Skip to main content

Instant Pot

A community kitchen for bold flavors and big questions.

Ask a Question

Don’t have an account?Sign up

Instant Pot

Asked May 26, 2020 by Lisa K.

How to Adapt Milk Street Instant Pot Recipes for an 8 - Quart Cooker

Hi! I have an eight-quart Instant Pot, but Milk Street recipes call for a six-quart pot. Is there any general advice about adapting recipes to the larger size or does it not matter? Thanks! Lisa

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Lisa - Our Director of Recipe Development, Diane Unger, says that the recipes were tested in an 8 quart Instant Pot as well and that the times were the same as in the 6 quart Instant Pot, so you should be good to go! Best, Lynn C.

Read More
Instant Pot

Asked May 08, 2020 by Kevin M.

Can You Use Chicken Breasts in Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

Just got both instapot and new fast and slow cookbook. I usually use thighs as recommended but in this time of quarantine I find myself settling for boneless breasts when I get food from the store. No thighs or bone in breasts available. How do I use the breasts in place of thighs until I can shop more effectively?

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Kevin - It probably depends on the recipe. Do you have a specific recipe in mind that I can give you the specifics for? Just let us know! Best, Lynn C.

Read More
Instant Pot

Asked Apr 24, 2020 by Caroline M.

How to Halve Instant Pot Recipes for a 3 - Quart Cooker

I’ve just received your new Fast and Slow cookbook and a lot of the recipes look great. However, I have a 3 qt instant pot and all of the recipes are for a 6 qt device. What is the best way to reduce the recipes for 3 quarts? Thanks. Caroline

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Caroline - We haven't tested it but, according to Instant Pot, you can halve the recipe. They do recommend keeping the times the same since, "once an Instant Pot pressurizes they all require the same amount of time to cook no matter how much food there is. So whether you want to cook one carrot or one bushel of carrots, it will take the same amount of time to cook. That said, with more ingredients, it may take a bit longer for the cooker to come up to pressure, and similarly, to depressurize after cooking." The only exceptions might be pasta, rice, or oatmeal which may require a specific amount of liquid in order to cook properly. You may have to experiment a bit with those to get the ratios correct. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Read More
Instant Pot

Asked Apr 18, 2020 by Kim B.

How to Prevent Instant Pot Burn Warnings with Tomato-Based Recipes

Hello, I was preparing the recipe for Pulled Chicken in Chipotle Sauce for the second time when I received a food burn message. I was very careful about deglazing the pot just as I did the first time, so I can’t quite figure out what I did wrong. But this led me to wonder what to do. All of the instructions I have read from other sources would have you shut off the pot, stir the contents and try to scrape up any burnt food before restarting the program. But how can that be done if using tomato products? I was lucky enough to have the time to just convert to slow cooking, but would really like to know how to address this issue with any tomato product related recipe. Thanks!

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Kim - I'm so sorry you've had issues with the recipe. In the recipe headnote for the Pulled Chicken there are instructions not to stir the tomatoes in when you add them because they have a tendency to burn. You want them to sit on the top of the mixture so they aren't touching the bottom of the pot where the heating element lives. If you did leave them on the top and still had the "Burn" warning, it's possible that your pot is hotter when you are deglazing and more of the water is evaporating than it should. I'd consider adding more water when you deglaze the pot. It will take you a little longer to thicken the mixture at the end, but will hopefully avoid the "Burn" warning. Start with a total of 1 cup of water and see if that avoids the burn message. If it does, and you're happy with the results, you can stick with that amount. If you'd like to try to decrease the amount of water, work backwards from 1 cup down to 3/4 cup total water. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.

Read More
Instant Pot

Asked Apr 13, 2020 by Leslie S.

How to Convert Instant Pot Recipes to Stovetop or Oven

How do I convert an Instant Pot recipe to a regular cooking method recipe as I don't have an Instant Pot? Below is an example of one I'm interested in: https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/spiced-sweet-potatoes-fast-slow

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Leslie - There is no general conversion for Instant Pot recipes, but some of the recipes in our new Fast and Slow cookbook that are now on the website are based on recipes we've developed using more traditional cooking methods. Luckily, that Spiced Sweet Potatoes recipe is one! Here is a link to the traditional version, which is done in the oven. The only real difference between the two is how the potatoes are cooked and the time, obviously. The oven version does take a bit longer but by roasting the potatoes you are developing browning and flavor so I think, in the end, it's a win. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Read More
Instant Pot

Asked Mar 28, 2020 by shelagh T.

How to Make Austrian Goulash Without an Instant Pot

For short ribs, the only slow cooking recipe I could find on the site used an instant pot. I was hoping to use the method for the austrian goulash dish. Suggestions as to how I do that. Thank you.

Answered by April Dodd

Hi Shelagh, Here is a recipe for the slow-cooked Austrian goulash (on the stovetop, not in the Instant Pot): Austrian Beef Stew with Paprika and Caraway (Rindsgulasch) Happy cooking, April

Read More