Old-school marketing theory dictates that humans need to see something new on three separate occasions before it sticks, but I only had to see an electric Dutch oven twice to notice a new trend inslow-cooking. The first device to catch my eye was theVermicular Musui-Kamado, a gorgeous Japanese cast-iron induction cooker—designed to mimic the traditional Japanese wood-burning stove, but also to steam rice and “steam roast”—released in the U.S. in February of 2019 (December 2016 in Japan). The second was theInstant Precision Dutch Oven, the latest offering from the maker ofthat nearly ubiquitous multi-cooker. (All-Clad also makes an electric Dutch oven, and I expect to see more brands launch similar devices over the next few years.)
The Vermicular Musui-Kamado and Instant Precision Dutch Oven both have two main components: an enameled cast-ironDutch oventhat’s set inside a base with a recessed electric heating element (much like in aslow cooker). Both have digital control panels with precise temperature control for searing, braising, slow-cooking, and even proofing dough. And both Dutch ovens can be removed from the base unit and used on gas and induction cooktops as well as in the oven. These are small appliances that have most of the versatility of anInstant Potand then some—minus thethe ability to cook under pressure. But the Vermicular Musui-Kamado and Instant Precision Dutch Oven are not interchangeable.
Vermicular Musui-Kamado
Many Americans likely associate the wordkamadowith hefty ceramic grills like the Kamado Joe and the Big Green Egg, but those outdoor cookers are actually modeled on a traditional Japanese method of cooking in a ceramic pot over fire. The Vermicular Musui-Kamado is inspired by Japanese hearth cooking too, but it’s modified for the modern kitchen with a four-quart enameled cast-iron pot (Musui) and a high-end induction heating element (Kamado).
Mostly marketed as a rice cooker in Japan and billed as “the first cast-iron induction cooker” in the U.S., this multi-cooker can do everythingthe best rice cookerdoesandeverything aslow cookerdoes, but better. Think perfectly cooked poultry, fork-tender root vegetables, fall-apart braises, creamy custards, and more. You can evenbakecakesandbread蠕,但我很少在我的烤机汇en, so I haven’t gone there yet.
The big promise of the Vermicular is precision, and it more than delivers in that department thanks to variable temperature control and a meticulously designed pot and lid. You can set the Musi to an exact degree between 90ºF and 200ºF and keep it there for up to 12 hours, so it can be used for some (but not all) sous vide–style cooking. Temperatures are preset for the higher-temp cooking modes: 230ºF for Extra Low, 300ºF for Low, and 445ºF for Medium. To use this machine for slow-cooking, you can manually set a temperature of 190ºF–200ºF for a safe low setting, or set it to Low (300ºF) for a typical slow-cooker high heat. (So, like I said, there’s a bit of a learning curve with this thing.)