To be terrified of my Instant Pot as a beginner?!

[ItsABeatifulDayNow]

I'm out of hospital and was hoping to fall in love with my Instant Pot which I'm only now getting a chance to try for the first time.

I AM TERRIFIED.

With the help of YouTube I took on the water test to start and assumed I'd be able to now make a delicious spag Bol with no effort, but while I've now completed said water test I'm pretty scared of using it properly.

I've got my big girl pants on and want to get used to it so I can make yummy food easily.

At the moment don't even understand which bits I put in and cook while the lids open vs which I pop the lid closed for etc

Can any experts advice of YouTube channels / sites they found particularly helpful? I find videos much easier to use but many are filmed from the cooks point of view rather than as a full view of the Instant Pot so I find them confusing!

Thanks in advance and sorry for being a wally.

Join our Facebook group!

InstantPotUK is fab, on FB.

It's honestly fine! I had one in November, and have used it almost everyday since.

For your Bolognese, fry off the onions and mince. Add everything else and pressure cook for ten minutes.

I'd do your pasta separately this time.

yes, join the facebook group!

Instant Pot UK

loads of official stuff on there, and really helpful files, so have a look on your laptop/tablet, it's easier to search on those than on the phone

Bolognese super simple

Sauté onions and mince (don’t wait for it to get hot just bring it straight in)

Deglaze with a glass of red.

Add in passata, garlic granules and mixed herbs.

Make sure the sealing ring is fully in place.

Lid on, set to seal (10 o’clock position wise)

Manual

11 mins.

I leave to NPR

Then lid off when ever (sometimes I leave it while I’m doing the gym run)

Stir thru tomato purée and hit sauté to bring back to required temp.

I do my pasta separately.

Thank you so much I knew you'd all be super helpful I really appreciate.

@Singlebutmarried amazing thank you so much for the step by step that's perfect!

Will defo do pasta separately this time at least - one step at a time!

Thanks so much - any other favourite recipes much appreciated

Get on the instanpot uk fb group.

There’s a whole recipe index on a spreadsheet thing which is awesome

We do risotto, beef in ale, while chicken, fried rice, loads of stuff.

If you’ve got the v3 the buttons may be slightly different (manual may now be something else)

But have a look at the destruction book.

I thought this was going to be something about Pot Noodles...

I'm so confused!

If you're sautéing onions, mince and deglazing the pan anyway why not just complete it on the stove top?

Two easy recipes... put cooked chicken, frozen peas, garlic, onions or leeks into the pot. Add a cup or arborio rice and two and a half cups of stock/wine. Pressure cook 5 mins. Lovely. It will take time to get up to pressure, and time to release. You'll see the screen change from ON to a count down from 5, to 'LO and counting up' when it finishes. Give it plenty of time and you won't have to wrestle with the lid to get it off!

Another one
Chicken, frozen onions and leeks, curry sauce in the pot. Pop the trivet on. Put equal volumes of rice and water in an oven proof pot on top of the trivet (mess about to choose the right dish first, so it fits). Pressure cook 5 mins. Curry and rice, all done.

RICE COOKED IN FIVE MINUTES?!

What is this witchcraft?!

Kalefire, it's deceiving! Five minutes plus however long it takes to get up to pressure, and then to come down again. If you have time to let it sit, it doesn't need any pressure at all. 0mins will do!

It's easier than on the hob because it does everything Automatically. You can walk away, it will cook for a specific time, then switch to keep warm. No need to stir or check.

I don't usually sauté first anyway, just chuck it in.

I did cottage pie today. Base in bottom and potatoes on a tall trivet on top. Set for 12 mins. Delicious. Did finish under grill to brown top

I havePressure King, which is similar. I use it a lot. I find it great for brown rice, never burns, cooks perfectly, & no sticky, burnt pan to clean. Also for dried beans. I use it at least three-four times a week. Transforming, really, simplifies cooking, & makes complicated dishes much easier.
The only thing I have to watch out for is to be sure the pressure thingy is in the right position, that takes a bit of trial and error