pastorforest
New member
Welcome all new instant pot users. Here are the answers to the most common questions on this page. The questions you didn’t even know you had yet. If you have other suggestions, please make a post for new users. Thanks all. Hope it helps.
Remember to deglaze your pot each time you use the sauté function or you will get a burn notice. Deglaze means add a little liquid to the bottom, broth or water and use a wooden spoon to scrape anything stuck to the bottom.
I got a burn notice? Is my meal ruined? Not necessarily. Some times you can put a wooden spoon in scape your pot good, make sure there is enough liquid and reseal your pot.
Dairy almost always should be added at the end.
Layering recipes is important unless the recipe says to specifically mix ingredients.
Crack chicken is not all it’s cracked up to be. Although some do love it, so try it once.
Everyone has their own timing for hard boiled eggs. Some will say 5-5-5 (which means 5 minutes of pressure cooking, 5 minutes natural release, and 5 minutes ice bath. That timing doesn’t work for everyone so do some experimenting. Your eggs only need a cup of water, you don’t have to cover them. 5-5-5 doesn’t work for me, I do 7-5-5. Higher elevations will affect your egg cooking time.
The water test is important to make sure your pot is coming to pressure.
Overfilling your instant pot, or dairy a lot of times will make your liquid spew all over the kitchen when you do quick release. To prevent this from happening, slowly release your pressure until you know.
Cheesecake #17 is the best to start with. Yes that’s the name of the recipe. Follow the directions specifically with room temp ingredients, using a hand mixer and tapping out bubbles. These are not steps to be ignored. A 7-inch springform pan will fit in an 6 qt instant pot.
Yes your lid can go in the dishwasher. Sealing ring removed needs to go on top.
If your instant pot is not sealing, check your sealing ring. Also check to make sure you have your instant pot on sealing and not venting.
Don’t leave this thing on your stove top, at some point you are eventually going to ruin it. I have seen it happen over and over on this page.
If you accidentally pour liquid in without the liner unscrew the bottom, turn it over and dry throughly for 2-3 days before using.
Your sealing ring will eventually smell, buy a second one. Use one for savory foods and one for sweet. You can buy extras on amazon. Although it does depend on the foods you cook and personal preference. That being said I have noticed this to be a common problem for many users. Some people claim putting it in the freezer gets rid of the smell or putting it in the sun gets rid of the smell. (None of the suggestions on this page have ever helped me get rid of that smell.)
Natural release, means to leave it in sealing mode until your pin drops (newer instant pots likely don’t have a pin) quick release means put it on venting. Don’t quick release underneath your cabinets. Don’t have an empty counter with no cabinets, make sure you are venting away from your cabinets.
Can you make yogurt if you don’t have a yogurt button? Yes, you just have the use the boil method. Fairlife whole milk is ultra pasteurized. This isn’t really a problem with the newer instant pots, they seem to all have a yogurt button
Your instant pot will function just fine without the condensation cup. Have never used mine.
Where can I get accessories for my instant pot? Kohl’s or amazon are good places to start.
What does P.I.P. mean? It’s means pot in pot.
Don’t pitch your crockpot yet! Try out your instant pots slow cooker function before you do.
This was mentioned by another user and is usually true. I’ve learned to NPR (natural pressure release) most meats, but QR (Quick Release) veggies and grains
Another tip: you ALWAYS need liquid when pressure cooking. It's what makes the pressure happen.
If your instant pot stops working, check the plug connection on the back of your pot.
Don’t place a hand towel, tea towel, paper towel or any other covering item over your vent as you quick release it. The steam is meant to release up and covering it can cause a hazard as well as void the warranty on your pot if damaged.
I found this to be a common issue, but not everyone does. Over season your food in the instant pot if you don’t want bland food.
Lastly don’t fear this thing, start with something simple and once you are comfortable go for more complex things. You don’t need a spoon or some long reaching tool to turn on quick release. Just move it with your finger, don’t put your finger over the vent and you won’t get burned. It’s not going to explode if you touch it. But if you really are scared of it, I won’t tell if you that you use a spoon.
Welcome to the instant pot world!
This is my post from a couple years back, but there are new instant pot users every Christmas!
Remember to deglaze your pot each time you use the sauté function or you will get a burn notice. Deglaze means add a little liquid to the bottom, broth or water and use a wooden spoon to scrape anything stuck to the bottom.
I got a burn notice? Is my meal ruined? Not necessarily. Some times you can put a wooden spoon in scape your pot good, make sure there is enough liquid and reseal your pot.
Dairy almost always should be added at the end.
Layering recipes is important unless the recipe says to specifically mix ingredients.
Crack chicken is not all it’s cracked up to be. Although some do love it, so try it once.
Everyone has their own timing for hard boiled eggs. Some will say 5-5-5 (which means 5 minutes of pressure cooking, 5 minutes natural release, and 5 minutes ice bath. That timing doesn’t work for everyone so do some experimenting. Your eggs only need a cup of water, you don’t have to cover them. 5-5-5 doesn’t work for me, I do 7-5-5. Higher elevations will affect your egg cooking time.
The water test is important to make sure your pot is coming to pressure.
Overfilling your instant pot, or dairy a lot of times will make your liquid spew all over the kitchen when you do quick release. To prevent this from happening, slowly release your pressure until you know.
Cheesecake #17 is the best to start with. Yes that’s the name of the recipe. Follow the directions specifically with room temp ingredients, using a hand mixer and tapping out bubbles. These are not steps to be ignored. A 7-inch springform pan will fit in an 6 qt instant pot.
Yes your lid can go in the dishwasher. Sealing ring removed needs to go on top.
If your instant pot is not sealing, check your sealing ring. Also check to make sure you have your instant pot on sealing and not venting.
Don’t leave this thing on your stove top, at some point you are eventually going to ruin it. I have seen it happen over and over on this page.
If you accidentally pour liquid in without the liner unscrew the bottom, turn it over and dry throughly for 2-3 days before using.
Your sealing ring will eventually smell, buy a second one. Use one for savory foods and one for sweet. You can buy extras on amazon. Although it does depend on the foods you cook and personal preference. That being said I have noticed this to be a common problem for many users. Some people claim putting it in the freezer gets rid of the smell or putting it in the sun gets rid of the smell. (None of the suggestions on this page have ever helped me get rid of that smell.)
Natural release, means to leave it in sealing mode until your pin drops (newer instant pots likely don’t have a pin) quick release means put it on venting. Don’t quick release underneath your cabinets. Don’t have an empty counter with no cabinets, make sure you are venting away from your cabinets.
Can you make yogurt if you don’t have a yogurt button? Yes, you just have the use the boil method. Fairlife whole milk is ultra pasteurized. This isn’t really a problem with the newer instant pots, they seem to all have a yogurt button
Your instant pot will function just fine without the condensation cup. Have never used mine.
Where can I get accessories for my instant pot? Kohl’s or amazon are good places to start.
What does P.I.P. mean? It’s means pot in pot.
Don’t pitch your crockpot yet! Try out your instant pots slow cooker function before you do.
This was mentioned by another user and is usually true. I’ve learned to NPR (natural pressure release) most meats, but QR (Quick Release) veggies and grains
Another tip: you ALWAYS need liquid when pressure cooking. It's what makes the pressure happen.
If your instant pot stops working, check the plug connection on the back of your pot.
Don’t place a hand towel, tea towel, paper towel or any other covering item over your vent as you quick release it. The steam is meant to release up and covering it can cause a hazard as well as void the warranty on your pot if damaged.
I found this to be a common issue, but not everyone does. Over season your food in the instant pot if you don’t want bland food.
Lastly don’t fear this thing, start with something simple and once you are comfortable go for more complex things. You don’t need a spoon or some long reaching tool to turn on quick release. Just move it with your finger, don’t put your finger over the vent and you won’t get burned. It’s not going to explode if you touch it. But if you really are scared of it, I won’t tell if you that you use a spoon.
Welcome to the instant pot world!
This is my post from a couple years back, but there are new instant pot users every Christmas!
