Lets Try The Quick Release
Back to our pot of water: Push the steam release valve to the venting position using a long-handled spoon or your finger. Just keep your fingers to the side and away from the top of the knob where the steam vents.
This valve should stay open on its own once you nudge it. The steam will come shooting up and be a little noisy.
Releasing all of the steam can take a minute or more. The more liquid in the cooker, the longer the release will take. With the 3 cups of water, it took mine 45 seconds.
Coco Morante
Storing Leftover Steamed Buns :
To prevent them from sticking to one another, place the steamed buns on an oven tray, and partially freeze them in the freezer.
Then place the partially frozen bao in Ziploc bags. Remove the excess air in the ziploc bags and seal tight.
For best quality, you can store the bao in the freezer for up to 3 months .
This Sounds Too Good To Be True
I wouldnt lie to you. Instant Pot is a misnomer. Its not a miracle, and it does not cook food in an instant. Nothing does, unless you live on Cup Noodles.
Here’s the catch: It takes time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.
Typically, the time it takes the cooker to get to pressure is not part of that cooking time. For instance, if a pot roast cooks for 30 minutes at pressure, the total time from start to finish for a recipe like this might be more like 45 minutes or more. An Instant Pots heating element has less juice than the burners on your range, so it takes longer to heat food enough to get to pressure.
BUT! The ease of use frees you up to do other things. With most recipes, Instant Pots truly are set it and forget it. Lets say youre making a stir-fry, and youd like brown rice to go with it. Before you start prepping the stir-fry, put the rice and water in the Instant Pot, program it to cook for 22 minutes at pressure, then go about your business.
Emma Christensen
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How To Serve Steamed Carrots
Depending on what I’m serving these carrots with, I sometimes skip the seasoning to enjoy their naturally sweet flavors, or toss them with one of the following seasonings.
Depending on the seasoning, you can quickly saute the cooked carrots with the seasoning, or just toss them.
- Butter & Maple: 2 teaspoon unsalted butter + 1 teaspoon maple syrup . Toss cooked carrots until nicely coated.
- Zesty Indian: ½ teaspoon each of cumin and chaat masala + 1 teaspoon lime juice + ¼ teaspoon salt. Toss cooked carrots until nicely coated.
- Classic: ¼ teaspoon each of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss cooked carrots until nicely coated.
- Herbed Butter: 2 teaspoon salted butter + 2 teaspoon parsley, or cilantro. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a pan and add cooked carrots and seasoning. Saute 2 minutes.
- Spicy & Sweet: ½ teaspoon each of chili powder & brown sugar. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a pan and add cooked carrots and seasoning. Saute 2 minutes.
- Garlic & Herb: 2 teaspoon oil + 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend. Heat olive oil in a pan and add cooked carrots and seasoning. Saute 2 to 3 minutes.
Instant Pot Broccoli Without Steamer Basket
If you do not have a steamer basket, you can still make Instant Pot Broccoli. Simply use the trivet that your Instant Pot came with .
Place the trivet in the Instant Pot, along with 3/4 cup water for a 6 quart, 1/2 cup water for a 3 quart, and 1 cup for an 8 quart Instant Pot.
Stack the broccoli on top of the trivet and keep it out of the water as much as possible. Cook as directed, and quickly remove the broccoli to a serving plate with tongs or a large spoon.
You can also dump the entire thing in a colander or strainer, but be careful since the trivet will fall out as well.
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Steam Carrots In The Microwave
To steam carrots in the microwave, add carrot pieces to a large microwave safe bowl. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water. Cover the bowl with a microwave lid and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the desired level of tenderness.
Keep in mind that microwaving steaming method may result in uneven doneness in carrots due to its style of heat distribution.
How To Steam Without The Basket
Typically, a steamer basket is used to create steamed vegetables in the Instant Pot. If you dont have a steamer basket, dont worry! You can still steam the broccoli in an Instant Pot without one. To steam the broccoli, use the trivet that your Instant Pot came with during your purchase. The trivet keeps the vegetable separate from the water at the bottom of the Instant Pot, but allows it to still steam to perfection!
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Instant Pot Guide: A Beginners Guide To Using Your Pressure Cooker
Wondering how to use your new Instant Pot? In this Instant Pot Guide, Ill walk you through what you need to know to start cooking with your Instant Pot today. Safety features, how to do an Instant Pot water test, whats the difference between a natural pressure release and a quick release, and what will happen step by step through the cooking process.
Ill be honest the first time I used my Instant Pot, I was overwhelmed and a bit scared. An Instant Pot can be intimidating for a new user. There are so many buttons and safety warnings.
However, I guarantee that once you get started, youll wonder what you ever did without your Instant Pot. I love mine so much that I now own two Instant Pots!
Im going to help you get started with all of the tips and tricks that I have learned through trial, error and research. This Instant Pot manual will tell you everything you need to know to use your Instant Pot for the first time.
Knead & Rise Bao Dough
Heres the labor of love part of this Instant Pot steamed buns recipe.
Well need to knead the bao dough for a good 8 11 minutes until the dough is relatively smooth.
*Pro Tip: If you want to skip this workout, take out your stand mixer and let it do the work. Depending on your stand mixer, itll take roughly 6 8 minutes for it to knead the dough.
Finally, form the dough into a ball shape, then place it back into the original large mixing bowl.
Then, cover it with a damp kitchen towel or food wrap.
Now, place the mixing bowl in a warmer part of your kitchen, then allow the dough to rise.
*Dough Rising Time: Youll need to rise the dough for roughly 45 minutes 1 hour.
*Note: You can proceed to prepare the filling ingredients as you wait for the dough to rise
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Tips For Cooking Instant Pot Corn On The Cob:
- You can fit up to 6 ears of corn in a 6 quart Instant Pot and up to 9 ears of corn in an 8 quart Instant Pot.
- Remember to arrange the layers of corn in opposite directions in your Instant Pot, as shown in the photo.
- Trim the stalks if the cobs are too long to fit in the pot.
- Quick release the pressure as soon as the cook time ends to keep the corn from over-cooking.
- Serve your corn with butter, salt and pepper, or as desired.
What Foods Are Best For A Pressure Cooker
Pressure cooking uses wet heat only. You gotta have liquid in the cookerthe steam creates the pressure. No liquid, no steam, no pressure.
Pressure cooking is for boiling, steaming, and braising. For example, you wouldnt cook French fries or make a crusty loaf of bread from start to finish by pressure cooking.
But anything boiled or steamed or simmered is ace in your Instant Pot.
Coco Morante
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The Steam Handle Is In The Venting Position
If your instant pot will not release pressure naturally, then its likely that the steam handle is already in the venting position. This would mean that pressure hasnt built within the pot, leading to your pot simply being unable to vent pressure that isnt there.
Alternatively, you may have knocked or otherwise accidentally triggered the steam release handle, leading to the pressure venting very quickly. If the pressure of the pot has equalized, you will not be able to naturally release any pressure.
Natural Pressure Release Vs Quick Release
First of all, let me explain the difference between Natural Pressure Release and Quick Release when it comes to pressure cooking.
- Natural Pressure Release is when the pressure is slowly released on its own.
- Quick Release is when you manually turn the valve to Vent and allow the pressure that has been built up to release rapidly.
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How To Cook Sweet Potatoes In The Instant Pot
Get velvety smooth sweet potatoes every time.
If you’re looking to introduce healthy eating habits into your life this year, sweet potatoes are your friend. These starchy root vegetables are so nutrient-packed it’s no wonder they’ve become staples in popular diets like Whole30 and Paleo. But there’s just one problem. Cooking them in the oven is time-consuming. That’s where the Instant Pot comes into play. This innovative kitchen gadget allows you to cook moist and fluffy sweet potatoes in less time than traditional methods. Read on for a step-by-step guide on how to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot.
How To Safely Remove The Lid
Are you worried about your Instant Pot exploding? That was my biggest fear when I got started, too. Luckily, the Instant Pot is loaded with safety features to help prevent that from happening, but the best thing you can do is learn how to use it properly to avoid any user errors.
Its NOT safe to remove the lid from your Instant Pot until all of the pressure has been released from the pot. Youll know its safe to remove the lid when the floating valve in the lid drops. This means all of the pressure is gone, and the Instant Pot lid will easily twist off.
Never ever try to force the lid off the pot if it doesnt twist easily. As a safety precaution, the Instant Pot locks the lid while the pot is still pressurized, so dont try to fight it.
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Traditional Steaming In An Instant Pot
While any food can be perfectly steamed in an Instant Pot with careful timing and precision, you may still be nervous about getting it right, and prefer a more traditional method of steaming, and the ability to more closely monitor your food and its progress as it steams. No worries, traditional steaming is also possible in your Instant Pot!
If you are having trouble getting pressure steaming just right, try purchasing Instant Potâs glass lid .
Loading Your Steam Basket
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How To Do An Instant Pot Water Test
Now that you have completed the water test, you are ready to cook in your Instant Pot!
Youre Ready To Steam In Your Instant Pot
With knowledge and a little practice, an Instant Pot can steam any food perfectly, and in a fraction of the time it would take to steam on the stovetop. And for fans of stovetop steaming, it will get a traditional steam going almost immediately as well.
The next time you want to steam vegetables, eggs or seafood, donât hesitate to reach for your Instant Pot.
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Common Questions For Instant Pot Carrots
How long does it take to steam carrots in the Instant Pot?
Set the timer for 2 minutes for fork-tender carrots. Keep in mind that the Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure, so actual cooking time is about 12 minutes.
How do you steam carrots in an Instant Pot without a steamer basket?
Add the carrots to the pressure cooker first, then add the water and any seasonings.
Can you steam food in a pressure cooker?
Yes! The cook time depends on the food or vegetable.
Is pressure cooker bad for health?
Not at all. In fact, studies have shown that pressure cooking can help preserve heat-sensitive nutrients better than other cooking methods.
How Do I Get Into This Thing When Its At Pressure
Now you need to release the pressure. There are two ways:
- Natural release: That means you do nothing but wait. The more food in the Instant Pot, the longer it takes for the pressure to come downas long as 30 minutes if you have, say, a big batch of chili. In a lot of recipes, this time is actually part of the cooking time, and the recipe will specify natural release in the instructions. Think of it as carryover cooking. Youll use natural release with dried beans, a lot of soups and stews, most meats, steamed desserts, and long-cooking vegetables.
- Quick release: With this method, you use the quick release valve and steam shoots up out of it. Once again, the more food in your Instant Pot, the longer it takes for the steam to release. Youll use quick release for quick-cooking foods like tender vegetables and seafoods.
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How To Steam Broccoli Instant Pot
The best way to steam broccoli in instant pot is using a steamer basket like this or a foldable steamer basket like this one.You can use these steamzer baskets for a lot of other things also- like steaming potatoes or carrots or boiling eggs.
If you dont want to buy a basket, you can also use the trivet that comes with the instant pot.
Here is a Super Easy Chart to help you cook your broccoli
| Texture of Broccoli |
| Quick Release |
It takes about 10 minutes for the whole process- including the time it takes for instant pot to come to pressure.
Wow That Was No Big Deal Which Recipes To Make Now
Great job! Take the tape off the front of the cooker and read the owners manual.
Heres the scope of whats possible in your Instant Pot, and eventually youll hone in on what makes sense for you: You might cook primarily beans and grains, shaving minutes off cooking components of other recipes. You might steam vegetables most often . You might lean toward multicomponent one-pot meals. Youre the boss of this thing, so have fun!
- Hard-boiled eggs in the Instant Pot are actually steamed. The plus with them? So easy to peel!
- Do you love cooking dry beans from scratch? In the Instant Pot, they are fast and plump in the pressure cooker. A game-changer.
- Regular steamed rice in an Instant Pot frees you to focus on cooking the rest of the meal. An IP is essentially a rice cooker on steroids.
- Chicken soup from scratch, ready in 60 minutes.
- Classic chili is weeknight-compatible in an Instant Pot.
- Need cooked butternut squash or other winter squash? Steam it in a pressure cooker!
- Cheesecake is a breeze in an Instant Pot, because you steam itno messing with tipsy water baths and multiple pans like you would in an oven.
- Steel-cut oats are an everyday luxury if you program it to cook right when you wake up. Your oatmeal is ready once your coffees brewed and youre dressed!
Want more recipe ideas? Check out our full list of Instant Pot recipes!
Alison Conklin
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