Instant Pot Cooking Times

Kale & Other Sturdy Leafy Greens

Kale is the ultimate superfood. You just feel healthy when you eat kale. Its a fact of life. Its actually quite tasty. Most greens are jam-packed with micronutrients that our bodies love. These micronutrients help us stay healthy and avoid deficiency. They also provide antioxidants and help us to naturally detox and fight off oxidative damage. We all know we need to eat our greens. Let the Instant Pot make it easier.

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.

How To Make Chicken Saag

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the ghee when the pan is hot. Toss in the onions

and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the green pepper, ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrantabout a minute.

Toss the chicken with 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Add the chicken to the pot.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is no longer pink, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the coriander, cumin, 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of garam masala, turmeric, and ground Kashmiri chili powder.

Cook, stirring well to distribute all the spices, for about a minute.

Pour in the tomato purée and ½ cup of water and stir to combine.

Increase the heat to bring the sauce to a boil. Then, cover the pot and decrease the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender.

Stir the chopped spinach into the pot and mix well.

Cover the pot and simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the spinach is tender and absorbs all the seasoning.

Stir in the remaining teaspoon of garam masala and add the lemon juice.

Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Enjoy!

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For Simple Instant Pot Eggplant :

• Wash eggplant and cut into uniform slices or chunks.
• Place a trivet or steaming basket into the pot with one cup of water.
• Place the eggplant into the basket and set the Instant Pot to cook on HIGH for 3-4 minutes,
• Finish up with a quick release.
• Optional: Drain the water and add butter or oil. Season and saute the eggplant to brown the outsides.

Instant Pot Cooking Times

If you are brand new to the instant pot, then mastering the instant pot cooking times needs to be top of your list.

I get it, most of us will just search online and I was shocked to see in the search results really wrong cook times for some of the most cooked instant pot foods.

I am talking time that would burn the instant pot food and dry it out. Or when the food has not been cooked for long enough and would be considered as raw.

And no wonder people have had so many bad experiences with cooking food in the instant pot, with instant pot steamed broccoli often named as the food that they undercooked the most.

The reality is most have bought a list of instant pot cook times and never actually owned an instant pot.

Today, on the podcast I will be sharing with you the top essential cook times that I recommend you learn for the instant pot.

These are some of the pressure cooker foods you will cook the most, and its fantastic for a quick reference.

Plus, as well as our extremely popular instant pot mini course which teaches you the instant pot basics in 5 days, we also have our instant pot bucket list. That is loaded with 30 FREE bucket list worthy instant pot recipes.

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Timing Adjustments For High

The pressure inside the cooker is affected by external pressure. If you live a high-altitude the cooking time for pressure-cooked foods will also be affected.

formula to adjust high-altitude pressure cooking times

Increase pressure cooking time by 5% for every 1000 ft above 2000 ft elevation . Multiply the recommended cooking time by the number on the table. The result will likely be a decimal value just round that up to the next minute.

More information: PSI FAQ: How are pressure cooking times affected by high altitudes?

For Instant Pot Shredded Cabbage:

• Remove the flimsy outer leaves from your cabbage and shred it. I prefer to shred mine in the food processor because it is easy to clean and very fast. You can also do this with a mandoline slicer or a knife, of course.
• Place 1-2 cups of water or broth in the inner pot, then place the cabbage in. You dont need to use the trivet or steaming basket for this.
• Cook on high for 2 minutes.
• For soups or for a softer result: Let the pot naturally release pressure.
• For a side or crisper result: Perform a quick release to finish up with.
• Check out these 20 Instant Pot cabbage recipes and make sure to try out Sri Lankan Coconut Cabbage.

Also Check: How To Cook Broccoli In Instant Pot

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.

How To Store Your Instant Pot

Store your cooker with the lid upside down and the gasket loose . Condensation builds up in the gasket, which can become moldy if you lock a damp lid on the cooker.

This method allows for lots of air circulation. Its not so pretty on a countertop, I know. If nothing else, make sure you at least never store your cooker sealed with a damp lid.

Alison Conklin

Read Also: Instant Pot Recipes Book Free

Other Instant Pot Resources

Which Instant Pot is right for you? A post and printable chart that talks about the different modelsInstant Pot DUO, Instant Pot Smart, Multi Cooker, and more. Which have a yogurt maker, which can sous vide, which have a slow cooker.

Healthy Instant Pot Recipes All of my favorite healthy recipes, with directions for the slow cooker, stovetop, and electric pressure cooker.

How long to cook meat in the Instant Pot Another free printable with instructions for cooking your meat perfectly.

How to remove odors from your Instant Pot sealing ring This is such an issue with ownersbut the good news is that there are some great tips in this post and in the comments!

What Are The Best Cuts Of Meat To Use

The best cuts of beef for pot roast are tougher cuts of meat like chuck, brisket, and round.

Traditionally, the beef cooks at a low temperature for a long time. Its because of this that tougher cuts of beef work so well. When I say tougher cuts of meat, Im talking about the leaner cuts with lots of connective tissue.

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We have a Monday, Wednesday, Friday newsletter option that is dedicated to electric pressure cookers and air fryers. Note: If you already are a regular newsletter subscriber, email us at [email protected] and let us know you would like added to this newsletter option and we will update your preferences.

How To Pressure Cook Vegetables

The Deluxe Multi Cooker can steam fresh vegetables in a fraction of the time youd spend using other methods, and it preserves more nutrients, too. Because its so effective, we dont recommend cooking tender vegetables like peas, asparagus, or summer squash.

Add at least 1 cup of water to the inner pot of the Deluxe Multi Cooker. Prepare your veggies according to the chart below. If the vegetable requires the steam rack, add it to the bottom of the inner pot. Lock the lid and select the STEAM setting. Adjust the time according to the chart and press START. Use the chart below for the cooking time, and how to release the steam from your pressure cooker.

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Instant Pot Fried Rice

Skip takeout and whip up this Hibachi Instant Pot Fried Rice! I added chicken to this fried rice so it was a complete meal in one pot! Diced chicken, white rice, veggies, scrambled egg, all in one Hibachi style fried rice, in the pressure cooker!

Instant Pot Dulce De Leche Cheesecake Bites are an easy Instant Pot mini cheesecakes. This is the ultimate cheesecake dessert to serve up bite-size treat.

Instant Pot Apple Cider Donut Muffins are mini apple cider muffins that have fresh bits of apples in every single bite. Roll in a cinnamon-sugar mixture for the ultimate breakfast to kick start the day.

Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham is an incredible dinner or even a side dish for the holidays. A homemade cheesy sauce paired with tender potatoes and savory ham. Give this scalloped potato recipe a try today.

Instant Pot Green Beans is a quick and easy Instant Pot side dish recipe. Give this fresh green bean and bacon recipe a try! A fresh green bean recipe that is easy prep, quick cook time, and delicious.

Instant Pot Hot Beef Sandwich And Mashed Potatoes is so easy to make in your pressure cooker. A juicy tender roast, that you smother in brown gravy and pair with homemade Instant Pot mashed potatoes!

Instant Pot Spare Ribs is an easy fall off the bone tender rib recipe. BBQ ribs that are almost as good as slow-smoked bbq ribs. Give this pressure cooker rib recipe.

How To Make Instant Pot Rice Pilaf

Get perfect Instant Pot rice every time, with these few simple steps. The Instant Pot is really the only pan youll need to dirty.

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Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Cooking Time

1 Pork Shoulder , trimmed

Fresh: Cut into four equal pieces. Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 45 minutes. Naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes and then use quick release.

Frozen:Turn on the Saute function. Saute the frozen meal for 5 minutes to release some liquid. Press Cancel. The frozen meat will cook the same amount of time as from fresh.

Try these recipes:

What Is Natural Release

You can choose to let your Instant Pot or Foodi to release its pressure naturally by doing nothing. Just let the pot sit and gradually the pressure will come down. Depending on what you are cooking, this can take anywhere from 20 minutes to much longer. Pressure has been released once the pin in your lid has dropped. Oftentimes, recipes will suggest that you let a dish naturally release for 15 minutes before switching to quick release to give you the benefits of natural release but speed up the process.

• Natural Release is often used in meat dishes to retain flavor.
• Recipes with a lot of liquid or that fill the pot near the max line choose natural release to prevent contents from coming out of the vent during release.
• Leaving the keep warm setting on can extend the time it takes to come down from pressure.

You can quick release a dish by carefully flipping the knob to vent.

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Instant Pot Recipes To Make Next

Heres the scope of whats possible in your Instant Pot. Eventually youll hone in on what makes sense for you. 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.

Simply Recipes / Fran Sales

For Sliced Or Chunked Peppers:

• Wash peppers and cut into uniform slices or chunks.
• Place a trivet or steaming basket into the pot with one cup of water.
• From fresh: Place the pepper slices into the basket or trivet and set the IP to cook on high for 1-2 minutes.
• From frozen: Place the pepper slices into the basket or trivet and set the IP to cook on high for 2-3 minutes.
• Finish up with a quick release.

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For Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes:

• Begin with the recipe above. If you prefer to have your mashed potatoes without skins, make sure to peel the potatoes prior to cooking.
• When the potatoes are done the cooking, unseal the lid and add in your favourite mashed potato ingredients. You can reserve some of the water in the pot for mashing, or replace it entirely with milk/a milk substitute.
• You can follow any mashed potato recipe you like for the next step. Mash everything together in the pot for a one-pot meal. The residual heat will also make it easy to mash the spuds and blend everything together. Plus, the potatoes will be hot for serving if your pot is set to the warming function.
• Add-in ideas: olive oil, butter, milk, buttermilk, heavy cream, coconut milk, almond milk, salt, pepper, sour cream, chives, Parmesan cheese.

How To Pressure Cook Beef

One the best features of a pressure cooker that frozen meat can go right into the Deluxe Multi Cooker. To make weeknight meal prep easier and let you cook more efficiently in the Deluxe Multi Cooker, remove frozen meat from the original packaging and freeze it in a resealable plastic bag in a single layer. It will be easier to remove meat from the packaging before pressure cooking and can save some space in your freezer, too.

To cook beef, add at least of water, broth, or sauce to the inner pot of the Deluxe Multi Cooker. Add your meat to the inner pot, lock the lid, and choose the BEEF/PORK setting. Adjust the time according to the chart and press START. Use the chart below for the ratio of meat to liquid, cooking time, and how to release the steam from your pressure cooker.

*The times listed are recommendations and may vary based on the amount and thickness of the meat your cooking. Cooking very thick cuts may require additional time.

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