Who wouldn’t want to come back home to a ready hot dinner after a long day? But the thought of spending hours soaking, scrubbing, and cleaning your instant pot afterward is daunting and exhausting. The situation can be even more frustrating if you have cooked a creamy sauce recipe.
But there’s an easy solution to this; the slow cooker liner! Slow cooker liners are plastic sheets used to cover the base of your pot so that the food doesn’t contact the pot while cooking. They are perfect if you want to avoid all the cleaning after cooking.
But wait, can you use a slow cooker liner in an instant pot? The answer is, yes, you can. But you must do it properly, which is explained thoroughly in the following article.
What are the slow cooker liners made of?
Mostly the slow cooker liners are made of heavy-duty nylon resin. They are made in such a way that they don’t catch fire. They are heat resistant and designed to not melt while slow cooking.
While the debate about ‘using plastic in food preparations is harmful’ goes a long way, most of these liners are Food And Drug Administration (FDA) approved. These liners don’t have Bisphenol A (BPA); hence they are non-toxic.
However, different brands use different materials to manufacture these liners. It is advised that you read the labels of these products before buying. We will be mentioning some of the brands that are safe to use at the end of the article, so read on.
How to use slow cooker liners in an instant pot?
These liners are easy to use. They are used in instant pots just as you would use them in crock pots. You can use them in these simple steps:
- Cover/line the instant pot with one of the slow cooker liners. Pat and settle the liner properly to add all the ingredients to it easily.
- Fold the edges of the liner on the outside of the pot so that it sits firmly.
- Add all the ingredients to the liner and close the lid of the pot.
- Set the instant pot to the slow cooker function and choose for how long you want to cook the meal.
- Open the lid of the pot after your meal is cooked. Take out the liner, transfer the food from the liner into a container and dispose of the liner.
Now that you know how to use the slow cooker liner in the instant pot try it at home and let us know in the comments below!
Can you reuse slow cooker liners?
No, slow cooker liners can only be used one time. After you’re done cooking food, you have to dispose of the slow cooker liner. Reusing the one-time use liners may raise concerns about the plastic chemicals mixing into the food.
However, silicone liners are available that can be reused and are completely safe.
What are the benefits of using slow cooker liners?
Slow cooker liners not only save you from spending hours scrubbing and cleaning your instant pot but it also helps in transferring food easily into other containers. Slow cooker liners help you save time from cleaning your pot for hours to get rid of the residue smell.
Moreover, two different meals can also be cooked simultaneously using the slow cooker liners. Put all the ingredients in two different liners and place them in the instant pot!
Are slow cooker liners expensive?
Different brands sell slow cooker liners for different prices. They may range from $3 for 4 liners to $2 for 5 liners. Since these liners are not reusable, there is an extra cost to every meal you cook. So you may not prefer using these liners for everyday cooking.
Are oven bags the same as slow cooker liners?
Oven bags and slow cooker liners are both made to withstand high temperatures. They are made up of the same material. The only difference between the two is that slow cooker liners have a wider opening and oven bags have a narrower opening. The oven bags and slow cooker liners can be used in an instant pot.
Can plastic bags be used instead of slow cooker liners?
No, it is extremely harmful to use plastic bags for slow cooking. Plastic bags are made to store and freeze leftover food. Slow cooker liners are made to hold high temperatures, while plastic bags would immediately melt and mix with food. Plastic bags are highly toxic when used for slow cooking. Therefore, plastic bags must never be used instead of slow cooker liners for cooking.
Which slow cooker liner brand is safe?
Reynolds kitchens slow cooker liners and Kooc slow cooker liners are safe and reliable. They come in different sizes and are safe for low, medium, and high settings. They easily fit round and oval pots. Since they are made of nylon-resin, these liners are BPA-free, non-toxic, and FDA approved.
Conclusion
Slow cooker liners are most definitely help when it comes to the aftermath of cooking. They not only can be used for crock pots but also for instant pots. You only have to make sure that you use the liners only when you choose the slow cook function in the instant pot and not for any other function.
While the liners are handy and helpful, can they be used for every slow-cooked meal? If you don’t mind the extra cost adding up to every slow-cooked meal, yes, they can.
Try out a recipe using the slow cooker liners in your instant pot, and let us know in the comments!