Properties of Vegetable and Olive Oil

Is It Safe to Mix Together Different Oils?

How to Mix Vegetable Oil and Olive Oil?

Conclusion

TLDR: Yes, you can. For flavor, affordability, or you just ran out of one or the other, it’s OK. However, don’t mix if you are frying, as olive oil has a lower smoke point and isn’t always suitable.

All oils are different. They have a different flavor, thickness, smoking point, nutritional profile, and many other properties that make them unique. Because of this, there’s an ongoing debate in the culinary and scientific community on what’s the healthiest or best oil for different purposes.

Interestingly, there isn’t one superior oil that would be the magic answer to everything. In fact, the healthiest oil, the best oil for deep frying, or the most suitable oil for baking are all entirely different answers. And, for each oil, there are both advantages and downsides. 

So, naturally, people began asking, “Can you mix different oils?” Is this a way to get the best out of two or more oils? And, you might be surprised to hear that this is done more often than you think. In fact, vegetable oil is a term that describes a specific blend of plant-based oils.

However, just because you can mix oils, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a good idea to mix vegetable and olive oil. There are many things that you need to consider before making a decision. 

In this article, we’ll talk about the nutritional properties of both vegetable and olive oil, discuss what they’re most suitable for, and then see when it might be a good idea to mix them and how to do it safely. 

Properties of Vegetable and Olive Oil

There are many reasons why you might want to mix vegetable and olive oil. Maybe you want a healthier alternative than regular vegetable oil, or you might want to make olive oil more suited for deep frying? Either way, to truly understand what you can expect each oil to contribute to the mix, we need to discuss each oil’s nutritional and chemical properties individually.

Everything You Need To Know About Vegetable Oil

The term vegetable oil can be applied to any cooking oil that’s derived from a plant-based source. These oils are most commonly extracted from seeds or other parts of fruits. The most famous examples of vegetable oils include olive oil, palm oil, canola oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, grape seed oil, and more.

Vegetable Oil as a Product

However, in our context, the term vegetable oil is used to describe a specific type of cooking oil that’s labeled “vegetable oil” – a label you can find on many bottles in supermarkets worldwide.

So, what exactly is vegetable oil as a brand or product you can buy?

Bottled vegetable oil has traditionally been made almost exclusively from soybeans. However, today, you’re most likely to find brands that use a specific blend of soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, palm oil, and corn oil. Because of this, it’s not justified to say that vegetable oil equals soybean oil.

The uncertain or variable nature of vegetable oils makes things a little bit more tricky when answering whether it’s okay to mix vegetable and olive oil. Surely, we’re not talking about mixing pure soybean oil. Therefore, to be specific and accurate, you need to know the exact blend of oils and their concentration in your vegetable oil to understand how it reacts with olive oil.

But for the sake of simplicity, here we’ll discuss the most typical characteristics of most vegetable oil products.

Properties of Vegetable Oil

Almost all vegetable oil products are highly refined oils because the goal is to produce an affordable and neutral oil with a very high smoke point – oil suitable for frying.

Commonly, vegetable oil products are a blend of soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower seed oil, and palm oil. The concentrations vary, but soybeans are still considered to dominate most blends. Because of this, vegetable oil mainly consists of saturated fatty acids (FAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Blends that have a higher concentration of saturated FAs are more stable at high temperatures (suitable for frying), but are more hazardous to our health.

The smoke point of vegetable oils is usually around 400-450°F (204-230°C), which is more than enough for deep frying, let alone other cooking methods.

To conclude, vegetable oil is a very affordable cooking oil that’s great for deep frying because it has a high smoke point and it’s very neutral in taste. However, it’s not really nutritious, and high amounts of saturated FAs can make it an unhealthy choice – especially if used beyond deep frying.

Everything You Need To Know About Olive Oil

Olive oil is the Mediterranean gem and a staple in Mediterranean cuisine, which is also one of the healthiest diets with proven benefits for cardiovascular and many other chronic diseases. Does this mean that olive oil is the healthiest oil to consume and cook with? Yes and no.

Properties of Olive Oil

Some of the benefits associated with olive oil include:

• 73% of the total oil content is monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid) which is known to reduce inflammation in the body.
• Olive oil is very nutritious and rich in antioxidants, especially extra virgin olive oil.
• Olive has anti-inflammatory properties that work similarly to ibuprofen. 
• Olive oil might protect against stroke and heart diseases.
• Some preliminary studies find beneficial effects of olive oil against Alzheimer’s disease.

The list goes on as olive oil has been linked to many other health benefits.

Therefore olive oil is the best choice for health, without a doubt. However, there are many other things to consider.

First, olive oil is a lot more expensive than vegetable oil. Therefore, cooking with olive oil can put a strain on people’s budgets. 

Second, olive oil has a relatively strong taste that many might not like. Some say that tasting olive oil is like tasting a wine – the taste is intense but depends a lot on the olives from which it has been extracted. It can definitely affect the taste of the food, so keep this in mind.

Third, olive oil, especially unrefined extra virgin olive oil, has a relatively low smoke point. To be more specific, the smoke point of different types of olive oil include:

• Extra virgin olive oil: 325-410°F (163-210°C);
• Light/Refined olive oil: 425-465°F (218-241°C).

Of course, to enjoy all the health benefits of olive oil, you should choose the extra virgin olive oil type, which is most suitable for sauteing, baking, as a finishing oil, for salad dressings, and marinades. Having said that, if you’re looking for an oil to fry, then you should choose refined olive oil as it’s more stable at high cooking temperatures.

Is It Safe to Mix Together Different Oils?

In the beginning, we mentioned that mixing different oils for various purposes is a longstanding practice in the culinary world. In fact, vegetable oil alone is a blend of several different plant-derived oils.

So, it’s safe to assume that mixing together different oils is okay in most cases. Still, there might be some exemptions. To be sure that you’re making the right choice for your meals, we need to answer another question: Why do you want to mix vegetable and olive oil? Are you trying to make a healthier blend that won’t strain your pocket? Are you trying to make olive oil more suitable for deep frying?

In other words, whether mixing vegetable and olive oil makes sense and it’s a good idea depends on your personal reasons for this decision. So, let’s see in what circumstances it’s okay to mix vegetable and olive oil.

Why Mix Different Oils?

Most people want to combine vegetable and olive oil because of health and financial benefits, both of which are smart reasons to mix two oils. However,  mixing the oils will also impact the smoking point and taste, which is not always the best outcome.

Mixing for Flavor: Great Idea!

The biggest advantage of mixing vegetable and olive oil is flavor. Olive oil has a strong and unique flavor that is absorbed in the food when cooking. This can significantly alter the taste of the meal. Most people do not like how olive oil tastes, but still want to enjoy the health benefits associated with it. If this is you, then adding vegetable oil to our olive oil can be a smart solution. It will definitely make the taste more neutral and won’t be noticeable when cooking with it.

Mixing for Affordability: Good Idea!

Another reason to mix olive oil is price. Unless we’re talking about exotic oil such as avocado oil, pistachio oil, and pumpkin seed oil, then unrefined olive oil is one of the most expensive on the market. 

In the US, one bottle of olive oil is usually around $7 to $8, while vegetable oil can be found at a price of around $3 to $5 (depending on location).

And, while this might not be a big expense if you’re using the oil primarily as a dressing or as part of healthy recipes, frying with olive oil changes things! 

If you’re a person who enjoys deep-fried foods, then bathing your food in olive oil can ramp up monthly expenses. This also applies to marinating recipes. Therefore, mixing it with vegetable oil is a good choice, although you might also consider using vegetable oil for frying and olive oil as a dressing.

Mixing for Increasing the Smoking Point: Bad Idea!

A common misconception is that mixing two oils with different smoking points will increase the smoking point of the oils that are less resilient to heat. However, this is entirely untrue! Mixing two oils won’t alter the smoking point.

Let’s take vegetable oil and extra virgin olive oil as examples. The smoking point of vegetable oil is 400-450°F (204-230°C), while extra virgin olive oil has a smoking point of around 325-410°F (163-210°C). To safely deep fry, you need an oil with a smoking point above 350°F (176°C), which is more than that of extra virgin olive oil. Therefore, adding vegetable oil will produce a mixture with a smoking point that’s an average of vegetable oil and extra virgin olive oil, right? No!

The oil molecules of the lower oil type in the mixture, in our case extra virgin olive oil, will begin to degrade earlier than those molecules of the higher oil type (vegetable oil). Each oil will burn at its own smoking point. This still might be better than cooking with oil past its smoking point, but it’s not worth it.

On top of that, if we take into consideration that oils degrade following each heating cycle, then it makes no sense to use an oil with a relatively low smoking point for frying. In this case, it’s better to use pure vegetable oil.

Mixing for Health: Bad Idea!

Unless money is an issue, consuming pure olive oil is always better than mixing the two. Unless we’re talking about deep-frying, then using pure vegetable oil is better (as we explained above). Still, mixing the two is not a good idea.

Consuming a mixture of olive oil and vegetable oil will decrease the amount of antioxidants and vitamins you’ll consume from the olive oil, which in turn will decrease the beneficial effects of the olive oil.

How to Mix Vegetable Oil and Olive Oil?

Now that you know the advantages and disadvantages of mixing vegetable and olive oil, you can make an informed decision on which oil to use for your next meal. And, if it’s for taste, affordability, or you’re simply low on one and want to mix them to finish cooking, then here’s how to do it.

The first step is to check the label on your vegetable oil and see the ingredients. This will tell you which oils (and what concentration) your vegetable oil is composed of. While not necessarily essential, this information will give you a better idea about your oil’s properties and nutritional value.

The second step is to try mixing a tbsp of each in a small container to check the density. Usually, the density of vegetable and olive oil is more or less the same, so you should be able to mix them without separation. However, depending on the vegetable oil brand, it’s best to try with a very small quantity before ruining a large amount of both oils. This is because oils with a very different densities might not mix well together and separate.

If the test goes well, mix together 1/4 of olive oil with vegetable oil and check whether the taste is to your liking and adjust accordingly.

Another way to mix the oils is to begin cooking with vegetable oil, then lower the temperature and add olive oil as a final touch. You can also cook with vegetable oil and add olive oil after the cooking, if the recipe allows for that, of course.

Finally, be mindful about the temperature and cook for longer with a lower temperature whenever you use olive oil – regardless of the quantity used in the mixture.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why one might think to mix vegetable oil and olive oil. Sometimes, that’s as simple as running out of one type of oil, so you want to finish with the other instead of running to the store.

The good news is that mixing vegetable oil and olive oil is safe and won’t hurt you in most cases – with the exception of deep-frying (cooking at very high temperatures). However, just because you can mix these two types of oils, it doesn’t mean that you should. Sometimes mixing them together is a bad idea.

To help you decide, we shared the nutritional and chemical properties of both oils. Then, we took a deep dive, examining some of the most common reasons for mixing vegetable oil and olive oil and seeing whether that’s a good idea.

Overall, we’ve concluded that mixing the two for flavor and affordability is generally a good idea. Vegetable oil can help neutralize the intense flavor of olive oil and make your cooking more affordable.

On the other hand, mixing the two for health reasons or artificially increasing olive oil’s smoking point is a bad idea. The latter won’t work and can make the mixture more harmful to your health versus simply cooking with vegetable oil, especially if you plan to use the mix in multiple heating cycles (re-using the oil).

There’s nothing better than making your own sausage. Not only because you can choose your favorite meat and cook it based on your preferences, but also because you can flavor it how you want. The spices are where the magic is in the sausage-making business. And making your own sausage is in fact easier than you may have thought it would be.

In this article we’ll go over how you can make a sausage from start to finish and talk about each step in-depth, so by the time you’re done reading, you may be a sausage expert in the making. We’ll discuss how you can pick the right casings, how to flavor the sausage, and many other steps in between which if you follow, you’ll end up with the tastiest sausage you’ve ever made.

The Prep Before You Start Making Your Homemade Sausages

There are some preparations that you need to do before you start making your sausages, and we’ll cover those first.

Mise-en-Place

Mise-en-place is an important French culinary phrase that covers the preparation process or putting everything in place before you start cooking, and that’s the first step towards making your sausages. The process includes:

• Reading the entire recipe;
• Preparing the workspace;
• Gathering the equipment;
• Gathering the ingredients;
• Preparing the ingredients and placing them in bowls.

The Meat

After you’ve collected all the ingredients in one place, it’s time to prep the meat. An essential step when handling meat is keeping both the meat and the equipment as cold as possible before you start stuffing the sausages. This makes sure that your meat grinder or stuffer nozzle doesn’t clog up as you try to make your sausages. To keep the meat cold, simply keep it in the refrigerator until the very last moment, or even place it in the freezer for 15 minutes before you start making the sausages.

The Sausage Casings

Another key ingredient apart from the meat is the sausage casings which come in two varieties, natural casings, and synthetic casings, and each needs to be prepared accordingly.

The natural casings should be soaked in cold water for about 30 minutes in order to remove the excess salt before you start making the sausages. Afterward you need to rinse them thoroughly under cold water and go through the whole casing by placing the end of the casing under the faucet and filling it up like a balloon. Then you need to push the water from one end to the end of the other with your hands, and your casings will be squeaky clean.

Synthetic casings, on the other hand, need much less work before you can start filling them with the sausage meat as you only need to soak them in water for about 5 minutes. This makes the casings pliable and easier to fill once you have the filling ready.

Generally, you would use casings with a 21-23 mm diameter for smaller stuffer tubes, while for larger stuffer tubes you’d opt for the 28-30mm diameter casings.

How to Stuff Sausage Casings

If you’ve never tried making your own sausages, this process may seem a bit elaborate, but it’s definitely gonna be worth it. Follow the steps below to make the most delicious homemade sausages that you’ve ever tried.

Chopping and Grinding the Meat

The first step after you’ve done the mise-en-place, rinsed the casings, and chilled the meat is chopping the meat and preparing it to go in the grinder. For this step, you need to take your meat out of the fridge or freezer and cut it into 1-inch pieces. After that, you can return it to the fridge until it’s time to grind it.

After it’s properly chilled and you have your grinder ready to go, you can take the meat out of the fridge and start grinding it. Use the coarse attachment to get a chunky texture or the fine attachment for an integrated texture. Return the meat to the fridge after you’ve ground it.

The Spices

Make your favorite spice blend and combine them with garlic and a small amount of either vinegar, water, or wine depending on which you prefer. If you’re adding mustard powder or paprika, first combine the liquid with the mustard, add the paprika, and then add the other spices. This step will ensure that all the herbs, spices, and salts are well incorporated in the meat. Mix the meat and spices by hand, and you’re ready for the next step.

The Taste Test

Before you start stuffing the sausages, it’s time for the taste test. Get your frying pan out and cook a bit of the sausage filling. After it’s done, try it and check whether the mixture has enough spices, salt, and add more if necessary. If you’re satisfied with the result, proceed to the nest step.

Emulsification

Some types of sausages and meat products require that you emulsify the meat and create a meat paste that you’ll stuff in the casing. For this you’ll need your food processor and a few ice cubes to balance out the heat that the equipment will produce. Place your meat and ice cubes in the food processor and process the mixture in ½ pound batches for about 1 minute per batch. Place the mixture in the fridge once more.

Its Stuffing Time

Take your sausage stuffer out, place it on your workstation, and add a sheet pan under the stuffer to catch the drippings. Apply vegetable or canola oil to the nozzle to make sure that the meat doesn’t stick to the nozzle once you start pushing the sausage. Take the sausage filling out of the fridge, and you’re ready to stuff some sausages.

Take the end of the casing and place it around the stuffer nozzle. Put the meat in the stuffer and start pushing the meat until it’s poking out of the nozzle end. Tie the knot at the end of the casing, and then you can start pushing the meat mixture inside the casing. Make sure that you push it slow and steady to prevent your casing from ripping apart.

During this step, you need to also be aware of some air pockets that may form on the sausages. Don’t worry about them. Remember not to pack the meat too tightly when making a coil because you may not be able to divide them into individual sausages effectively. And in just a few minutes, you’ll have your sausages ready.

Snipping and Twisting

The last step is separating the individual sausages. To do this, redistribute the meat evenly across the casing if you see that the sausage isn’t even throughout the whole length of the casing. Then pinch sausage links every 4, 6, or 8 inches and twist the 1st and 3rd link in the same direction throughout the length to twist 3 links at the same time. Finally, it’s time to snip the sausages by cutting between the links.

Final Thoughts

While sausage-making isn’t very difficult as you may have concluded after reading the previous articles, it really takes both dedication and having a nice spice blend to make the perfect sausage. However, the star of the show will always be the meat, so purchasing high-quality meat is imperative. Each step is essential to getting the best possible sausage out of your meat.

Finally, you can take your grill out and give yourself the opportunity to enjoy your homemade sausage as it should be enjoyed – grilled to perfection. We hope you enjoy the process and that the end result is according to your liking. And if your sausages turned out to be a hit, why not invite some friends over so you can share your culinary masterpiece with them. Have a nice meal!

Deep-fried food is basically everyone’s guilty pleasure. Although we know that it’s not the best type of cuisine health-wise, everyone will agree that there is basically no food that doesn’t taste better after some deep frying.

But what are all the different methods and dishes you can use for deep frying? Is it possible to deep fry in an instant pot? These are the questions we’ll be tackling in this article. Stay tuned to find out whether you can use your instant pot for deep frying.

Frying Food Methods

There are several different methods to fry your food. For example, you can shallow fry. For this, use the deepest standard cooking pan you have (if it’s too shallow, the oil will splatter everyone around the pan). For this, you need to add some oil to the pan, heat it up a notch, and add the food you want to deep fry. Turn the food regularly to cook it evenly.

On the other hand, you can also do pressure frying. This method is a variation of pressure cooking. What happens is that you are bringing the cooking oil and the food that you want to deep fry to a very high temperature, but the pressure is held high, which ultimately leads to food being done faster, and the food will generally be very warm and very juicy once done.

Finally, there is deep frying which is usually done either in a deep pot or in a deep fryer (yes, there is a special dish for that). All you need to do is put enough oil in a pot and then submerge the item you wish to cook in the oil.

Instant Pot

So, you have purchased an instant pot, but you’re not sure what can you do with it, and what are the best ways to use it?

Well, an instant pot is a type of multicooker. That means that it has a variety of ways that you can make use of it. An instant pot can replace a variety of other pots, so it’s a great choice if you want to save up both money and space in your kitchen. It’s an all-in-one type of appliance you can use to make slow-cooked food, for cooking rice, steaming your vegetables, sauteing, or simply warming your food.

This type of pot is a relatively new solution, as it was introduced for the first time in 2010, yet, by now, many different models have been introduced to the market, and people are using instant pots for a variety of purposes. The sizes usually range from 3 to 8 quarts.

Can You Deep Fry in an Instant Pot

As you saw in the previous paragraph, there are not too many things that you can’t do with your instant pot. However, deep-frying is one of those things that you can’t use your instant pot for.

This type of pot is simply not intended to be used as a deep fryer. It seems feasible to just put oil in the pot and set it up so that it doesn’t use any pressure while cooking (in case it’s also a pressure cooker), however, it’s still not the best use that you can make of your instant pot.

The problem here is even bigger if you are dealing with an electric pressure cooker, and if you put a large amount of oil inside and heat it up to a very high temperature, it can result in a fire. It’s not certain to happen, but there is a certain risk of the pot scorching and being set on fire, and that’s a kind of risk most of us simply shouldn’t take.

One more thing to have in mind is that any instant pot, especially if it’s also a pressure cooker, is meant to only use water and steam while working. Adding any oil and heating it up is already contrary to the safety recommendations.

In addition, valves for emergency pressure release along with some other features might not operate properly if there is oil involved, which can ultimately result in unwanted accidents.

Another reason why deep-frying is not a very good idea with instant pots is that you actually can’t get the pot hot enough to deep fry the food. If you’d try to prepare fries in your instant pot, you’d very likely end up with some poorly boiled, too soft potato pieces. No matter how high you set the temperature up, you won’t get the oil to the desired temperature to fry your meal. You will probably end up poorly cooking your meal, damaging the pot, or even completely destroying it.

Cooking in boiling oil takes too much time and requires a lot of care and attention. Cleaning the instant pot after such an activity can be very difficult, or even impossible after repeated trials.

Conclusion

Using an instant pot to deep fry may seem like a good solution. E.g. covering a chicken in batter, putting it in an instant pot, and heating it up – sounds simple and effortless. Many people had this idea: why wouldn’t I use my instant pot like a deep fryer, since it already has such a versatile use.

The reality is that you can’t use the instant pot like a deep fryer, as it’s impossible to achieve a satisfyingly high temperature to actually fry the food, and also, it’s dangerous. You can damage the pot to the extent that it’s useless, or even worse, set fire to your home.

Deep frying requires a special type of pot, as cooking in boiled oil requires a certain depth of the pot, but also, resistance to heat, and ability to heat up to high temperatures.

However, with the instant pot, there are so many recipes you can try, that will make you forget deep frying. Deep-fried food is truly far from a healthy option, which is why it’s extremely tasty. Luckily, preparing food in an instant pot will make other food preparation methods just as tasty.

Is it just us or there’s something magical about deep-fried foods? Whether we’re talking about french fries, onion rings, chicken wings, or fish sticks, deep frying adds a signature flavor and a delicious crunchy texture that always leaves you craving for more.

Yet, trying to recreate KFC’s fried chicken is a slippery slope. There are so many things that can affect the result. Many end up disappointed when they realize that the flavor and texture are a bit off. So, what can you do to become a true frying master?

The first thing you should look at is the oil. Since the food is completely submerged in the oil for the entire cooking process, the properties and flavor of the oil can significantly impact how the food tastes.

Another issue is the price and healthiness of frying oils. You might have heard that avocado oil is very healthy, but is it worth it when you have to pay around $8 for a cup? Is there a healthy alternative that won’t cost an arm and a leg?

To address all these questions, we’ll review and rank the most popular oils for deep frying. This will help you decide what’s the best oil for your deep fryer. Whether you’re looking for a healthier, tastier, or cheaper option, we have your back.

How Can Oil Affect Food in a Deep Fryer?

To be able to make a smart decision, you need to understand how the properties of oils can affect the food’s quality and taste. Can some oils make the food crispier? Can others make the food taste weird?

Yes to all, but there’s more. There are several different ways in which the oil affects the food that you need to consider.

Smoke Point

The first consideration refers to the oil’s smoke point. And, this is something that’s commonly discussed over the internet. The smoke point is the temperature at which the oil begins to break down and burn. By burning, we mean that the oil’s chemical composition is altered and potentially toxic molecules are being released. When this happens, the oil gets a bad taste, but more importantly, it makes the food unhealthy.

Taste Naturality

The second consideration is associated with the oil’s taste naturality. Unlike the smoke point, taste naturality does not affect the food’s quality, but it’s very important for flavor. Different oils are more or less suited for different food types. However, we also need to consider that taste is subjective. What some people might enjoy, others might find repulsive. For this reason, the best oils for deep frying are usually the ones that have a very natural taste. This allows for the flavor of the food ingredients to be accented and removes the possibility of flavor mixing.

Nonetheless, we’ll include the taste of each oil we review as some people might want to experiment with different tastes.

Nutritional Profile of Oils

The third consideration is the nutritional profile of oils, which affect the food’s quality i.e health and safety. Different oils have different compositions of fats (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated (PUFAs), etc.) that react very differently under high temperatures. For instance, even though PUFAs are considered healthy fat, because of their composition, they’re unstable when heated. This means that they break down at high temperatures releasing some harmful chemicals. For these reasons, oils with low amounts of PUFAs are better for deep-frying.

Additionally, oils vary in their caloric density, antioxidant profile, and other nutritional values, so make sure to factor in these things as well.

Cooking Practices

Last but not least, the taste and quality of food depend on how often you change the oil and what you cook with it. This one is a no-brainer, but you might be surprised to learn that even cooking only twice with the same oil can sometimes be disastrous. Does this mean that you need to change the oil after each use? No, but there are a few things you need to consider.

Cooking any food inside the oil will leave residue, especially when we’re talking about taste. Therefore, the second meal’s flavor will be affected by the first meal. Before we wrap up this article, we’ll explain in greater detail how often you should change the oil and what type of food should never be cooked one after another in the same oil.

The Best Oil for Deep Frying

Now that you know what you need to factor in to choose the best oil for your deep-fryer, let’s review the most popular oils for deep frying.

Vegetable Oil – Best Overall

You may be surprised, but the cheapest oil for deep frying is also the best one – vegetable oil. This is what most restaurants and companies in the food industry use. It’s also what you’ll find as the number one recommendation everywhere on the internet.

There are several reasons why vegetable oil stands out from the others.

First, vegetable oil has a very high smoking point. It’s labeled as a high heat oil, with a smoke point between 400° and 450° (depending on the brand).

Second, vegetable oil is highly refined oil which means that it’s very taste neutral. Unrefined oils, although healthier and better for salad dressings or low heat meals, usually have a very intense flavor – think extra virgin olive oil or virgin coconut oil. And, we’ve already discussed the benefits of taste naturally when choosing an oil for deep frying.

Third, it’s cost-effective. In other words, vegetable oil is usually one of the cheapest options on the market and can be reused several times making it even more cost-effective. If we consider that you need a large volume of oil to deep-fry, the price is not an insignificant matter.

The downside to deep frying with vegetable oil is that it’s not very healthy. It does have a high smoking point, which is good, but unfortunately, it also has a high amount of unsaturated fats, which tend to oxidize at high temperatures. But, how big of a problem this is will depend on the exact mix of oils used in the vegetable oil. So, make sure to check out the ingredient label before buying vegetable oil. This is especially important for people with allergies. Let’s explain a little bit more.

What Exactly Is Vegetable Oil?

The term vegetable oil can be applied to all oils extracted from seeds or from other parts of fruits. This includes but it’s not limited to soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, olive oil, palm oil, canola oil, and more. However, in this context, we’re talking about the label “vegetable oil” on oil bottles in a supermarket.

What’s the difference?

Commercially produced vegetable oil is most commonly a mix of highly refined plant-derived oils such as corn oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil. These oils are blended together in different concentrations for maximum cost-effectiveness, naturality, and to manipulate the smoke point.

Yet, depending on the brand and particular mix some can be better than others. For instance, avoid brands that use palm oil, especially in high concentrations.

Olive Oil – Healthiest Oil

Our second pick for deep frying is olive oil, especially for people who want the best of the best regardless of price.

The smoke point of olive oil depends on refinement. Regular olive oil has a smoke point of about 240°C whilst extra virgin olive oil is around 190°C. Also, regular olive oil (refined) has a more natural taste, although its flavor and fragrance are known to affect the taste of the food.

To conclude, we recommend olive oil because it’s healthy. It has a very high amount of antioxidants which rightfully makes it one of the healthiest oils out there.

However, the downsides of using olive oil for deep frying include the high price tag, its relatively low smoke point, and the more or less intense flavor (which might be a benefit to some people who enjoy the flavor).

Canola Oil – Best Lower-Fat Alternative

Another very popular choice for deep frying is canola oil. The reasons for this choice are plenty, but most people love how healthy it is while still having a high smoking point.

Canola oil is derived from the rapeseed plant. It’s light in color and has a very neutral flavor. Because of this, most chefs love to work with canola oil. It lets the flavor of the food really stick out.

On top of that, refined canola oil is specifically made for deep frying because that brings its smoking point up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit  – more than you’ll ever need for deep frying.

And, finally, the third benefit is that refined canola oil is widely available at a very low price point. Depending on where you live you can even find canola oil for $2 to $3 per quart.

The only downside to canola oil is that it’s not very nutritious, especially when talking about highly refined canola oil. Except for maybe vitamins E and K, canola oil is not a good source of vitamins, minerals, or antioxidants. This means that the consumed calories from canola oil will be empty calories – ones that do not add any health benefit.

Peanut Oil – Best for Natural, Slightly Nutty Flavor

Last but not least, a smart choice for deep frying can also be peanut oil, also known as groundnut oil. Peanut oil has a smoking point of around 446°F and a natural, yet slightly nutty flavor that blends well with fried foods.

However, there are some concerns when it comes to peanut oil. The first obvious one is allergies to peanuts. And, while highly refined peanut oil is labeled as safe even for people with allergies, it still might be best to stay away from it just to be on the safe side.

Second, peanut oil contains around 32% polyunsaturated fats, which is comparatively higher than our other recommendations. This would mean that using it raw is better than others, when heated it’s more vulnerable to oxidation.

Finally, it’s a little pricer than canola oil, but for people that for whatever reason are looking for an alternative, peanut oil is a great choice.

Other Popular Options

For those who want to experiment, there are always more alternatives to try out. For instance, avocado oil, coconut oil, and lard are also commonly chosen for deep frying. Here’s why.

Avocado Oil

If you google what is the healthiest oil, you’ll probably end up seeing avocado oil topping all lists. The reason for this is simple: avocado oil is incredibly nutritious and has an amazingly high smoke point – around 520 °F (refined).

Still, even refined avocado oil has a very specific and mild, buttery flavor. It’s a neutral flavor that works for both savory and sweet recipes, even though not everyone might enjoy it.

On top of that, avocado oil is incredibly expensive and not everyone can afford it, which is the main reason why we didn’t include it in our top four oils for deep frying.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is another good choice for deep frying. It has a really high smoke point of around 365°F, and because of the saturated fats, it’s incredibly stable even when exposed to high temperatures for long periods of time. Some studies have confirmed that the stability and quality of coconut oil remain intact after 8 hours of continuous deep frying.

This resilience to heat comes from the fact that around 90% of the fatty acids in coconut oil are saturated, which is both a blessing and a curse. Sure, it makes the oil resilient to heat and a great choice for deep frying, but organizations such as the American Heart Association have warned against the consumption of saturated fats.

Still, it is fair to note that currently, there’s no scientific consensus on whether saturated fats are big bad guys like they’re commonly portrayed. There’s evidence for both arguments.

Another drawback against coconut oil is that it has a very specific flavor that some people might not enjoy. Plus, because it is naturally sweet, it might not be suitable for some types of foods.

Lard

Lard is the most common option for people that choose animal fat, although tallow, ghee, and fat drippings are also used.

The benefits of using lard when deep frying is flavor and resilience to heat. Lard is said to make the food extra crispy, which most people enjoy.

When it comes to quality, lard is mostly composed of saturated and monounsaturated fats – all highly resilient to heat. That being said, it’s interesting that the animal’s diet can affect the fat composition of the lard. For example, if the animal was fed mainly with grains, the lard might contain a higher amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, compared to grass-fed animals.

Because of this, you should find lard from animals that have been allowed to roam and eat naturally – graze. It’s not something that’s easy to find, so make sure you trust the source from where you buy the lard.

How Often Should I Change the Oil in My Deep Fryer?

At the beginning of this article, we mentioned that changing the oil at the right time is very important and can affect both the quality and taste of your food. But, how often should you change the oil, and what oil is best for which type of food?

The general rule of thumb, which is also the short answer, is to change the oil every eight to ten uses. But, if you want to really master your skills at deep-frying and nail the taste each and every time there are a few more things you need to consider.

The following signs show that it’s time to change the oil regardless of whether you’ve used it eight to ten times.

It’s Time to Change the Oil When:

• You notice that it begins to release smoke sooner than normal.
• You notice that it has changed color. If it becomes darker it means that its chemical composition is compromised and harmful substances have been released, as well as residue from previous foods.
• You notice a rancid or burned smell. If the oil begins to smell, change it immediately.
• You notice that the texture becomes thicker. This is another bad sign that indicates it’s time to change the oil.

Still, the most important consideration when dividing when it’s the best time to change the oil is its smoke point and polyunsaturated fatty acid content. If you choose an unrefined oil with a lower smoke point, then you need to change it a lot more frequently. For instance, coconut and avocado oil can be re-used for a longer period of time, unlike olive oil which should be changed almost every time you cook.

Can you fry different foods in the same oil?

Another thing to consider when deciding how often you can re-use the same oil is the type of food you fry.

Some things are pretty obvious. For instance, if you’re cooking something sweet, such as donuts or pancakes, you should not use the same oil for frying french fries or chicken afterward. Conclusion: Do not fry sweet and savory foods in the same oil!

However, sometimes even foods that complement each other and make a great meal together should not be fried in the same oil one after another. One example that comes to mind is fish and french fries. You can fry french fries then fish, but frying fish then french fries is a bad idea because the french fries will then taste a little fishy.

Try to always fry foods that have a more subtle and mild taste such as french fries and chicken leaving the more intense-flavored foods such as onions, goat cheese, sausages, pork, fish, seafood, for last.

In fact, if you can afford it, keeping the oil separate for only one or two types of foods is best when it comes to taste.

Conclusion

Fried foods are widely consumed all over the world as they’re part of many cultures traditional cuisine, but are also a staple in the fast-food industry. Because of this, knowing how to properly prepare a delicious, tender, yet crispy meal is an important task that begins with choosing the right oil for deep frying.

Needless to say, there are many options, even though experts can’t seem to agree on what’s the best or healthiest oil to deep fry with. There is conflicting information circling online and scientists still haven’t reached a consensus when it comes to frying with oils, which makes it more difficult to separate the myths from the truths.

We hope that our article was a helpful guide that makes this challenge a little easier. By focusing on the facts and providing instructions on what makes an oil suitable for deep frying, we believe that you can now make a smarter decision that works best for you. Whether you want to prioritize your health, flavor, or find an affordable option that’s still healthy, we got your back.

Finally, remember that choosing the right oil for deep frying is just as important as your cooking practices. In other words, re-using the oils for longer periods of time can have the same effect as using an unsuitable for just once. Also, frying different types of foods in one oil can be tricky. Be mindful of these things when choosing what oil to buy and don’t be afraid to experiment to find the right one for your deep fryer.

For many, the Instant Pot is a smart investment. This multi-purpose kitchen appliance can save space, time, money, and energy. However, that’s only true if you know how to get the most out of it. And, many people are missing out by using the Instant Pot for pressure cooking only.

In an Instant Pot, you can do almost if not everything – from sauces and yogurts to air-frying healthy snacks, or dehydrating fruits. In fact, you can even prepare an elaborate and delicious dinner for your loved ones without being stuck in the kitchen for hours on end. The whole process is easier than you think.

In this article, we’ll explain how to use an Instant Pot as a slow cooker and what the benefits are. But, first, let’s talk about slow cooking in general.

Why Slow Cooking?

The Instant Pot is notorious for shortening the cooking time for incredibly long recipes. That’s why so many people with busy schedules swear by it. But, with that in mind, what can we expect when we want to use the slow cooking method for our meal?

Just like baking, frying, deep-frying, or simmering, slow cooking is a specific method of preparing food. It relies on using low heat for a long amount of time, hence the name.

The reason why people sometimes prefer to slow cook a meal is related to texture and taste, but also health. Foods that are prepared over low heat are more nutritious, taste better (more intense flavor), and are usually a lot more tender in texture.

Slow cooking is usually done with a special kitchen appliance called a ‘slow cooker.’ Basically, this is an electronically heated (with few settings), ceramic bowl with a glass lid that offers three main benefits:

• hands-off cooking;
• conservation of energy;
• extraction of flavor.

Slow cookers offer incredible convenience. You can leave the food unsupervised for a long period of time while you tend to your other responsibilities – without impacting the quality of food.

Slow Cooking With an Instant Pot

From the description, you might have noticed that slow cookers have a lot in common with the Instant Pot. This is not a coincidence. The Instant Pot is designed to be a multi-cooker with pressure cooking, sautéing, slow cooking, steaming, rice cooking, and yogurt making as some of its best features.

So, if you were wondering whether you can slow cook in an Instant Pot, we’re here to assure you that you absolutely should, and here’s how!

How to Use an Instant Pot as a Slow Cooker?

Contrary to popular belief, slow cooking is not an intimidating or complex process. In fact, slow cookers are made for one-pot recipes that require almost no food preparation. In most cases, slow cooking means cutting the ingredients into large chunks, adding seasoning, liquid, and pushing a button. Doesn’t sound like you need chef’s skills to do it, right?

Nevertheless, you do need confidence, which is why, we’re going to break down the process, step-by-step.

A Few Considerations Before You Start

Let’s start by making sure that you have everything ready to start cooking – and we don’t mean the ingredients for your chosen recipe.

There are two important considerations you need to know before slow cooking in an Instant Pot.

The first one is the glass lid. As we already mentioned, slow cookers are traditionally made with a glass lid that allows a little bit of steam and moisture to escape the cooker. However, the standard lid for the Instant Pot has an air-tight lock mechanism that completely traps steam and moisture – perfect for pressure cooking but not slow cooking.

You might already have a glass lid as it’s a common accessory for the Instant Pot, but if you don’t you can buy one from Amazon. The glass lid won’t cost more than $30, but if you haven’t bought an Instant Pot yet, it’s a smart idea to get one that has a glass lid included.

The second consideration concerns the recipe adjustment. What we mean by this is that adding water or broth is really important when pressure cooking with an Instant Pot, and also for slow cooking in general. However, since the two cooking methods are very different, the liquid concentration needs to be adjusted. This is also true when you’re following recipes designed for a slow cooker.

The rule of thumb is that you won’t need more than a cup of liquid when using the slow cooking setting in the Instant Pot. However, to make sure you have just the right measurements, let’s see how to convert any recipe into an Instant Pot recipe.

How to Make Slow Cooker to Instant Pot Conversions

Liquid Concentration

The first difference you may notice in some slow cooking recipes is that they might ask for no liquid at all. And, that’s okay. When you’re using a slow cooker, you don’t need a liquid, but it’s a very different story when using the Instant Pot.

The Instant Pot needs liquid, even when using the slow cooking setting. If your original recipe is without liquid, add around at least 1 cup of liquid.

If you’re worried about creating a watered-down version of your recipe, you have two options:

• Use the steamer basket (accessory) to keep your food above the water line.
• Use the Saute function after the slow cooking to boil off excess liquid.

Time Adjustment

The second difference between slow cooker and Instant Pot recipes is the time. Since they’re two different appliances with different properties, the time to cook the food won’t be the same for the two.

Most slow cookers have three settings:

• Low setting – cooking time can take 9+ hours (cooking usually starts the day before).
• Medium setting – cooking time is up to 6 hours.
• High setting – cooking time is up to 4 hours.

In slow cookers, the max temperature is around 209 °F regardless of setting. The low and high options refer to how much time it takes for the cooker to reach a simmer point – not the temperature with which it will cook the food.

The Instant Pot’s Slow Cooking setting has three options which are temperature-associated:

• Slow cooker setting + Less = cook at  190 °F.
• Slow cooker setting + Normal = cook between 195-205 °F.
• Slow cooker setting + More = cook at around 200-210 °F.

Usually, if the recipe says to use the low setting on a slow cooker, this would correspond to the less option of the slow cook setting in the Instant Pot. Alternatively, if the slow cooking recipe says that the meal needs to be cooked eight to nine hours, that’s your cue to use the less setting in the Instant Pot.

Disclaimer: In this article, we’re teaching you how to use the Instant Pot as a slow cooker. This means cooking just as you would in a slow cooker. However, since the Instant Pot is designed to speed things up, you can actually convert slow cooking recipes to Instant Pot recipes (pressure cooking) and achieve relatively the same result in less than an hour.

Using The Slow Cook Option

Let’s start cooking.

1. Prepare all the ingredients!

Cut all the ingredients into large chunks and place them inside the Instant Pot with at least one cup of liquid (water or broth). Alternatively add one cup of water into the Instant Pot and insert the steamer basket. Then, load all the ingredients into the steamer basket making sure that all the food is above the water line.

Tip: Be mindful about the amount of ingredients you need. You may need to scale down your recipe to fit, as you should be careful not to overfill the Instant Pot.

2. Place the Glass Lid on Top!

Do not close the Instant Pot with its standard top that has an air-tight lock mechanism because this will create pressure inside the pot. Instead, use the glass lid that comes as an accessory or the regular tempered glass lid that you bought from Amazon.

Tip: If you do not have a glass lid to use, then you can use the standard lid by putting the steam release handle in the venting position.

3. Press the “Slow Cook” button.

The next step is to plug in the device and choose the “Slow Cook” option by pressing the labeled button.

4. Set the Time.

The Instant Pot allows you to set the desired cooking time anywhere from 20 minutes to 20 hours. Use the “+” and “-” buttons to set the time. The buttons are under the time display where you can read the time you’ve chosen.

5. Choose the Cooking Mode.

Older models do not have a special button, but you need to press the “Slow Cook” button more than once to change the cooking mode – which you can read on the display. However, the newer models have three distinct buttons located next to Timer and above Manual. They read “Less,” “Normal,” and “More” and correspond to the standard settings of Low, Medium and High in most Crock-Pot slow cookers.

6. Wait 10 seconds!

Ten seconds after you push the last button the Instant Pot will start cooking. At this point, you can go about your day and leave the Instant Pot to do its business. You don’t even have to be there when it’s scheduled to finish. Once the timer runs off (cooking is complete), the Instant Pot will automatically shift to a “Keep Warm” setting for up to 10 hours. That’s all!

Conclusion

Cooking in the Instant Pot is a fuss-free experience regardless of what you want to prepare or how you want it prepared. Even when you want the benefits of a deciduous and tender, slow-cooked meal, you can press a few buttons and leave the Instant Pot to prepare the food while you go about your day.

In fact, with the Instant Pot and a glass lid you can mimic standard Crock-Pot slow cookers to the T. But, unlike traditional slow cookers, with the Instant Pot you can choose the exact time you need your meal to be ready – from 20 minutes to 20 hours. On top of that, the Instant has a smart function where it automatically shifts to keep the food warm (up to 10 hours) once it’s done cooking.

So, what are you waiting for? We hope that our guide gives you the confidence you need to start slow cooking some amazing recipes in yot Instant Pot making the most out of this magical multi-functional cooker.

If you are someone who enjoys cooking, you’re likely to have crossed paths with a pressure cooker. Even if you’re not planning on becoming a “home chef”, the convenience that pressure cookers provide may still have drawn you to them.

Pressure cookers are incredibly convenient and great at cutting down cooking time, especially when it comes to cooking meat and legumes, which are not only harder but also trickier to cook well. But despite their advantages, many people hesitate to use them because they are intimidating.

One of the things that people feel uncertain about when using a pressure cooker is deciding on how much water or liquid to put in. And today, we’re here to help you learn all about it. But first, it’s important to share a little bit about how pressure cookers work and whether there are significant differences in the amount of water you need based on the type of pressure cooker you’re using.

How Do Pressure Cookers Work?

The Science Behind Pressure Cookers

The science behind pressure cookers is actually very basic. Simply put, pressure cookers utilize the combined power of steam and high pressure to speed up the cooking process. Heating the pressure cooker causes the water inside to evaporate and turn into steam, and the air-tight lid prevents the steam from escaping, which increases the inner pressure of the cooking chamber. The high pressure inside the chamber raises the boiling point of the cooking liquid, allowing higher heat exposure, which, in turn, cuts down on the cooking time by a large margin.

According to an article by Michigan State University, a traditional pressure cooker can cook the food at around 250 degrees Fahrenheit (121 degrees Celcius), while the boiling point of water under normal pressure is 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celcius). Some modern pressure cookers can achieve even higher boiling points and therefore can cook even faster. The math is very simple: the more you allow the liquid to heat up at a higher temperature without boiling, the faster the cooking time you’re going to get.

The Parts of a Pressure Cooker

​​To ensure safety in the kitchen when you’re cooking it’s important to be familiar with the parts of your average pressure cooker and know what these parts do.

In a traditional pressure cooker, the cooking chamber itself is usually made out of stainless steel or aluminum. The lid or the cover of the chamber usually has a safety valve to ensure that the internal pressure of the chamber doesn’t go above the chamber’s capacity, preventing the cooker from exploding. A rubber piece is usually placed around the lid to prevent the steam from leaking.

In addition to these parts, electric pressure cookers usually contain a secondary chamber placed inside the outer chamber, where the food is actually contained. These pressure cookers often also contain a condensation collector part that is attached to the outer chamber of the appliance.

And lastly, even though it’s not an essential part of a pressure cooker, most modern stovetop pressure cookers also include a digital timer attached to the lid.

Types of Pressure Cookers

Now that we have a general understanding of how pressure cookers work, let’s take a look at what kind of pressure cookers there are and the main differences between them.

Fundamentally, there are two types of pressure cookers: traditional stovetop and electric. Even though stovetop pressure cookers are the more established type, as they have been around for a while and are probably more well-known, electric pressure cookers like the Instant Pot have brought pressure cookers back into the spotlight.

Stovetop pressure cookers are exactly what the name suggests: they need a heat source to work. Despite being quite straightforward, they are the type that requires the most diligence to use because they lack certain safety features that most electric pressure cookers have. Beginner cooks may want to be more cautious.

On the other hand, electric pressure cookers like the Instant Pot don’t need a heat source — they need an electric outlet to plug the device in instead. These appliances are much easier to use and therefore more beginner-friendly, as many of them have automatic cooking modes for different types of food.

You can read our Pressure Cooker Reviews to find out more about various models of pressure cookers.

The Basics of Using a Pressure Cooker

Now that we’ve established the basics of pressure cookers, we can finally get to learn about using one!

Learning how to use a pressure cooker boils down to knowing how much liquid you need to add in and what you need to do to make sure you’re using it safely.

Here are some general points on using a pressure cooker that will help you get the best out of your cooking experience.

How Much Water to Put in a Pressure Cooker?

When you’re cooking with a pressure cooker, avoid filling the pot with too much water. If the pressure cooker has a maximum limit, do not exceed this limit by putting in too much water or food.

Generally, leaving at least ⅓ of the pot empty is a good rule of thumb to follow. Too much liquid in the pressure cooker may clog the safety valve, which may cause your cooker to explode and it may damage your kitchen or cause burns.

It’s also good to remember that putting enough liquid in a pressure cooker is just as important as not putting too much liquid in.

To explain this simply: you need steam in order for your pressure cooker to work and for your food to cook properly. If there isn’t enough water in there, there isn’t going to be enough steam inside the pot to create the pressure needed to cook the food through.

When you’re cooking with a stovetop pressure cooker, it’s normally recommended to put in at least one cup (237 ml) of water or any other thin liquid such as chicken or vegetable stock, but of course, different recipes may call for different measurements.

The official user manual of one of the most popular electric pressure cookers, the Instant Pot, also recommends putting in at least one cup of liquid, although other models’ manuals may even suggest at least 500 ml of liquid, which converts into a little less than two cups. This is mainly due to the sizes of the pressure cookers varying from model to model, which changes the amount of liquid needed.  You can read our review of Instant Pot’s programmable pressure cooker to learn more about Instant Pot.

Don’t Forget to Add Water

It’s generally not safe to use a pressure cooker without any liquid inside, as it may lead to explosions. As a safety mechanism, most electric pressure cookers will give an error or will not start cooking unless there is a sufficient amount of liquid inside, but this is still a good rule to keep in mind.

Also, if you intend to use thickening ingredients like corn starch for thicker consistency soups and stews, be sure to add these ingredients after the pressure cooking process is done. Adding the thickening agent early will thicken the liquid inside the pot and this will allow less steam to be created and the food may not cook evenly and well.

General Safety Rules

• Whether you use an electric pressure cooker or a stovetop one, the first step is to check if your pressure cooker is in good shape. You need to make sure that none of the parts are missing or broken, and that the rubber part that goes around the lid and the valve that lets the steam escape is perfectly clean. This will allow your pressure cooker to work properly while keeping you safe in the process.
• Additionally, if you’re using a very old stovetop pressure cooker, you may need to set the steam valve up vertically when you start cooking, to allow the cooker to balance the inner pressure.
• If you’re using an electric pressure cooker, make sure that the inner chamber is placed properly and do not put food or any liquid directly into the outer chamber.
• Another important step for both electric and stovetop pressure cooker users is to release pressure at the end of cooking. Generally, you can either let the steam out manually or wait for the pressure cooker to release the steam by itself over a while. However, most recipes that involve pressure cookers will include instructions on how to release the pressure once you’re done cooking.
• And lastly, to be on the safer side, it’s always a good idea to let the pressure cooker rest without you touching or moving it for at least 5 to 10 minutes before releasing its pressure.

Conclusion

Pressure cookers are very convenient kitchen tools. They can cut back on cooking time and may even create less dirty dishes than usual because you can make complete meals in them alone. But it’s always important to remember that you’re dealing with high amounts of pressure and therefore need to be extra cautious by keeping the pressure cooker in good condition.

Another crucial thing to remember is to put at least 1 cup of thin liquid like water or stock inside the pressure cooker before you start cooking and not to fill the pot too much with liquid or food.

Now that you have the basics, hopefully, thanks to this article, we hope it’ll inspire you to explore a world of delicious pressure-cooked recipes!

The Instant Pot has been a real game-changer to many people. People with a busy schedule; people who make a lot of yogurt or rice; people who could benefit from a multi-purpose kitchen tool; and people who enjoy pressure cooking. However, what about people who love to take up canning? Is the Instant Pot a good solution for canning food?

Canning food can be an intimidating process at first. There’s certainly a learning curve with a lot of safety precautions. However, most people agree that once you get comfortable with it, the outcome is very rewarding. Canning food can help you save time, reduce food wastage, and preserve fruits and vegetables that are otherwise unavailable all year long.

Whether you’re new to canning or you’ve recently bought an Instant Pot and want to know whether you can use it for canning food, we’ve put together a little guide to help you make a good decision.  But, first, we need to talk about canning in general.

What Happens to Food When You Can?

People have always looked for ways to preserve food for longer periods of time. And, in 1809, Nicolas Appert of France found a new way to prevent food from spoilage. He invented canning, a method that would change the food industry forever.

Canning is a way to prevent food from spoiling by storing it in containers that are hermetically sealed and then sterilized by heat. The process behind it seems so logical and simple to us now, but then it took people another 50 years before they found out how canning preserves food.

Hermetically (completely airtight) sealing the food in a jar and then heating it to a certain temperature kills all the microorganisms inside the jar. And, because the food is hermetically sealed, new organisms can’t reach the food until we open it to consume it – successfully prolonging the food’s shelf life. In fact, the Canned Food Alliance has claimed that even food in dented or rusted old cans can be safely consumed if the container remains sealed.

Additionally, a lot of studies have confirmed that the nutritional value of canned food is preserved and does not deteriorate for at least two years from the moment the food has been canned.

The only real danger from canned food is clostridium botulinum bacteria – one of the most lethal substances that cause severe and dangerous food poisoning. It’s a rare toxin but one that can be caused by improperly processed foods, including homemade canned and fermented foods, which is why this process requires a lot of caution.

Pressure Cookers and Canning

Knowing that canning could potentially be a dangerous way of preserving food, the canning methods and safety precautions have been thoroughly researched. Today, we have a good idea of what someone needs to do to ensure a safe canning process. Can pressure cookers such as the Instant Pot guarantee a safe canning process?

A lot of electric pressure cookers have been advertised as a great tool with which one can process home-canned foods. Some models of the Instant Pot even come with a “canning” feature/option. Yet, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recommended against electric pressure cookers being used for canning. This was also supported by preliminary research conducted by Utah State University.

The reason behind this is that it seems pressure cookers, including the Instant Pot, do not hit the high temperature needed for canning safely at home. This is mostly because the Instant Pot is regulated by a pressure sensor, and not by a thermometer. The pressure sensor is not a reliable indicator of the cooking temperature. For instance, the altitude of your location can significantly impact the actual cooking temperature, which in some cases can make canning an unsafe procedure.

For many, this is more than enough to end the conversation and never attempt to can in an Instant Pot. This would be a totally reasonable conclusion. However, more experienced canners might wonder whether the same conclusion can be applied to all types of canning. This is a valid remark, so let’s break this down.

Types of Canning

Essentially, there are three methods or types of canning: pressure canning, water bath canning, and atmospheric steam can. We’ll explain each method in more detail and see whether some of them might be a safer alternative for home canning.

Pressure Canning

Pressure canning is a technique of home food preservation that uses a pressure cooker or similar equipment to process food at a higher temperature than other canning methods, such as the water bath canning technique. In other words, everything that we’ve been talking about so far in the article referred to pressure canning.

The study from Utah University and the recommendations from the USDA were also made for pressure canning in electric pressure cookers. This is important to know because pressure canning works very differently than water bath canning.

Pressure canning uses a lot less water than water bath canning – the jars are not covered in water. Instead, the Instant Pot traps steam inside the pressurized container which helps raise the temperature beyond 240 degrees Fahrenheit.

The advantages of pressure canning include:

• Ability to preserve lower acidic food without the need of adding acid.
• Ability to maintain the natural flavor of foods (more so than other methods).
• Using less water and energy during the canning process.
• Ability to keep the canned products at room temperature.

However, one of the biggest disadvantages of pressure canning is the inability to control the temperature at different altitudes because the Instant Pot is regulated by a pressure sensor and not a thermometer. This is a very serious safety concern that should not be ignored.

Can You Pressure Can In an Instant Pot?

To conclude, we do not recommend pressure canning in an Instant Pot because of the studies and USDA recommendations. Remember that an improper canning process can cause botulism – a potentially fatal food poisoning.

Water Bath Canning

The classical way to can your food at home is through a so-called water bath technique. In fact, this is what we explained when we discussed Nicolas Appert of France who invented canning.

Water bath canning, also known as boiling water canning, is a very easy method of canning through which you can preserve your favorite jams, pickles, or sauces. It works by hermetically sealing the jars and then submerging them completely in boiling water for at least 10 minutes, but maybe more depending on the recipe and type of food.

However, there’s a “catch.” Water bath canning only works for high-acidic foods. For example, you can preserve tomatoes, fruit, fermented vegetables such as pickles or sauerkraut. You can also preserve different jams, jellies, and sauces.

With the water bath method, you can’t preserve meats, beans, seafood, corn, or any low-acidic vegetables such as cucumbers. For these foods, you need to do pressure canning.

Can You Water Bath Can In an Instant Pot?

This is another advantage of the water bath canning – you can absolutely do this in an Instant Pot under three conditions:

1. The lid needs to be off! Do not put the lid off – you should not create a pressurized environment.
2. The jars need to be elevated! You need to have a rack that fits inside the Instant Pot because if the jars sit directly on the bottom of the pot the heat can crack the jars.
3. The jars need to be fully submerged in water! This method won’t work if your Instant Pot doesn’t have enough height to fully submerge the jars underwater.

If you can fulfill these three conditions, then you can safely do water bath canning in the Instant Pot.

Atmospheric Steam Can

Finally, the third type of canning is a so-called atmospheric steam canning, which is an alternative to pressure canning.

To safely can foods under pressure you need at least 10 psig (pounds-per-square-inch gauge). At sea level, this is needed to create a boiling temperature of 240 degrees F. The Instant Pot claims to be able to reach 15 psig. That’s great, however, we’ve seen studies that claim that the Instant Pot’s 15 psig is not enough to kill all the harmful bacteria. The reason for this is altitude. For instance, if you live more than 1000 feet (300 meters) above sea level, the minimum psig should be increased. The SpruceEats have a nice guide on how to safely do pressure canning at higher altitudes.

What has this to do with atmospheric steam canning? Well, both pressure and steam canning use pressure instead of water to create a high temperature. However, unlike pressure canning where the environment is created artificially (induced pressure), the steam canners use natural atmospheric steam to reach sterilizing heat. Here, the jars are enclosed in a pot that uses natural steam to process the food.

The University of Wisconsin has conducted a study where they concluded that atmospheric steam canning is safe for home food preservation of high acidic foods.

Unlike pressure canning, steam canning has the same limitations as water bath canning when it comes to the type of food you can preserve. However, it does share some of the benefits of pressure canning – it saves water and energy and it saves the flavor of the food.

Can You Steam Can In an Instant Pot?

Unfortunately, no. You can’t steam can in an Instant Pot. To preserve food under steam you need an atmospheric steam canner. Tools that are specifically designed for canning under steam are your best bet if you don’t want to risk food poisoning or simply spoiling food with improper techniques. Also, don’t use old models that are out of production – they may not be safe.

Conclusion

Canning foods for preservation is a centuries-old technique that some cultures have heavily depended on for survival during winter days. In fact, in many countries throughout the world, canning through the water bath method is a tradition that is still practiced today, especially in Slavic countries. However, for someone who’s just starting with canning or wants to modernize traditional canning techniques, using the Instant Pot might seem like the most practical solution.

There are many things for which the Instant Pot is indispensable, but when it comes to canning – the verdict is not in its favor – at least for pressure canning. Sure, you could can in an Instant Pot, especially if you have a newer model such as the Instant Pot Max, but there are safety concerns backed by science.

You could avoid these safety risks by taking further precautions, but this can be very overwhelming for newbies.

Our recommendation is to begin with water bath canning, gain experience and confidence, and then slowly progress as you learn more about this process. The good news is that you can do water bath canning in an Instant Pot.