Are you as obsessed as me with those cute little ceramic ramekins? We all know that ramekins are multi-purpose, heat-resistant bowls that can amp up your food presentation!
Ramekins are oven safe, but are they safe to use in instant pots? This article will explain how to use these ceramic beauties in an instant pot.
What Is The Purpose Of a Ramekin?
Ramekins are small bowls or dishes used to serve single potion sizes of food or dessert. They are made of ceramic or porcelain. Since both materials are tolerant to high temperatures, these bowls are rendered safe to use in ovens and instant pots.
These bowls come in various sizes ranging from 2 ounces to 32 ounces; however, if you have to pick one, you may want to invest in the 6 ounces bowl. This size is perfect for making individual servings of desserts and dips. If you want to bake pies in it, a 32-ounce ramekin will be a good buy.
Is It Safe To Use Ramekins In An Instant Pot?
An instant pot works on the principle of a pressure cooker. The pressure is generated due to the steam produced in the pot.
When using an instant pot for cooking, people frequently experience confusion when selecting containers or pots. One must be aware of the proper materials employed when cooking in these enormous pots due to the immense pressure that generates inside them when they are in use.
To answer the above question, using ramekin in an instant pot is safe. Using ramekins to cook in the multi-purpose pot is a game changer!
How To Use Ramekins In an Instant Pot?
Although using Ramekins for cooking is relatively straightforward, a few safety measures must be taken to ensure no mishaps.
Let’s look at a few things one must keep in mind while using these miniature bowls.
1. Water Level
An instant cooker works on the principle of steam cooking; hence, water is a must. If the water level is inappropriate, the pressure will not get built. If the pressure is not high, the water will not boil, so the cooking will not take place.
Hence, add at least 1 and a half cups of water to the instant pot to avoid burning the food.
2. Check the seal valve.
A sealing valve is present to release excess pressure. If the goal is to cook food, one must ensure that the valve is sealed tight to prevent pressure loss.
If the valve is loose, the pressure inside the cooker will not rise, so the food will not be cooked. Hence, double-check those valves!
3. Post-cooking cleaning
Once your food is ready, the pot needs to be cleaned thoroughly. If left unattended for a long time, it can retain stains and spills and harden over time. It will, in turn, ruin your multi-pot and reduce the life span of your equipment.
Baking with Ramekins
We all love good soufflé, muffins, cakes, and flans! All of this can be made very conveniently in a Ramekin.
Step 1: While using a ramekin for baking, you may want to grease the inner sides of the bowl to avoid charring the sides.
Step 2: Once the containers are greased, you can pour in the mixture.
Step 3: Add 2 cups of water to the instant pot to promote steam generation.
Step 4: Place the cooking rack inside the pot to ensure the ramekins are at a safe height from the water.
Caution: Avoid submerging the bowls in the water.
Step 5: Place the bowls on the rack uniformly.
Step 6: Close the lid and check the valves.
Step 7: Load in the setting, and you are done!
Cooking with Ramekins
Craving a well bakes lasagne or pasta? You can cook them in an instant pot!
The pot-in-a-pot approach is one of the best methods to cook food using ramekins. Using this method, one can cook individual potion-size food.
Step 1: While using a ramekin for cooking, you may want to be careful. Ensure the ramekin is not cold; otherwise, it will crack under pressure.
Step 2: Add at least a cup of water to the inner pot to promote steam generation.
Step 3: Once the water level is set, place the trivet stand inside the pot.
Step 4: Add the ingredient to the ramekin. If you use a ramekin that is more than 12 ounces, add an aluminum sling before putting it in the pot. It will help you pull out the bowl when the food is ready.
Step 5: Place the bowls on the rack uniformly.
Step 6: Close the lid and check the valves.
Step 7: Set the timer, and you are good to go!
Advantages and Disadvantages of Pressure Cooking
Investing in an instant pot can be expensive; hence, you might want to read the pros and cons of pressure cooking before purchasing one.
Advantages:
1. Reduced Cooking Time
Cooking in an instant pot can drop your cooking time by a whopping 70%! Since the steam is trapped inside under pressure, the food gets cooked quickly.
2. Easy to clean
Since the food is cooked in one pan, the utensils used while preparing the food are significantly reduced; furthermore, since the pot comes with a tightly sealed lid, the mess created due to spillage is wholly avoided.
3. Nutrients and Flavours are retained.
We are all struggling to eat healthy and flavourful food! These instant pots retain the nutrients and vitamins in the food since the pot is sealed while cooking.
Disadvantages:
1. Cannot check food progress
Since all the ingredients are added together and sealed, one cannot check the progress of the food. Since you cannot open the lid while the process is going on, one cannot add ingredients on the go in an instant pot.
2. Needs Practice
Unlike conventional cooking pots and pans, using these electric pots can be tricky. It may take some time to understand the functioning and operation of these gigantic pots.
3. Expensive
Even though they have many advantages, these pots are not cost-effective.
FAQs!
Can ramekins be used for steaming?
Yes. By stacking ramekins using a trivet, you can use it for making steamed food items like momos.
What are Instapots suitable for?
Instapots are suitable for cooking various food items, from baked eggs to custards. A significant advantage of cooking in these pots is saving cooking time.
Can I put ceramic in Instant Pot?
Yes, you can safely use ceramics in instant pots. Since ceramics have high temperature and pressure tolerance, they will not crack inside the instant pot.
Takeaway
If you have an instant pot, ramekins might be a valuable addition to your kitchen. They are simple to use and stack, making it possible to prepare many different foods.
They can tolerate the high pressure generated inside the pots; hence they can work well in ovens and instant pots.
I hope you found this helpful article. Please write in the comment section if you have any more queries.