5 Things You Should Never Cook In An Instant Pot (2024)

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5 Things You Should Never Cook In An Instant Pot (1)5 Things You Should Never Cook In An Instant Pot (2)

Delish proclaimed Instant Pots the gift of the year in 2017 thanks to their ability to handle half a dozen kitchen tasks in one. The handy device functions as a slow cooker, pressure cooker, and rice cooker, and can be used to sauté, brown, or warm food. It's also being used as a healthy eating tool with impressive results.

As you can imagine, there are TONS of things you can make in an Instant Pot. Here are 53, if you're looking for inspo. However, there has to be a line somewhere. Not to burst any Instant Pot bubbles, but there are a few things you're better off cooking a more traditional way.

Deep-Fried Anything

It's tempting to stick some chicken in there and think southern-fried-chicken will come out, but unfortunately, Instant Pots don't work like that. They don't get hot enough to fry, so you'll need a true deep fryer, Air Fryer, or Dutch Oven to make that happen.

Cookies

Instant cookies do sound pretty great, but you're better off using a regular oven here. Cookies need a flat surface to bake on, and won't heat correctly inside an Instant Pot. Plus, you couldn't fit that many across the bottom surface anyway.

Yogurt

Yes, it's possible. There's even a button for it! However, we've seen one too many online fails to comfortably say this one's worth it. The process takes over 18 hours, and is easy to mess up if you're not super careful. If you're that big on yogurt, you might as well just head to Costco and stock up.

Creamy Sauces

As with a slow cooker, dairy products don't do super well in an Instant Pot. The quick-heat function can make milk curdle or scald, or make cheese clump together. If you're making something creamy, try stirring the dairy products in at the end after the pressure cooking has been done.

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Bread

Again, it can be done, but it's really not the ideal way to make bread. For one, there's not a big time benefit to baking bread in an Instant Pot. Also, there won't be a crust. Personal preference, but worth noting. Thirdly, from what we've seen, Instant Pot bread isn't very aesthetically pleasing. We say skip it!

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5 Things You Should Never Cook In An Instant Pot (2024)

FAQs

What foods should not be cooked in an Instant Pot? ›

6 Things You Should Never Cook in an Instant Pot
  1. Creamy Sauces. If there's one food group you should avoid in the Instant Pot, it's dairy. ...
  2. Fried Chicken. The best fried chicken is crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside and perfectly golden brown. ...
  3. Cookies. ...
  4. Burgers. ...
  5. Pie. ...
  6. Steak.

What is Instant Pot not good for? ›

Just like in a slow cooker, most dairy products such as cheese, milk and sour cream will curdle in an Instant Pot, no matter if you use the pressure cooking setting or the slow cooking setting. Add these ingredients after the dish cooks or avoid making the recipe in the Instant Pot altogether.

What should you never put in a pressure cooker? ›

Foods containing dairy, like milk, cream, or yogurt, should not be pressure-cooked. The high heat and pressure can cause dairy products to curdle or separate, ruining the texture, taste and flavour of the dish. Cooking fried foods is a strict no no, when it comes to pressure cookers.

What is the best meat to cook in a pressure cooker? ›

You can still pressure cook leaner pieces – like eye of round and top sirloin – but these work best if they've been stuffed, shredded or rolled (with other ingredients). Best cuts of beef to use: Chuck steak, Round Roast, Shoulder, Pot roast, Ribs, Brisket, Oxtail.

Why shouldn't potatoes be cooked in a pressure cooker? ›

Mostly we boil potatoes in a pressure cooker, but like rice, potatoes also contain a lot of starch. This is the reason why boiling or cooking in this pressure cooker is not considered good for health. If you still plan to use cooker for the same, add a lot of water and wash them thoroughly post cooking.

Is there anything you can't make in an Instant Pot? ›

In general, Instant Pots do so much more than just pressure cooking and can be used as a rice cooker, slow cooker, steamer yogurt maker, sauté pan, and a meal warmer.

Why did Instant Pot go out of business? ›

“In particular, tightening of credit terms and higher interest rates impacted our liquidity levels and made our capital structure unsustainable,” Mr. Gadbois said. Instant Brands said in a statement on Wednesday that the new financing would allow the company to continue paying workers, vendors and suppliers.

How long do instapots usually last? ›

The average lifespan of an Instant Pot ranges from 2-5 years, but it can last longer depending on how often it's used and how well-maintained it is.

What is better than an Instant Pot? ›

Stovetop pressure cookers are still great options, they just take a little more finesse and know-how to use. They can reach higher pressure and temperatures than electric multicookers, like the Instant Pot, making them useful for home canners.

Why cooking in pressure cooker is not good? ›

Disadvantages of cooking food in a pressure cooker

Consumption of this chemical on a regular basis may lead to health issues like cancer, infertility, and neurological disorders. Plus, most pressure cookers are made of aluminum that may leach into your food when the cooker is overheated.

Can you open a pressure cooker while cooking? ›

Most modern electric pressure cookers make it impossible for someone to open them while pressure is building on the inside. But, regardless, you shouldn't attempt to open one while it's in use. If you need to open your cooker while food is cooking, turn it off first and release the pressure before opening.

Can bacteria survive a pressure cooker? ›

The pressure cookers used can inactivate up to 1010 CFU/mL bacteria and 107 CFU/mL fungi.

Does meat get more tender the longer you pressure cook it? ›

The pressure cooker can tenderize the most stubborn cut of meat and turn tough chewy fibers into gelatin, but a few wrong moves can turn meat into a shriveled tasteless lump.

Can you put frozen meat in a pressure cooker? ›

It is safe to cook frozen food in a pressure cooker because it uses pressure to move food through the "Danger Zone" quickly. As a result, you don't run into the issues that you would find by cooking frozen food in a slow cooker, where it can stay too long in the Danger Zone and could become unsafe.

What cooks better in a pressure cooker? ›

While they are invaluable when it comes to braising, stewing and transforming tough cuts of meat, and cooking ingredients like dried pulses from scratch, pressure cookers are less successful with delicate foods like fish or green veg, as they use such a high heat.

Why don t chefs use Instant Pot? ›

They are most commonly used in industrial settings to quickly prepare meat or stocks. However, in most scenarios, Elite Chefs avoid using pressure cookers because they provide less control over the final dish. Chefs often prefer slow cooking techniques that accentuate and pull out the flavors of the food.

What causes food burn in Instant Pot? ›

Lai says the most common cause for a burn notification is not adding enough liquid to the pot or using thick ingredients like a thick tomato sauce. "If you sauté prior to pressure cooking and you do not properly deglaze the bottom of the pot, food stuck to the bottom can cause the burn notification," says Lai.

Is cooking meat in an Instant Pot healthy? ›

Pressure-cooked meat-based dishes show a significant reduction in unsaturated fat contents, but it appears that iron is not lost. In addition to making foods like grains and legumes more digestible, pressure cooking does not create any of the unhealthy chemicals associated with baking and grilling methods.

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