Are There Other Instant Pot Accessories That Are Worth Buying
Why yes, your Instant Pot can be accessorized. A slow cooker lidis essential if you plan to use this function. Another stainless steel insert comes in handy if you are making multiple Instant Pot recipes in one session. Same goes for an extra sealing ring. The silicone springform pans are perfect for baking and making casseroles.
Whats The Best Way To Clean An Instant Pot
The two parts you should clean regularly are the inner removable pot and sealing ring, which detaches from the lid. Both of which are dishwasher-safe .
To clean the base of the machine as well as the lid, first be sure the machine is unplugged and completely cool. Use a damp towel with soap and scrub. Use a clean damp towel to remove any soap and allow to air dry.
How Do I Make Pork Tenderloin In The Instant Pot
This recipe takes about 35 minutes, including 10 minutes of prep time.
Make a dry rub: Place 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, and 3/4 teaspoon onion powder in a small bowl and stir. Pat 2 pork tenderloins dry and sprinkle the spice mixture on top. Press Sauté and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and stir it to coat the insert. Brown the tenderloins 4 to 5 minutes per side, and transfer to a plate.
Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth to the pot. Scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Press Cancel and place the tenderloins in the broth. Seal lid, and cook on HIGH for 1 minute. Natural release for 5 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure. Check pork temp: If its not 145°F, replace lid and cook in the residual heat for 2 more minutes.
Remove tenderloins. Whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until the cornstarch is dissolved. Press Sauté, then whisk mixture into the cooking liquid and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Cut the pork into 1/4-inch-thick slices and serve.
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How The Instant Pot Timer Works
Like with most timers on kitchen appliances, the timer on an Instant Pot basically counts down from a certain time.
When the timer reaches the end of the countdown, it shuts off. Alternatively, if you have the keep warm setting on, it simply lowers the heat and pressure to the right setting to keep your food warm.
But as youll learn in this article, Instant Pot timers are slightly different than those on other appliances.
Your Instant Pot Is Too Full
Another reason why your Instant Pot may not pressurize is because you might have filled it too much. If there isnt enough space for the steam to circulate, then the pot wont create pressure and burn notice will be displayed on your display screen. You can avoid this problem by following the max line on your pot.
The max line is located on the inner pot and it tells you how much liquid to put in your pressure cooker. When you are using a recipe, make sure to measure the ingredients and only fill your Instant Pot to the max line. If you have already filled it too full, try taking out some liquid to make more space.
The rule of thumb is to never fill your inner pot over full. There is a silver line that is hard to see in your inner pot. That line tells you how full you can fill it. If your pot is two full, it can either make sure your Instant Pot wont come to pressure, or it will end up spewing your food all over the place when you do a quick release. Always make sure you dont overfill your Instant Pot.
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Easy Instant Pot Recipes For Beginners
I chose these 6 easy dump and go Instant Pot recipes for you to try first.
- For your first Instant Pot recipe, I recommend Instant Pot hard boiled eggs. Hard to mess up.
- Then try some Instant Pot chicken breast that is perfect for meal prep.
- Instant Pot chicken and potatoes is my Ukrainian grandmas chicken stew that even kids can make true dump and go meal.
- This Instant Pot taco soup consists mostly of pantry and freezer ingredients, no chopping is involved.
- Instant Pot beef stew is another of my grandmas recipes and has rave reviews!
- Once you get more comfortable, try your hand in one of these 20 Instant Pot chicken recipes or check out these 32 best beginner recipes.
Did you know we have entire Youtube channel dedicated to healthy Instant Pot recipes and tips? My goal is to help you become confident with your Instant Pot by demonstrating each delicious foolproof recipe in step-by-step videos.
I hope you enjoyed this Instant Pot guide! What is your favorite meal to cook in Instant Pot?
Instant Pot Parts And Accessories
The first thing youll want to do is wash the parts of your Instant Pot. The Instant Pot lid, steam release valve and stainless steel inner pot are dishwasher safe however, I wash mine by hand. The base unit is not dishwasher safe never immerse the base unit in water.
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What To Use The Trivet For
The trivet comes with the Instant Pot. This is a simple insert that allows you to get some space between the bottom of the pot and whatever food youre cooking. Generally speaking, any food that you might want to cook without having it come into direct contact with liquid can be made more easily with the trivet. You can place the food directly on top of the trivet or add it to a round heat-proof casserole dish or cake pan and place that on top of the trivet.
Think of things like chicken breasts, lasagna, breads, meatloaf, and other things that wouldnt taste great if they were super soggy. Its also commonly used for eggs, veggies, potatoes, or pot-in-pot cooking. Using the trivet can prevent burning or overcooking and also ensure even cooking.
The Instant Pots Function Buttons
Manual
Im going to start this section of my Instant Pot how-to guide off with the manual button. Its not technically classified as a function button, but I think it should be. I like it because its the one that gives you the most control. With this button you get to choose whether you cook your food at high or low pressure, and you can set your own cook time. If any of the preset buttons dont work as youd like, just go with the manual button! Once you become more used to working with your Instant Pot, you may decide to use this button most of the time.
Soup
The soup button is for cooking liquids like soup and also broth. Whats great about this function is that it makes the Instant Pot hot enough to get your liquid simmering, but not scalding hot. This way your soup ingredients dont get too broken down.
Meat/Stew
This preset meat button is for non-poultry meats like beef and pork. Its also for cooking thick stew-type meals. Use the Adjust button to change the final texture of the meat. Set your Instant Pot to the More setting if you want the meat to be very tender and more broken down.
Bean/Chili
Did you know that you can cook dry beans in your Instant Pot? Its a great way to save money, compared with buying canned beans . You can use this setting to cook your raw beans, or you could use it to cook bean-based dishes . Id suggest using the Adjust button to set your Instant Pot to the More setting for thoroughly cooked, tender beans.
Poultry
Rice
Multigrain
Steam
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My Instant Pot Came With A Steamer Basket How Do I Use It
Use your steamer basket whenever you dont want the water to directly touch the food, or want to steam-cook something. Just like you would on the stove, place a cup of water in the bottom of the pot, put your ingredients in the steamer basket, and set it in the pot as well. Then use the Steam button! And forget fogging up your glasses watching the stove the Instant Pot contains all of this craziness inside the lid!
Instant Pot Setup: Cooking Pot Cord And Condensation Collector
The cooking pot of the Instant Pot. This is where the cooking happens. You never want to run the Instant Pot without the insert in place.
With a three-ply bottom made of layers of stainless steel, aluminum, and stainless steel, the insert heats evenly. I love that doesnt have a nonstick coating and that it handles sautéing really well.
Theres one problem with the Instant Pot cooking insert: the max fill lines markings are INCORRECT for pressure cooking.
When using the Instant Pot for pressure cooking, never fill the pot more than 2/3 full or 1/2 full if youre making foods that release a lot of liquid. If a pressure cooker contains too much liquid, the hot liquid can spray out of the pressure release valve, causing severe burns. As long as you respect the maximum fill on a pressure cooker, youll be fine.
I find the markings to be very confusing and have reached out to Instant Pot to inquire why the max fill line is too high for pressure cooking, If I hear back, Ill update this page.
To make cleanup easy, the insert is dishwasher safe. However, I tend to just add some soapy water and let it soak while we eat dinner. It wipes out easily even without a nonstick coating.
But first
insert the cord. In my experience, the pot doesnt work well when its not plugged in.
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How To Seal The Instant Pot
In order for pressure to be reached, the Instant Pot needs to be well sealed.
Therefore, it is crucial you assure that the inner ring is properly attached to the lid of the Instant Pot and you ensure your vent knob is pointed to the sealed position.
If those two things are not done, pressure will NOT be trapped and your Instant Pot will not reach pressure to begin the cooking time.
You will know that your Instant Pot is properly sealed when the float valve , when the pin raises to the upright position, the lid locks, and the timer begins to count down the cooking time.
Having trouble with your float valve rising?Check out Reasons Your Instant Pot May Not Be Sealing.
How To Use Your Instant Pot: Everything You’ve Wanted To Know
It’s not just a supercharged pressure cooker — it’s a way of life.
Like a microwave or an electric kettle, the Instant Pot has become a kitchen staple. This versatile pressure cooker replaces so many countertop appliances, from rice makers to slow cookers. It’s introduced a new generation to pressure cooking, and shown us just how quickly it can cook a healthy meal.
Whether you’re a new Instant Pot owner or it’s long been stored away in a cabinet, this guide is for you. A longtime Instant Pot owner myself, I’ll guide you through the basics, including explaining those strange buttons and some basic recipes.
To kick things off, let’s walk through Instapot basics. Even if you’ve owned yours for a while, there’s something here for you, too. Let’s get started.
More tips:15 healthy Instant Pot recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner | Does the Instant Pot destroy nutrients in your food while cooking? | The best paleo Instant Pot recipes | Best Instant Pot accessories you need right now | Best air fryers of 2020
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Pressure Cooker Essential Tips
Is The Instant Pot A Healthier Way To Cook
That depends on what you mean by healthy. Does the Instant Pot help you cook with less oil and fat because the flavors become stronger naturally through the high steam cooking process? Yes! Pressure cooking also helps make grains and legumes more digestible. It just helps you cook more and cook better, which many people feel is important to eating and feeling their best.
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Avoid The Dreaded Burn
Oh, the dreaded burn. There are quite a few reasons why it happens. For example, one of the most common ones is when canned tomato products are stirred with other ingredients. To solve this issue, always add tomatoes on top and do not stir. Because Instant Pots heating element is located at the bottom and may.more likely will cause sugars caramelize and burn.
I have compiled a list with 10 tips on how to avoid Burn forever.
What Are Some Of The Best Instant Pot Dinners
Once you get simple side dishes and appetizers down, you can venture into the reason you probably got an Instant Pot in the first placeto make dinner faster and better. If youre a meat-eater, try recipes like hearty pot roast, succulent turkey breast, and French dip sandwiches that take tougher and less expensive cuts of meat and transforms them into tender perfection.
Pressure cooking is ideal for these dishes because it would typically take a very long time to cook them well otherwise, and their protein structure is more forgiving to overcooking. With time, you can master more delicate dishesbut delicate precision is more of a sous vide thing.
Many of the also center on everyones favorite grainpasta. Try this Panera-imitation mac and cheese, classic spaghetti, or pasta e fagioli soup if youre craving comfort food. If youre in the mood for something lighter, try out this Vietnamese pho. All of these recipes can easily be adapted for vegetarians, too.
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Inspecting Your Instant Pot Before Each Use
1. Remove the stainless steel inner pot and look inside the instant pot base. You will see the heating element. The heating element should always be free of debris and dry before you use you the Instant Pot. After washing, I always dry my stainless steel inner pot thoroughly before returning it to the base unit.
2. Check that the silicone sealing ring is fitted properly onto the lid and is clean and free of tears.
3. Remove the steam release valve from the Instant Pot lid by gently pulling it straight up. Make sure it is clean and free of debris. Some foods, such as applesauce, pasta and oatmeal may froth and foam when you cook them and can clog the steam release valve. Check the steam release valve each time you use your Instant Pot. If it is dirty clean it under running water and then put it back on the Instant Pot lid.
4. Check the float valve to ensure it is clean and free of debris. Clean it with warm water as needed. You may place the lid under running water as needed to wash it.
Making sure that all parts of your Instant Pot are clean and in good working condition can help you to have the best success with pressure cooking. My post about the Instant Pot burn message tells you both how to prevent getting this warning and what to do if you do get a burn message.
Manual Pressure Cook With Quick Release Or Npr
Many Instant Pot users almost always use manual settings. While Smart Program buttons are handy, cooking instructions can vary for different types of rice, smaller or larger beans, and soup with or without meat. With manual settings, you have more control over the time and pressure level. Here is how to use the Instant Pot with manual pressure cooker settings.
Step 1. Star the Instant Pot as mentioned above.
Step 2. Add food, seasoning and liquid to the pot. The liquid can be cold or hot hotter liquids take less time to heat up so the Instant Pot comes to pressure quicker. Stir if needed.
Note on stirring: If adding tomato sauce or paste, keep them on the top and dont stir too much as these foods can sometimes thicken and burn during cooking again, this depends if water and stock are also added as when diluted, its less of a problem.
Step 3. Get your lid and quickly check that the sealing ring on the inside is in place. If its loose or sticks out, the pot might not seal properly and it will not be able to come to pressure. Place it on top and twist it until it locks in place.
Step 4. On older models like Duo Classic, check that the steam release handle on top of the lid is pointing to Sealing. On the more advanced models of the Instant Pot, the vent will automatically seal when the cooking process begins. On the Duo Nova the quick release button should be popped up and not pressed down.
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