Also: Best Instant Pots and multi-cookers This guide will walk you through what you need to know about your new Instant Pot and how to use it to create healthy, delicious dishes. Before you open the Instant Pot, be sure you’ve released enough steam first. You’ll know when it’s safe to open the pot because the float valve pin near the pressure release valve will be depressed or dropped down.
Inner pot
You’ll find that the Instant Pot consists of the base unit itself with a built-in heating element and a removable, stainless steel inner pot that sits inside to hold your food. Most Instant Pot users will make the mistake of dropping food into the pot without the inner pot inserted at least once. It creates a giant mess all over the heating element, which will need to be cleaned up before using. Get into the habit of placing the inner pot back into the appliance as soon as you clean it to avoid this problem.
Timing
When following Instant Pot recipes, keep in mind that actual cook times don’t typically account for the length of time your Instant Pot needs to heat up and achieve pressure. If you need to pressure cook something for 25 minutes, the time shouldn’t start until enough pressure builds, typically taking about 10 minutes. Get to know your Instant Pot to understand actual cook times. To allow the Instant Pot to heat up properly, you may need to adjust the 25-minute cook time to 35 minutes.
Liquid
Your Instant Pot will need some liquid to cook properly, or it may stop the cooking process if the bottom of the stainless pot starts to heat up or burn excessively. Plan on adding at least half a cup of liquid such as water or broth to your recipe to ensure the Instant Pot can cook the ingredients properly.
Natural vs. quick-release venting
For most recipes, you can usually vent the pot manually to release the lid faster. Known as the quick release method, all you need to do is push at the pressure release valve to allow the trapped steam to escape so the floating pin can drop and the lid can be opened faster. However, manually venting some foods – mainly meats – can cause them to get dry. It’s best to naturally vent meats or other foods that tend to dry out. To naturally vent a recipe, simply leave the pot untouched and let it slowly release its pressure. It will take longer this way than if you choose to release the pressure quickly, but letting the pot sit and vent naturally will ensure that the foods inside the pot reabsorb moisture.
Cleaning
To clean the Instant Pot, you’ll typically need to focus on the removable inner pot, lid and other accessories such as the mesh-basket insert. Soapy water is usually all you need to clean your Instant Pot’s parts. The base unit itself doesn’t usually need much cleaning besides a quick wipe. Once you clean the components, be sure to put the inner pot back into the base unit as soon as it’s dry. Inspect the rest of the Instant Pot carefully. Something you should look out for is the rubber ring inside the lid, which can be removed for gentle cleaning. Make sure it doesn’t feel brittle, and it’s free from cracks. Always confirm the ring is in place before cooking – the ring is crucial to pressure cooking, trapping the steam inside the pot.
