How to Set an Instant Pot to High Pressure

Last Updated: November 11, 2019 References

Pressure cooking with the Instant Pot is an easy and stress-free way to prepare a variety of foods. Since the pot comes with a lot of built-in settings, it can be difficult to know where to start. If you don’t want to use one of the preset temperatures, try using a more general pressure cooking setting. All you need to do is locate the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button, depending on your Instant Pot model. With these settings, you can prepare a variety of different foods with your Instant Pot!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Adjusting the Pressure Level

1
Plug in your Instant Pot to turn it on. Wait for the LED screen on the device to display “Off,” which means that the Instant Pot is on but not cooking anything. Double check that the condensation cup is in place and that the steam valve is set to “Sealing” instead of “Venting.”^{[1]
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- If you’re using your Instant Pot for the first time, be sure to test the pot with water to make sure that the device works properly.
2
Add your food into the inner pot. Prepare for the cooking process by placing all necessary ingredients into the steel cooking pot. Make sure that this container is cleaned and placed inside of the Instant Pot before adding in any food.^{[2]
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- Keep in mind that the Instant Pot will preheat before it starts cooking the food.
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3
Select the Manual button on older models to cook at high pressure. Look for the Manual button below the LED screen on your Instant Pot control panel. The Manual button lets you pressure cook more generally, instead of using the customized options for meat, cake, and other foods. On older models, like the IP LUX, the pressure will be automatically set to high. Before you start pressure cooking, use the plus and minus keys to input a total cooking time in the machine.^{[3]
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- Once you select your cooking method and time, the LED screen will say “On,” which shows that it’s preheating. The cooking process has started once the screen switches to a cooking timer. Don’t be alarmed if it takes over 30 minutes for your Instant Pot to preheat—for heavier meals, this is normal.
4
Choose the Pressure Cook button on newer Instant Pot models. Check for the Pressure Cook button on more updated control panels. The IP-DUO, IP-SMART, and IP-DUO PLUS all have this button, which makes it easy to start cooking. These models also include a Pressure Level button, which lets you seamlessly alternate the pressure from low to high. Press this button multiple times to switch the cooking pressure from high to low.^{[4]
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- As with the older models, you’ll have the opportunity to set the cooking time before the device starts pressure cooking. After putting in the desired cooking time, wait 10 seconds for the Instant Pot to beep—this means that the cooking process has begun.
- Keep in mind that older Instant Pots don’t have a low pressure option. However, you can use certain pre-set cooking options to your advantage. Several buttons such as Cake and Egg let you toggle between “less” and “more” pressure. Also, the Rice button is automatically set to lower pressure.
5
Hit the Cancel button any time you need to stop a function. Don’t worry about making a mistake or hitting the wrong button during the setup process. All Instant Pots have a Cancel button in the center of the control panel, which makes it easy to adjust the cooking settings as well as the cooking time.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Cooking at High Pressure

1
Use high pressure on beans and chili to create a softer dish. Find the Beans/Chili button on your control panel to access premade settings for savory chili and bean dishes. Instant Pot allows you to toggle through different pressure options with the Adjust or Pressure Level button, which create different textures in the cooking process. Experiment with different recipes to discover your favorite pressure settings!^{[6]
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- For instance, the Less pressure setting leaves the beans fairly firm, while the More option makes the beans softer and mushy.
2
Select higher pressure settings when making a cheesecake. Look for the Cake button on your device. When pressed, this button automatically prepares cakes at a higher pressure. However, a different pressure levels can change the overall density of the final product.^{[7]
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- For example, the Less setting is best used for light cakes, like Angel Food. The More setting, on the other hand, is great for rich, dense desserts like cheesecake.
3
Utilize a higher pressure when preparing meat to cook it more rapidly. Select the Sauté button when looking to avoid the mess of a stovetop pan. Different levels of pressure allow you to prepare meat, vegetables, and other ingredients for a variety of different recipes. As with several other buttons, use the Adjust or Pressure Level button to toggle the pressure level to Less or More.^{[8]
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- For instance, the Less button mode works best for sauce reduction and allowing dishes to simmer. The More setting is a great option for recipes that involve stir-frying.
4
Add more pressure while slow cooking to lessen the overall cooking time. Plan ahead for meals by using the slow cooking button. As a general rule of thumb, recipes that need to be prepared at low pressure will require more time to cook than high pressure recipes.^{[9]
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- For instance, use the Less option on your Instant Pot for low pressure recipes. In these cases, your Instant Pot will cook for 8 hours. For high pressure recipes, use the More option, which will cook your food in about 4 hours.