid-bath
Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #31 –
A few months ago, I ordered this Tayama thermal cooker from NewEgg for only $29.99, with free shipping:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16896095022

Right now it's on sale for $34.99.

I'm quite happy with it and it seems to be of a quality equal to a Nissan brand that I borrowed from a friend.

I boondock a lot and make a lot of soups and the Tayama is working great for that combination.
--
Jan Forseth
2007 27' Midbath named Footloose
 
Re: Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #32 –
"A few months ago, I ordered this Tayama thermal cooker from NewEgg for only $29.99, with free shipping:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16896095022

Right now it's on sale for $34.99.

I'm quite happy with it and it seems to be of a quality equal to a Nissan brand that I borrowed from a friend.

I boondock a lot and make a lot of soups and the Tayama is working great for that combination."

 •~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Jan, this looks exactly like my Saratoga Jack's unit.  Presume that they are just reselling with their own logo on it.  That is an excellent price.  I got the larger size with more inner pots, trivets, covered pots, etc., but seldom have need for them.  May have been a mistake.  I fill one of the smaller pots with hot water to help hold the heat in my yogurt incubation process, and this has worked really well.  The savings in purchasing yogurt paid for the pot in a very short time.  We eat a lot of it.

   Virtual hugs,

   Judie

Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #33 –
Quote from: Judie Ashford  - 
"A few months ago, I ordered this Tayama thermal cooker from NewEgg for only $29.99, with free shipping:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16896095022

Right now it's on sale for $34.99.

I'm quite happy with it and it seems to be of a quality equal to a Nissan brand that I borrowed from a friend.

I boondock a lot and make a lot of soups and the Tayama is working great for that combination."

 •~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Jan, this looks exactly like my Saratoga Jack's unit.  Presume that they are just reselling with their own logo on it.  That is an excellent price.  I got the larger size with more inner pots, trivets, covered pots, etc., but seldom have need for them.  May have been a mistake.  I fill one of the smaller pots with hot water to help hold the heat in my yogurt incubation process, and this has worked really well.  The savings in purchasing yogurt paid for the pot in a very short time.  We eat a lot of it.

 Virtual hugs,

 Judie



I just bought one.  Glad you like it and find it useful.  :)
Cheryl (a.k.a. Desert Diva)
1998 Lazy Daze (26.5 mid-bath)
2002 Honda CR-V
Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #34 –
I just bought one.  Glad you like it and find it useful.  :)"

I have been making all of our yogurt since the mid-sixties, and devised a number of different ways over the years (could write a book) - including the little Salton cup electric units.  The finished product varies with method, but I must say that I am happiest with what is produced by the thermal cooker.

Yogurt is outrageously priced, especially by the small container (which is getting smaller and smaller - the "cup" size is now down to just over 5 ounces in a lot of brands), but even purchasing a quality brand (i.e., no additives!) in the quart size is about four times the cost to actually make your own.  The ingredients?  Milk and a spoonful of the previous batch.  I also add powdered whole milk which produces very thick yogurt of the "Greek" persuasion.  So if you are paying an even more outrageous amount for a small cup of "Greek" yogurt, it might make sense to make your own.  Always fresh; always at hand.

A gallon of milk is about $2.00.  How much is a gallon (that's 21 six-ounce containers) of the yogurt that you buy?
Re: Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #36 –
I received my InstantPot yesterday afternoon, but didn't have the gumption to read all of the literature before starting up a batch of chicken broth after stripping the dinner's roast chicken from the bones.  So I dragged out my smaller four-quart Crock-Pot for an overnight workout.

Today I will study the booklets for the Instant Pot so as to be ready for the next need.  It looks very substantial, and I love that the inner pot is a good quality stainless steel instead of a "peely" non-stick surface.

Yogurt is on tap for today, so that may be its first task.  

Now if I could just figure out a way to bake sourdough bread in it . . .

We don't want to clutter up the list with too many particulars, but if anyone has found great success with any specific use, I would be more than pleased to hear about it/them in a private email message.

   Virtual hugs,

   Judie
Re: Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #37 –
Quote from: bearthio  - 
There are many online sources for such recipes, but here's one I've used a few times for the Instant Pot: Pressure Cooker Recipes | Pressure Cook Recipes

WOW - Just looked at this site!  Very nice!!  Thank you for pointing the way!!!  ;->


   Virtual hugs,

   Judie
Re: Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #38 –
The Instant Pot manual and all the other experts recommend doing the "water test" as your first IP project. It confirms that the pot works, the lid is secure, the gasket seals properly, and the steam vent and safety valves are all working as intended.

If you stick with the mantra "Hot pan, cold oil, food won't stick", you'll have good luck keeping the stainless steel liner crud-free. If you need to get it squeaky clean, put a cup of water and a bit of white vinegar in the liner and run it on "Manual" for a couple minutes with the pressure valve closed. No scrubbing or scouring required.

There sure are a lot of people making cheesecake in their Instant Pots, based on what all the Facebook groups talk about. On the Amazon page for the IP, the "frequently bought together" items include spring-form pans that fit nicely into the liner.

If you get the 7-in-one, it makes really good yogurt. There are some good how-to videos on YouTube. Strain the results in a nut-milk bag to get Greek yogurt, and freeze the leftover whey to use as starter for the next batch.

And the IP is THE best way to make hard-boiled eggs. They come out perfectly cooked and practically peel themselves.

fu
2015TK

ETA: Yes, you can bake bread in the IP -- use a clean coffee can, sit it on the trivet, and cover with foil. There are recipes and videos out there for almost anything, even popcorn.
fu
2015TK
Re: Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #39 –
"If you get the 7-in-one, it makes really good yogurt. There are some good how-to videos on YouTube. Strain the results in a nut-milk bag to get Greek yogurt, and freeze the leftover whey to use as starter for the next batch. "

Just took out my first batch of yogurt from the Instant Pot.  Haven't read the directions yet, but made the yogurt without plugging in the unit.  It looked to be as well insulated as my thermal cooker, so I just experimented with it as a regular thermal cooker.  It worked perfectly for the yogurt.

I don't strain my yogurt because with the addition of the powdered whole milk, the yogurt is very thick.  I have strained it in the past, but the result was so thick that it was more like cream cheese and not terribly useful for my purposes.  I eat it mostly with my cooked multi-grain cereal, or mixed with maple syrup, cinnamon (or nutmeg), and rice as a dessert.  Works to make a creamy ranch, bleu cheese, or Italian salad dressing, too, but is too thick and must be cut with buttermilk, or similar.

Success!!!

I have never tried to start a new batch using only the whey.  Does this really work?

   Virtual hugs,

   Judie
Re: Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #40 –
Quote from: Judie Ashford  - 

I have never tried to start a new batch using only the whey.  Does this really work?


As long as the whey contains the bacterial culture, there's no reason it wouldn't work. This is second-hand info however -- the Indian Cooking instant pot group on Facebook talks about  yogurt a lot, as it's a staple in Indian cuisine.

They also mention that scalding the milk prior to culturing results in thicker yogurt because of the way the proteins are modified by heat.

The IP method goes more or less like this:

1. Sanitize the pot and utensils with a quick steam cycle.
2. Pour the milk in and press the Yogurt button
3. Press 'Adjust' till the display says 'boil'
4. On goes the lid with the steam vent 'open' (non pressurized), then wait till the boil cycle completes
5. Cool the milk down to about 110 to 115 degrees. I typically take the liner out and put it in a sink full of ice water (when I was at home; not as practical in the RV)
6. Mix the culture in with about a cup of the milk, then mix that back in with the rest of the milk.
7. Press "Yogurt" again, put the lid on and let it happen. It normally firms up in 8 to 12 hours. Maybe less, depending on many contributing factors.
8. Put the completed yogurt in a clean container and refrigerate -- this thickens it up some more. Strain or don't strain, either option is fine with me.

This is a whole different eating experience compared to store-bought yogurt loaded with sugar, artificial flavors, and gelatin. Try it with a drizzle of honey and some nuts, or granola, or fresh or frozen fruit. Or mix it with shredded cucumber and garlic to complement Indian and Mediterranean dishes.

I use lactose-free whole milk for mine. Skim or part skim doesn't thicken up as well. Some people add half and half or heavy cream to get an even thicker yogurt. Or whole milk powder. It's all good.

fu
2015TK
fu
2015TK
Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #41 –
WOW!  That's a lot of extra effort!  Here's my method - step by step.

1.  Pour three cups of whole milk into a half-gallon Pyrex pitcher.
2.  Heat in the microwave for 24 minutes at power #3.  This brings it to 182 degrees.
3.  Let it cool to just over a hundred degrees.
4.  Add three spoonfuls of powdered whole milk, and mix with a potato masher.
5.  Put a few tablespoons of yesterday's yogurt into a one-quart round Pyrex bowl that has a tight cover.
6.  Slowly pour in the warm milk while stirring with the potato masher.
7.  Put it to incubate by whatever manner I am using at the moment, and set the timer for three hours.
8.  At the end of three hours, I slide a knife into the center to make sure there is resistance on each side of the knife.
9.  Put it into the refrigerator.

Using the InstantPot in the same manner as the [non-electric] thermal cooker worked perfectly.

In the fifty plus years I have been making yogurt, I have never found it necessary to sterilize anything prior to use, or let it sit for more than just three to five hours to gel properly.  I guess using the powdered milk gives it the thickness of Greek yogurt automatically; no need to strain it.  I formerly used either all powdered non-fat milk (and water), or an addition of the dry non-fat milk powder into liquid whole milk.  For the last ten years or so, I have used liquid whole milk and additional whole milk powder.  I haven't gained any weight, so presume the extra calories consumed by using whole milk products are made up with the satiety of the product to preclude other caloric needs.

Today I have been practicing removing and replacing the Anti-Block Shield and the Sealing Ring.  Maybe by tomorrow I will be learned enough to tackle Page 17's "Initial Test Run" with water.  If I can master that, I may be able to cook something for real.  ;->  Rice pilaf is always welcomed.

I look forward to easy cooking with this unit in the Lazy Daze.

Virtual hugs,

Judie
 
Re: Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #42 –
With 50 years experience under your belt, I totally trust your expertise in Cultured Dairy Products. I'll apply your methods in whole or part to my next batch. It looks like you make yogurt just about every day, right?

Re the sterilizing step -- I do it because when I don't, the batch develops unwanted pretty colors within a few days. This may just be an artifact of my former life in Bakersfield, where you can actually SEE the air lol.

The sealing ring will, over time, absorb odors from food you cook in the Instant Pot. In everyone's experience so far, this does not transfer flavors into subsequent projects, though for peace of mind you can definitely invest in some spare gaskets. They now even have them in two colors -- one for sweet, one for savory.

fu
2015TK
fu
2015TK
Re: Re: Dutch Oven vs. Pressure Cooker vs. Thermal Pot
Reply #43 –
"It looks like you make yogurt just about every day, right? "

Not quite - maybe four or five times a week, depending on how much we eat during the day, other than what goes on our cooked whole-grain cereal six days a week.

The only thing I have changed from time to time is the incubation process.  All methods seem to have worked well, just variations in passage of time until "ready".  Apparently yogurt is eager to please.

In the early 60's, as a young bride, I used a warming tray (all the rage for hot hors d'oeuvres at the time) to keep the water surrounding my yogurt at the incubation temperature, but, as the years rolled by, I branched out with experimentations of all sorts.  One that worked well was a big pan of water in the sun.  The other method I utilized during not-day times was to put quart jars of hot water into a cooler with the yogurt, and put the cooler by the output of the refrigerator heat.  Probably a waste of time because the heat from the refrigerator was not likely to have penetrated the cooler, but it made me feel better.

A vacuum bottle works well and quickly, but then the finished product must be scraped out, which breaks the curd, producing a lot more whey.  The Salton brand yogurt maker with either eight- or sixteen-ounce cups were easy to do, but took up a lot of space, and provided a lot of opportunities for dishwashing.  I did two sets of small and one of large at the same time, so electrical outlets needed to be available in quantity.  (Husband, dogs, cats - all consumers of the finished product, and I had a lot of pets then.)

Before getting the thermal cooker, I used a cup warmer like one would keep on a desk to maintain coffee at a drinkable temperature, and an assortment of trivets, and a surround (and matching topknot)  made of Reflectix.  Very Rube Goldberg, but it traveled well, and needs very little electricity.  But the search was on for something that needed NO electricity - hence the thermal cooker.

I'd say that the thermal cooker (or the InstantPot not plugged in) produces the best product with the least fuss.  I have a nice quart-sized Pyrex bowl of a size that fits nicely in the cooker(s) and the refrigerator, full of yogurt that lasts a couple of days, and can start a new one after breakfast when the supply gets low.  I have three of the same-sized containers, so it is perfect!

Probably more than anyone wanted to know about my yogurt habits!  ;->

   Virtual hugs,

   Judie