Now that you have a shiny new Instant Pot, we need to tell you exactly what NOT to do with it. 10 things to never do with your Instant Pot to be exact.
You always see what to do with your Instant Pot, so we thought it is time to give you the things to never do with your Instant Pot. Or, the Instant Pot rules if you will.
Instant Pot tips are always important, but we want to help you AVOID learning the hard way with the 10 things you should NOT do with your new, shiny and (let’s be honest) kind of intimidating Instant Pot.
Pressure cooking is nothing to mess around with! But, it can also be the best thing to happen to your kitchen since the slow cooker.
What Instant Pot Should I buy?
I actually own two Instant Pots. I’ll often have them both cooking at the same time if I’m doing food prep for the week or making a main and side dish for dinner. You might think I’m crazy, but it really is so convenient.
I own both the 6 quart Instant Pot LUX and the 6 quart Instant Pot DUO (You can find them both HERE) I love and highly recommend both, depending on your needs.
The 6 quart is perfect for feeding a family on a daily basis. The main difference between the LUX and DUO models is that the DUO can make yogurt.
Instant Pot DON’TS
1. If you double the recipe, don’t double the time
If you double the recipe, do not increase the cooking time. Usually, the time stays exactly the same. You can find out more information HERE on cooking while doubling the recipe.
2. Only waiting a few minutes to pressurize then canceling it
When you first turn on the Instant Pot, the display reads ‘On’ right away and even after you set the timer to cook, it will go back to reading “on” while it comes to pressure.
Just be patient – it is going to take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes to come to pressure, depending on the quantity and temperature of the food. Don’t press cancel after just a few minutes because you will lose all the progress your food has made cooking in the Instant Pot!
3. Taking the lid off BEFORE all the pressure is out
It can be very dangerous to remove the lid before all the pressure is out. It’s actually difficult to open the lid while it’s cooking for that reason.
The Instant Pot wants to make sure all of the pressure is released before it willingly unlocks. Don’t try to forcefully open it.
Once you close the lid, let it cook for the full time you’ve set and let the pressure fully release before opening it.
4. Never stick your hand over the steam when it is depressurizing
If you do, you will instantly be burned! It is VERY hot steam coming out. If you want, you can get a “steam diverter” that will direct all the steam in the direction of your choosing.
Just be sure to set the steam diverter BEFORE you turn everything on and start the Instant Pot.
5. Never put your Instant Pot’s steel bowl (or Instant Pot, for that matter) on the stovetop
The Instant Pot is designed for countertop use only, so where you choose to position your cooker is important.
To prevent damage to your cooker, keep it away from external heat sources such as heated ovens, stovetops and gas ranges. As well as, keep it a few inches away from anything else since the pot can generate some heat.
6. Never put food in your pot BEFORE your Stainless Steel pot is in!
One of the ways that people damage their instant pot is by putting food or liquid into the pot WITHOUT the steel bowl being in place. It’s the fastest way to damage the heating element of your Instant Pot.
Just always be sure to double check that your stainless steel pot is in place before adding food and/or liquid! Didn’t read this far before making this mistake? Check out THIS article to try and correct it.
7. Using the 6, 8, and 3 qt cook the same. Never change the cooking time because of a different size!
This goes along the same lines as the first one – just because the size is different doesn’t mean that the cooking time should be. Just follow the recipes as is and it will turn out great!
8. Never add only thick liquid. You NEED thin liquid in your Instant Pot for it to come to pressure.
If the liquid that you are using in the recipe is too thick, the Instant Pot may not be able to reach the desired pressure level to start the pressure cooking cycle. Consider thinning out the liquid by adding chicken stock or water. A good rule of thumb is to always have at least 1/2 cup of thin liquid in the pot.
9. Never fill your pot past the fill line or three-fourths of the way full
It’s very important that you do not overfill your Instant Pot. If you do, it can result in clogging of the venting knob which will cause MAJOR issues once your meal gets cooking.
Other issues that can arise include lessened cooking pressure and a complete mess (AKA it will all come spewing out of the vent)! If you do overfill, make sure that you choose the natural pressure release options, so that the foam has time to settle down post-cooking.
10. Never call it an Insta Pot. It is called an Instant Pot
A lot of people give it the nickname (or think its actually called) “InstaPot”, but the correct term is “Instant Pot”. 🙂 Ha ha! I wonder if they think it’s like Instagram in that way. 😉
With the dont’s out of the bag, its time to start using your Instant Pot!
We have a YouTube channel where we share new recipes every week for the Instant Pot. My sister Kristen walks you through each Instant Pot recipe step by step, making it perfect for beginners! You should check out our video that gives you the 7 basic Instant Pot recipes for beginners.
Thank you