Why Do You Quick Release Outside
See my Instant Pot is venting outside? I do it often.
Why? To avoid house smell like food for days. Especially with high liquid volume meals like soups, steam can be coming out for 3-5 minutes. And 8 quart Instant Pot has more pressure inside than 6 quart.
It literally takes seconds to move Instant Pot on the patio. If you have one. But you can totally do Quick Release inside your kitchen.
Also, with high liquid Instant Pot recipes like soups, there is a lot of splattering. Keeps countertop clean and then rain cleans the patio. Ha!
Why Use An Instant Pot
The Instant Pot drastically cuts down the cooking time for cuts of meat that usually have to cook slowly for a long time in order to become tender. And there are many accessories you can use with it to cook in lots of different styles. Its one of the most useful kitchen appliances you can buy.
The Instant Pot is an incredible tool in the kitchen for making dishes that usually take a long time. If you dont have one yet, check out our guide onwhich one to buy. You can also read up on how to use it, in case youre not sure if its for you.
- Dont Have an Instant Pot Yet?This guide can help you choose the right one.
Broken Component Of The Natural Steam Release Valve
Whether you got your Instant Pot years ago or are new to pressure cooking, it can be challenging to maintain your little gizmo in good shape. Lids can fall off, and minor accessories such as the steam valve, sealing ring, and so on can become misplaced. Simply put, things happen, which is why its essential to understand how to replace any parts that become worn-down, lost, or broken over time. Of course, at times, it might make more sense to just buy a new instant pot altogether, but a broken release valve is not one of them.
Its normal not to realize your instant pots natural release mechanism is broken until youre halfway through cooking things within it. If some component of the natural steam release valve is broken, your instant pot will not be able to generate any pressure, all while youre ensuring everything is in place. If you figure your steam release valve is broken, replacing it altogether is the only viable option youre left with.
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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.
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.
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What Causes It To Break
Its likely that you might not know that the natural release mechanism of your instant pot is broken until youre already cooking something inside it. In that case, youll have an instant pot thats very high pressure, which can be a dangerous thing indeed.
When cooking with an instant pot, you first add some liquid to the cooking ingredients. This liquid turns to steam, increasing the internal pressure of the instant pot. Natural release just means that you allow the internal pressure of the instant pot to slowly release through the steam vent which is included in the lid of the pot.
Over the course of fifteen minutes, the pressure will equalize, making it safe to open the instant pot.
When Should I Use Quick Release
Quick Release is used to prevent your food from overcooking. Some dishes are sensitive, such as when cooking chicken in an Instant Pot or Macaroni and Cheese. The last thing anyone wants is for chicken to become rubbery or mac and cheese to be too mushy.
To prevent these things from happening, its essential to complete the cooking process as fast as possible. Using the Quick Release does just that.
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Q: When Do I Use A Quick Pressure Release
Using a quick pressure release stops the pressure cooking quickly. Therefore, you should use a quick pressure release when you are cooking ingredients, like vegetables, that you want to avoid overcooking.
I use a quick pressure release when I make my Quick Pressure Cooker Potato Salad so the potatoes are tender but still chunky and hold their shape.
Our Favorite Recipes to use Quick Pressure Release:
Dont use a quick release with ingredients that foam or have fatty or thick ingredients.
Functions Of An Instant Pot
- You can use an instant pot in place of a slow cooker or pressure cooker to cook delicious food in a short time.
- Instant pot is great for cooking rice. When the timer goes off, the rice will be cooked. You can do other chores during the cooking period without having to stand by it.
- Instant pot can be used to steam food as well as caramelize vegetables using the saute mode.
- You can keep your food warm in an instant pot.
- Instant pot can be used to set yogurt. Some advanced versions of instant pot also enable you to boil eggs bake cakes.
Recommended Reading: Instant Pot Tamales Recipe
What Is Instant Pot Natural Release
Natural Release is as it sounds: a method that allows steam to leave the Instant Pot via the small floating valve at its natural rate of venting into the air. Its a slower way of letting off the pressure, so its more suitable for meals with a lot of liquid that might otherwise rise with the steam and splatter.
When Do You Do A Natural Pressure Release
You use a Natural Release in those electric pressure cookers recipes when you want the food to continue cooking.
Since the pressure releases gradually, there’s less movement in the Instant Pot.
With the Natural Release method, the skin on foods like a whole chicken or turkey breasts stays intact since the pressure and temperature go down gradually.
This is similar to allowing meats to rest after they’ve roasted. In turn, this keeps meats juicy, tender, and flavorful.
For foamy foods like grains and pasta, doing a Natural Release reduces mess from foam. It also prevents a lot of liquid spurting out of the steam release valve or clogging it.
While Natural Release is the slowest pressure release method, it has advantages like retaining flavor and tenderness in meats.
It’s also an excellent way to avoid foam spurting from the steam release valve when making Instant Pot potato soup, broths, beans, grains, foamy foods. Or recipes with large liquid volume or high starch content like congee and porridge.
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How Long Does Natural Release Take
Natural Release time depends on:
- The size of your Instant Pot 3 quart, 6 quart or 8 quart.
- Whats inside what you are cooking.
8 quart Instant Pot has larger pot , so larger volume of pressure to build up inside. If it is meal type recipe, barely any liquid in final product like Instant Pot chicken breast or Instant Pot teriyaki chicken, Natural Release takes about 10 minutes. For Instant Pot lentil soup for example, it could take as much as 40 minutes for pressure to release fully because the pot is large, and all that hot liquid keeps the steam going.
6 quart Instant Pot takes less time to do Natural Release anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. Thats one of the features I like about smaller pressure cooker.
Wondering which size works for you? Check out my post on which Instant Pot to buy?!
Steam Vent Is Blocked
When the cooking time that you programmed into the pot finishes, steam will automatically start to naturally vent from the steam value on top of your instant pot. You can, at that point, choose to rapidly vent the steam if you want.
If you cannot naturally release steam into the room that youre in, and the steam release valve will not release steam manually either, then the steam release valve itself may be blocked.
This is a fairly common problem due to the fact that a lot of people use their instant pots to cook fine foods like rice or quinoa the small grains can sometimes get caught in the steam valve, leading to a clog which can impair the overall function of the machine.
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Quick Release Vs Natural Release And Keep Warm
When I first got my Instant Pot, I was confused about how to do a Quick Release VS. Natural Release. I assumed you would turn the pressure valve to one of the two, but nope. I was like how in the heck do I do this?! In my Instant Pot Group, I see so many people confused with the same thing! So, today, I am going to break it down for you.
How To Use Magic Release
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Do I Need To Adjust My Recipes At Higher Altitude
The short answer is yes. Some Instant Pot models e.g. Ultra and MAX will allow you to set your altitude and the cooking times will be automatically adjusted for you. Otherwise, cooking should be adjusted 5% for every 1,000 feet above 2,000 ft. above sea level. So, for example, at 3,000 ft., you will increase cooking time by 5% and at 4,000 ft., you will increase cooking time by 10% and so forth. One of our team members has lived at many varying high elevations and personally, I have never run into altitude-related issues with my Duo model.
Things Not To Do When Quick Releasing
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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.
Smart Program Pressure Cooking
If you choose to use one of the pre-set smart program options, the steps are even simpler. Please refer to our post on Smart Program Instant Pot Buttons Explained for how to adjust each setting.
Step 1. Start the Instant Pot. Insert the inner pot into the cooker base.
Step 2. Add ingredients and liquids to the inner pot. Stir if needed or leave layered.
Step 3. Secure and lock the lid. Make sure everything feels well sealed.
Step 4. Select one of the Smart Program buttons. Pre-set cooking time and pressure level will display. You can leave it as is or adjust things like the pressure level from HIGH to LOW. You can press the Smart Program button again to cycle through the Less, Normal and More time options or use the and + buttons to adjust the cooking time further. If you make any adjustments to the selected Smart Program, they will be remembered next time you use it.
Step 5. Preheating & pressurizing stage begins followed by cooking under pressure as per program settings. Once the Instant Pot beeps again and the timer has reached zero, the cooking process is done.
Step 6. You can do a quick release or allow the built-up pressure to release naturally , or do both depending on the food/recipe.
Step 10. Once pressure is released, open the lid and stir or remove the contents.
Also Check: Frozen Meatball Instant Pot Recipe
Did You Know We Have A Podcast
We started the Magic With Gadgets podcast in the January of 2021 as a way to offer a different way to enjoy Recipe This. It focuses on cooking with kitchen gadgets. You can find out more about our podcast here.
With twice weekly episodes through September to December. This is episode 2 of the second season and you have the choice between reading this post, listening to the podcast or both.
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Abbreviated Natural Pressure Release
This method uses both natural and quick pressure release methods.
To do this type of pressure release, you will first use the natural release for a certain amount of time. Ten minutes would be a good starting point, but the amount of time really depends on the size, quantity, and type of food inside. After the allotted time is up, you will use the quick release method to finish releasing the steam.
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How To Use Quick Release On An Instant Pot
Ready to try quick release? Follow these steps:
My Recipe Says To Do A Natural Release Followed By A Quick Release Help
Not to worry, many recipes have you do this.
First, you perform an Instant pot Natural Release for a certain amount of time, usually 10 or 15 minutes.
Then you to a Quick Pressure Release to toggle the steam release valve to quickly vent any remaining pressure.
Finally, you release any remaining pressure by moving the top of the Instant Pot from the sealed position to completely open. Just be careful to do this slowly.
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Q: Do I Need To Turn The Pressure Cooker Off Before Using A Quick Pressure Release Or A Natural Pressure Release
No you do not need to turn the pressure cooker off for a quick or natural pressure release. The pressure will release on the Keep Warm setting. The benefit of not turning it off is that the time will count up so you can see how long its been since the pressure cooking time ended.
There is some debate about whether or not the pressure releases more slowly if its on the Keep Warm Setting. The Instant Pot Companys official position is that it does not release more slowly on the Keep Warm Setting because the Keep Warm heat does not turn on until the pressure has been released.
I prefer to turn off or unplug the pressure cooker before I do a quick pressure release or natural pressure release. I seem to always forget to turn off the pressure cooker if I dont turn it off when the pressure cooking ends. I also prefer to set a timer to remind me 10 minutes has passed and its time to release the pressure when Im doing a natural pressure release.
Part 3 in our Getting Started Guide will walk you through an initial test run for your Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, Crockpot Express, or other brand of electric pressure cooker.
If youre in a hurry to get cooking, you can always skip to our Make Your First Meal post and come back to this information while youre waiting for the chicken to cook.
