Instant Pot Cooking Times

As with conventional cooking, cooking with Instant Pot is full of personal choices, creativity, a lot of science and experimentation. No two individuals have exactly the same tastes, preferences of tenderness and texture of food. The ‘Cooking Time Tables’ are for your reference only.   We encourage you to experiment to find the settings for the best results for your own preferences.

There are other factors that may affect the cooking time. Different cuts of meat and different types of rice, for example, may require different cooking time to yield the same tenderness or texture.

The following pressure ‘Cooking Time Tables’ provides a general guideline on the length of pressure-cooking time for various food.

·          Dry Beans, Legume and Lentils

·          Meat (Poultry, Beef, Pork and Lamb)

·          Seafood and Fish

·          Rice and Grains

·          Fresh or Frozen Vegetable

·          Fruits

When cooking frozen food, there is no need to defrost the food in the microwave prior to preparing.  However, frozen food will prolong the pre-heating time and cooking time depending on the amount of food.  To ensure to have your meal ready on time it is important to plan accordingly.

The times indicated within the ‘Cooking Time Tables’ are based on the cooking pressure within the range of 10.15 – 11.6 psi.

Seafood & Fish

The cooking time for seafood is typically short.  The best result is achieved with the original juice being retained in the food.  Steaming is the ideal cooking method; however stewing the food will also produce great results.

When steaming seafood, you will need at least 1 cup (250 mL) of water, and an ovenproof or steel bowl on a steam rack.  When seafood or fish is over-cooked, the texture becomes tough, to avoid this, you should control the cooking time.  Normally, you’ll need to use the steam release handle to release the pressure and stop cooking as soon as the programmed cooking period is over.  An alternative is to take the natural cooking time (7-10 minutes) into consideration.

Seafood & Fish	FRESH Cook Time (minutes)	FROZEN Cook Time (minutes)
Crab, whole	2 – 3	4 – 5
Fish, whole	4 – 5	5 – 7
Fish, fillet	2 – 3	3 – 4
Fish, steak	3 – 4	4 – 6
Lobster	3 – 4	4 – 6
Mussels	2 – 3	n/a
Seafood soup or stock	7 – 8	8 – 9
Shrimp or Prawn	1 – 3	2 – 4

Rice & Grains

If you would like to cook some specialty rice or grains, please use the following grain: water ratio.

The Rice Measuring Cup (180 mL) provided with your Instant Pot can be used to measure the required grain to water ratios.  One cup of grain yields approximately one adult serving.

Rice & Grains	Water Quantity Ratio (grain : water)	Cooking Time (minutes)
Barley, pearl	1 : 2.5	20 – 22
Barley, pot	1 : 3 – 1 : 4	25 – 30
Congee, thick	1 : 4 – 1 : 5	15 – 20
Congee, thin	1 : 6 – 1 : 7	15 – 20
Couscous	1 : 2	2 – 3
Corn, dried / halved	1 : 3	5 – 6
Kamut, whole	1 : 2	10 – 12
Millet	1 : 1.75	10 – 12
Oats, quick cooking	1 : 1.5	2 – 3
Oats, steel-cut	2 : 2.5	3 – 5
Porridge, thin	1 : 2	10 – 15
Quinoa, quick cooking	1 : 1.25	1
Rice, Basmati	1 : 1	4
Rice, Brown	1 : 1	22 – 25
Rice, Jasmine	1 : 1	4
Rice, white	1 : 1	4
Rice, wild	1 : 1	20 – 25
Sorghum	1 : 3	20 – 25
Spelt berries (unsoaked)	1 : 1.5	25 – 30
Wheat berries (unsoaked)	1 : 3	20 – 25

Dried Beans, Legumes & Lentils

There are a few things to be aware of when cooking dried beans and legumes:

·          Dried beans double in volume and weight after soaking or cooking. To avoid overflow, please do not fill the inner pot more than to the ½ mark to allow for expansion.

·          When cooking dried beans use sufficient liquid to cover the beans.

·          Although not necessary, soaking the dried beans can speed up cooking significantly. Immerse the beans in 4 times their volume of water for 4-6 hours.

Beans and legumes are less likely to be over-cooked, but if they are undercooked the texture is unpleasant.  Please consider the cooking time as a minimal time.

Dried Beans, Legumes, and Lentils	DRY Cooking Time (minutes)	SOAKED Cooking Time (minutes)
Adzuki / Azuki / Aduki	16 – 20	4 – 6
Anasazi	20 – 25	5 – 7
Black beans	20 – 25	6 – 8
Black-eyed peas	10 – 15	4 – 5
Chickpeas (chickpeas, garbanzo bean, or kabuli)	35 – 40	10 – 15
Cannellini beans	30 – 35	8 – 10
Great Northern beans	25 – 30	8 – 10
Kidney beans, red	25 – 30	8 – 10
Kidney beans, white / Cannellini	30 – 35	8 – 10
Lentils, green	10 – 12	n/a
Lentils, brown	10 – 12	n/a
Lentils, red, split	5 – 6	n/a
Lentils, yellow, split (moong dal)	18 – 20	n/a
Lima beans	12 – 14	8 – 10
Navy beans	20 – 25	7 – 8
Pinto beans	25 – 30	8 – 10
Peas	6 – 10	n/a
Scarlet runner	20 – 25	8 – 10
Soy beans	35 – 45	18 – 20

Meat (Beef, Pork, Poultry, Lamb)

There are a few things to be aware of when cooking meat:

·          Raw meat is perishable and should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if room temperature is above 32°C / 90°F). When using the [Delay Start] program, do not set time for more than 1-2 hours.  We recommend to pre-cook meat and select [Keep Warm] or [Warm] program to maintain the food at the correct serving temperature.

·          Do not try to thicken the sauce before cooking. Corn starch, flour or arrow-root may deposit on the bottom of the inner pot and block heat dissipation.  As a result, the pressure cooker may overheat.

You may want to brown/sear the meat by selecting the [Sauté] program to seal the juices before pressure-cooking.

Meat	Cooking Time (mins)
Beef, stew meat	20 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Beef, meat ball	8-10 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Beef, dressed	20 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Beef (pot roast, steak, rump, round, chuck, blade or brisket) Small Chunks	15 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Beef (pot roast, steak, rump,  round, chuck, blade or brisket) Large Chuncks	20 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Beef, ribs	20 – 25
Beef, shanks	25 – 30
Beef, oxtail	40 – 50
Chicken, breasts (boneless)	6 – 8
Chicken, whole 2-2.5 Kg	8 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Chicken, cut with bones	10 – 15
Chicken, bone stock	40 – 45
Duck, portions with bones	12 – 15
Duck, whole	10 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Ham, slices	9 – 12
Ham, picnic shoulder	8 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Lamb, cubes	10 – 15
Lamb, stew meat	12 – 15
Lamb, leg	15 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Pheasant	8 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Pork, loin roast	20 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Pork, butt roast	15 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Pork, ribs	15 – 20
Turkey, breast (boneless)	7 – 9
Turkey, breast (whole)	20 – 25
Turkey, drumsticks (leg)	15 – 20
Veal, chops	5 – 8
Veal, roast	12 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Quail, whole	8 / 450 gm / 1 lb

Vegetables

When steaming vegetables, you will require 1 cup (250 mL) of water and an ovenproof or steel bowl on a steam rack.

Cooking vegetables, fresh or frozen, we recommend using the [Steam] to preserve vitamins and minerals to the maximum.  Steaming also retains the natural look of the vegetables.

Vegetables	FRESH Cooking Time (minutes)	FROZEN Cooking Time (minutes)
Artichoke, whole & trimmed	9 – 11	11 – 13
Artichoke, hearts	4 – 5	5 – 6
Asparagus, whole or cut	1 – 2	2 – 3
Beans, green, yellow or wax, trim ends and strings	1 – 2	2 – 3
Beetroot, small / whole	11 – 13	13 – 15
Beetroot, large / whole	20 – 25	25 – 30
Broccoli, florets	1 – 2	2 – 3
Broccoli, stalks	3 – 4	4 – 5
Brussel sprouts, whole	2 – 3	3 – 4
Cabbage, red, purple or green, shredded	2 – 3	3 – 4
Cabbage, red, purple or green,  wedges	3 – 4	4 – 5
Carrots, sliced or shredded	2 – 3	3 – 4
Carrots, whole or chunked	6 – 8	7 – 9
Cauliflower  florets	2 – 3	3 – 4
Celery, chunks	2 – 3	3 – 4
Coliard Greens	4 – 5	5 – 6
Corn (kernels)	1 – 2	2 – 3
Corn (on the cob)	3 – 5	4 – 6
Eggplant (slices or chunks)	3 – 4	3 – 4
Endive	1 – 2	2 – 3
Escarole (chopped)	2 – 3	3 – 4
Green beans (whole)	2 – 3	3 – 4
Greens (chopped)	2 – 3	4 – 7
Leeks	2 – 3	3 – 4
Mixed vegetables	3 – 4	4 – 6
Okra	2 – 3	3 – 4
Onions (sliced)	2 – 3	3 – 4
Parsnips (chunks)	3 – 4	4 – 5
Peas (in the pod)	1 – 2	2 – 3
Peas (green)	1 – 2	2 – 3
Potatoes (cubed)	3 – 4	4 – 5
Baby potatoes (whole)	8 – 10	12 – 14
Large potatoes (whole)	12 – 15	15 – 19
Pumpkin (small pieces)	2 – 3	4 – 5
Pumpkin (larges pieces)	8 – 10	10 – 14
Rutabaga (slices)	3 – 4	4 – 5
Rutabaga (chunks)	4 – 6	6 – 8
Spinach	1 – 2	3 – 4
Acorn squash (slices)	6 – 7	8 – 10
Butternut squash (slices)	4 – 6	6 – 8
Sweet Potato (cubes)	3 – 4	4 – 5
Sweet Potato Large (whole)	12 – 15	17 – 19
Sweet Potato Small (whole)	8 – 10	12 – 14
Sweet Pepper (slices or chunks)	1 – 3	2 – 4
Tomatoes (quarters)	2 – 3	4 – 5

Fruits

When steaming fruit, you will need 1 cup (250 mL) of water and an ovenproof or steel bowl on a steam rack.

Fresh or dried fruits are best steamed to preserve the texture and taste as well as the vitamins and minerals.  Steaming also retains the natural look of the fruit.  Cook fruit f equal size and ripeness together.

Fruits	FRESH Cooking Time (minutes)	DRIED Cooking Time (minutes)
Apples (slices or pieces)	1 – 2	2 – 3
Apples (whole)	3 – 4	4 – 6
Apicot (whole or halves)	2 – 3	3 – 4
Peaches	2 – 3	4 – 5
Pears (whole)	3 – 4	4 – 6
Pears (slices or halves)	2 – 3	4 – 5
Plums	2 – 3	4 – 5
Raisins	n/a	4 – 5

From: InstantPot.com