Did you get an instant pot or you’ve had one but are still a little intimidated? In this instant pot tips for beginners post, I’m going to share with you some must-know tips for beginners to really dive into knowing your instant pot.
There are a lot of tips and tricks, the learning is never-ending with this thing, but these are the top things that I really think everybody should know before really diving into using the instant pot. so let’s get into them…
So tip number one is to understand the real cook time: So most recipes even when I’m sharing a recipe here on the instant pot, I always tell you how long it takes to cook, but there are a few things that go along with that cook time.
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There is how long your pot takes to come to pressure, usually, it’s 5 to 10 minutes max and you need to add that on to your cook time. So let’s say you’re cooking chicken and the cooking time is for 6 minutes on high pressure: The instant pot has to come to pressure, so that’s 10 minutes plus 6 minutes of cooking times, that’s 16 minutes total time so far. And then you’re gonna want to let it release naturally to let it cook a little bit longer for another 10 minutes probably, so it’s 26 minutes for your chicken total instead of just the 6 minutes.
But still, I love instant pot! a lot of recipes are cooked faster in it, typically it’s meats. Maybe rice is one of those things that don’t necessarily cook any faster, it’s the same time adding in the coming to pressure, and the release time than cooking it on your stove in a pot. but I just love that rice comes out perfect for me, every single time in the instant pot. there are still times where cook it on the stove, and it doesn’t come out as good as in the instant pot.
So even though the time is still the same, the instant pot just does a better job at it. So tip number one is to understand that the cooking time isn’t the real-time. The instant pot does have a few other times added onto that to go with the cooking time. So when you’re cooking, just make sure you realize how much time you really need for all of it.
Tip number two is your instant pot always needs liquid: Don’t ever close your instant pot and try to cook anything in, unless it has liquids because that is what your pot needs to come to pressure, you’re going to get a burn notice or it just won’t work and you might mess up your pot.
Your instant pot always needs liquid and depending on the size. A 6 Quarts size needs at least 1 cup of liquid to come to pressure.
Tip number three is to really know how to use your pressure valve: We are talking about that little nozzle right on the top of the lid, so when you are cooking you always want it to be on sealing, so you just need to make sure that is the first thing you do when you close the lid. Automatically make sure that this is turned to sealing, otherwise, if you leave it on venting, you are wasting a whole lot of time. Because your pot is not going to come to pressure.
All the pressure is just going to keep releasing as the time goes on, and your food is not going to cook thoroughly. So make sure it is on sealing then when your timer goes off, your instant pot is going to show the time on the screen. When it beeps it’ll have an L at the left of the digital screen, and it is automatically going to go to keep warm and then it will start counting up how long it is on keep warm, but that’s also what a natural release is.
Tip number 4 understanding the difference between natural release and quick release: So like I stated in natural release when your timer goes off, your instant pot beeps. It has an L on the left corner of the screen and then two zeros, it’ll start counting up one-two-three however long that is a natural release.
You are letting the pot release the pressure naturally, you are not touching your nozzle you are keeping it on sealing. however, the pressure is still releasing on its own. typically it’s about ten minutes, and then you’ll do a quick release, and most recipes that’s what it calls for. sometimes you will do a complete natural release, and that takes about 15 almost up to 20 minutes depending on how much is in your pot, how much pressure your pot needed to make to cook all the food thoroughly.
Quick-release, however, is once that bell goes off, that beep sounds and you see the L that means your pot is done and everything is cooked, that is when you’re going to press your nozzle to sealing and all of your pressure is going to come out right.
However, when I’m ready to release the pressure, I make sure my instant pot is in a nice open area then I press it to Venting and all of the steam releases it just goes up in the air. there’s a bunch of accessories that you can buy for your instant pot to make things easier, and I’m going to be sharing that in an upcoming post.
Tip number five is totally a focus on that manual button: because it knows everything. for the most part, this manual button just automatically puts your pot on high pressure, and then you can just do the up or down the plus and minus, and however long you need the cooking time to be.
All you do is press the manual button, put it on the time you want, and your pot goes on. So, no matter what you’re cooking. The manual button just allow you to mess with the time and the other buttons on the sides are just preset buttons. The soup is either it’s a high pressure, and then it has a time, the same thing for the meat, the bean, poultry, these are all the buttons Steam, Porridge, Multigrain, Rice, but for just beginners, all you want to do is just focus on manual. Set your own time, the pot is automatically on high pressure and it’s gonna cook your food up in no time.
so those are the must-know instant pot tips for beginners that I think you should know just starting off. It also helped me know those things ahead of time, I personally have never gotten a burn message. And I know there are a lot of people out there who have, but just make sure you have at least one cup of liquid, and you should not have that burn message on your pot. I have more, but this is one of my favorites to cook on. 🙂
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