Tried grandma's pressure cooker method vs my instant pot for beef stew last night

My mom always swore by the old Presto pot for her beef stew, tender after 45 minutes. I've been using the Instant Pot for 2 years now. Last night I pulled out her old cooker, set it on the stove, and followed her recipe exactly. Meat came out like shoe leather, vegetables turned to mush. 2 hours of prep down the drain. My wife said it tasted like hospital food. I'm sticking with the digital one from now on. Anyone else ditch a family method for a modern gadget and regret trying to switch back?

2 comments

2 Comments

brookekelly29d ago

My mom's Presto always gave me perfect tough cuts at 12 psi but my Instant Pot never fails. Tried hers once and got rubber meat like you. Not worth the cleanup stress either. Stick with what works for you.

paulperez29d ago

Man oh man, that brings back memories. I tried to go back to using my old stovetop espresso maker after years with a drip machine and it was a disaster. Burnt the coffee twice, grounds everywhere, and it took forever. My wife just handed me the car keys and said "go get a new one." I think some gadgets are just better, no shame in that. The instant pot is way more consistent, that's all there is to it. You probably saved yourself a lot of frustration by learning the hard way, right?

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