The Ultimate Instant Pot 101 Guide

Photo by Elli O.

Don't be surprised that one of my first posts since officially starting Mama Murmurs is about the Instant Pot. I know you were hoping it would be!

It's no secret that I, like many others, are obsessed with this simple machine. I'd classify this as a must have for any mama. As a matter of fact, start buying this for any mama-to-be. She won't know to put it on her baby registry, but it will be her saving grace in the future. So here it goes, all things you should know when starting your Instant Pot journey.

What is an Instant Pot?

Well first, just want to call out that it's an Instant Pot, not Instapot. OK, I feel like I've done a solid for the Instant Pot powers that be. Let's continue.

In the simplest sense, it's a fancy pressure cooker. No, not like the explosive ones we were all raised to fear. The Instant Pot has many safety measures built in and I've yet to be injured by it, although I'm sure someone out there has been. But if my friend Amy is any consolation, she has been using her Instant Pot without the sealing ring (by accident) for years and is still living to tell the tale.

Which Instant Pot should I buy?

When I first purchased my 6 quart 7-in-1 Instant Pot, I believe there was only one. You really don't need all the bells and whistles that come with the others. But, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to upgrade. I love bells and whistles.

I'm intimidated by all the buttons. Where do I begin?

Truthfully, I never use any of the buttons except for the manual function. So, here's a cheat sheet:

1. Press Manual.

2. Depending on your recipe, toggle between Low and High pressure by hitting Pressure.

3. Use the + or - to adjust the time.

4. Done.

Unless you're making yogurt, you really don't need to use any of the other buttons. They could be faster because there are preset times, but I'm a control freak and prefer to set everything up manually anyway. I'm also too lazy to learn all of the other preset button settings.

How many will the Instant Pot feed?

My 6 quart could feed 6 people depending on the recipe. For a typical pressure cooking recipe, you can feed 4 adults.

Can I get rid of my slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, etc.?

I don't even know if there is such a thing as a yogurt maker. But if there is and it's taking up cabinet space, get rid of it. I was a bit overzealous and got rid of my slow cooker before I tried a slow cooker recipe in the Instant Pot. Personally, I haven't had much luck with slow cooking in the Instant Pot and therefore never do it. But, once you learn how to pressure cook, I can't imagine choosing to slow cook. I much prefer the results you get with the pressure cooker in a tenth of the time.

I have made yogurt and rice in the Instant Pot and both are game changers. Net/net, I don't own a rice cooker, yogurt maker, or slow cooker. I do everything in the Instant Pot now.

Where can I find Instant Pot recipe sites?

There are so many Instant Pot/pressure cooking recipes out there. I was first turned onto the Instant Pot by Michelle Tam at Nom Nom Paleo. She has an incredible recipe index of Instant Pot recipes and every single recipe I have tried is delicious. Here are my top three (okay, four) go-to Instant Pot recipe sites:

• Nomnompaleo.com

• Pressurecookrecipes.com

• Twosleevers.com

• Thisoldgal.com (for cheesecake recipes)

Those sites will keep you busy for awhile.

What are some delicious, fast, and easy Instant Pot recipes?

Here are a few recipes I cook often. Yes, most of them are from Michelle at Nom Nom Paleo because she is my spirit animal.

• Mexican Beef (I've also altered this to use mostly pantry items. Will post that recipe soon!)

• Kalua Pig

• Lemongrass and Coconut Chicken

• Ground Beef Chili (Not paleo? Add a can of black beans at the end and stir until beans are warmed through.)

• Thai Beef Stew

• Chicken Teriyaki and Rice (Pot-in-pot method... game changer.)

• Chicken Adobo

• Starbucks' "sous vide" egg bites (way too easy to make in your IP with almost identical results)

Staple recipes you'll never make any other way again:

• White rice

• Spaghetti Squash

• Hard boiled eggs

• Whole rotisserie chicken

• Yogurt

Indulgent recipes that are worth trying before you realize just how indulgent they are:

• Butter chicken

• Loaded mac and cheese

• This Old Gal Cheesecakes (Read her tips and tricks post first.)

What are simple cooking times for meat and poultry?

• 1.5-2lb Stew meat: 30-35 minutes high pressure (HP)

• Chicken thighs: 10 minutes boneless skinless; 14-15 minutes bone-in (HP)

• 5-6 lb Roasts: 75-90 minutes (HP)

• Check out Hip Pressure Cooking's cooking time chart. It lists everything imaginable!

What are important things to know before using the Instant Pot?

• Recipe cooking times never account for the need to build up pressure first. Account for 10-25 minutes additional time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure. The amount of time will depend on how much you have in your Instant Pot. The biggest benefit to the Instant Pot isn't necessarily time savings (although there is that), it's that you can set the time and walk away when there are screaming kids needing your attention.

• You can throw in meat frozen if, like me, you never remember to pull it out to thaw. I've done this with both ground beef and chicken thighs. Depending on how much meat you're talking about, you may need to add 10+ minutes to your cooking time. Google is your best friend in this case.

• Always ensure you have enough liquid (1-1.5 cups), but not too much liquid. Not enough liquid and the Instant Pot can overheat or burn the ingredients. Too much liquid and you may end up with something more soupy than you wanted. Remember, the meat and vegetables will also give off liquid.

• Don't forget to seal the valve! It's a simple thing to forget and then you'll be pissed that X minutes later when you're supposed to be eating, your dish is still not cooked.

• There is a natural pressure release and quick pressure release. Natural release is when you simply turn off the Instant Pot and let the temperature come down naturally. Quick release is when you turn the valve to let all of the steam come out quickly. I am often too impatient to do the natural pressure release unless it's something more sensitive like hard boiled eggs. But, the quick pressure release can cause meat to be slightly tougher. Unless you have a very refined palette, I don't think you'll notice.

• Vegetables in the Instant Pot are still a mystery to me, mainly because I prefer veggies to be cooked al dente or crisp tender. You can always let the meat cook fully, do a quick release and add veggies at the end for a few minutes, but in my experience, they'll still be a bit overdone. At times, I will cook the veggies separately and add them at the end of the recipe because I'm picky like that. A little more work, but better results in my opinion. Some don't mind the mushy veggies in a stew because it's a natural thickener for the stock itself. And sometimes I'm just lazy and give in to the mushy veggies, because kids... and survival.

• Other things I typically avoid in the Instant Pot are chicken breasts, other lean cuts like pork tenderloin, and seafood. Chicken breasts and pork tenderloin end up really dry in my opinion. There isn't enough fat in them. There's also too much risk in overcooking the seafood. And because seafood cooks so quickly as it is, I don't really see the benefit in using the Instant Pot.

What type of Instant Pot accessories should I get?

I am a reformed kitchen accessories junkie. So, given that part of the beauty of the Instant Pot is that you can reduce the kitchen gadgets you have, I am going to keep this list to the most necessary for simple Instant Pot use:

• Trivet: One comes with the Instant Pot that you can use for a lot of things like hard boiled eggs, sweet potatoes, and spaghetti squash. I also purchased a slightly higher trivet in case you want to take advantage of pot-in-pot cooking.

• Heat-safe bowl: There are fancier options, but I use a simple 28 oz Corelle bowl for pot-in-pot cooking.

• Yogurt strainer: If you plan to make yogurt regularly, a strainer will make your life a lot easier. Although it also takes up a lot of space, so if you only make yogurt every once in awhile, cheesecloth and a mesh strainer you already own might be a better way to go. I thought I'd make more yogurt. It's happened twice.

• Springform pan: Love cheesecake? Get a 7" springform pan for your Instant Pot. I've only made cheesecake in the Instant Pot and it is literally the best cheesecake I've ever had. However, I don't love to "bake". So this will likely only get used around the holidays, or if I try an IP lasagna recipe.

• Silicone baby food tray: If you love the Starbucks' Sous Vide eggs as much as I do, these are worth the investment. Plus, if you have littles the set I purchased comes with the best baby food spoons.

• Extra sealing ring: If you really are sensitive to flavor and love to bake, go ahead and get an extra sealing ring. I've been using the same sealing ring it came with for the last couple of years. It's ugly, dingy, and has the permanent smell of cumin. But, I also made three cheesecakes for Thanksgiving and was told multiple times by obsessive cheesecake people that it was the best they'd ever had.

I've never needed the glass lid, extra pot insert, nonstick pot insert, extra sealing ring, etc. Yes, I've been tempted, but there are so few instances (if ever!) I really needed them that I'd rather save my money and cabinet space.

Other great Instant Pot resources:

• Instant Pot Community: If you've been holding on to dear life not to join Facebook, this could throw you over the edge. The Instant Pot community (1,255,223 members as of this post) will be on standby to answer any and all of your questions in real time. You'll also find even more inspiration for how people are using their Instant Pot and what recipes are trending.

• Hippressurecooking.com: This is the bible of pressure cooking. I don't use it as much for recipes, although I'm sure there are plenty of good ones. But, this pressure cooking time table has come in handy when I just want to wing a dinner without a recipe.

So, there you have it. I've probably converted at least a good twenty friends and family to the Instant Pot. More often times than not, they love it. There are a few that threw in the towel because the pressurizing time was frustrating. But, I still stand by this being one of the best appliances I own that helps keep my family fed healthy meals when I'm not giving in to Doordash.

Any tips, tricks, sites, or recipes I should add to this post? Share in the comments!