10 Beginner Instant Pot Tips

Did you just get your Instant Pot? You might be interested in my article covering a few starter topics such as The Water Test, some lingo you should know, two starter recipes, and a few basic accessories:

So, You Just Got an Instant Pot

If you’ve just opened your Instant Pot and are a bit overwhelmed, here are things you must know and do to succeed:

1. Always turn the steam release to “Sealing” after placing on the lid — leave yourself a sticky not on the pot to help you remember!
2. Always replace the inner pot after washing it — you can ruin your Instant Pot if you dump ingredients in by accident without it!
3. Don’t overfill your pot — contents must be kept under 2/3 full to allow proper pressurizing and cooking. If cooking things that expand, such as rice, do not fill more than 1/2 full. If you haven’t yet purchased your Instant Pot, this is an important thing to consider when deciding between whether the 6 or 8 Qt will work best for your family.
4. Line up lid arrows for proper locking — the arrows on the rim are a bit hard to see, but look for them to ensure proper lid placement.
5. Do not press on the lid to help seal — this actually creates a “false seal” which leads to the pot not pressurizing correctly.
6. Do not attempt to open the lid prior to the float valve dropping — it likely won’t work, but is also highly unsafe.
7. You can add more time to undercooked food — if you open the lid and your instant read thermometer reads too low, you most definitely can restart the process and add on a few minutes to bring the item up to temp (ex. 165 for chicken and pork).
8. Learn the lingo — QR = quick release, NR = natural release, PIP = pot-in-pot. Read More
9. Explore recipes and your own cupboards before buying add-ons — decide how the pot is going to fit into your life and then check out some accessories. You might already have a lot of supplies, such as oven-safe bakeware, that will work with your pot. My beginner article lists a few basic accessories to consider.
10. Don’t be discouraged if your first dish fails! Make sure the lid is on correctly, that you used the proper type of release
11. BONUS TIP: The “Instant” part of the name “Instant Pot” is somewhat of a misnomer, so don’t let that lead you to sending yours back. Certain recipes, such as roasts, can be cooked faster than a slow cooker or oven method. But the time that you save is really calculated by the fact you can add ingredients and walk away to do other things while your meals cook and your house fills with delicious smells!

Good luck, and please press ❤ if this article helped you or you think it could help friends and family!

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