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15
Pressure cooking 101
Releasing pressure
Pressure cooking uses steam to raise the boiling point of water above 100ºC / 212ºF.
These high temperatures allow you to cook some foods way faster than normal.
Behind the magic curtain
When pressure cooking, the Instant Pot goes through 3 stages.
Pre-heating
What you see
What you don’t see
Tips
The display shows
On
.
While the multicooker pre-heats,
it vaporizes liquid to create steam.
Once enough steam has built up,
the float valve pops up and locks
the lid in place.
The time it takes the multicooker to
pressurize depends on things like food
and liquid temperature and volume.
Frozen foods have the longest pre-
heating time. For the fastest results,
thaw your food before cooking it.
No need to hang around during this
stage — trust that IP magic!
Cooking
What you see
What you don’t see
Tips
The float valve bobs
up and down from
all the steam, then
pops up and stays
flush with the lid. The
display switches to the
cooking countdown
timer.
When it reaches the required
pressure level, cooking begins.
The Instant Pot automatically
maintains the pressure at
High
or
Low
pressure throughout cooking.
A higher pressure means a higher
temperature.
Smart Program settings (e.g., cooking
time, pressure level, etc.) can be
adjusted at any time during cooking.
Releasing pressure
What you see
What you don’t see
Tips
If Keep Warm is on
after cooking, the
timer counts up from
00:00
.
If not, the multicooker
goes back to standby
and the display shows
End
.
The float valve is still
popped up.
Although food has finished
cooking, the multicooker is still
pressurized and hot, which is why
the float valve is up.
Releasing pressure lowers
the temperature inside the
multicooker, which allows you to
safely remove the lid once the float
valve drops.
for information
on safe venting techniques and what
they’re used for.
Follow your recipe instructions to
choose the best venting method for
your meal.
The Instant Pot cools faster
if Keep Warm is turned off.
You
must
release pressure after pressure
cooking before attempting to open the lid.
Follow your recipe’s instructions to choose a
venting method, and always wait until the float
valve drops into the lid before opening.
WARNING
Steam ejected from the steam release valve is hot.
DO NOT
place hands, face, or any exposed skin over
the steam release valve when releasing pressure to
avoid risk of injury.
DO NOT
cover the
steam release valve to
avoid risk of injury and/
or property damage.
DANGER
DO NOT attempt to remove the lid while the float valve is up and NEVER
attempt to force the lid open
. Contents are under extreme pressure. Float
valve must be down before attempting to remove the lid. Failure to follow
these instructions may result in serious personal injury and/or property damage.
Venting methods
• Natural Release (NR or NPR)
• Quick Release (QR or QPR)
• Timed Natural Release
Natural Release (NR or NPR)
Cooking stops gradually. As the temperature within the multicooker drops, the Instant Pot
depressurizes naturally over time.
What to do
What to expect
After cooking finishes, leave the quick release
button in the
Seal
position until all pressure is
released.
Seal
position
Your meal continues to cook even after the Smart Program ends.
This is called “carryover cooking” or “resting”, and it’s
great for large cuts of meat.
The depressurization time may vary based upon the volume,
type and temperature of food and liquid. It can take up to
40 minutes with some dishes, so plan ahead — it’s well worth
the wait!
When pressure has been fully released, the float valve drops
into the lid.
NOTICE
Use NR to depressurize the multicooker after cooking high-starch foods
(e.g., soups, stews, chilis, pasta, oatmeal and congee) or after cooking foods
that expand when cooked (e.g., beans and grains).
Pressurized
Depressurized
