Everything you need to know to learn to steam in your pressure cooker, great for electric pressure cookers like the Instant Pot which have a steam function.
At the end we also include recipes that steam under pressure in your pressure cooker so that you can get the hang of it.
What you'll need
To steam under pressure all you need is:
- water in the inner pot in order to generate steam
- a steamer basket, trivet or rack to lift the food above the water so that it can steam (see below for more info)
How much water?
- A minimum of 1 cup or 250 ml for standard and smaller-sized pressure cookers.
- A minimum of 2 cups or 500 ml is recommended for pressure cookers with a bigger capacity (e.g. 8 quart / 8 litre pressure cookers) something to lift the food above the water so that it cooks in the steam as opposed to cooking in the water itself.
How does the steam function work?
First of all, it works with water, without water you can't generate steam and so steaming cannot happen. So that's the first thing to remember.
Then you need to remember to use something to lift the food above the water for it to steam otherwise you'll be essentially boiling it. See section below on steamer baskets, trivets and racks.
Then it's good to know that the Steam button in your Instant Pot heats at full blast continuously, as opposed to when it pressure cooks as then the heat is constantly regulated by your pressure cooker.
The good news is that you can steam both ways, using the Pressure Cook programme or the Steam programme.
And, as you've just learned, one will be gentler than the other, do you remember which one?
So, what do you choose? Pressure Cook or Steam?
Well, either, as usually we're going to steam for very short times.
What to do with the vent / steam release
You can use it with the steam release handle set to Venting or to Sealing.
If the steam release is set to Sealing, then you're steaming under pressure and it will reach a higher temperature which means the food will cook faster.
If you don't want to steam under pressure, you can use the Steam programme and leave the vent open or use the Instant Pot glass lid or a lid that fits, it makes for a more gentle steam than the pressure cook option but it will steam your kitchen.
Leaving the vent open just means that you're using it like a normal steamer.
Important: If you have the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus, it doesn't steam under pressure so make sure you use the Pressure Cook button instead.
QPR or NPR after steaming?
If you have steamed under pressure (ie with the vent closed), it's important that you give some thought to how you want to release the pressure.
Often, when we steam, we do it because the ingredients in question need a very short cooking time so you'll probably want to do a quick pressure release (ie release the steam as soon as you can after pressure cooking is done.
This is because the contents keep cooking during a natural pressure release (NPR), ie when you wait for the pin to drop back down of its own accord and so the steams dissipates slowly.
Steamer baskets / trivets and racks
For steaming to happen, you need to raise the food above water and for that you'll need a steamer basket, trivet or rack.
These cannot be solid, they have to have holes or gaps that allow the steam through, otherwise the ingredients won't cook.
Chances are that your pressure cooker or multi cooker, Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi came with a rack, that's a great thing to use!
For smaller ingredients that may not sit properly on a rack due to the larger openings, a steamer basket is great!
Need help choosing a steamer basket? My guide might help.
Learn to steam in your pressure cooker with these easy recipes
Hope this helps!
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