Instant Pot Vs Crock Pot: Which Method Makes Better Beef Roast?

Cooking is not always easy, but at least you've never had more tools at your disposal to help your quest to make a delicious dinner. Take Instant Pot, for example. The multi-function electric pressure cooker is able to do virtually anything, from acting as a rice cooker to doubling as a slow cooker, and more. You can make quick, tasty tikka masala, or simply throw in a whole, frozen chicken to only have a succulent roast chicken come out a little while later. 

Of course, Instant Pot is hardly the only handy pot-themed kitchen gadget out there. Classic slow cookers can make all sorts of foods, and the end result is often easier and tastier than what your oven or stove can provide. But which one of the two pots is better if you, say, want to gorge yourself on the all-time all-day cooking classic beef roast?  

In the blue corner, Instant Pot. In the red corner, Crock Pot. Which method makes for a better beef roast?

Instant Pot is good for lots of things, but according to a taste test by Tried, Tested and True, it can't really hold a candle to Crock Pot when it comes to savory, succulent, slow-cooked beef roast. Instant Pot roast is still pretty delicious, mind you. However, it's noticeably less tender than the Crock Pot counterpart, with a few bits on the edges noticeably softer than the middle, and a significant amount of marbling and fat remaining. The broth for the roast also tasted a little bit diluted, courtesy of the lack of evaporation and the liquids from the meat. Meanwhile, the Crock Pot roast had a significantly "deeper, roasted, caramelized flavor." Unlike the Instant Pot version, it was pretty much falling apart, and had absorbed the majority of the marbling. Also, the broth was condensed and dark. 

Crock Pot beef roast was more delicious than the Instant Pot one, as was the gravy. However, the testers noted that the Instant Pot version was a good six hours faster and more convenient, so if you're in a rush, it's certainly the better choice. Then again, one might say that roast isn't what you'd call a "hurry" food, so at the end of the day, it's all about the flavor. 

So, there you have it. There are lots of mistakes you can make when using a Crock Pot, but choosing it over Instant Pot when making roast definitely isn't one of them.