First of all: look at the handle for steam release. Is it in the “Sealing” position? Yes, you’re right, it should be! If that’s on Venting, there will be no steam building pressure inside the pot so it will just escape freely. Don’t do what I did (it’s a rookie move).
Next look at the lid locking pin. Pin is supposed to line up and then slide into place. Sometimes it doesn’t line up correctly or gets stuck. The lid has to seat all the way for seal to work. Nothing should be in the way of the lid closing all the way. If the lid isn’t sealing properly, the machine won’t pressurize. It is a simple but big problem.
Troubleshooting Steam Release Issues
Make sure you have the right sized inner pot. Your cooker is not going to accept 6 quart pot in an 8 quart cooker. The seals won’t work properly without proper sizing. Ensure you use your stainless steel pot for your particular model. Incompatible components = failure every time. If you understand where to look, this is an easy fix.
Look at that seal ring. Is it on and seated correctly? Anytime you have a ring tearing or out of position, steam are escaping continuously. Is it positioned well within the groove? Is the rubber intact? No rubber, no pressure. This thing gets beat up with all the abuse. Check it for any deformities or cracks.
Know: Sealing rings has a tendency to expand if heated excessively. Freeze the ring for several minutes and it will shrink back to its normal size. For this reason, always have another ring in freezer. Swap it out as soon as the old one warps. That way you wouldn’t of buy a new one in the interim.
Make sure there’s enough liquid in the pot. The Instant Pot creates steam by building pressure with water or broth in it. If you don’t add enough liquid, nothing is going to happen in there. Make sure you’ve measured out your ingredients and that you have added enough liquid. It says so on the manual for a reason: because they want the Instant Pot to work well. No liquid = no steam.
Inspect where the steam release handle is installed. If the handle doesn’t seat well onto the lid, or sits crooked at times, remove the handle entirely to inspect for correct threading and positioning. Install it back in place correctly so it fits well again. Things that don’t fit well cause leaks and bad performance. Remove it so you can see exactly what’s going on.
Remove any build up of dirt around the valve mechanism. Over several cook outs, food particles and grease tend to build up. Thoroughly wash the valve area with warm soapy water. This ensures it work smoothly each time you need it. A dirty valve will not seal and restrict airflow. Maintenance prevents these minor headaches from becoming major issues.
Check your Timer or Delay Start function. That means it’s waiting for the desired cooking time and will begin then. It has not built pressure at this point. Clear up any confusion right now by checking on the display. It just takes a bit of practice to understand how they work. You don’t want to make an error.
Clean pot… Scrape the burnt food residue off the bottom of the pot. If you don’t stir it enough, thick foods such as oatmeal or rice will stick to the bottom. This will affect how well it seals and reads sensors. Clean it every time you’re done. Keep the pot unmarked and your pressure cooker will work smoothly. If you fail to clean it, you will get a burnt taste and a failed cooking session.
Give yourself more time for frozen foods. Whether it’s frozen vegetables or a block of meat, you need to wait for those solids to absorb heat before they start steaming. Cooking things from solid to hot takes time. So does getting your pot up to full pressure if you’re trying to cook frozen straight from the freezer. When using a multi-cooker on frozen stuff, patience pay off.
