How do I substitute Instant Pot for slow cooker?

To convert a slow cooker recipe for the Instant Pot: Multiply the High setting cook time by 60, then divide by 10 . To convert an Instant Pot recipe for the slow cooker: Multiply the Instant Pot cook time by 10, then divide by 60.

What is the equivalent of 4 hours in the slow cooker in the Instant Pot?

Generally, if your slow cooker meat, soup, or stew recipe calls for 8 hours on the low setting or about 4 hours on the high setting, it should be fully cooked in about 25 to 30 minutes in the Instant Pot. For chicken or turkey, use the 15-minute poultry button. While volume doesn't matter, density does.

Can I switch from slow cook to pressure cook?

In general, the liquid in the original slow cooker recipe should be reduced to 1 to 2 cups when converting to an electric pressure cooker . Exceptions to this would be: Grains and Beans– Use the exact amount needed to fluff up, with a small amount more for the other ingredients in the recipe.

How do I convert slow cooker time from high to low?

If a recipe calls for cooking on the HIGH setting for three hours, you can cook it for seven hours on the LOW setting instead . Or if a recipe calls for eight hours on HIGH, it can be cooked for up to 12 hours on LOW.

How long to cook in pressure cooker vs slow cooker?

Anything that takes eight hours to cook in a slow cooker can be cooked in about 45 minutes in a pressure cooker , and most things cook much, much faster even than that.

Does food taste better in a pressure cooker or slow cooker?

Slow cookers utilize long cooking times to develop these richer flavors , while pressure cookers use high heat and pressure to impart as much flavor as possible in a shorter time.

Why is a pressure cooker better than a slow cooker?

Yes, cooking in a pressure cooker is healthy. Unlike a slow cooker, which cooks foods for a long time at a lower temperature, pressure cookers do use high heat when cooking - but not for a long time . This means that most of the nutrients won't be lost.

Does pressure cooker taste as good as slow cooker?

There is no difference in taste, provided the food is seasoned equally . The issue here is texture, and the time it takes to cook. A pressure cooker will cook very quickly, and depending on the cut of meat can take up to 1/2 the time or less.

Do you leave the vent open on an Instant Pot when slow cooking?

Another tip, taken from an Instant Pot Facebook group, is to open the valve all the way on your Instant Pot lid when slow cooking . This allows some moisture and steam to release and keeps the Instant Pot from overcooking your slow cooker recipes.

Should the keep warm light be on when slow cooking Instant Pot?

Once the cooking time is set, the Instant Pot will heat and once fully heated, the cooking time will begin. After the cooking time elapses, most models will default to keep warm ( be sure it is selected by hitting the keep warm button if not lit up .)

Can you leave an Instant Pot on Slow Cook overnight?

If you are slow cooking in the Instant Pot, you should be able to leave your dish cooking overnight for as long as the recipe dictates . Anything that calls for 8 hours cooking time should be sufficient as long as you make sure you're up in time to take it out of the slow cooker once it's finished.

Is 4 hours enough for slow cooker?

How long should I cook a slow cooker recipe? If a dish usually takes: 15-30 mins, cook it for 1-2 hours on High or 4-6 hours on Low . 30 mins – 1 hour, cook it for 2-3 hours on High or 5-7 hours on Low.

Can you slow cook in 4 hours?

In general, it's best to stick to the indicated cook time on the recipe you're following. Most slow cooker meals take 8-12 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high , but there are also recipes for slow-cooked meat that take up to 24 hours.

How To Convert Slow Cooker Recipes To Pressure Cooker (or Instant Pot) #AskWardee 056 (2024)

Trying to figure out how to convert slow cookerrecipes to pressure cooker? Or Instant Pot? You’re not alone! With a few simple methods, you can easily convert your recipes and cook them in a fraction of the time using our favorite appliance.

I’ve been asked many times if it’s possible to convert recipes (such as a slow cooker recipe) to make them work with the Instant Pot.

The answer is, YES! You can!

However, there are a few things you’ll need to take note of, so continue reading (or watch the video below) for all my best tips…

Table Of Contents

Can I Use An Instant Pot For Slow Cooker Recipes?

I was recently sent this message, “Hi, thanks for all your uplifting and encouraging videos. I have not been able to find if I can use slow cooker recipes and convert them to a pressure cooker. My sister-in-law gifted us a pressure cooker. Hopefully, it will help me be a better and healthier cook. 🙂 –Cherie”

You can take those hands-free Crock Pot recipes and make them even faster in a pressure cooker. (Which will still be relatively hands-free if you use an electric pressure cooker like the Instant Pot.)

In today’s #AskWardee, I’m going to tell you how to do it. Just follow a few simple principles to convert your slow cooker recipes to pressure cooker (or Instant Pot) and you’ll be off to the races!

I broadcast #AskWardeeliveeach Wednesday at 10am Pacific (1pm Eastern) on Periscope and Facebook Live. Both the podcast and video replay of this week’s show are below. Enjoy!

How To Convert Slow Cooker Recipes To Pressure Cooker

You can absolutely convert your slow cookerrecipes for pressure cooking. (Or electric pressure cooker such asInstant Pot.)

Let me tell you how… Keep these 9 tips in mind for easy conversion of your favorite Crock Pot recipes.

Is the recipe a good candidate for converting?
Know which ingredients to omit.
Identify which ingredients need to be pressure cooked first, and what gets added later.
Get the timing right.
Check liquid amounts.
Quick-release or natural release?
Brown meat first!
Normal operating rules apply.
You can always use the slow-cooker function on the IP.

1. Is The Recipe A Good Candidate For Converting?

Some Crock Pot recipes aren’t good candidates for pressure cooking. Here are a few guidelines to help you figure out if your recipe will convert well (you can also use these guidelines when creating pressure cooker recipes).

Has Enough Liquid — Pressure cookers require liquid to function properly. How much varies from unit to unit, though 1 to 2 cups of liquid is standard. So if your recipe already has liquid, great. If it doesn’t, make sure to add the minimum.
Does Not Have a Fried, Crispy Coating— The pressure cooker is all about steam, not a crispy finish. However, I’ve found that crumb toppings (such as on this crispand this sweet potato casserole) do pretty well.
Isn’t ASuper Tender Cut Of Meat — The pressure cooker is amazing for everyday cuts of meat — you know, the tougher ones. If you’ve got a succulent, expensive, tender cut of meat (like a T-Bone steak), don’t ruin it by pressure cooking it!

2. Omit These Ingredients

Milk (or dairy products) glob up under pressure so they’re not a good choice for cooking under pressure. (They can be added or stirred in or simmered at the end.)

Wine doesn’t evaporate under pressure, so it stays tart and raw. Again, you can add wine at the end and simmer (with the lid off and not under pressure).

Finally, thickeners, such as cornstarch or arrowroot, should not be cooked under pressure. Instead, mix them with water and whisk them in at the end with or without some heat. Often I add arrowroot at the end and the dish is still so hot there’s no need to have it on the “Sauté” function.

3. Pressure Cook The Meat/Broth/Grains/Beans First, Then Add Veggies

Your slow cooker recipe for stew may have had you combining all ingredients (meats, grains, beans, and veggies) and setting it to low for 8 hours.

That’s OK for most ingredients when converting tothe pressure cooker, but I guarantee your veggies will be mush if you add them at the beginning.

4. Convert The Timing

Check your manual, this online chart, or Lorna Sass’ bookPressure Perfectfor timing on different food items. Go with the timing on the food that needs the longest time.

My friend Katie from Kitchen Stewardship figured out this handy rule that I find works GREAT:

If it’s a meat-based dish that can be cooked 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high in a slow cooker, it’s almost guaranteed that it will be done to perfection in 25-30 minutes in a pressure cooker (source).

If you find a huge difference in the timing required for your different ingredients, you have 2 options:

Cut the meat into smaller pieces (they take less time to cook) so they’ll come closer to the timing on the other ingredients. This is assuming the meat requires the longest cooking time, which it usually does.
Cook the recipe in stages. See #3 above.

5. Reduce The Liquid, Maybe

When pressure cooking, verylittle liquid is lost to evaporation. So in general, you should probably reduce the liquid in the originalrecipe to 1 to 2 cups when putting it in a pressure cooker.

Exceptions would be:

Grains and Beans — Use the exact amount needed to fluff them up, with a bit more for the other ingredients in the recipe.
Soup — Use the amount of liquid you actually want in the finished result.

If you’re pressure cooking a baked dish — such as acrisp, quiche, orbread — you’ll put that batter/mixture in a baking dish and put that inside your cooker on a rack. Make sure to pour the minimum amount of water (1 or 2 cups) inside the cooking unit (so it surrounds your baking dish but is not inside the dish itself).

A good cover for a baking dish is a plate or lid from a pot or a piece of parchment paper followed by foil.

6. Quick Or Natural Release?

Meats generally do best with a natural release. I make exceptions when I’m doing a recipe in stages — like I need to add vegetables and cook more. In which case, I do a quick release, add the veggies, and add a few minutes under pressure, then quick release again.

Vegetables do best with quick-release, otherwise, they get mushy.

In my experience, rice and beans do well with either type of release.

7. Take Time To Brown

You know those slow cooker recipes that have you brown the meat on the stove-top first? Using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot is even better because you can do that in the same pot — no additional mess! And it makes a big difference in flavor.

So, put theInstant Pot on sauté. (Or put your stove-top cooker on medium to medium-high heat.) When it’s hot, add some cooking fat. Put your meat in and brown on all sides. If you have many pieces, like 8 chicken thighs, do them in stages so they’re not overcrowded.

Then proceed with the rest of the recipe, not on “Sauté” anymore but rather under pressure.

8. Normal Operating Rules Apply

It’s still important to operate yourInstant Pot or pressure cooker safely.

Make sure the seal is clean and well seated. Ensurethe venting knob is in the sealing position. Check thatthe valves are clean and the condensation cup is clean and empty.

You know what I mean about all this because I harp on itoften enough. 😉

9. Or Use The Instant Pot Slow Cooker Function

Don’t forget, theInstant Pot has a slow cooker function. Get this glass lid and it’s just like your slow cooker! Sometimes, you might not want to convert a slow cookerrecipe because you’re going to be out all day anyway…

Helpful Links

Loose leaf tea bags – These help you avoid the mess and inefficiency of a tea ball or tea strainer. Just slip your loose leaf herb mix inside and put it in your teacup. No mess at all because it’s tall enough to hold the loose herbs and still reach the top of your cup.
Herban C Tea Mix from Bulk Herb Store – It’s so yummy and good for you. It’s my new favorite tea!
Instant Pot
Instant Pot Glass Lid
Free Instant Pot Sourdough Cornbread Recipe
Online Pressure Cooking Timing Chart
Pressure Perfectbook by Lorna Sass
Instant Pot Apple-Cranberry Crisp Recipe
Sweet Potato Casserole In The Instant Pot