A water test is the best way to make sure your pressure cooker is working properly. Doing the initial test will help you get to know your Instant Pot.
After Christmas this year I bought my second Instant Pot. Already having a 6-quart, I would be making the jump up in size to an 8-quart.
I never did the water test with my 6-quart I just dove into cooking with it. Because well, frankly I was too excited to use it to do the water test.
I then joined some Facebook groups and started reading about the water test. All the while I wondered, why the water test was even necessary.
Why Do I Need To Do A Water Test On My Instant Pot?
I should have done the water test for two reasons. The first to make sure that the pressure cooker worked properly.
Also if your Instant Pot doesn't come to pressure during a water test then there might be something wrong with it.
Here are some things to check first if your Instant Pot doesn't come to pressure.
- make sure the seal ring is in place on the lid.
- you have the right amount of liquid needed for your size of Instant Pot.
- make sure your sealing value is set to sealing (my 8-quart duo nova does it on its own but my 6-quart duo I have to turn the sealing valve)
- and that the lid to the Instant Pot is on properly.
If after checking all these and your IP still doesn't come to pressure. Then you will want to contact the company that makes your Instant Pot.
Another reason I should have done the test was to get to know my IP a little bit before cooking in it. I didn't know that I would have to turn the sealing value to sealing or releasing, let alone what the value was for.
I didn't realize it would take a few minutes to come to pressure once I figure out the value. Even more that there would be a hissing sound coming from it when I did release the value. Yup, I just dove into cooking and came up with a big failer of a meal on my first try.
How To Do The Initial Test
These are the steps you will need to take for the initial water testing of your Instant Pot.
- plug your IP in
- remove the lid, make sure the inner pot is in the Instant Pot.
- pour 3 cups of water into the inner pot
- place lid back on the IP
- make sure the release valve is set to sealing (some pressure cookers automatically sets to sealing when the lid is closed)
- press the pressure cooker button (some say manual)
- adjust the time using the +/- buttons to 5 minutes
- preheating will begin after 10 seconds, the display will say "ON" while it is heating up. Once it's heated up it will start the count down from 5 to 0.
- once the cooking cycle is done the Instant Pot will beep.
- turn the release valve to venting (please be careful of the steam)
- remove the lid and dump the water out.
- now try a My Creative Manner's recipe like Spaghetti for your first meal.
Instant Pot Tips
Understanding the cooking time is a key factor in getting to know your Instant Pot. Most recipes will only give you the cooking time without taking into factor the time it takes the IP to come to pressure.
More than likely it will take about 2-3 minutes for the Instant Pot to heat up before it starts the cooking time.
This tip is a storage tip that I use. One of the first projects we did in our new house was adding shelves into the mudroom closet.
These shelves are the perfect size for my 6-quart to sit with the lid on. My 8-quart sits with the lid on upside down.
Typically I'm the kind of person that doesn't like much on the countertops, so this works perfectly for me. Plus they both are in the same location.
Now that you have successfully done the water test it's time to get cooking. Here is some My Creative Manner Instant Pot recipes you may enjoy.
Answering the question "what's there to eat" ~ Jen
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