This post contains Affiliate Links.
As an Amazon Associate I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases
The Instant Pot is hailed as the new miracle worker of the appliance world! Many people, especially of an older generation ask if it is the same thing as a “pressure cooker”, because pressure cookers from the 50s and 60s were dangerous things. Just like microwaves have taken over the old heating methods, the Instant Pot will soon replace pressure cookers as people feel more secure and comfortable using this appliance.
Keep These Things In Mind:
Since your Instant Pot cooks with high pressure, keep these things in mind for your safety.
- Always open the lid away from your body and do not try to open it if it feels very tight.
- Keep checking the ring periodically so that there are no cracks in it. This is a hazard and all users should be aware of that.
- When using Manual or Pressure modes, make sure the pressure valve is in the ‘Sealing’ setting. After 10 seconds of selecting this setting, you cannot open the lid.
Learn to use the sauté function
Before you start pressure cooking meat, you can use this function to first brown and sear the meat. The lid can be kept open during this and the heat can be controlled by the low, mid and high settings. Multiple functions can be used at different stages of the cooking process. Sauté can be used to caramelize onions, then manual pressure cooking button to boil vegetables and just ‘keep warm’ when the dish is done.
How much liquid do you need?
Figuring out how much water or fluid to put in the pot with the meat before pressure cooking is a tricky thing. Here is a tip that has been tried and tested – use one cup of liquid when you put the meat in to cook and the liquid can be water, broth, soy sauce, etc.
If you want to cook something crunchy and crisp, using the Instant Pot might not be the best option as things tend to get moist once the lid is closed.
The Instant Pot is SO good at retaining the water content of foods being cooked inside that if you add extra water in the inner pot, you will end with a very soupy, watery dish. Keep cornstarch on hand to thicken the broth.
Stop ruining boiled eggs!
One thing that the Instant Pot is very good at is making hard-boiled eggs. They are creamier and it is much easier to remove the shells from the egg when it is done. You will get addicted to boiling eggs in the pot.
What order to ingredients get added?
Most recipe books do not tell you HOW to layer the ingredients in the pot. This is very important in order to not get your food burnt and keep the dish full of flavor. Food that is prone to get burnt should not be at the bottom layer of the pot as it gets burnt and stuck. So for example, if you are cooking rice and chicken, you will need to put the chicken first (as it is harder than rice when cooked) and then layer the rice over it. This is something you learn as you go.
Straight From the Freezer!
Cooking frozen food is must at our house because I never remember to defrost! You Instant Pot comes to the rescue here! Within just 20 minutes, your frozen chicken will be ready to eat, with all the bacteria dead from the high temperature and pressure inside the pot. If you are unsure like I was the first several times, use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature has reached a safe level.
Cleaning your instant pot
The pot itself is pretty easy to wipe clean with a damp rag but one thing that is crucial for the cleaning is the silicone ring. Odors from foods that were cooked in the last cooking session, stick to the ring and this can cause problems for the next dish you cook. There are different ways to go about cleaning the ring; white vinegar and lemon rind are excellent for removing odors so you can use these to steam clean the pot. What is steam clean? Just put these two fluids in the pot and press the stream setting for two minutes. After this, remove the ring and air dry it.
Follow these easy tips for cooking in an Instant Pot and you will start using it several times a week!
Since writing this article there are now Instant Pot/Air Fryer combo appliances which I have linked.
If you are not interested in an Air Fryer, here’s a great Instant Pot & Slow Cooker appliance.
