Review on 🍳 5-in-1 Instant Precision Dutch Oven: Braising, Slow Cooking, Searing/Sautéing, Cooking Pan, Food Warming, 6-Quart, Red Enamel Cast Iron by Jason Wright

As a huge fan of the Instant Pot pressure cooker, I wanted to try their version of the Dutch Oven. I have a traditional Dutch Staub oven and a Le Creuset oven, which I mainly use in the winter for cooking in the same pot. The Instant Pot version is actually a traditional Dutch oven housed in a high-tech cooking appliance. For people without an oven or hob, this would be a great option. As a side note, like the pressure cooker, it takes up quite a bit of countertop space. However, if for some reason you don't have a stovetop or oven, this dutch oven and instant pot would be a great combo. First, the pan itself is very heavy, like any good Dutch oven. The pot also looks very nice. The pot comes with a silicone stand and really adorable handles to carry the pot to the table. Second, the device allows very precise control of temperature and time. There is a bright and functional digital display, as well as a physical knob for cooking settings. It's similar to the Instant Pot, which has multiple presets as well as a manual option. I found it a bit confusing to translate a traditional recipe that might say "simmer" or "medium high" into the actual temperature. The accompanying manual has actually translated these familiar terms into an F/C equivalent. Going from "turning the stove knob a certain amount" to setting the exact temperature is a little odd. I'm not sure if this product will be as popular with individualists and blogs as the Instant Pot pressure cooker, so more information on converting traditional recipes would be helpful. Cooking in the Dutch oven tends to involve low heat and long cooking times - the pot itself retains heat and is unforgiving, so it's interesting to consider whether precise temperature control opens up new possibilities. A Dutch Oven Win recipe we found on YouTube. We started with the honeycomb option. My son sautéed the chicken first, and then we sautéed the onions, garlic, mushrooms, etc. Just like the Instant Pot, this thing is good for frying — we were able to sauté the chicken. However, this Dutch Oven actually turned itself off as soon as we finished searing and pouring in the cream - that didn't really matter this time as the next step was braising, but just something to keep in mind if you do sear or need to roast for a longer period of time than specified. At this point we covered the pot and the recipe called for 30 minutes of simmering. There was no clear option on the device. I tried the one pot option but found the minimum time is much more than 30 minutes. I could install a separate timer but that seemed silly for something at this price point. I then tried the manual option and read the instructions carefully - there are two manual options, one for simmering and one for more intense cooking. I was able to set 30 minutes and use the instruction manual to figure out which f/c to bring to the boil. The next version of this device should only have a few options like "cook" or "up" to reflect the instructions from the cookbook. Finally, after about 30 minutes, the dish was ready. My wife was impressed that I could lift the pot out of the appliance and onto the dining table. No wonder the food was delicious. In fact, it is no different from a conventional cast iron pan. As for additional thoughts - I was surprised that the heating element is only on the bottom and not the sides - since the pot is being pressed against the inside of the unit so presumably there could be elements surrounding the pot. . It didn't really matter to the dish we created, and I understand that a lot of ready-to-serve pot meals are made the same way on the stovetop or over a campfire, but often the recipe calls for the pot in the oven is provided. Perhaps thoughtful design will solve this problem. If you don't add heat from the sides, at least the design reduces heat loss (compared to an oven). And, as I mentioned before, I was intrigued by the possibility of precise temperature control when cooking in a Dutch oven. Hopefully an enterprising YouTuber will find some great recipes for this feature. I plan to try this for deep frying - it would be great if it could keep the temperature constant at 350-375 - although the pot is quite large and only needs a little bit of oil. I wonder if this is enough to maintain temperature in vacuum? And the last thought: I'm getting old. It's really cool when my food processor turns off when I leave and completely forget what I left on the stove or in the oven. My 12 year old was able to cook a wonderful dinner tonight without the usual fear of a gas stove or hot oven, so this could be a great option for safely preparing specific meals for children and others. Enjoy your meal!