I received the instant pot yesterday, and I'm excited to try it! But the manual is huge, so I looked up a couple youtubes. It looks easy enough to use, but I have a couple questions.
How do you know how long to cook things?I want to cook stuff I normally do on the stove, but I can't seem to figure out the timing/settings.
Can you mess up with the instant pot? I thought it was going to be an easy appliance, but there are so many functions, that it looks intimating.
persimmon / 1129 posts
@Pumpkin Pie: I know you said you didn't want to read the manual but it would answer both of your questions. There's a chart in it about how long to cook things.
pomegranate / 3872 posts
I just got one too, and it's definitely a little intimidating! The manual isn't actually that long (it has all the other languages in.it too!) so I'd read that for the basics and a food chart with cooking times.I read a review that said something to the effect of 'the more you use it, the more you'll use it and love it.' I plan to start with some basics like hard boiled eggs, steel cut oats, and sweet potato to get my bearings.
persimmon / 1431 posts
@My Only Sunshine: @JerricaBenton: Ok I'll read through it. I skimmed it looking for cooking times, but didn't find what I was looking for. Looks like I have homework this weekend.
persimmon / 1270 posts
Mine came with a recipe booklet that I have found super helpful. I find things that are like what I want to make and guess/adjust the times from there. I have found that I like my beans more cooked then they suggest and the rice I have cooks in a little less time then they say. Bu those kinds of variations are normal.
It's hard cooking when you can't peek!!!
pomelo / 5866 posts
@Pumpkin Pie: http://instantpot.com/cooking-time/
This gives you all the cooking times.
cantaloupe / 6630 posts
I would start with tried and tested recipes first, then look at converting stuff you already cook.
After a couple of goes it really is very easy - I haven't converted recipes myself yet though.
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
The hippressurecooking site really helped me when I first got started. Here is their chart on cooking times - http://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cooking-times/
There is also an official Instant Pot Facebook group that was enormously helpful.
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
Can you give us a few examples of some things you cook on the stove that you'd like to try in the Instant Pot?
persimmon / 1431 posts
@Mrs. High Heels: I wanted to make a bone in chicken and potato stew that I make on the stove. When on the stove liquid will reduce from the heat, but I just read on the instant pot not to add cornstarch to thicken. Is that right?
To a make boiled eggs, the website gives the time, but do I just add some water and eggs and just turn on? Egg doesnt explode?
I'm scared of breaking the thing!
cantaloupe / 6630 posts
@Pumpkin Pie: add your cornstarch right at the end, when cooking is finished.
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@Pumpkin Pie: what I do when I want the soup to reduce is to turn it to the sauté function and leave the lid off. So after you're done pressure cooking and the pressure is released, open the pressure cooker, press the off button, then press the sauté button. The sauté actually reduces liquids pretty quickly because the heat is surprisingly strong!
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@Pumpkin Pie: for boiled eggs I add about a half cup of water (you always need at least a little water in the pressure cooker bc it requires water to build pressure), then set it on manual for 5 min at high pressure, then release the pressure by turning the valve.
Here is great info on boiling eggs - http://www.hippressurecooking.com/cracked-soft-medium-and-hard-boiled-eggs-in-the-pressure-cooker/
I love making boiled eggs in the pressure cooker bc they're so easy to peel!
pomelo / 5866 posts
I just put beef stew ingredients in and just pressed the stew button and everything came out a-ok-yummy!
And yes to hippressurecooking site mrs. high heels recommended! 
cantaloupe / 6634 posts
@travelgirl1: I'm to "threadjack" but I tried the chicken recipe you posted but can't tell when it's done! It says that the steam nozzle thing (obviously the correct term for it 
) is supposed to switch off but never did. So we let it sit on warm for like...ever! Any ideas? Do you just *know* to open it after 15 or so minutes or does it do it automatically?
clementine / 995 posts
@simplyfelicity: The little silver button/valve next to the steam nozzle (where you can turn it from venting to sealing) will drop down when all the pressure has been released. I don't think you can even open the lid until all the pressure is gone. It took about 10-15 minutes when I cooked my chicken last night.
cantaloupe / 6634 posts
@NCSUchick27: Oh ok! I kept expecting it to switch or something but maybe we didnt notice. Because it had been 25 minutes and nada.
pomelo / 5866 posts
If u want to do a quick release of steam instead of waiting you can very carefully push the nozzle (release valve) to venting. Do this with the utmost care because steam will shoot out immediately. You might want to push it with a wooden spoon or tongs for the first time.
cantaloupe / 6630 posts
@simplyfelicity: I find if I turn the power off once cooking time had finished then the pressure valve drops faster. Apparently this isn't supposed to be the case, but it is for us.
persimmon / 1431 posts
@Mrs. High Heels: great tip about the saute function to reduce liquid.
I made a chicken +potato dish but the chicken came out great while the potatos were mushy. What do you do about ingredients with different cooking times?
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@Pumpkin Pie: potatoes boil really quick when cut into chunks, so I would put them at the end when you turn on the sauté function. It will boil as the liquid reduces. Win win!
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@Pumpkin Pie: in general, if they have different cooking times, you'd pressure cook it twice. So I'd pressure cook the chicken for 20 min (or however long you need), release the pressure and open the lid, then add the potatoes, close lid and pressure cook that for an additional 2-3 min, then the dish should be done. Since veggies cook so fast, most can be pressure cooked anywhere from 0-3 minutes.
blogger / pomegranate / 3044 posts
Just made a whole roasted chicken for my first dish and it came out great! Looks like it'll be worth the $70 
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