Food - Drink
13 Common Mistakes Everyone Makes With Their Instant Pot
By BRENDAN MCGINLEY
The Wrong Setting
While the tested presets may seem like a great way to set and forget your next meal, it’s still good to be mindful of the right preset for temperature and time. By finding out what all the presets in your Instant Pot do, you can educate yourself on their nuances, and pick presets that work best for you.
Avoiding the Steam Rack
The steam rack, or trivet, is great for avoiding direct contact with the heated base of the Instant Pot, preventing your food from sticking, searing, or boiling in the liquid at the bottom. You can even cook different dishes on multiple, stacked racks, given that they cook at the same time and temperature.
Wrong Amount of Water
Although Instant Pot recommends using one cup of water for cooking, The Veggie Queen notes that a cup can actually be too much. Since the steam in the appliance cooks the food, she suggests using ½ to ¾ cup for most dishes, and less than half a cup for foods that release water.
Wrongly Sealed Gasket
If the silicone gasket of your Instant Pot is not properly sealed, you will notice excessive steam coming out of the sides and a much longer cooking time. It’s possible that your seal is simply not fully flush with the seal or has food remnants stuck to it, but you also may simply need to replace it.
Not Replacing the Seal
Depending on how frequently and heavily you use your Instant Pot, the seal could require replacement every six to 18 months. It’s also best to buy two to three silicone seals at a time, using different seals for savory and sweet dishes to avoid the strong odors of savory dishes from getting into your desserts.