The Art Of Natural Pressure Release: A Hot Pot's Secret Weapon

There are two ways to release pressure from a hot pot: natural release and quick release. Natural release is when you allow the pressure to go down on its own. As the temperature inside the hot pot decreases, the pressure decreases slowly. The quick-release method is when you manually release the pressure by forcing the steam out of the pressure release valve.

Quick release is when you manually release the pressure by forcing the steam out of the pressure release valve

A quick release is used to stop the cooking process quickly, so it's ideal for cooking ingredients that you want to avoid overcooking, like vegetables. It's also a good option for tender cuts of meat.

• When the cook time ends, your pressure cooker will beep.
• Turn the pressure release switch to the "venting" position.
• The steam will release quickly, and the float valve will drop.
• The lid will unlock and can be opened.

Natural release is when you allow the pressure to go down on its own

The float valve will drop and the lid will unlock and open when the pressure is fully released. This can take anywhere from 5 to 40 minutes, depending on the ingredients and amount of liquid in the hot pot. During this time, food inside the pot will continue to cook as the pressure decreases.

Natural release is the most common pressure release method. It is recommended for longer-cooking foods, foods with skin (e.g. potatoes, beans), large cuts of meat, soups, broths, beans, grains, foamy food, and food with a large amount of liquid or high starch content.

Natural release is beneficial for large cuts of meat as it allows the juices to settle back into the meat, making it tender and flavourful. It is also useful for cooking foamy foods like grains or pasta as it reduces mess.

Quick release is the quickest pressure release method

To use the quick release method, turn the steam release handle on the top of the hot pot from the "sealed" position to the "venting" position. This will allow the excess steam to shoot out of the lid immediately, and the hot pot will be depressurized within minutes.

The quick release method is useful when a recipe calls for natural pressure release, but you don’t have the time to wait. It has most of the benefits of doing a full natural release with the advantage of being quicker. Quick release can also be used when you need to add ingredients to the inner pot partway through cooking. In this case, you would do a quick release, open the lid and add the additional ingredients, close the lid and program the hot pot to continue pressure cooking.

Keep in mind that the steam that immediately releases from the hot pot will be extremely hot. The hot pot user manual warns to not place your hand or lean your face over the cooker while it is releasing steam. It’s best to turn the valve with an object such as kitchen tongs or a wooden spoon to avoid any skin coming in contact with the hot steam. Other hot pot users like wearing silicone oven mitts, or simply covering their hand with a kitchen towel.

Natural release is the most common pressure release method

Use Instant Pot natural release for the following:

• Longer-cooking foods: The food continues cooking even after the cooking cycle is complete.
• Foods with skin (e.g. potatoes, beans): The natural release method allows the skin to stay intact instead of bursting since the pressure and temperature go down gradually.
• Natural release is the equivalent of allowing meats to rest after they have been grilled or roasted, which allows the juices to settle into the meat. This is especially useful for large cuts of meat. When you do an Instant Pot quick release, the pressure drops very rapidly. This causes the meat fibres to compress, squeezing out fats and juices, and that can leave the meat tough and dry. Doing a natural release of pressure allows the juices to settle back into the meat, which makes the meat tender and flavourful.
• Doing an Instant Pot quick release when cooking foamy foods like grains or pasta can cause a big mess because the foam can spurt out of the pressure release valve. Doing a natural release allows the pressure and temperature to fall gradually, which reduces the mess.

Once pressure cooking has completed, the Instant Pot will chime and will begin counting up the minutes (if in Keep Warm mode). Wait for the float valve to drop on its own. Press Cancel and open the lid by turning it counterclockwise. You’ll hear a chime.

Natural release is the slowest pressure release method. Instant Pot natural release can take 10 to 40 minutes, depending on quantity, density, and type of food. Some Instant Pot recipes include this time in the cooking time but some do not. Be sure to take the natural release time into account. If there’s a lot of liquid and food, the longer it takes to do a natural release. The denser the food, the more time it takes to release pressure too.

Quick release can take 2 to 5 minutes

Quick release is when you manually release the pressure by forcing the steam out of the pressure release valve. It is the quickest pressure release method and can take 2 to 5 minutes.

The quick release method is used for fast-cooking foods, such as vegetables, fish, and delicate foods. It is also useful when you need to add ingredients to the inner pot partway through cooking.

Here's how to do a quick release:

Once pressure cooking is complete, the Instant Pot will chime and begin counting up the minutes (if in Keep Warm mode). Move the steam release valve from the Seal to Vent position. A jet of steam will begin coming out from the steam release valve. Be very careful of the hot steam. Keep your hands and face away from the path of the steam! Once all the steam is released, the float valve will drop down. Press Cancel and open the lid by turning it counterclockwise. You’ll hear a chime.

It is important to note that quick release may not be suitable for meat as it can cause the meat fibres to compress, squeezing out fats and juices, leaving the meat tough and dry. Therefore, it is generally recommended to use the natural release method for meats.

Frequently asked questions