Converting a recipe from 6qt Instant Pot to 8qt

I have an 8qt Instant Pot. Most of the recipes online are for 6qt Instant Pots. I find that since my 8qt takes a lot longer to come to pressure (about 18 minutes, depending on the amount of liquid inside the pot) than the 6qt ones do, my food often ends up getting overcooked if I follow the instructions exactly.

Is this normal? How should I convert recipes from 6qt to 8qt?

Best Answer

The answer is you may have to experiment.

I believe the problem lies in the fact that more water takes longer to reach temperature, given the same burner arrangement. This means whatever you have inside the pot is exposed to the lower grade heat for a longer period and by the time you reach full pressure, the food may already be over cooked. I have not tried this myself but consider using preheated water at the beginning in order to shorten the overall cook time.

Pictures about "Converting a recipe from 6qt Instant Pot to 8qt"

Converting a recipe from 6qt Instant Pot to 8qt - Fresh food and ingredients for healthy breakfast on marble desk

Converting a recipe from 6qt Instant Pot to 8qt - Top view of tasty halved avocado sprinkled with various seeds placed near pink salt with seed mixture in glass pot and other dressing ingredients arranged on white marble table

Converting a recipe from 6qt Instant Pot to 8qt - Crop unrecognizable housewife placing saucepan on burning stove

Can I cook small meals in an 8 quart instant pot?

The Instant Pot DUO manual states: \u201cAlways add at least 18 fl oz / 500 mL of liquid for minimum liquid requirement.\u201d 18 fluid ounces is about 2.25 cups. So as long as you have that much liquid in there, you can safely pressure cook any amount of food, large or small.

Can you use an 8 quart instant pot for 6 quart recipes?

Cooking times between all sizes of instant pots are the same no matter the size of the pot. I have used many 6 quart recipes in my 8 quart instant pot and have never noticed a difference in the time it took to cook vs what is listed in the recipe.

What is the difference between 6qt and 8qt Instant Pot?

The 8 qt has a larger footprint and will require more space. And do to it's size, it will take longer to come to pressure than the 6 qt. The trade off, of course, is that you can cook more food inside it.

How do I convert Instant Pot cooking times?

For Recipes traditionally made in Oven or on Stove Top: Cut the cook time for meats, soups, and vegetables by two-thirds of total cook time. (So for 60 minutes you would cook on high for 20 minutes.) A simpler way to state this is to divide the total time by 3 and that gives you cook time on high pressure.

Getting Started with your Instant Pot Pro, 6qt or 8qt

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: ready made, ready made, ready made, Teona Swift