Instant Pot Natural Pressure Release Vs Quick Release
Last updated By Susan
Instant Pot Natural Pressure Release vs. Quick Release -What does it mean when an Instant Pot recipe calls for ” Natural Pressure Release” and/or; “Quick Release”? and how do you know which method to use?
One of the first things youll want to understand when cooking in the Instant Pot is how to release the steam thats formed in the pot while youve been pressure cooking. How you release the steam will depend on what you are cooking.
Here’s a visual for the terms we will be talking about.
Anatomy of an Instant Pot
**Please Note- I have the Instant Pot Ultra model and the photo above is of my Ultra- depending on what model you own, the configuration may be slightly different. In some models the steam release valve and the quick release handle are combined.
How To Use Quick Release
To use quick release on an Instant Pot, the venting knob needs to be turned from “seal” to “vent.” This allows steam to flow out from inside the cooking pot more quickly and release the pressure inside. It might spit a little when the knob is turned, so consider using oven mitts or a dish towel to keep from getting scalded. After a few minutes of venting, the steam will stop and the float valve will drop, allowing for the lid to be opened safely.
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How To Know When Instant Pot Natural Release Is Done
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Instant Pot is a trendy kitchen tool. Using it in your daily life cooking isnt that hard. With its user manual and less complex equipment, it gets quite handy even for amateur cooks to go on a wild cooking journey. Although, it is quite intimidating to cook with Instant Pot, especially for newbie cooks, when it comes to knowing if the natural pressure release is done or not. You can easily find out if the natural release is done when the float valve is at the level of the lid. In this way, Instant Pot would not be sealed and the natural pressure release would be done. However, there is much more to the natural release of the Instant Pot, we will walk you through all the relevant details in this article. Stay with us!
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Instant Pot Rice To Water Ratio
The most important thing to remember is that the ratio of liquid to rice is different than when cooking rice on the stovetop,” explains Haymaker. Most stovetop rice recipes call for a ratio of 2 parts liquid to 1 part rice.
When using the Instant Pot, the ratio shrinks to 1 to 1 for most types of rice. “Because there is very little evaporation in the Instant Pot, you use equal parts rice to water,” says Haymaker.
Whole grains like brown rice benefit from a little extra liquid use a ratio of 1.25 parts liquid to 1 part rice.
What Does The Instant Pot Natural Release Do
The natural release function of your Instant Pot is an incredibly useful feature. It allows your food to stop cooking gradually, and as a result, have a more intense flavor and turn softer too.;
Youll need to keep one little thing in mind though. When youre planning to let the Instant Pot depressurize using the natural release function, youll need to reduce the cooking time, since the food will continue cooking inside for as long as it takes for the pressure to be completely released.
If you dont do this, you might end up overcooking your food.;
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How To Use Natural Release In Instant Pot
Before explaining the process, lets have a quick review of some important terms:
If youre using the instant pot for the first time, it is highly recommended to go through the user manual and thoroughly understand the parts and precautions involved in using the instant pot.
With regards to pressure release, the terms mentioned below are some of the important parts that you should know about:
How Does Instant Pot Work
Using an instant pot for cooking is simple and easy. It includes the following basic steps:
Once the food is cooked in the instant pot, it is important to release the steam pressure. You can do it in two ways: natural release and quick release.
Heres what you should know about both these ways of releasing steam pressure.
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When Should I Use Natural Release
When cooking dishes that have a lot of liquid, the Natural Release method is often the best option. As such, stews, pot roast, and especially soups generally benefit from the Natural Release process.;
After the cooking cycle has finished, steam and pressure will begin to dissipate naturally. All the user needs to do is give the Instant Pot a little time, and then opening and accessing the food is safe and simple. Nevertheless, its essential to remember that the food will continue to cook during this process, so bear that in mind depending on the dish.
Do You Turn Instant Pot Off For Natural Release
No, you dont. You can be sat on the sofa and let the natural release happen while you are in the middle of a Netflix marathon.
Because what happens is that the instant pot beeps and then goes straight into natural release mode.
Therefore, what I do, is sit on the sofa and relax when I put the instant pot on. Then when I hear the instant pot beep that the food is done, I set the timer on my watch.
I set it for an approximate time that I feel it will take for the instant pot to naturally release its pressure. Then I head to the kitchen and check on the food.
If its a recipe that calls for a 5 minute natural pressure release, yes I am talking to you instant pot macaroni pasta salad, then I will set my watch to 5 minutes and then go to the instant pot when it hits the correct time.
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How Does An Instant Pot Works
The cook cycle starts and the instant pot begins to build pressure after you set the instant pot.
After pressure has been attained, the valve opens up and you hear a beep. After 5 minutes, the pot will start to make a hissing sound as the steam escapes. As the pressure further builds up, you will observe some steam coming out of the steam release valve.
If you are using the instant pot the first time you might observe a smell of plastic.
After 5 minutes, the instant pot beeps again a few times. The instant pot then switches to warming mode and the ascending numbers begin to appear. An L will appear next to the number after the cook cycle has ended.
The instant pot also comes with a steamer called a trivet. The trivet holds food so that it does not submerge in the liquid below. Trivet is used for pressure cooking and for cooking 2 dishes at the same time.
How To Set Up Instant Pot
Steam Rack :
Instant Pot Condensation Collector:
Instant Pot Lid:
integral
Steam Release Valve:
sealingventing1. Sealing: 2. Venting or How to Release Pressure from the Pressure Cooking Setting-Quick release.
-Natural release. If you do NOT do a quick release by pushing the valve to the venting position, the Instant Pot will naturally begin to release the steam on its own immediately after the programmed cooking time is over. This;allows the pressure to naturally dissipate on its own. It will start counting to let you know how many minutes it has been releasing the pressure. Usually this takes about 10-20 minutes depending on what and how long you have been cooking something.
The Underside of the Instant Pot Lid:
The Anti-Block Shield:
Instant Pot Sealing Ring:
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What Is The Difference Between Pressure Cooker And Instant Pot
While the instant pot is almost like a pressure cooker, the former comes with a multitude of programmable functionalities that allow it to cook fast â even faster than a pressure cooker. For instance, you can set the option to natural pressure release or quick pressure release in an instant pot, depending on the type of food youâre cooking. This isnât possible in a pressure cooker. Also, an instant pot can even work as a slow cooker, rice cooker, sauté pan, or steamer.
How To Do A 10 15 Minutes Natural Pressure Release
After the cooking cycle finished, wait 10 15 minutes before moving the Venting Knob from Sealing Position to Venting Position to release the remaining pressure.
Always make sure the Floating Valve completely drops before opening the lid.
Whats the advantage?
- Compare to Quick Release:;Significantly reduces the;chance of food splattering out from the Pressure Release Valve.
- Compare to Natural Release:;Faster release method when the pressure cooker is full of food with high liquid volume.
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How To Do A Timed Natural Release
The timed natural release process can take 10 to 20 minutes. You can keep the Keep Warm mode on or off while doing a quick release in bursts. If you wish to turn this mode off, press Cancel.
How To Do A Natural Release
1. Upon completing the cooking cycle, your Instant Pot beeps to signal it completed the cooking cycle.
2. Most Instant Pot models automatically begin to use NPR.
3. The process is complete when you see or hear the float valve drop down.
4. Taking the lid off of your Instant Pot vents any remaining pressure.
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When Do I Use A Quick Pressure Release
Since a Quick Release stops the cooking quickly, it’s used in recipes where you want to avoid overcooking the ingredients.
This is best when you’re cooking vegetables such as asparagus, bok choy, corn, broccoli, or sweet potatoes.
Quick release is also good for delicate foods like hard boiled eggs, seafood, and fish.
Or you do it anytime when you quickly have to stop the cooking process.
What Is Natural Release
Instant Pot natural release is when you allow the Instant Pot to cool down by itself, releasing steam slowly. When the food is done cooking, the Instant Pot will automatically release steam gradually until the float valve drops down. This could take up to 30 minutes.
We recommend natural release for soups and other food with high liquid content.
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How Is Natural Release Different From Quick Release
The basic difference between these two methods is that natural release takes its own time and the quick release will depressurize the pot instantly.
If you wish to cook your food gradually and dont mind letting your food sit as the steam releases, it is best to go with the natural release method. However, if you want to pressure cook and avoid overcooking, going with a quick release method may be better.
Check out this video that explains the difference between natural release and quick release:;Using Instant Pot Natural Release and Quick Release.
Q: What Is A Natural Pressure Release
A natural;pressure release is when you leave the pressure release switch in the Sealed position when the cook time ends. This lets the pressure release slowly, without you doing anything.;When the pressure is fully released, the float valve will drop and the lid will unlock and;open.
A natural pressure release is a bit anticlimactic in comparison to a quick pressure release. There is no jet of steam when the natural pressure release starts. Theres also no clear way to tell when the pressure is fully released, and no beep or signal when the lid unlocks. Sometimes you can hear the float valve drop if youre close by.
The time it takes for the pressure to release naturally will vary depending on the ingredients and amount of liquid in the pressure cooker.;A natural pressure release can;take from 5;to 30 minutes in the electric pressure cooker.
Food inside the cooking pot will continue to cook as the pressure decreases.
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Does It Really Matter Which You Use
Yes, it is important to depressurizing your pressure cooker in the right way, according to the food youre cooking. It can make a huge impact on the foods texture and temperature. Just like leaving a steak on the grill too long, your food can become overcooked and dry if you release pressure in the wrong way.
Two of the main concerns are:
- Releasing the pressure too quickly when cooking a pot full of soup or foamy foods. When you do a manual release of a pot full of soup or broth, its possible that the steam will sputter and spray all over your kitchen. It can take quite a while for a pot full of liquid to release pressure, so it can take a good 5 minutes to release it with a manual release. During that time, steam is spraying and heavy aromas are filling your house.
- Overcooking delicate foods. If youre cooking asparagus in the Instant Pot and you allow it to do a natural release of pressure, its likely the asparagus will be complete mush before you take it out. The same applies to any vegetables youre steaming. It also applies to meats that dry out when over cooked, like chicken breast or salmon.
What Is Natural Release On The Instant Pot
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Natural Release On Instant Pot. Today we wanted to answer your essential questions about the instant pot natural release. What it is, how to do it, and most important of all, when you need to do a natural release.
This instant pot natural pressure release guide is also featured in the Magic With Gadgets Podcast. Simply search for Magic With Gadgets on your preferred podcast player, then scroll to episode 2 of season 2 to access this awesome episode.
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What Is Natural Release Instant Pot
As the name suggests, you need to leave your instant pot to work on its own for this method. Your instant pot will release the pressure once it depressurizes on its own.
Your instant pot will signal you with a beep stating that it has completed the cooking cycle and will automatically start releasing the pressure.
To figure out if your instant pot has released its steam completely, completely check the float valve for this. The natural release process is complete if it drops down.
Once the pressure is released it is now safe to open the lid. Remember, you will only be able to open the lid if the pot is depressurized. Never try to open the lid before this process.
How To Use An Instant Pot: What You Need To Know To Get Started With Instant Pot Cooking
There are a few basic things that you need to know when using an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker. Once you use yours a few times, these will be like second nature. Depending on which Instant Pot model you own, the buttons may be labeled slightly differently. Consult the manual that came with your Instant Pot.
Minimum Liquid Required: As a general rule, you want to use at least 1 cup of liquid in your Instant Pot every time you cook with it. The Instant Pot uses steam and pressure to cook food, and you need liquid to create the steam and pressure. Some recipes may call for more or less liquid. I recommend following recipes from a trusted source while you are learning to use your Instant Pot.
Fill Level: Inside the Instant Pot inner pot, you will see a 1/2 and a 2/3 line marked. Never fill the Instant Pot higher than the 2/3 line with food or liquid . If you are cooking food that will expand during the cook time such as rice, quinoa or beans, do not fill the Instant Pot higher than the 1/2 line.
Pressure Cook or Manual Button: Depending on which Instant Pot model you own, the Pressure Cook button is sometimes labeled Manual and sometimes Pressure Cook. This is the button that you will press to start a pressure cooking cycle. Its your basic pressure cooking button.
+/- Buttons: Use these buttons to adjust the cook time.
Keep Warm/Cancel Button: Use this button to end a cooking program or turn on/off the keep warm function.
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More Instant Pot Resources
Did you know we have entire Youtube channeldedicated 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. Make sure to subscribe and hit the Bell icon not to miss new videos.
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