Instant Pot Tips for Success

Don't guess at meat and fish doneness when developing your own recipes. Temp your proteins after releasing pressure.

The Instant Pot's timer can be hard to hear, so we recommend using a kitchen timer to keep track of cooking time, especially for quick-cooking foods like fish or rice.

The Instant Pot is narrow, so we preferred tongs over unwieldy spatulas as our primary flipping tool.

For even cooking, it's crucial to make sure all ingredients are the exact dimensions called for in the recipe. Use a ruler to ensure everything from salmon fillets to fennel is the proper thickness.

Use a 1-quart round soufflé dish to cook separate components without dirtying the inner cooking pot, or for dishes that need a gentler hand, like polenta. To add delicate items like fish or tofu to the pot, use an aluminum foil sling and make sure it's tucked into the pot for a pressure-tight seal.

The secret to fluffy, distinct grains is putting a dish towel under the lid after cooking and letting the contents rest, allowing excess moisture in the pot to be absorbed.