How do you use an Instant Pot for the first time?

Let's Cook Some Water! The first time you use your Instant Pot, make water—not food . This way, you can familiarize yourself with simply operating it—no anxiety over ruining dinner. I've been pressure cooking for over a decade, and I still do the water test every time I try out a new cooker.

How long does it take to cook meat in a pressure cooker?

I like to assume 20 minutes for every pound of meat . So, for my 3-pound beef chuck, I will need to cook at high pressure for 1 hour.

How much water do I put in pressure cooker for meat?

Pour in at least two cups of water; use 1 to 2 cups more if the beef is a tough cut or to reach the minimum amount recommended by the pressure cooker's manufacturer . Seal the lid and bring the cooker up to full pressure over high heat.

What is considered high pressure in a pressure cooker?

Electric pressure cookers' high-pressure setting reaches a maximum of 12 to 12.5 psi . This is a lower psi than stovetop pressure cookers, which reach about 15 psi. At 12 psi, the fibers in vegetables and meat break down quickly, allowing foods to be cooked in a short amount of time.

Why does Instapot say burn food?

The Instant Pot's burn message simply means that your Instant Pot has detected that its inner pot has gotten too hot . There may be a slight amount of burned food at the bottom of your pot, but not enough to ruin whatever you're cooking.

How do you cook in an old fashioned pressure cooker?

For an old-fashion-type pressure cooker, place the cooker on medium-high heat and brown the foods. Then add liquids and remaining ingredients, cover, bring pressure up, and complete the pressure cooking . For newer cookers, most have a brown function—see manufacturer's instructions.

Do you always put water in a pressure cooker?

Add Liquid Pressure cookers require liquid, usually water, to generate steam . “Jiggle top” cookers need a minimum of one cup of water, while valve cookers need at least half a cup. Put food in the cooker first, then add water.

What to do before using a pressure cooker?

Before first time use * Remove the safety cover and rubber gasket to check . Some products may have oil or dust remaining from the production process. Clean the pressure cooker with a sponge using a mild detergent or soapy water and 2 or 3 drops of vinegar, before using for the first time.

Do you put liquid in a pressure cooker?

Liquid matters Pressure cookers cook with steam. No liquid = no steam. You can't and shouldn't use your pressure cooker unless you've added sufficient liquid . Instructions will let you know the minimum amount and some even tell you how much to use for different items.

How To Use Your (New) INSTANT POT + RECIPES!

Posted on December 25, 2016

Our Christmas gift to you – a “how to” & recipes for our FAVORITE kitchen appliance! Know someone unwrapping a new Instant Pot this weekend? Please pass this to them! Have one already and not sure what to do? We’re here to help!

Our Real Life

We’re sharing the love this week and doing something a little different. The holidays give us all the feels… we’re so thankful that you visit our blog, buy our books, and make our recipes.

We love even more when you share what you’ve made and tag us! So, here are some recipes from our book, Real Life Paleo, made by YOU and shared on Instagram during the past year.

Thanks so much for being here with us!

Instant Pot Love

If an Instant Potis under your tree, on your wish list, or gathering dust under your sink then it’s time to get real about all of the luscious bone broth, quick vegetable side dishes and fall-apart-tender meats you’re going to be making!

Need help getting started?
We have an Instant Pot tutorial with recipe round-up —> here!

We’ve also rounded up some of our Instant Pot recipes below. We also think you’ll love these two books! Paleo Cooking in Your Instant Pot by Predominately Paleo is full of interesting and incredible recipes. And Paleo Soups and Stews by Zenbelly will have many recipes that can easily be adapted to cook in your new shiny contraption!

And if you didn’t snag an Instant Pot yet- we dare you to find one person who says it isn’t a worthwhile investment! It will make healthy cooking in the new year so much faster and easier!

HOW DOES IT WORK?
So what happens if you increase the pressure instead? Well, the boiling point also increases. Inside of a pressure cooker, the pressure increases well above atmospheric pressure, causing the liquid to boil at up to 120 degrees Celsius or 248 degrees Fahrenheit. So already your food is sitting in liquid and steam well above normal boiling. And, in general, for each ten degrees you increase the temperature of a chemical reaction, you halve the reaction time. At 120 degrees, you are quartering the cooking time.

MATT’S TIPS for your FAQs:

Is it working? Many people hit the buttons to turn it on and are confused when the time countdown doesn’t appear on the LCD display and instead just see “ON”. That means that it is heating up your cooking liquid to the appropriate temperature and pressure. Once it does that, then the countdown begins.
Man, it’s staying on “ON” forever! Unless you are making a stew or broth, halve the liquid in your recipe. No, seriously. You can halve it. Because if you are steam cooking and none of the steam is escaping, you don’t need so much liquid as you would in the stove or oven. Then your cooking will be much more efficient. Remember: the heating element in the Instant Pot isn’t putting out the same amount of heat as your 15000 BTU “super mega turbo boil” burner on your stove top. The more it has to boil, the longer it takes to reach the right pressure.
I forgot to make dinner and all my meat is frozen! Can I put frozen meat in the Instant Pot? Yes you can! The Instant Pot has sensors to monitor temperature and pressure and won’t count down until it has reached the desired readings. While cooking from frozen will lengthen the preheating time, your dinner will still get be cooked in the end (and much quicker than you’d expect).
Oh crap! There is steam pouring out the top of this thing while it’s cooking! Is it broken? If you’ve forgotten to make sure that the top valve is pointing to “Seal” then you will see steam coming out the top, which means you’re not cooking yet. Seal that up or you’ll never get pressure!
I have a great slow cooker recipe I want to make with my Instant Pot. Can I do that? Yes, you can! I have yet to find a slow cooker recipe that isn’t even better when pressure cooked! You just simply throw all the ingredients you’d throw in the slow cooker into the pot and seal it. Maybe you’d reduce the amount of broth or other liquid. Seriously, there is no other preparation change.
Ok, it says its done but now the lid is stuck! What do I do? Be careful! This is the danger zone and just about the only place where you can potentially hurt yourself! DO NOT EVER, EVER, EVER TRY TO BRUTE FORCE OPEN THE LID OF A PRESSURE COOKER! This is how you make the 250 degree liquid inside your pot explode into your face. Do you want your face to melt like the Nazis who opened the Ark of the Covenant? Didn’t think so. If the lid doesn’t easily come off, you need to release more of the pressure. Did you vent the steam yet? All of it?

Try these Recipes in the Instant Pot!

Broth & Stocks

Juicy Pot Roast

Fauxmato Sauce

Cinderella Butter Broth Latte

Veal Osso Buco

How To Use Your (New) INSTANT POT + RECIPES! - Real Everything (2024)

Our Real Life

Instant Pot Love

Try these Recipes in the Instant Pot!

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FAQs

How do you use an Instant Pot for the first time? ›