Aluminum is one of the best ways to preserve heat in oven-cooked food. It also works well on the stove, in air fryers, etc. But can you use aluminum in an instant pot? Let’s find out.
Instant Pots work great with aluminum foil. Not only is it safe for use, but you can also use it in different ways to achieve different results. Covering your food with foil can prevent it from dripping into the pot. On the other hand, it works wonderfully when you try to roast vegetables in an instant pot.
Aluminum comes in many shapes and forms when it comes to culinary activities. Are all of those safe to use in an instant pot? Additionally, what else can you do with an instant pot – that you didn’t know about? There might be a lot.
Can You Use Aluminum Foil Pans In The Instant Pot?
Aluminum foil is safe to use inside an instant pot. In the case of pans, however, you must be mindful of the area of the foil pan. In an instant pot, all pans and pots should fit loosely on the cooking rack.
As a matter of fact, any kind of kitchen foil is good to use in the instant pot. So, you can also use tin, silver, and aluminum foil.
If your choice of aluminum foil pan is smaller than the space inside the instant pot, you are good to go. Additionally, aluminum foil pans can help you place food inside the pot or take it out without spilling anything. The best use of aluminum foil in the instant pot is using it to expand the amount of space you can use inside it.
Can You Put Aluminum Foil In An Instant Pot Air Fryer?
An instant pot air fryer comes with the added air fryer feature. Because of the addition, it may seem like using aluminum foil is a bit risky. But you can still use aluminum foil inside the Instant Pot Air Fryer.
Cooking in the instant pot air fryer with aluminum foil can be a great option for many reasons. You do not have to clean the pot as often when you line it with foil. It can also be used to wrap the food to not let any heat out. Then again, you can use it as a baking sheet if you are whipping up something quickly in the instant pot.
How To Make An Aluminum Foil Trivet For Use In Instant Pot?
Aluminum foil trivets can act as a barrier between the end of the pot and you, giving you an efficient way of cooking. Using the trivet, you can keep food above the cooking liquid inside the instant pot. All you need to make an aluminum foil trivet is your hands and some aluminum foil.
To start, grab a roll of aluminum foil. The first step is to make sure that the foil is of good quality. Subpar aluminum foil has a risk of breaking down inside the pot, which can be dangerous and also a health hazard. Follow these step-by-step instructions to make your trivet for the instant pot.
Step 1
Take your high-quality aluminum foil. Take as big of a piece out of it as you can. The bigger it is, the heavier the trivet is going to be. Therefore, it will be easy to use as well. The piece should be 9 inches wide and 2 feet long at the least.
Step 2
Start by folding the foil lengthwise and making it thicker. Each time, use about 12 inch of foil for the folds. After you have several layers, the foil will be heavy enough to act as a trivet. So, make sure to make it as sturdy as possible.
Step 3
Make two similar foil folds. You can now place these at 90 degrees of each other or criss-cross between the rack and the cooking pot inside the instant pot. Afterward, leaving a bit of the trivet outside the pot will help you use it as a sling to take food or the pan out without dropping anything.
Using Foil To Make An Instant Pot Dinner
The instant pot is a great way to utilize your instant pot. You can even use it to cook a whole dinner inside the instant pot. Here is a step-by-step recipe that you can follow to make an instant pot dinner.
Ingredients
The list of ingredients that you will need for this recipe is as follows. Note that this recipe makes about 4-6 servings of food. So you may need to adjust the ingredient amounts to fit your needs.
- 1 12 oz package of fully cooked smoked sausages
- Half of a head of cabbage, prepped and sliced
- 12 small potatoes, cut as you like them
- 16 baby carrots
- Around 4 tablespoons of butter
- 1 medium onion
- A tsp of seasoned salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and other seasonings you like
- 1 bell pepper, prepared
Method
Follow these steps after preparing all your ingredients. You can cut or prep your ingredients according to your liking.
Step 1
Take a cup of water and fill the bottom of your instant pot. You can then place the trivet that came with your instant pot, or an aluminum foil trivet inside the pot.
Step 2
Take a 25-inch piece of foil. Place it in a bowl so you can put your ingredients inside. Take your cut-up onions, carrots, cabbage, pepper, salt, and other seasonings. Cut the butter up into small pieces and place it inside the foil. Finally, cut up the sausage into bite-sized pieces and toss it in to the foil.
Step 3
Take the edges of the foil and bring them up to form a packet-like structure. Crimp the edges together. After that, cover the top with more foil to make sure it is tightly sealed. Slowly, form your packet into a dense packet so it can fit well inside the instant pot. Place the packet on the trivet inside the instant pot.
Step 4
Place the packet properly. Then, cover it with the lid of the instant pot. The manual/pressure cook button should be set to 30 minutes. When the cooking is done, move the valve towards the vent to release pressure from the pot.
Step 5
Remove the instant pot lid completely. Use mittens or hot pads to take the packet out and place it on a tray that can handle the heat. After a couple of minutes, open the packet up and take its contents out. Then, you can scoop serving size amounts onto plates for eating. Feel free to garnish as you like.
For more info on safely using instant pots before sure to check out these instant pot FAQs.
The Other Hack To Use With Your Instant Pots: Pot-in-Pot
Using aluminum foil in an instant pot is a common hack now. Besides foil, what else can you do in an instant pot? There are hacks you can use to make your instant pot even more efficient for kitchen use, and make things easier for you.
Using Pot-in-pot Method
The pot-in-pot method is a method you can use to create a double boiler in your instant pot. In your instant pot, you have to place another rack or pot to cook your food in. The food in the top half of the instant pot is then cooked by the steam from the water at the bottom.
The most important step when you use the pot-in-pot method is to make sure the pan does not take up all of the space inside the pot. The steam has to have space to move and create pressure inside the pot. You can also use an aluminum trivet in your instant pot to help the pot-in-pot method be easier.
Conclusion
Aluminum foil is an essential part of any heat-based cooking or preparation. Can you use aluminum foil in the instant pot? Hopefully, you now know the answer is yes. There are many creative ways to use your instant pot – make sure to try everything out.
