PIP (Pot-In-Pot) Cooking
This refers to the practice of cooking multiple dishes at the same time in your pressure cooker. This is accomplished by using the steamer rack and an additional heatproof pot that fits in the inner pot. Typically, one dish is cooked directly in the inner pot, while another dish is cooked in a smaller pot that rests on the steamer rack.
You will place water in the inner liner of the Instant Pot to generate steam. You may also be asked to place water inside the small heatproof pot that holds the ingredients being cooked, such as beans, rice, etc. If you are only steaming vegetables lightly, you may not be required to put water into the heatproof pot.
A simple rule of thumb is that anything that absorbs water while cooking (rice, beans, pasta, potatoes, and other starches) requires added water. Anything that releases water (meat, vegetables, seafood) doesn’t require water to cook, but may benefit from broths and sauces to add flavor.
NPR (Natural Pressure Release) & QPR (Quick Pressure Release)
Once the Instant Pot has finished the cook cycle, it will beep to let you know. At this point, most recipes direct you to release pressure naturally, quickly release the pressure, or sometimes to use a combination of the two, such as allowing the pot to release pressure naturally for ten minutes and then quickly releasing the remaining pressure.
NPR: To release pressure naturally, simply allow the pot to rest undisturbed after the cook cycle has finished. As it cools, it will gradually release pressure until the float valve drops, indicating that the pot is no longer under pressure. You do not need to turn off the Keep Warm feature to enable NPR. The pot will drop both temperature and pressure on its own and move to the Keep Warm setting (unless you’ve expressly disabled it), allowing you to enjoy your dinner when you’re ready. The short version is, NPR = do nothing and wait patiently for the pin to drop.
QPR: To release pressure quickly, press down on the button on top of the lid or turn the dial on the steam valve to Venting. This allows the pot to release steam and pressure. Ensure that the pot is not directly under cabinets that may be damaged by the hot steam, and be sure to keep your hands and face away from the steam. Do not allow children to “help” with this.
LP (Low Pressure) & HP (High Pressure)
Most recipes and dishes call for High pressure. Seafood and delicate vegetables that cook quickly are often best cooked under Low pressure. Not all Instant Pot models have a Low pressure setting. If yours does not, try cooking the food on High pressure for about 25 percent of the time specified in the recipe. This is not an exact, scientific conversion, just what I have seen work for my readers.
What Are All These Buttons & Do I Really Need Them All?
Even though I have been using my Instant Pot for years, I do understand the bewilderment that accompanies the acquisition of a new Instant Pot. There are so many buttons! Standing in front of your new Instant Pot, you stare at the control panel, wondering if you’re about to cook dinner or launch a rocket. The instrument panel has stopped many a hungry person in her tracks, but I’m going to make this very easy for you.
In this book, almost all the recipes use just two settings: Sauté, plus Pressure Cook (for those with the Ultra model) or Manual (for those with the Duo or Lux models). Those are the only settings you need to cook most of these recipes.
Having said that, it’s good to understand what the other settings do. (If you’re more of a visual learner, I have a video on this topic on my blog.) It’s a common misperception that all the settings are really the same, just programmed with different times. Many—but not all—of the buttons are unique in some combination of time, pressure, and temperature. According to my testing, there are six settings that have specific functions rather than just different time programs, as I’ve detailed below.
Understanding the Six Most Important Buttons on Your Instant Pot
There are sixteen buttons on the Instant Pot, broken down as follows: The pressure cook programs include: Ultra, Pressure Cook, Meat/Stew, Soup/Broth, Bean/Chili, Steam, Sterilize, Rice, Multigrain, Porridge, Egg, and Cake.
The non–pressure cook programs include: Slow Cook, Sauté, Warm, and Yogurt.
SAUTÉ: This functions exactly like a pan on the stovetop to brown and sear, and you can set it to High, Medium, or Low temperatures. This is not pressure cooking, just heating and browning.
PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL: This will likely be your most often used button. The buttons usually default to High pressure, and you can set the cooking time. When a recipe says, “Set to HIGH pressure for 5 minutes,” for example, this is the button you’ll reach for, and then you’ll likely use the +/− buttons (or a dial) to set the cooking time to 5 minutes.
SOUP: When you use the Soup button, the pressure cooker heats up very slowly at first, before hitting higher temperatures. It was originally designed to create non-cloudy broths for soups. I find it quite useful when you are trying to keep yogurt or other liquids from separating.
STEAM: Confusingly, it’s called Steam, but it’s under pressure. When you use this button, the pot raises its temperature very quickly—and it stays hot. This allows your food to cook very quickly, without a longer lead time before the pot comes to pressure. This is very useful when you’re cooking delicate items such as fish or vegetables. You must, however, use a steamer rack if you use the Steam function. Do not place food directly on the bottom of the pot, or it will likely scorch.
YOGURT: Making yogurt at home ensures that you know exactly what went into it and allows you to customize it to better suit your family’s tastes. I also use this function to sprout beans and to proof bread dough. One caveat, though: Do not use the Instant Pot lid when proofing dough. Use a glass lid or other easily removable lid. If your bread rises a little too enthusiastically, you may find the lid stuck tight with no easy way to remove it.
SLOW COOK: There are many debates as to whether an Instant Pot can slow cook well. My experience suggests that it can—with a caveat. Forget everything you know about settings on a slow cooker, because the instant Pot has settings of its own:
• Low on an Instant Pot = Warm on a regular slow cooker
• Medium on an Instant Pot = Low on a regular slow cooker
• High on an Instant Pot = High on a regular slow cooker
If this confusing, just remember—don’t use the Low setting to cook. Use either Medium or High, and you’ll be fine. I suggest you try your first slow-cooked recipe on a day you’ll be at home, rather than at the end of a long day at work, so you’re not adding confusion and frustration to hunger.
You can leave the steam vent open or closed when you slow cook.