Understanding Instant Pot Timing: What 'Instant' Really Means and Tips for New Users

[morice]

@delraesloves

 

[kasp]

Food starts "cooking" the moment you push start. It's part of the entire process. The "cook time" on recipes is the time you set on the IP. For example, if the recipe says to set the cook time for 15 minutes, and it takes 20 minutes for the IP to come to pressure, then the food has actually cooked for 35 minutes.
The more food in the IP, the longer it takes to come to pressure. For illustration only, if you cook a 3 pound roast with a cook time (per the recipe) of 40 minutes and it takes 20 minutes to come to pressure, then the roast actually COOKED for 60 minutes. If you cook a 5 pound roast with a cook time of 40 minutes, per the same recipe (I know it's weird), and it takes 35 minutes to come to pressure, then the roast actually cooks for 75 minutes.
Also...food continues to cook during the Release time.
This is why, in MOST cases, you don't extend the recipe cook time to allow for the larger roast. The longer time to pressure automatically extends the total cook time.

 

[havila]

What is the water test?

 

[delraesloves]

@havila https://instantpot.com/initial-test-run/

 

[havila]

@delraesloves Thank you!

 

[uscgbpd]

Not Magic Pot?

 

[uscgbpd]

That dude who complained it's not faster than a microwave.

 

[ucony]

A comedian calls it the eventuality pot!

 

[zjschnee]

Great advice!

 

[empta]

Instant is just the brand name. I don’t expect Instant Pots to be instant in the same way I don’t expect Ninja products to jump up, strike a pose and threaten me with a katana.