Do you like rushing around like a maniac to get dinner ready when you get home from work? How about tepid, soggy food that no longer resembles your original ingredients?
Me either.
Which is why the timer (delay start) feature on the Instant Pot Duo Crisp is a vital (yet often underutilized) function that ensures your meals are ready exactly when you want them to be. There's no more last-minute insanity or food sitting in the pot on 'keep warm' all day, gradually getting mushier and mushier
Stick with me, and I'll walk you through the steps on how to set timer on Instant Pot Duo Crisp multicooker to ensure your meals are perfectly cooked and your family's faces are free from disgust.
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Why Use the Timer Feature On Instant Pot Models?
The timer feature on your Instant Pot Duo Crisp Multicooker can be a game changer in your meal prep routine. It allows you to set your preferred time for your meal to start the cooking process, giving you the flexibility to do other stuff (like cleaning, fixing the car, or drinking wine from the bottle with a straw) without worrying about your food overcooking or undercooking.
The timer feature is especially useful for slow cooking and pressure cooking.
You can set the timer to start cooking while you're at work or out running errands and come home to a hot and delicious meal. It also allows you to plan ahead and have your meal ready at a specific time, perfect for busy weeknights, entertaining guests, or people like me with appalling time-management skills.
Also read: Where to Buy Instant Pot 6 Quart? Our Top 5 Stores
How to Set Timer on Instant Pot For Pressure Cooking, Steaming, & Slow Cooking
I'll get into the whats, whys, and bonus tips later, but if you've found this article, chances are, time is of the essence, and you just want to learn how the Instant Pot timer works.
So here are five simple steps (and a cheeky bonus tip) for using 'Delay Start' on the Instant Pot Duo Crisp.
Step 1: Select the Cooking Program
Your Instant Pot comes with multiple cooking programs, each suited for different types of dishes. To begin, select the program best suited for your recipe. You can use this feature on the slow cooker, steamer, and electric pressure cooker functions.
Step 2: Adjust The Cooking Time
You'll need to select the cooking time before setting the delay timer (how long you want to wait before the Instant Pot starts cooking your food). Check your recipe or consult your brain cookbook and set the cooking time using the '+' and '-' buttons on the control panel.
Step3: Adjust The Temperature
The smarty-pants Instant Pot CPU will select a default temperature setting for each cooking function, but you can increase or decrease the temperature if your recipe dictates it or if you're feeling a bit rouge. You set the temperature the same way you change the cooking time but with the plus and minus buttons on the 'Temp' side of the interface.
Step 4: Press the "Timer" Button
With your feature, time, and temperature locked in, it's time to unleash your culinary secret weapon, the delay start function.
Locate the 'Delay Start' button (or 'Timer' button), which is found on the bottom left of the Duo Crisp control panel but could be somewhere else on other Instant Pot models. Give it a press, and LCD will start to flash.
Step 4: Use the "+" and "-" Buttons to Set the Time
Use the '+' and '-' buttons on the time side to select your desired cook time. The default delayed start is six hours, which I found a little excessive for my tastes. The best way to reduce the cooking timer is to hold the '-' or you'll be there forever and a day taking the timer down minute by minute.
Related: Instant Pot Rio vs Duo: Which One Reigns Supreme?
Step 5: Press 'Start'
Press start and your Instant Pot will begin the countdown like the launch timer for a nuclear missile in a Tom Clancy spy novel ... only a little less dramatic. When the countdown ends, the Instant Pot will automatically start when the timer reaches zero.
Now you can relax, put your feet up, and make a start on the latest Jack Ryan adventure with a bottle of Cheval Blanc.
Also read: How Long Does Instant Pot Take to Preheat? Quick Guide
Bonus Tip - Be Quick
When you're setting your timer, make sure you know all your choices ahead of time. The Instant Pot Duo Crisp only gives you a paltry ten seconds to input your choices before assuming you've got no idea what you're doing and resetting the whole thing. This was REALLY annoying when I was experimenting for this article.
You might be thinking, "Paul, it's all well and good being able to delay proceedings by 5 hours, but how do you set the timer for 5 minutes?".
Brushing past my inclination to ask, "Why would you want to?" the simple answer is, you can't. The minimum amount of time you can delay cooking is 10 minutes. I guess the boffins at Instant Pot decided that if you want to delay the start time by only 300 seconds, then you can probably wait and start the appliance manually.
Nope. The Instant Pot overlords forbid the use of the timer on the saute and sous vide settings, presumably because of the risk of burning or drying the inner pot out. Neither of these options has a countdown timer, which means any delay in getting home could have catastrophic effects on your appliances and kitchen.
Again, nope. Even though the air fryer settings have countdown timers, you're not permitted to use the timer when air frying with your Instant Pot. I don't know the official reason behind this restriction, whether it's from a safety standpoint or an engineering one.
I suspect it's because most air-fried foods are dry, and it's not healthy to have chicken wings or Swedish meatballs sitting around at room temperature all day waiting for the multicooker to start.
Benefits of Using the Timer for Meal Planning
Using the timer function on your Instant Pot can transform how you manage your meals throughout the week. By setting your Instant Pot to start automatically, you can plan your meals around your schedule, ensuring you have a warm, home-cooked dinner waiting for you, no matter when you get home (as long as you stick to your initial plan).
Enabling Better Time Management
The Instant Pot timer feature allows for better time management by freeing up your attention for other pressing matters (or bottles of wine with straws).
Whether you're a parent needing to focus on children's activities, a professional with back-to-back meetings, or a part-time wine taster with a penchant for plastic McDonald's straws, setting the timer means one less thing to worry about.
By prepping your ingredients ahead of time and setting your Instant Pot to cook, you can effectively "set it and forget it," making multitasking more manageable.
Helps with Meal Planning
Meal planning is a cornerstone of efficient household management. The Instant Pot's timer function supports this by enabling you to schedule cooking times for various dishes throughout the week.
Imagine setting your Instant Pot to prepare oatmeal overnight so you wake up to a warm breakfast instead of a sad bowl of soggy cornflakes or having it cook a stew while you're at work so you return to a comforting meal on cold winter nights.
Prevents Overcooking & Increases Safety
We've all been distracted and left a pot on the stove too long. I once left a crockpot in the oven so long that its contents looked like leftovers from one of Mount Etna's tantrums. The Instant Pot's timer solves this common problem.
By setting a specific duration for your dish to cook, you can prevent overcooking, saving your meal from burning and retaining more nutrients and flavors.
The Instant Pot automatically shifts to "Keep Warm" mode after cooking, so you don't have to be present to turn it off. This feature enhances safety in the kitchen by reducing the risk of leaving an appliance unattended, which could potentially cause a fire hazard.
However, I'm not a massive fan of 'Keep Warm'; I like my food 'burn the skin off the top of your mouth' hot. But that's just me.
Encourages Healthy Eating & Enhances Flavor Development
With the ability to set cooking times, you’re more likely to prepare home-cooked meals rather than opting for a big fat burger or a pizza the size of a monster truck wheel.
Planning and cooking meals with your Instant Pot can lead to healthier eating habits as you control the ingredients, portion sizes, and cooking methods.
For specific recipes, particularly those involving braising or stewing, having precise cooking times can lead to better flavor development. The Instant Pot's controlled cooking environment allows flavors to meld and deepen, resulting in delicious dishes every time.
Adjusting or Cancelling the Timer
Sometimes, plans change, and you may need to adjust the cooking time you've previously set. So, how to set timer on Instant Pot? Press the "Adjust" button and then tweak the time with the "+" or "-" buttons. Easy as pie!
If you decide to cancel the timer altogether, press "Cancel," and the countdown will stop. Remember that any adjustments or cancellations should be made before the cooking cycle starts to ensure your meal's safety and integrity.
Considerations For The 'Pressure Cook' Feature
When using the timer to pressure cook, consider the time it takes for the pressure to build up before the timer starts counting down. Depending on the amount of food and liquid in your pot, this can take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes.
Use the Timer for Preheating
Preheating your Instant Pot before adding ingredients can lead to better cooking results. Set the timer to start the preheating process a few minutes before you add your ingredients, which can reduce overall cooking time and improve texture and flavor.
Adjust for High Altitude Cooking
Living at high altitudes means adjusting cooking times due to lower atmospheric pressure. If this applies to you, add extra time to your timer settings to ensure your food cooks thoroughly. Consult the Instant Pot's manual or online resources for guidance on adjusting for altitude.
Take Note of the Natural Release Time
When pressure cooking, the natural release time is critical. This is the period after cooking when pressure decreases on its own. Understanding your recipe's natural release time is essential, as it affects the texture and doneness of your dish.
Key Takeaways
The timer feature on your Instant Pot Duo Crisp Multicooker is a convenient and time-saving tool for busy schedules and meal planning. I hope this article has helped explain exactly how to set timer on Instant Pot!
By following the simple steps outlined in this article, you can easily set the timer for your desired cooking time, wake up or come home to a hot and delicious meal, and free up your time to do more fun things instead.
Now, does anybody have a spare straw?
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