We have limited resources in the van and we need to be mindful how we use our water, propane and electricity.  This is especially true for those of us not planning on staying in RV parks with full hookups very often.  we are still testing these systems on shorter trips to try and get a better understanding of capacity and limitations.  Did you know that electricity in the van is free and propane needs refilling?  Even if the cost for propane is low, free is still lower.

This can limit our cooking repertoire to some extent.  It is not very sustainable for us to cook meals that will need to simmer on the stove for a long time, or for example, ribs need to precook in the oven between 1-3 hours before they can go on the BBQ.  I also find that the range of temperature on the propane stove in he van is somewhat limited and it’s very hard to cook something on low temperature.  I really like to have a bit more control over the flame.  But here comes the Instant Pot to the rescue!  you can have the ribs on the grill within half an hour and they turn out fall-of-the-bone delicious!   Stew?  Half an hour! Pulled pork? Pulled Chicken?  Meatballs? Chili?Soup? Easy, tasty, and quick. You can even cook from frozen!  

We received an Instant Pot as a Christmas gift a few years ago and just loved it.  Naturally, one of the first things that we purchased for our Carado Banff was a 3 quart, mini version.   We are familiar with the induction plate and really like the speed at which it operates and how responsive it is to temperature change, so this was the number 2 kitchen appliance on our list.

The real beauty is that if you don’t want to put the extra strain on your batteries, you can find a secure place for the pot, plug it in, and put it to work while you are driving to your next destination!  When the pressure cooking is done it will automatically switch to “keep warm” and slowly release the pressure.  When you get to your destination, all you need to do is throw a salad together and your meal is ready with no strain on your batteries.  I wouldn’t use it this way at full capacity and only on smooth roads!

We position it in the sink if we want it cooking while we drive where it fits perfectly.  Just make sure not to fill it to maximum capacity, and avoid this method when driving on rough terrain.

What can go wrong when putting an electric appliance in water you ask?  Well, nothing really if you don’t fill up the sink with water, plug it in, and immerse the pot in the water.  The pot is very secure in there during travel, just use common sense!

Did we already say how much we love it?   You can sauté, steam, pressure cook, slow cook, make rice, make yogurt, and cakes.  Yes, cakes!  You can make almost anything in this magic pot!  I included below some ideas and some links to more recipe sources, so check them out, lots of ideas there!  There are also Amazon links to both the Instant Pot and the Induction plate so that you can get an idea of current prices, but do shop around as they go on sale often.

We chose the smaller size for the camper for several reasons.

• First, the larger one (we have the 6 quarts) produces a large amount of leftovers – AKA, freezables.  We have a tiny freezer in the van so obviously we wouldn’t want to produce too many portions that we we’ll not be able to store.
• Second, a smaller size pot will draw less electricity, a necessary consideration if you are not connected to shore power.  It also reaches pressure faster than its Mommy.
• Third reason is simply that the smaller size is easier to store in a campervan.  The larger versions of the  Instant Pot are very large.
• Fourth, it fits in the sink!  so it’s secure while travelling, but also for cleaning – the bigger version’s inner pot would be very difficult to wash in the tiny campervan’s sink.

Here it is in the upper cabinet.  It really doesn’t take up too much space.

We don’t have a good sense yet on how long our propane will last during regular use, and having the versatility to cook on gas or electricity makes sense to us. Especially when the weather gets colder and we will be using the propane heater more often.  We are getting the small portable induction plate to use on longer trips for the same reasons.

Both these gadgets will also be useful if you want to cook outside for whatever reason (heat and food smell come to mind).  There is a plug by the side door that you can connect to and you are ready to cook up a storm!

Here are are a couple of examples on how easy it is to convert cooking recipes to cooking with an Instant Pot

Stew – you can literally throw in there anything that you want with some water and spices and it will be delicious.

Like this:

• Throw any meat and veggies in the pot (you can sauté them in the pot first)
• add liquids
• add spices of your choice
• Close the lid, seal, and select stew.
• Your amazingly delicious stew will be ready in about half an hour.

Instant Pot Ribs:

• Cut ribs to portions that will be small enough fit the width of your pot
• Put half of your favorite BBQ recipe on the ribs
• Place one cup of water in the pot
• Stack the ribs and sauce on either directly in the water or on the small rack that comes with the pot
• select stew, set on seal, and let it cook for 35 minute
• remove and place on the BBQ.  Baste with the remaining BBQ sauce about 10 minutes on each side

There are lots of recipes online, just make sure to add ‘3 quarts’ to your Google search so your search will produce the right portions for the size of your pot.  Alternatively, you can halve the recipe.

Here are link to some examples:

58 Things You Can Cook in an Instant Pot

25 Easy Dinners You Can Cook in an Instant Pot 

3 Quart Mini Recipes

There are also several Facebook groups dedicated to Instant Pots:

Instant Pot 101 for Beginners

Instant Pot Community

Instant Pot Recipes Only

These links are to cooking time tables and adjusting according to elevation:

Adjusting Recipes

Cooking Time Chart

Make sure that you read the instructions very carefully, especially if you never used a pressure cooker before! There is heat, pressure, and steam, all of which can hurt you! 

BY THE NUMBERS:

• 3 Quart Instant Pot cost: C$70-100
• Induction Plate: C$ 50-100 (but there are also very expensive models if you want to splurge)

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