100 Best Fall Instant Pot Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What foods should not be cooked in an Instant Pot? ›

Maximum When pressure cooking, do not fill the inner pot higher than the PC MAX — 2/3 line as indicated on the inner pot. When cooking foods that expand (e.g., rice, beans, pasta) do not fill the inner pot higher than the — 1/2 line as indicated on the inner pot.

Foods containing dairy, like milk, cream, or yogurt, should not be pressure-cooked. The high heat and pressure can cause dairy products to curdle or separate, ruining the texture, taste and flavour of the dish. Cooking fried foods is a strict no no, when it comes to pressure cookers.

Con– If you don't pay attention to setting the vent properly you will have to extend your cooking time. I can't tell you how many time I forgot to seal the pot and the steam was escaping rather than building up inside and cooking my food. Pro– Like I said earlier, you are not limited to soups and stews.

In general, the Instant Pot Duo seems to be the most popular, because it offers excellent value — it's the most affordable model but still cooks seven ways and has basic, intuitive controls. The Duo also offers the Duo Crisp model that can also air fry.

Despite its popularity in professional kitchens, a pressure cooker is rarely featured on cooking shows. But that doesn't mean celebrity chefs don't appreciate their value. In fact, many renowned chefs have sung the praises of pressure cookers.

Unfortunately, once you overcook a piece of meat in the pressure cooker, there's no going back. You'll be left with a pile of dry, crunchy, tasteless fibers and no amount of additional pressure cooking is going to put that moisture back into the meat. Earlier, I explained how ingredient size affects the cooking time.

Is steam leaking out of the pressure valve, even when turned to the upper locked position? It's normal for a small amount of steam to leak from the valve while the pot is heating up, but if it continues to leak steam during the pressure-cooking cycle, you may have a problem.

It's versatile and not too big, making it the correct size when cooking for three to five people. An 8-quart pot offers enough capacity for larger families or anyone needing a good meal prep tool or who anticipates having leftovers, while the 10-quart is large enough to fit a whole chicken.

Stovetop pressure cookers are still great options, they just take a little more finesse and know-how to use. They can reach higher pressure and temperatures than electric multicookers, like the Instant Pot, making them useful for home canners.

Do you close the vent on Instant Pot when pressure cooking? ›

Make sure your vent in set to "sealing"

When starting your cook, you want this lever pointing toward "sealing" and not "venting." Sealing means the Instant Pot is going to hold all the pressure created inside the pot, while venting is what you'll likely do to release the pressure when the food is finished cooking.

If you're using your pressure cooker on a daily basis and investing in regular maintenance, it may last you up to five years. On average, though, most pressure cookers perform well for up to three years. After that, it's time to consider investing in a replacement.

In fact, there are a handful of foods that just shouldn't be pressure-cooked. Among them are dairy and fried foods, as well as burgers and steaks. These foods are not Instant-Pot-friendly for a multitude of reasons.

They are most commonly used in industrial settings to quickly prepare meat or stocks. However, in most scenarios, Elite Chefs avoid using pressure cookers because they provide less control over the final dish. Chefs often prefer slow cooking techniques that accentuate and pull out the flavors of the food.

Mostly we boil potatoes in a pressure cooker, but like rice, potatoes also contain a lot of starch. This is the reason why boiling or cooking in this pressure cooker is not considered good for health. If you still plan to use cooker for the same, add a lot of water and wash them thoroughly post cooking.

Even though some studies suggest that pressure cooking isn't the best way to preserve nutrients in food, no research exists to suggest that pressure cookers of any model or brand pose health risks. If you're a fan of your Instant Pot, don't worry: You can continue to safely use your appliance without worry.