25 Genius Instant Pot Hacks You’ll Regret Not Trying Sooner
If you love cooking you’ll love these clever instant pot hacks!
Have an Instant Pot pressure cooker?
If you’ve ever used an Instant Pot, you likely know what a lifesaver this appliance is on busy nights. I’ve had mine for a few years now and it’s been so fun trying new and exciting Instant Pot hacks with it!
Even though it can take this device about 15 minutes to come to pressure, I personally enjoy the hands-off cooking experience the Instant Pot provides, along with the time-saving aspect.
Hip Tip: Be sure to browse all of our yummy and easy Instant Pot recipes here!
Check out these fun tricks and tips if you’re new to Instant Pot cooking, and even some foods you may not know can be EASILY prepared with this small appliance!
I mean… who knew your Instant Pot could be this snazzy, though?
1.) Use the handy built-in lid rest!
Whaaaat?! Did you know the lid can rest open on the top like this? I have to admit I had no idea about this feature for about a year into cooking with Instant Pot. It was recently mentioned by Buzz Feed as a handy hack to use.
Here’s a video to show how the magical lid rest works. 🙌
2.) You can wash the entire lid in the dishwasher!
You might be wondering, “Can the Instant Pot lid go in the dishwasher?” You bet it can! According to InstantPot.com, “The inner pot of the cooker (the stainless steel cooking pot), the sealing ring, the lid, and the steam rack are all dishwasher safe.” The cooker base with the heating element is NOT dishwasher safe, however.
3.) Freshening up a stinky ring or lid can also be done right in the pot.
This is one of my favorite Instant Pot cleaning hacks. Try steam cleaning your device naturally by running it on the Steam function for a few minutes with one cup of water, one cup of vinegar, and a few lemon slices inside. If the issue doesn’t resolve, consider buying additional sealing rings for savory and sweet recipes.
4.) Cooking corn on the cob is a breeze with this Instant Pot trivet hack!
This appliance is so great for making easy side dishes. I love using this Instant Pot trivet hack. Perfectly cooked corn on the cob takes just a few minutes! Place the corn on the trivet and pour in a cup of water. Seal the lid, then set the cook time for 3 minutes on high. Do a quick release afterward, and enjoy!
5.) The Instant Pot can brew some great iced tea!
I was so excited to try this Instant Pot hack, and I am happy to report that this easy method of brewing sweet tea works perfectly! It kind of reminds me of sun tea, minus all the time involved! I followed the Instant Pot Iced Tea instructions from TwoSleevers.com, and loved the results.
6.) Making homemade Instant Pot yogurt is a game changer!
I recently used my Instant Pot to make 3 ingredient yogurt, and it worked brilliantly! This is one of the best things to make in an Instant Pot! The key is to buy ultra-pasteurized milk like Fairlife and then you just need a sweetener of choice and a little bit of prepared yogurt as a starter. There is a yogurt function on the Instant Pot, and I cooked mine overnight for 8 hours, then chilled it for a few hours in my fridge.
The result is thick, creamy Greek-style yogurt that can be served with fruit or preserves. This is such a good money-saving idea! I’m thinking of buying these cute glass yogurt jars to prep yogurt in my fridge.
7.) Homemade applesauce is so easy you’ll never want store-bought again!
If your kids love applesauce like mine, this is a must-try idea as it takes just 5 minutes on high to cook the apples. I made this easy Applesauce, and then puréed it right in the pot afterward using my immersion stick blender!
8.) Beans from scratch are so easy and require no soaking!
I can never seem to remember to soak beans overnight to cook them the next day and with the Instant Pot, you can skip that! I cooked these amazing homemade Charro beans using dried pinto beans and bacon in a little over an hour! They made the BEST side dish and I will be doing this again soon.
9.) Sterilize baby bottles in the Instant Pot!
Here’s a useful way to use the Instant Pot that doesn’t involve cooking! It’s one of the best Instant Pot cleaning hacks. Use your appliance to quickly sterilize bottles, nipples, sippy cups, or breastfeeding equipment with just water and 2 minutes on high pressure! Visit PopSugar.com for the full video and easy instructions.
10.) Use the Sauté function. It’s everything!
You can sauté and brown meat and onions before pressure cooking to add DELICIOUS flavor to your EASY one-pot meal. The Sauté setting also comes in handy for thickening recipes and for making gravy after cooking!
Try our comforting Hamburger Stroganoff recipe!
11.) No time to defrost? No worries!
Cooking meat from frozen is no problem with the Instant Pot. Just note that you’ll need to add additional cook time according to meat thickness. For instance, for a recipe that calls for fresh ground beef, you’ll need to double the cooking time if it’s a frozen solid block of meat. Same for frozen chicken breasts.
12.) Cook eggs and potatoes at the same time for a quick potato salad!
This is one of the most convenient Instant Pot hacks! There’s no need to boil these two foods separately to prepare delicious homemade potato salad. I love to bring this recipe as a side dish to cookouts, and always use my Instant Pot to prepare now!
13.) Turn slow cooker meals into Instant Pot meals.
Even though the Instant Pot looks similar to a slow cooker, they cook in completely opposite ways. As a general rule: If the meat dish cooks in eight hours on low or four hours on high in the slow cooker, it will cook in 25-30 minutes in the Instant Pot. Also, make sure to add at least a 1/2 cup of liquid to your Instant Pot.
14.) Make DELICIOUS popcorn in your Instant Pot!
Use the Sauté function and a glass lid for this easy and fun popcorn Instant Pot hack! Check out this recipe for the exact directions. My family LOVED it. YUM!
15.) Meal prep like a pro!
Make a big batch of shredded chicken, beef, or pork to use in multiple meals for the week! Try this Italian Beef Roast for delicious shredded beef. SO good.
16.) Make a cheesecake in your Instant Pot.
One of the advantages of pressure cooking is the diverse meals and dishes you’re able to cook with it. Check out this popular Instant Pot Cheesecake recipe and consider using a 7-inch non-stick springform pan that’ll fit perfectly inside the Instant Pot. This pot-in-pot cooking method is such a clever hack. You can also use it to make lasagna and meatloaf right in your Instant Pot!
17.) Skip the microwave and reheat food in the Instant Pot.
This could come in handy for warming leftover soups, chili, or a large amount of food you need to reheat for a family meal! Just use the Warm or Slow Cook functions.
18.) Make pasta and meat together for a brilliant, one-pot meal.
Check out this easy and delicious Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo recipe the entire family will enjoy and it’s all done in the Instant Pot! 🙌 You can also make Spaghetti as a one-pot meal, as well as Stuffed Shells with meat sauce!
19.) Steam rice perfectly.
For amazing steamed white rice EVERY time, just use a 1:1 liquid-to-rice ratio. For instance, add 1 cup of (rinsed) rice with 1 cup of liquid. Set on high pressure for 5 minutes. Let naturally release for 10 minutes. (Tip: I also add a little oil and salt.)
Note: Times will vary for each type of rice. Check out this handy rice cooking guide for a breakdown of times.
20.) Make an entire small turkey, turkey breast, or chicken.
This especially comes in handy because it frees up oven space for the holidays. Check out how I made delicious turkey and gravy in mine.
21.) Cook a whole pumpkin.
If you’re interested in making your own pumpkin purée, the process is super simple. Learn how to cook a pumpkin in your Instant Pot!
22.) Make easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs.
Cooking a batch of hard-boiled eggs has never been easier than in the Instant Pot because there’s no boiling water on the stove! An easy way to remember how to cook them is the 5-5-5 method.
Just put eggs on the cooking rack that comes with your pot or in a steamer basket. Add a cup of water, then set on Manual (High) for 5 minutes. Let pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, and then place in an ice bath for 5 minutes! Even better, the eggs are crazy easy to peel.
23.) Use cheaper cuts of meat.
Inexpensive stew meat or a chuck roast with lots of marbling does well in the Instant Pot! No need for expensive cuts of beef as it can tenderize even the most stubborn cuts of meat.
Hip Tip: Do take your time and use a natural pressure release when possible – especially for roasts.
24.) Skip cleaning with this slow cooker trick.
After a melty mess from making all these mouthwatering recipes, these liners will come to the rescue when you just don’t feel like cleaning. The slow cooker liners can definitely be used in an Instant Pot as long as you’re using the slow cooker function — any other function has the potential to burn the bags. It’ll turn the agony of cleaning up into a 5-second process of simply tossing away the liner afterward! Better yet, they’re less than $4!
25.) Vacation or travel with your Instant Pot.
Save time and money by bringing this small appliance along while traveling or camping. This can be especially money-saving for a larger family! If you’re cooking in an RV or camper, this appliance can be super helpful and convenient to have on hand.
Yep, I’m pretty much obsessed with trying all the hacks to use on my Instant Pot.
It has so many brilliant uses and saves me when I forget to plan ahead and put something in the slow cooker for dinner. I’m always so happy when something as awesome as the Instant Pot yogurt turns out to be such a great idea!
Do you have any creative Instant Pot hacks or tips? Let us know in the comments!
You just blew my mind with “lid-rest”
Me too I didn’t know the lid rested like that
I didn’t either, that’s cool
I needed this hip2save topic in my life 😊.. I’ve been stumped on how to it now that I own one
Oh have fun trying things out! Thanks for stopping by!
Check out Pinterest for great ideas /recipes for the Instant Pot
I’m a fan of the instant pot but my husband is not. He feels pressure cooked food lacks flavor. Any tips? He likes everything seasoned heavily or marinated.
I’ve just discovered “Better than Bullion” for adding tons of flavor. Target or amazon.
I love this as well! Costco has the bigger jars 👍
I absolutely love this product as well. Buy it at Costco myself
Is there msg in it?
The organic version of the beef and checken do not have msg. My husband is very allergic to msg and we use these two Better Than Bullion products.
I love this stuff. The flavor is so rich, It gives the taste of cooking all day to any great meal.
Williams Sonoma has different types of Demi-Glacé (reduced stock) and I use between a tsp and tbls to amp up any sauce. It’s $30 but well worth it in the veal and chicken flavors. Lasts for about a year. I love heavily seasoned foods and find the buillion cubes are too one-note salty for my taste.
Oh great recommendation! We’ll have to check that out 👍
Try Chili Lime Rub, Blackening Seasoning, Chipotle Rub and Espresso Powder from Williams Sonoma – excellent! I make the Ghirardelli box brownie mix adding in the espresso powder in my silicone egg bite molds in the instant pot. They turn out rich, gooey and delicious. Costco carries the big box with six mixes.
Forgive me, there’s no such thing as Better than Bullion.
Bouillon is a French word) = b…oui…on = boo-wee-on. Boo-wee-on!
US folks keep calling it, and spelling it, bullion. No, bullion means gold bars or currency, different thing.
Is it bully-on? In fact, no. Boo-wee-on. Say it fast, the oo merges into the wee… so, bwee-on! In French, the final “on” is nasal and the final “n” sort of disappears. So it ends up something like bwee-or. But not quite, a little of the final “n” is preserved. Au revoir et à votre santé !
Seriously? You’re Correcting people on an insta Pot chat? What a boring life you must live
Very interesting — thank you!
This is exactly why I don’t like it. All the meals I have tried from friends have been bland and the typical “crock pot” taste of the meat (stringy)…I haven’t found it to be worth my money to get one…is this typical or are my friends bad cooks? Haha
I’m not a huge fan of crock pot meals because I feel like they lack flavor and are watery. I love my Instant Pot. As a another comment said, you need to use the sauté function to get the initial browning that you want prior to adding liquid. I highly recommend America’s Test Kitchen’s book Pressure Cooker Perfection. Great recipes for your Instant Pot such as weeknight Pot Roast and weeknight Chili. Yum!
I just made my first meal last night and it was awesome! I adapted my 3 hour beef stew (stovetop to oven). I used the saute function to brown stew beef in evoo with salt pepper and Italian seasoning. Then added baby carrots, diced onion, and baby bellas. Dumped a bottle of old red wine in. (Old wine in freezer cubes for cooking is an awesome life and money saving hack!) Half box of chicken broth-out off beef! A little tomato paste, and a can of cream of portobello and shitake soup. (Didn’t want to make slurry, in a hurry!) Cooked on stew for 35 minutes and did 10 minute natural release. It was awesome! I was kinda scared for my first try, but it was tender and delicious! Just my husband and I killed half the 6 qt. Planned to serve over brown rice, but never got that far! Now I want lunch leftovers! Hope this long post helps someone, especially if you were as nervous as me to get started! Next up homemade ricotta to be put in Instant pot lasagna soup!
Yummy! Great idea on the cream of portobello soup and red wine. Sounds great!
Stephanie, your friends may not be comfortable with their IP yet. There is absolutely no reason why food should be bland because it’s cooked in the IP.
I buy meat from Aldi that has the seasoning already in/on it. I make chicken enchiladas with the southwest style chicken. My husband loves it! I use unsalted butter on some of my veggies. I steam Aldi fresh Mediterranean seasoned salmon & it is amazing. I’ve also made lasagna in the instant pot & it was perfect.
They may be… LOL. I have two Instant Pots and I use them almost every day. I have well over 300 IP recipes and I’m working through them. Spaghetti is great in the IP. I use to buy the jars of sauce and “doctor” them until I had the taste that I liked. Now, I make it from scratch and, it’s done in 35 minutes and that includes prep time and the extra 10 minutes for the IP to reach pressure. After it reaches pressure it cooks in five minutes. And, you put the uncooked spaghetti noodles in the pot. If you’ve made risotto on the stove-top you will recall how time and energy was required. Well, you add all the ingredients, close the lid and set the time for six minutes. Allow ten minutes to reach pressure and allow for a ten minute natural release. That’s only 26 minutes for risotto! It tastes as good as the stove-top method.
Try running the hot water tap until you see the steam and get you one cup that is mostly called for and your pot will build up steam quicker\
Depending on where you live and how your plumbing is put together, that might not be safe.
https://vitals.lifehacker.com/why-you-still-shouldn-t-cook-with-hot-tap-water-1735556725
As an alternative, you could use cold tap water and microwave it first.
I dont know what happened BUT I followed a pinterest recipe for porkchops and used my ninja foodi, they were the best chops my family and I ever had!
Try Pot in Pot meals like Lasagna, Meatloaf, Lasagna Roll Ups which turn out delicious. I make Ravioli Lasagna using spinach and cheese frozen ravioli with my semi homemade sausage spaghetti sauce. I can’t rave on it enough. I also use my Instant Pot in the “slow cooker” mode often making soups and rump roast. Give the “PIP” method a try.
Are you using Sauté mode first to brown the food? And accounting for the lack of evaporation in pressure cookers? If not then I can see why the food would taste a bit bland and flavor would be watered-down.
You don’t have to use water as your liquid for pressure cooking in the IP. I have the 8 qt. duo and love it! I use marinades either premade or make my own, and all meats come out so full of flavor.
you just have to season your food more heavily. they key to cooking whether it is stove top, crock pot, instant pot or whatever…is to taste, taste, taste and adjust seasonings as needed 🙂
Try soy vey. Great for marinating and cooking and nothing has to be added. Especially great w/
flank steak or London broil!
If you use curry add madress curry it holds up better to heat. We also find recipes are under spiced we almost always double. And we “bloom” spices in the butter or oil when sautéing onions or vegetables
OMG! The lid rest!!!! I never know what to do with the kid when I remove it. 🤨 THANKS SO MUCH! 😊
Haha neither did I! It’s helpful
My rice cooker looks just like this except it has few buttons. Guess it can do almost the same things as outlined here?
Does your rice cooker cook with pressure?
A word of caution: the lid can easily get knocked over when you use the notch as a lid rest. It’s not a very stable place to stand the lid up- unless it’s out of the way entirely and not liable to get bumped accidentally
So…..I have not bought one although they look awesome. Have read multiple bad reviews online about InstantPots stopping working suddenly. Anyone heard of this? CrockPot brand has problems with a dreaded E6 error. A lot of money to commit to something that only works a few times…….looks great when it works though?
Go with instantpot.
I wanted a pressure cooker and they were out of stock for quite awhile on Kohls before Christmas so I went with a knock off nuwave brand one. I used it about 8 times and loved it and then had potatoes in it the other day and the thing totally died. Won’t even turn on. Thankfully Kohls is awesome about returns. I brought it back and ordered the instant pot brand today. Waiting for it to arrive in the mail 🙂 I’ve heard it’s better…and I’m hoping it’s true!!
My Instant Pot I got for Christmas didn’t make it to New Year’s Eve before it was dead. They replaced it but it took a while. I bought an inexpensive Chefman at Ollie’s Bargain Outlet while I was waiting that seems to work just as well and hasn’t given me any issues.
Oh no -sorry to hear you had issues.
I have the Mealthy multi cooker and I absolutely love it. It’s available from Amazon. Although I haven’t used their customer service, I understand it is excellent. Mealthy has a web site as well as a Facebook page. I forgot to say that it is less expensive than a comparable Instant Pot. It’s well made and comes with an additional sealing ring, steamer basket, trivet, spoons, and silicone mitts.
I have the 6qt. CrockPot brand of multi-pressure cookers. I have only received the E6 error two times, but every single time, it was user-error. In the two times I received the error, I had forgotten to close the valve all the way. When that happens, the water evaporates out and causes an error. It has worked beautifully. I just got the 8qt. InstantPot and I have yet to use it and I’m so excited to use it for the first time. Most errors from these InstantPots are preventable if people will just read the instruction manual and understand how to use their appliances.
I have the Crock Pot Express. I have had it four months, I use it almost daily. I have yet to experience any issues with it. No error codes yet. Cooks everything perfectly. It’s the first pressure cooker I have ever used, my mom scared me to death with them growing up, so much that I never dreamed I would ever own one. My kids went in together and got me one. First time I used Pressure Cooker mode I was very cautious, but I followed all instructions and it was easy. My husband laughs at me now because I pressure cook all the time now.
I love my Crock Pot Express! Basically the same as an IP! No issues with mine at all
What’s the best recipe that you would recommend to try 😉
If you have Kindle unlimited there is a free 500+ recipe IP cookbook!
I bought the Crockpot brand about 4 months ago and I have not had any problems with it. I use it almost every day.
I have the Crock Pot Express (the Crock Pot version of the IP) and I love jt!! I use it at least 2 times a week for dinner and hard boiling eggs! I was a miserable failure at hard boiled eggs until I came across the pressure cooker method and now we hard “boil” at least a dozen a week! I haven’t had any errors or anything like that. I would highly recommend mine!
I have the crockpot brand pressure cooker. I have had it for about a year and it works fine. The only issue I had was that sometimes the pressure release valve doesn’t release all the steam and the lid won’t unlock. I just poke in the release hole with a sharp knife and it will unlock. Other than that, I think it’s just as good as an instant pot. No issues or errors.
I heat up my liquid (using the saute function or in the microwave) while I prep my vegetables and meat. It reduces the time to pressurize.
That’s super smart! Thanks for sharing 👍
If you add boiling water, then it’s even faster.
I love my IP, but pasta makes the consistency of the food weird. I tried it twice and both times I wished I had cooked it separately. It does everything else really well!
Bebe, I make Alfredo in the instant pot all the time. I add uncooked pasta, once the meal is cooked. I just mix the pasta into sauce/veggies/meat and close the pot, without turning it on. The leftover heat from the pot cooks the pasta to perfection. Be sure to add extra sauce or some water, so that your meal doesn’t dry out.
I agree I always cook my pasta separately
Believe it or not, I cook my pasta in the microwave. My mom bought me a micro sauce pan & I heat up the water for about 8-9 minutes; then I add the pasta and cook about 8-9 minutes, possibly stirring it once. Comes out between soft and al-dente….Perfect. Since pasta is relatively cheap, I cook up some to leave in the “frig” in case I don’t feel like cooking. Perfect last-minute meal…
What about those that don’t have the Insta pot pressure cooker?
Hi Ashley! We have lots of recipes that don’t require an instant pot including several yummy slow cooker ones! 😉 Here ya go:
https://hip2save.com/recipes/
I have a 6 qt. Power Pressure Cooker XL — 5 years and still going strong! I pretty much follow the same recipes as for the Instant Pot. I had heard that the PPC cooks on lower pressure, so I might add more time. When I open the lid, if the food isn’t done I put it back in for a few more. When I find what works I make a note of it for future use.
Rice cooks fine, but it sticks badly.
Have you tried rinsing it before you put it in the instant pot it helps get rid of some of the starch.
Have you tried a little oil?
I use the pot in pot method for rice, that way there’s no sticking issues at all. Plus as a bonus, I can cook the curry or whatever I’m putting on the rice in the lower level below the trivet/rice at the same time.
Oh thats smart!
The single most important function for me is the fail proof yogurt setting. I use it for yogurt, ferment batters, dough.
For those that find rice sticky, Google pot in pot method.works like charm.
I make pasta in bulk when I cook to serve at the shelter
I didn’t realize you could proof dough in it. Thanks for sharing that info!!
I just borrowed a friend’s to try making yogurt. It turned out her instant pot didn’t even have a yogurt button but I was able to make it work. I did a little research and learned I can just make it using a heating pad I already had. It was fun to try but I didn’t love cleaning it and I don’t think I want to store one either.
I don’t know, I personally find that the wait time to come upto pressure n the wait time to come down in pressure and cook time in total is just about the same or more as cooking something on the stove top so I end up making something on the stove top versus using the IP. Good to have though if you can get it on sale.
If you use boiling water or stock then it comes to pressure faster. Also for many things you can either Quick Release right away or wait a few min and let release the pressure yourself. Even ovens need time to preheat etc. so nothing cooks instantly, unfortunately.
Great tips!
It does not cook instantly, but once it is all in the pot, the kitchen and all the dishes can be cleaned up and just waiting for the actual food. It is such a time saver!
Yes I agree not always faster then the stove but defiantly more hands off ☺️
make chai with the instant pot. here is how
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZECMH_lc5C0
v
Oh interesting! Thanks for sharing 👍
Hi so we can use our normal utensils in the Instant pot can we?
How?
Instant Pot makes the best boiled eggs EVER!! I’ve made several dozen now, AND they’re easy to peel if you move them straight to an ice water bath after cooking.
Awesome – thanks for sharing!
I finally took it out of the box after a year about 2-weeks ago. I cooked a whole chicken. Then I made bone broth with the bones in 30 minutes-vs- 2days on the stove. I did a whole spaghetti squash last night. Tonight I made spaghetti sauce. I took the spaghetti squash and sauce and
made lasanga.
How smart and I bet that was yummy!
I’m actually not impressed with my Instant Pot. I’ve made two pressure cooked meals with it and both times the meat wasn’t tender AT ALL. Definitely didn’t shred easily. I followed the recipe exactly. I don’t know what I did wrong. Tips?
I increase the time if the meat is frozen. Plus, allowing it to do the natural release gives it more time to become tender and shred. Don’t give up. Once you figure it out, you’ll LOVE it.
Cook meat for 2 1/2 hrs on slow cook and then steam for about 10-15 minutes; Will come out soft & the sauce will be thickened.
Yes, just a matter of preference I guess. Like using the stove for certain things n air fryers and counter top ovens for certain things and the IP is good for certain things. Depends on the situation.
I do my eggs with even less work!
I put in 12-18 eggs, set manual for 0 minutes (yes, ZERO). I let it release naturally. You don’t have to ice bath them or anything. Throw them in a container and stick them in the fridge.
Easy to peel from day 1 to the end of the dozen+
Oh interesting! Thanks for sharing 👍
I don’t understand. Set at zero, then for how long and at what cooking setting?
How does it come to pressure? I am new to using a multi cooker so please excuse my lack of understanding.
Carmela, the time it takes for the IP to come to pressure, your eggs are cooking. I have used this method for cooking tender vegetables. As soon as it hits zero, it will start counting down to de-pressurize.
I adored my original IP, but it was flooded during Harvey. I have since bought one and received one as a gift. These 2 new ones constantly give a “burn” message, even when it’s not and in no danger of burning. My first never did that, and I made tons of meals in it. But in all 3 of my IPs, none of them work as a slow cooker. I rarely need to slow cook anything, but still… it would be nice if it would.
I’ve learned that “Normal” = a slow cooker’s Low setting and “High = a slow cooker’s High setting. On the IP, Low on Slow Cook is just “Keep Warm”.
There is a place on pinterest that tells about the burn message on the IP. They all have it except for the first IP that came out. It also tells how to avoid the burn messages.
I Love my IP and thanks to you guys, I have great fun experimenting and trying your recipes. Please keep these articles coming!! Like others of you, I am blown away by the lid rack–who knew?? I don’t have much experience with it yet, but the two recipes I have made using pasta have been successful–just precisely followed instructions.
Yay – thanks for sharing!
I love to cook and thankfully usally have tbe time to cook “the old fashioned ” way but where my Instant Pot really shines is things that have a long cook time or things i just dont cook because I have had trouble grtting them to come out right like egg custatd,rice pudding and cheese cake and yogurt is perfect everytime!
I have two. One is just for yogurt and one is for all other cooking. I have made everything from ribs, to entire chickens to chicken stock in my IP. The best so far is risotto. You heard right, risotto. No more standing at the stove, stirring, adding liquid and stirring. Some recipes add the cheese in while it’s cooking. I found it’s easier to always add cheese after cooking is over.
Thanks for sharing!!
Make jam in the Instant pot in 3 minutes, that’s pretty cool:
https://inspiringnhkids.com/2017/11/instant-pot-pressure-cooker-strawberry-jam.html
I love that idea!!!
The best for steel cut oats! I make a double batch (2 cups), add some fruit and/or nuts if I want & 10 minutes later, breakfast for the week.
Can you do quick 1-minute oatmeal (rolled oats rolled very thin) in the Instant Pot? What would be the timing? Put it in the base or in a bowl? Can’t find this on Pinterest!
Love these ideas! Great post, Thanks for the great tips
Thanks Sharon!
I see a lot of ladies on here but not a lot of single guys! My sister bought me one of these insta pots and I can say without even batting an eye it is hands down the best tool I have in my kitchen, from pot roasts to boiled peanuts and everything in between it is by far the greatest invention since the wheel! And kudos to the folks that mentioned pinterest, there is an endless supply of new recipes to try!
I wanna know your recipe for boiled peanuts!
I’ve had my Instant pot for over a year. I’ve used it 4 times. For the life of me I cannot figure it out and have never been able to make anything quickly or easily or even tasty. No clue what I am doing wrong. It seems like there are so many steps instead of a regular crock pot where you toss it in and you’re done. 🙁
it’s really not that complicated, it uses pressure to cook and so liquid doesn’t evaporate as much. most likely if the food is bland you are using too much water. it takes time to pressurize but unless you are cooking something starchy/foamy you can use quick release. try following a recipe specifically for instant pot and see if you like it more.
Pork ribs are the best thing I have ever made with my IP. Use your favorite rub, roll the ribs up and place on the trivet1 cup of water in the pot, 20 min on high pressure with a natural release. Finish off with sauce on the grill…YUM!
Or under the broiler if it’s the middle of winter and too cold to go to the grill. We also love ribs in the IP!!!
I have a Best Products brand IP. When I first used it I had no problem with pressure leaking around the lid. However, the last few times pressure has leaked. It is like I am not putting the lid on properly although I try two or three times. The pressure does not build up because of the leakage. Any suggestions? I have not used it much. Could I already need a new rubber or gasket?
Hmm..I would contact that brand and ask. I haven’t had that issue with my gasket on the IP.
If you wet the seal before you put the lid on it will stop this problem.
Just FYI IP is a brand of a pressure cooker so the brand you have is not IP. It’s just a brand of a pressure cooker. Just like Kleenex is a brand of tissue.
To keep my sealing ring fresh-smelling, I always put the lid upside-down in the pot when not in use.
Great tip!
Good idea………..with all my cookware that gets stored with the lid, not only do I put the lid upside down, but I also roll up a sheet of paper towel, fold it over, and stick it under the lid to keep it open a bit, so air can circulate. Tupperware I never seal the lids to the conainers. The interiors of everything smell kind of funky when air and moisture has been trapped.
I have the Crock Pot brand it instructions says not to store the lid closed on the pot when not in use. I also store it upside down on top of my pot.
My husband brought me pressure cooker for present he knows I’m good cook.im very happy that he got for me I use it three or four times a week cooking fresh food from the pot👨🍳👩🍳😋
Awesome! Thanks for sharing 👍
One can find things wrong with everything you buy. My thought on this is try it out for myself and totally disregard the negative other’s have to say. You may buy it and hate it, I may buy the same one and love it. With these IP’s they’re so many tricks that it is unreal. I think I even overpaid for mine as well as my Air fryer but I would die fighting over my IP. As I said, after you get it you will find little tricks you never would have thought of. As for the Air Fryer, I also over paid for it and at this point I honestly cannot give an opinion on it because I don’t feel that I have used it enough. After i’ve Used it for a while I will give my opinion on it. As for the IP, the only problem I have had was after I washed it as well as the racks it slipped my mind to dry it right away. Each leg that was on the bottom of the IP had a rust spot. Made me a little angry at myself but honestly I do believe with the right product I will be able to get it out.
I love my air fryer. I’ve been experimenting with it. It’s not really faster but I like how food comes out. Grilled cheese sandwiches and pork chop are our favorites so far. And then the ease of heating up frozen convenience foods.
In Australia I have a pressure cooker which is Tefal brand and finding even one affordable cook book for pressure cooking is quite difficult, so I am thrilled to bits with all the great recipes on Pinterest, when I read the comment on making risotto I feel exactly the same, the only stirring I had to do was at the end to finish it off when I added the butter and parmesan cheese. ( and then it was only 2 minutes) so what ever type of cooker you have, please hang in there. mine paid for itself pretty quickly, no need to use expensive cuts of meat or fancy ingredients to get decent meals. Plus electric ones have all the safety issues taken care of. Thank heavens!
Thanks for sharing!
What do you do if your Instant Pot doesn’t have a manual button”
Manual equals HIGH on some models I believe. Thanks!
I have found that the best way.to remove odor from sealing ring is to wash with dish soap, rinse and hang outside for a few.hours.
Corn on the cob is amazing and so easy in there. Shuck corn, place on trivet criss cross the pieces. 4 pieces are done in 3 minutes.
I dugg some of you post as I cerebrated they were very helpful very useful
I put my lid on the top rack of my dishwasher to get the smell out! My IP still works fine!
I bought the Bella brand which is exactly like the insta pot for $39.99 and love it!
I’m so glad! Thanks for sharing ❤️
I’m obsessed with making “egg loaves” (cracking all the eggs in a Pyrex bowl on the trivet, 1 cup of water under then 5 minutes cook & 5 minutes natural release. Perfect for egg salad/chicken salad/tuna salad/chef salads/etc. And no pain of peeling eggs!!! 😀
That’s a great tip! Thanks for sharing. 👍
I bought 3 new seals for my IP on Amazon the price was good they came in different colors. When I am cooking something that has a lot of spices I use the red seal then change it the next time and wash the red one and let it dry.
Love the LID REST😁😁😁
Thanks – that is handy!
I screamed! I didn’t know about the lid rest! Lol Guess that’s what I get for skipping the booklet when I opened the box! 🤣
Not sure if I can post a link here, but have y’all seen these instapot wraps. They are magnetic and interchangeable and so cute! I’ve gotten 2 different ones so far. https://www.etsy.com/listing/652624857/gingerbread-and-christmas-candy-canes?ref=listing-shop-header-3
Have you seen the Harry Potter wrap??? Instructions for Muggles!!!! It’s on my wish list! 🙌🏼
Recipes only put in a time for cooking no info on amount of item. Should give times for different amounts – example – 1, 2,3 pounds or 1,2,3 potatoes. Can’t be same cook time for different amounts.
The cook time is generally the same. Very large cuts of meat may take longer if their whole. Otherwise just keep the height of the food below the mark. Poke around on Pinterest and you’ll find lots of tips.
Also want to say you have a great website, thanks for sharing with us! 🌴🐶🐶
Thanks Jo!
Can you use crockpot liners in the IP for easy cleaning???
No that would’t be a good idea unless you were using the slow cooking function only.
FYI, the Lux model doesn’t have the same handles to use for a lid rest. I just rest it on another pot or in the stove.
I love😍 my electric pressure cooker!
My lands if y’all haven’t tried baby back ribs…. you just have to!!!
I add a little Apple cider vinegar, salt,and pepper. Rub all over your ribs add apple cider vinegar in bottom of pot.
Once you’ve cooked them in the pressure cooker heat them in the oven (uncovered) covered them with your favorite bbq sauce for about 15 minutes.
They are delicious!!!
Have you looked on the Instant Pot site? They have tons of recipes until you want to order some cook books.
It’s great for melting chocolate too. Love, love, love my instant pot(s) I have 3