How I Overcame My Fear of the Instant Pot —And You Can Too

“I would love an Instant Pot for my birthday,” I said to my in-laws. An Instant Pot is a souped-up, modern-day version of the Crock-Pot. It can saute, slow cook, pressure cook, and even make rice or yogurt. (It doesn’t do dishes.) So naturally, after observing Facebook posts about friends’ successes with quickly prepared meals, I jumped on the instant wagon.

Who did I call when my in-laws presented me with my new Instant Pot? An older, wiser friend who was the first person I knew who had one.

“How does this thing work?” I asked her, staring at the unopened box.

“One thing — be sure not to open the Instant Pot before the pressure decreases. My friend knew a mom who watched a video of a mom who opened it before it was ready, and her kid was burned,” she warned.

I stepped away from the box. Later that day, I placed it in my guest room, which I use for storage.

My box sat, unopened and unloved, in the corner for months. During that time, more moms posted videos and pictures of their mouthwatering instant meals. My neighbor wanted an Instant Pot, and I almost gave mine to her.

One evening, I needed beans as a side for dinner — and I needed them fast. I’m not a fan of canned beans, but dried beans can take hours to soak, boil, and simmer. So, I took the plunge and opened the Instant Pot box. I’m glad I did! In an hour, I had a side of perfectly-cooked, delicious beans. Even better, I didn’t burn myself or the kids while using it. Everyone survived.

Steps to Instant Success

I overcame my fear of using the Instant Pot —and you can too. These tips can help. (Note that certain buttons vary by Instant Pot model, and the tips below are specific to the Duo model that I have.)

• Focus on how to use the pressure cook setting. This is the setting you’ll likely use the most since it allows you to cook meals quickly. Activating the pressure cook setting varies by model, so you’ll have to read the instruction manual that came with your particular Instant Pot.
• Understand the basic process for using your Instant Pot. Most Instant Pot recipes follow the core steps below:

1. Add the ingredients to your Instant Pot.
2. Lock the lid. (Check your instructions for your particular model to see if you need to do anything to seal the Pot. In my model, the Duo, I have to turn the valve on the top of the lid to “Sealing.”)
3. Activate the pressure cook settings based on your model. If you have the Duo model, press the “Manual” button. Use the “Pressure” button to change the pressure level and the “ -/+” buttons to increase or decrease the time needed for cooking as the recipe specifies.
4. Give your Instant Pot a few minutes to heat up. When the pressure begins to build, the little round button on the top of the lid (the “float valve”) will pop up.
5. If at any time, you’re nervous and want to stop the process, you can press the red button, “Keep Warm/Cancel,” to turn the Instant Pot off. But don’t try to open the lid until the pressure releases naturally (which can take around 20 minutes). You can also release the pressure by hand. More on that below.
6. If you have questions, call a friend who has an Instant Pot or watch a helpful YouTube video.

A word about releasing pressure: This is the part that scared me the most, but it wasn’t as scary once I understood how the process worked. Pressure cooking works by cooking the food with heat and steam. Once the food has finished cooking, you mainly have two options for releasing the pressure: natural release and quick release (also called manual release):

Natural release: Natural release is ideal for gradually stopping the cooking process. Use it for foods such as rice and beans, soups, etc. Using this method means that you’ll let the Instant Pot release steam on its own (as opposed to “quick release” where you manually turn the handle to “venting” to speed up the process of releasing steam). Once your food is finished cooking, it can take up to 20 minutes or more for the steam to naturally release. The “float valve,” a little button next to the steam release handle, will tell you when the steam has finished releasing. If the float valve is up, then the Instant Pot is still full of pressure. In that case, do not try to open the lid. To make sure all the steam is safely out, wait until the float valve goes down or release the rest of the pressure by safely turning the steam release handle to “venting.”

Quick release: Quick release works well when cooking whole green beans, or other vegetables, that can become soggy from remaining in steam too long. To use this method:

• After your food has finished cooking, cover the steam release handle with a towel. (Keep your face and hands away from the steam release handle.)
• Use a spatula or similar long utensil (not your hand) to safely switch the steam release handle from the “sealing” position to the “venting” position. Much steam will be released, so stay clear of the steam, and release a little at a time until the floating valve goes down completely.

Ready to give it a shot? The only way I’ll eat pinto beans is if they’re cooked from scratch. Try my recipe below. (I’ve included steps for the Duo model.)

Ingredients:
• 8 ounces of dried pinto beans (rinsed)
• 4 cups of water (enough to cover by one inch)
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 dash of garlic powder
• 1 dash of salt

Method:

• Add all ingredients inside your Instant Pot and stir. I like to break up the bouillon cube with a spatula, but you don’t need to break it up completely.
• Close the lid and lock it into place.
• Turn the pressure release handle to the “Sealing” position.
• Press “Manual.” (Make sure the ingredients cook at “high pressure” instead of “low pressure” by pressing the “Pressure” button.)
• Using the “+/-” buttons, add 40 minutes of cooking time.
• Once the beans finish cooking for 40 minutes, the digital timer will switch over to L0:00. Allow the beans to continue cooking with residual steam until the timer reaches L0:20 (20 minutes).
• Use the tip of your spatula to switch the pressure release handle to the “venting” position, releasing all leftover steam until the button drops down and then safely open your lid. Your beans will be perfect and delicious!

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