Learn how to use the Instant Pot with these Tips and Tricks. Maximize the way you use your Instant Pot with all these tips and tricks for beginners to advanced.
If you own an Instant Pot or are considering buying one, you might benefit from these Instant Pot Tips and Tricks below. Learn what all those buttons do and maximize the use of your Instant Pot.
—> Try these 20 No-Fail Instant Pot Recipes once you learn all these amazing Instant Pot Tips!
It seems the whole world loves their Instant Pot the moment they take it out of the box. This electric pressure cooker is able to speed up the cook time of meals by 2-6 times faster. It also uses around 70% less energy and won’t heat your entire house up during cooking like your oven would. Because this is a newer model the brand created safety features to make them safe, unlike the traditional old school stove-top pressure cookers like your grandma used to use. It’s no wonder people are jumping on the Instant Pot Bandwagon!
Must Know Instant Pot Tips And Tricks
1. Did you know you can convert recipes to be Instant Pot-friendly! Once you master the steps it takes to convert a recipe, you can make your classic dishes in the Instant Pot. You will find some recipes don’t convert if they have a lot of dairy in them, but generally, most recipes are easy conversions.
2. The Instant Pot takes around 10 minutes for it to reach pressure before it can begin to cook. So if a dish says it takes four minutes to cook, you will add 10 minutes to the cook time, because it has to reach pressure before the cooking begins. This can be a good gauge to know how long it will take. If you do a natural release of pressure you need to factor in that time as well.
3. The Instant Pot requires liquid for it to work properly. So what do you do when you want to cook a dish that you don’t want to be submerged in liquid? Use the trivet and set a pan on top, and then place your food in the pan, so the Instant Pot has the liquid it needs to reach pressure, and your food isn’t touching the liquid.
4. One tip I learned when I was starting out is print out a cooking time printable, and tape it inside your kitchen cabinet. Then when you go to cook, open up your cupboard and refer to the printable for easy time settings. Then as you get used to your Instant Pot you will begin to remember how long green beans take, etc.
5. Remember that a quick release is great for more delicate foods like pasta, vegetables, and such. A natural release is used for meats to help tenderize them even more. This little tip has helped me a lot when it comes to getting that tender meat and keeping the correct texture of more delicate foods.
6. Get familiar with the buttons and what they mean. This will be the best way to maximize the use of your Instant Pot. Learn how to adjust the time and move from one to another with ease. Once you become comfortable, you will be able to navigate a lot easier.
7. Learn the proper way to clean your Instant Pot from a quick wipe down to a deep clean, which is a must for any Instant Pot user. If you don’t clean Your Instant Pot properly, it can hold in odors, and not work properly.
8. If you live in higher altitudes, here is a way to know how to adjust your cook times on dishes you make in your Instant Pot so you have a successful turnout.
9. Did you know you can create a meal plan so every night of the week you can use your Instant Pot? Here is a great meal plan with Instant Pot meals.
10. One major thing to remember is not to overfill your Instant Pot. If you overfill you will not have a good turnout for the dish you are making. Remember items like rice and beans expand as they cook.
11. One major thing people are trying to do is cook pasta in the Instant Pot. Learn the do’s and don’ts of cooking pasta in your magical Instant Pot. These tips and tricks right here will give you the perfect al dente pasta each time.
12. Use separate sealing rings for savory dishes and sweet. The sealing ring locks in odors so cleaning often is a must, but you can buy color-coded sealing rings so that you can use one for sweet recipes like cheesecake and another for savory.
13. Remember that dairy doesn’t work that great in the Instant Pot (unless yogurt). So mix in your sour cream, cream cheese, etc at the end when you are done cooking.
This magical electric pressure cooker can save you time and money and takes up minimal space on the kitchen counter, so take advantage and put the Instant Pot to good use in your own home with these Instant Pot Tips and Tricks!
To learn more about using your Slow Cooker, too, try these tips and tricks!
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