Can I use a pressure cooker instead of an Instant Pot?

The pressure increases the boiling point of water, reducing evaporation and extracting more flavor from foods. Whether you use a traditional stovetop pressure cooker or an Instant Pot, the results are the same: amazing food in less than 1/4 of the time normal cooking takes.

Does pressure cooking do the same as slow cooking?

Even though both can produce similar results , there is a main difference between a slow cooker and a pressure cooker. A slow cooker will cook food longer at a lower temperature, whereas a pressure cooker uses hot steam to cook food much quicker.

How does pressure cooking time compare to normal cooking time?

Pressure settings The higher temperature causes food to cook faster; cooking times can typically be reduced to one-third of the time for conventional cooking methods .

What is a good substitute for a pressure cooker?

The whole point of a pressure cooker is to cook meals quickly that normally take a long time. There are really no substitutes if you want the meal ready quickly. In contrast, a slow cooker will prepare the same type of meals as a pressure cooker although the meat texture is usually better in a pressure cooker.

Which is better electric pressure cooker or normal pressure cooker?

Overall, electric pressure cookers are a good choice for home cooks who want a fast, easy, and convenient way to prepare meals . They are generally easier and safer to use than stovetop models, and they offer a variety of cooking functions. However, they may be less versatile and more expensive than stovetop models.

Can you use pressure cooker for normal cooking?

A pressure cooker, without the lid, can be used as an ordinary saucepan, of course . If it is the only large pan you have, I'd even recommend it, since pasta needs to be cooked in a lot of boiling water. of course yes… a pressure cooker without lock is a pot!

How to use an old fashioned pressure cooker?

For an old-fashion-type pressure cooker, place the cooker on medium-high heat and brown the foods. Then add liquids and remaining ingredients, cover, bring pressure up, and complete the pressure cooking . For newer cookers, most have a brown function—see manufacturer's instructions.

How To Convert A Recipe Into A Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Recipe (2024)

Home » How To Convert A Recipe Into A Pressure Cooker Recipe

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I’m often asked how to convert a recipe into a pressure cooker recipe. So the last time I converted a recipe to make in an Instant Pot, I wrote down the steps. Today I’m sharing my tips for converting recipes to make in electric pressure cookers.

How To Convert A Recipe Into A Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Recipe (1)

Before you convert a recipe, ask yourself: Is the recipe a good choice for the pressure cooker?

The first step is picking a recipe that is well suited to the pressure cooker. The pressure cooker requires liquid to achieve pressure. So ideally the recipe will have some liquid in the recipe already. Slow cooker recipes, soups, meats, legumeand grain recipesare generally easily adapted to the pressure cooker.

If you want a crispy, fried coating on your meat or veggies, pressure cooking is not the best method.If you’re cooking meat that’s very lean, or expensive and tender already, the pressure cooker is probably not the best method for cooking that meat.

How do I know what cook time to use when I convert a recipe?

The next step is determining cook time. Ideally, you can find a similar recipe online or in a cookbook and use the cook time used in that recipe. Then change the ingredients to use the ingredients from the recipe you’re adapting.

If you can’t find a similar recipe, then use a reliable chart to find the cook time for the main ingredient in your recipe. I often use the charts in Pressure Cooker Perfection from America’s Test Kitchen, Vegan Under Pressure by Jill Nussinow, and Hip Pressure Cooking by Laura Pazzaglia. Hip Pressure Cookingalso has helpful cook time charts online.

As a starting point when adapting a recipe, I reduce the cook time of meat recipes cooked in the oven or on the stove by two thirds. For pasta I reduce the cook time by one half.

What if the ingredients have different cook times?

If you’re cooking a dishwith meat, the size and shape of the meat matters more than the volume of the meat. A big 3 lb. whole roast will take much longer to cook than 3 lbs. of the same roast cut into bite size pieces.

Can you cut the meat so the cook time matches the cook time for other ingredients? For example, small bite size pieces of chicken breast have the same cook time as white rice. So cutting the chicken into bite size pieces lets you cook the chicken and rice at the same time.

If they don’t have similar cook times consider cooking the longest ingredient first,then adding the vegetables, such as potatoes and carrots and cook for a few minutes longer.

For example, if you think the meat will take 50 minutes to pressure cook and your vegetables 6 minutes, cook the meat for 50 minutes and release the pressure. Add the veggies, put the lid back on, bring the pot back to pressure and cook for an additional 6 minutes.

Youmay be able towrap quick cooking items in tin foil or put a pot on a trivet on top of the longer cooking item to slow down the cooking time.

How much liquid should I use when I convert a recipe to a pressure cooker recipe?

Generally 1 cup of liquid. If you’re using ingredients that contain lots of water, such as chicken, fruit or vegetables, you may be able to use less liquid.

Since there’s very little liquid loss when you pressure cook, you generally have to reduce the liquid in recipes like soups and braises so you don’t water down the flavor.

Keep a notebook of tips when you convert a recipe for the Instant Pot.

Cooking in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker is easy, but you’ll want to make notes when you convert recipes to make in one.

Write down notes so you’ll know what changes you made and can tweak the recipe the next time you make it. Or, if you’re cooking from a cookbook, I’ve started writing notes in the margins so I can duplicate what changes I made.

Once you’ve adapted a couple of recipes, it gets easier. You learn to trust your instincts and use your senses.

If you’d like to print this post to keep in your notebook, I created a printable pdf version.

Converting Instant Pot recipes to Stove Top Pressure Cooker Recipes

Stovetop pressure cookers generally cook at a higher psi than electric pressure cookers, so electric pressure cookers (Instant Pots) come to pressure slower than stovetop pressure cookers – for that reason, for short cooking times you don’t need to make any change in the cook time. For longer cook times, reduce the cook time by about 15% – 20%. Electric pressure cookers don’t start counting down the time until they are at pressure, so start your timing when your stovetop pressure cooker is at pressure.

Electric pressure cookers regulate the pressure very effectively, so you may need to add additional water/liquid to the recipe if your stovetop pressure cooker loses more liquid as it cooks.

Now, it’s your turn. I’d love to hear your tips and tricks. If you have a tip that helps you convert a recipe, please leave a comment. If I didn’t answer your question about converting a recipe, leave me a comment too and I’ll do my best to answer it.

Thanks!

If you’re new to using the Instant Pot, be sure and check out my posts onWhich Instant Pot Button to Use and Quick Pressure Release or Natural Pressure Cooker Release.

I’m adding a greatsuggestionby one of my long-time Pressure Cooking Today readers. She suggested new users make several reliable recipes written for the pressure cookerbefore trying to adapt their favorites to the pressure cooker. “Better to experience some sure success before riding the bike without training wheels, so to speak.”

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How To Convert A Recipe Into A Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Recipe (4)

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