Instant Pot Pointers: How-To Cooking Guide

For most of us, the best instant pot meant instant love. What could be better than a kitchen accessory that can deliver a home-cooked meal quickly and easily — and all in one pot?

But coming face to face with your first instant pot can be a little intimidating. This large, stainless steel contraption with glowing buttons and knobs looks like something that rolled right out of a Star Wars movie and into our kitchen.

Luckily, pot-cooking pundits have come forward with some of their best instant pot pointers to help beginners quickly master this time-saving kitchen cooker.

Under Pressure

If you were ever treated to stories of bursting canning jars in your grandmother’s kitchen, the idea of cooking with pressure might be even more intimidating than your new instant pot’s gleaming robotic appearance.

But fear not — this isn’t your grandmother’s pressure cooker. The best instant pot comes packed with safety features that will ensure you won’t have to duck under the counter when it reaches full pressure.

Your instant pot will only work on the saute and keep-warm settings if the lid isn’t on correctly, so there are no worries about blowing the lid off of anything in your kitchen other than your temper. The lid will stay locked until the pot is safe to open.

Additionally, it has automatic temperature control, anti-block vents, automatic shut-off in case of overheating, and pressure-regulating protection that will release steam to keep the correct amount of pressure. The pot will also shut itself off with a dry-burn protection feature if the water evaporates completely away.

Flavorful Fluid

Your instant pot requires water to work up enough steam to create the intense pressure that it needs to function properly. The directions included in the instant pot manual recommend at least a cup of water. You can add a lot of flavor to your instant pot dishes by using flavorful fluids instead of water.

Try adding orange soda and soy sauce to chicken for a tangy mandarin flavor that’s really delicious over rice with vegetables. Add a can of onion soup to pot roast, and a cup of beer to brats or kielbasa.

Broth, wine, fruit juices, thin marinade sauces, and apple cider are other great additions to meats and vegetables in your best instant pot dishes.

Use Several Settings

Don’t be afraid to use more than one setting per meal. For instance, if you are making a pot roast, try using the saute setting to sear the outside of the meat first.

This is also a good opportunity to carmelize onions. Then add your liquid and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pot, helping to loosen any flavorful browned bits before switching to pressure cooking.

You can switch back to saute to make gravy, and then use the keep-warm feature until you are ready to eat. Remember, you can always thicken the extra liquid that comes with pressure cooking into gravy by mixing a little cornstarch into water or milk and then stirring it into the broth in your instant pot.

It’s always best to add cornstarch after cooking and not during the cooking process. In an instant pot, thickening the liquids during the cooking process interferes with the pot’s ability to make steam for pressure.

Season Lavishly

Because the instant pot uses water or thin liquids for cooking, your spices and seasonings may rinse off during the cooking process.

You should always be a little more heavy-handed with the seasoning in your best instant pot recipes than you might be with your typical recipes. It helps to do a dry rub and rub your seasonings into the surface of the meat.

Searing meats on the saute function and doubling your seasoning will bring your best instant pot meals from dull to delectable.

Don’t Forget to Do Dessert

Did you know that instant pots make more than mouthwatering main courses and serious side dishes? In fact, desserts are especially delicious when cooked in an instant pot.

Recipes are easy to find online, including the amazingly simple cheesecakes that instant pots are known to produce. Some other best instant pot dessert recipes include easy dump cakes, chocolate lava cake, creme brulee, and apple and peach crisps or cobblers.

Even if it wasn’t love at first sight, once you’ve tried it, your best instant pot will be your new best friend!

Resources— KitchenApplianceHQ, EasyInstant, DigitalTrends

About The Author