Making wine in an Instant Pot? Count us in! Heroes come in many shapes and sizes—some save cats from perilous situations, while others lend a hand to the elderly. And then there’s the genius who figured out how to create wine in an Instant Pot. While he may not be in the running for a Nobel Prize, he certainly deserves recognition.
Food enthusiast James Carr shared his Instant Pot wine-making method on his blog. “We’ve all seen memes floating around Facebook wishing that ‘One of those Pinterest ladies could toss grapes into a slow cooker and whip up wine,’” Carr mused. “Well, how about one of those Pinterest gents? (That’s me—ha!). I’m a fan of Pinterest. That’s all there is to it.”
And we’re fans of you, James!
According to Carr, aside from the Instant Pot, you’ll need grape juice, wine yeast, sugar, a funnel, and some clear packing tape—sounds a bit like a wild college night, doesn’t it? He provides a detailed list of instructions involving the grape juice and yeast, setting your Instant Pot to the yogurt function, and leaving the vent open on your lid. You’ll probably find yourself skimming through the bolded sections, and before you know it, you’ve conjured up some red wine.
Now, patience is key, as Carr warns, “You’ll need to run the process for a total of 48 hours!” I bought my Instant Pot precisely because I lack patience when it comes to cooking and meal prep, but I guess winemaking might be an exception.
Carr even shows what the wine looks like during the fermentation phase, so you know what to expect. “If you taste it at this stage, it’ll be quite fizzy and have a champagne-like flavor,” he cautions. “Naturally, I had to take a sip—it was a bit off-putting. Not terrible, but it had a yeasty taste with a hint of alcohol. Meh.”
Back into the Instant Pot it goes for another 24 hours, involving some venting and carbon dioxide release, plus bottling. Then comes the waiting. “Store the bottle in a dark place away from light. I tucked mine behind my Instant Pot beneath the cabinets. It’s dark, and the perfect room temperature for the wine magic to occur,” Carr recommended.
He told us he had never attempted anything like this before in his Instant Pot but mentioned that you can use any juice without preservatives, depending on your flavor preference.
Eventually, after anywhere from eight days to a month, your wine will be ready. Carr admits he didn’t expect this to work. “I anticipated failure, but I was patient and played that excruciating waiting game. Honestly, it turned out much better than some of the cheap wines I’ve purchased. Dare I say, it’s even superior to the infamous 2 Buck Chuck from Trader Joe’s!”
Given the recent negative press surrounding Instant Pot recalls, this winemaking method could be the silver lining we’ve been searching for. Carr noted, “It’ll be perfect for summer, whether you want to make wine spritzers, batches of sangria, or simply enjoy it on its own (which is what I opted for).” This guy is a treasure.
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In summary, if you’re looking to experiment with winemaking, James Carr’s Instant Pot method offers a fun and unique approach. With just a few ingredients and a bit of patience, you could end up with a delightful homemade wine, perfect for summer gatherings.
Keyphrase: Instant Pot wine recipe
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