It is not as straightforward as you would think to use your Instant Pot as a Slow Cooker. However, with these tips, you CAN use your Instant Pot for slow cooking.
Many people purchased an Instant Pot to make their lives easier and to cut down on appliances. While the Instant Pot does a wonderful job making Instant Pot Rice, replacing the need for a rice cooker, and is superb at making yogurt, replacing the need for a yogurt incubator, an Instant Pot DOES NOT make a great replacement for a Crockpot.
While the slow cook function on a pressure cooker is not a useless Instant Pot Setting, like Porridge or Beans, it requires modifications.
Important to Remember When Using an Instant Pot as a Slow Cooker
- You must still have thin liquid in the inner pot. For the Instant Pot to reach and maintain a consistent temperature, it is crucial to have at least 1 cup of thin liquid in the inner pot. The slow cooker function will not work without the addition of thin liquid (water, broth, juice, etc).
- Layer correctly. Just like pressure cooking, be sure the thin liquid is on the bottom of the inner pot. If you have a thick sauce, such as BBQ sauce or tomato sauce, your pressure cooker will struggle to reach and maintain temperature.
- You have to modify the setting and time. The heat settings of low, normal, and high do not equally equate to the keep warm, low, and high settings on a slow cooker. Use my guide for converting recipes below.
- It shouldn't take more than 15-20 minutes to heat up. If after 20 minutes your Instant Pot is still heating, rather than counting down the cooking time, it is likely struggling to reach temperature. To override this, you can take the lid off your pressure cooker, press saute, and saute for 2-4 minutes. Hit cancel, and then reset the cooking time using the slow cook function.
- No pressure will be reached. When using the slow cook function on your pressure cooker, pressure will not be reached. Therefore, you don't need to worry about locking your lid or vent knob into place and you can remove the lid to check on your dish as desired. If you would like, you can use a glass lid, which will allow some of the liquid to evaporate, as a traditional slow cooker lid does.
Instant Pot Slow Cook Temperatures Explained
The Slow Cook Function on the Instant Pot can be adjusted to Low, Normal, or High Temperature.
- Low on the Instant Pot Slow Cooker Function is like the keep warm on a traditional slow cooker. The low setting reaches about 170 degrees F.
- Normal on the Instant Pot Slow Cooker Function is equivalent to low heat on a traditional slow cooker. Normal reaches 200 degrees F.
- High on the Instant Pot Function does not get as high as high heat on a slow cooker, but by adding 15 minutes per hour of slow cooking, you can experience similar results. High reaches about 210 degrees F, which is 10-20 degrees less than a slow cooker on high.
How to Use the Slow Cook Setting on the Instant Pot
Below this explanation, you will find a printable chart you can keep on hand to help you quickly remember how to slow cook your favorite slow cooker recipes using the Instant Pot.
- To turn on the slow cook function, hit the slow cook button on your pressure cooker.
- Hit adjust/pressure or toggle your knob to select between low, normal and high temperature.
- Use the knob or +/- buttons to adjust the cooking time, which should be able to be set in 30 minute increments. Remember to add 15 minutes of cooking time per hour if cooking on High.
- 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.)
Click on Picture to access the DOWNLOAD and print.
Should I Get Rid of My Slow Cooker?
NO! If you have space for both a traditional slow cooker and an Instant Pot, I would highly recommend keeping both, as both serve their purpose. A slow cooker will produce more consistent results for crockpot recipes and you don't need to worry about adding thin liquid.
However, if you only have space for one appliance, I would still recommend purchasing the Instant Pot and with this guide, you CAN slow cook using your Instant Pot.
Slow Cooker Recipes to Instant Pot Recipes
While this post was designed to teach you how to use your pressure cooker as a slow cooker, the whole purpose of the Instant Pot is to SPEED up cooking.
Here are some of my favorite Slow Cooker Recipes that I have used as inspiration to create Instant Pot versions.
- Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas to Instant Pot Pork Tacos
- Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas to Instant Pot Steak Fajitas
- Slow Cooker Baked Ziti to Instant Pot Creamy Pasta
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork to Instant Pot Pulled Pork
If you still have questions, please leave them in the comments and I will do my best to answer!
Simon
I used the slow cooker function on high and when lifting the lid a few hours later it was boiling gently. Boiling in my view is not slow cooking!
I turned it of and allowed it to cool a bit the reset it to Low restarted on slow cooking but put in a digital thermometer probe with a long thin metal-mesh covered lead that allowed me to place the lid on in the unlock position.
Over the next 20 mns or so the temperature climbed backup to 98C. I switched off then as we needed to eat the meal. Again 98C is not slow cooking.
Instant Pot should correct this or remove the program - its basically mis-selling.
Other than that I think its great so they are letting themselves down on this issue.
Terri Townsend
If you do not have a glass lid and you’re using the instant pot as a slow cooker do you put the lid on venting or sealing
Kristen Chidsey
Either is fine. No pressure will be reached, so the lid never seals.
Don Webster
That's exactly my question.thank you! My question has been answered, now for steel cut oatmeal practice.
Kristen Chidsey
Happy to help! You can also use my recipe for Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
Lou
"Bioling" at sea level is 212f (100c) and is, indeed, slow cooking. Just keep your food out of the water ("boiled" food is different from "slow cooked" food).
Christine Rigden
Hi Simon, thanks for your useful observation! I'm looking into Instant Pot to replace my slow cooker and my yogurt maker. You are right about the temperature, proper "slow cooking" should be between 165°-185°F (74-85°C), rather than nearly boiling. The old Crock Pots from the 70s were able to operate at this temperature. But the newer ones seem electrically unable to operate that low. In my slow cooker, Low was still bubbling. So my husband has added an in-line dimmer switch to the cable, and that works a treat! Full temperature control. However, not sure you'd want to do that to something as sophisticated as an Instant Pot. Get hold of an old copy of "Leave It To Cook" by Stella Atterbury, and slow cook in your oven in a casserole dish.
Kimberly Costanzo
Hi, Kristen, I am using my Instant Pot Duo Plus for the first time right now. I am using it as a slow cooker, and have had the machine on for over 2 hours. The "preheating" light has been blinking non-stop and will not progress to "cooking". Is this normal for slow-cook method? It's so hard to tell as I don't feel any heat on top if I remove the lid even though I do have it set on "High".
Thanks!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kimberly! That is NOT Normal. For this model, after you hit slow cook and select the time and setting, after 10 seconds the cooking should start and you should hear 3 beeps to let you know it has begun. I would check to be sure you have not set the delay start on accident.
Stephanie Klausing
Mine is currently doing the exact same thing! It's been preheating for an hour.
Kristen Chidsey
What model do you have? That may help me further troubleshoot.
kevin
Us too, Ma'am. It is sitting on preheat for 3 hours now.
Kristen Chidsey
Hey Kevin! So frustrating. Can you share the model you have? This seems to be an issue with a handful of people so I would love to know if model specific. It would help me troubleshoot.
April
Me as well!, driving me nuts!
Kristen Chidsey
Try moving it to high heat and see if that works. And again, if you can let me know the model that would help me troubleshoot. I have several models to test 🙂
Mattea
Did anyone figure out what the model was on this? I am using the "Duo Crisp AF 8," which only has "Hi" and "Low" options for the slow cook function. I put my things in, chose slow cook, chose a time of 20 hours, toggled "keep warm" off, and then pressed start. It beeped at me a few times and then seemed to begin, but it is barely warm. I've waited about an hour so far. Any help would be appreciated!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Mattea! Try turning to saute for a couple of minutes then slow cook. That may help in the heating up process. Let me know if that works.
Hung Nguyen
Yes, I saw the same thing, keep on warming up for a long time, and not heating up. I gave up on the "Slow cook", and switched it to "Sous vide" mode and set it at 200 degrees. It went to "Cooking" quite fast.
M
Your tips were spot on! I was able to make our favourite slow cooker chicken tikka masala in the Instant Pot tonight and I think it tastes even better. Thanks for this!
Emmy
This short article just saved my St Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage! THANK YOU!
Taylyr
SAME!
Ana Jane Ivacove
Hi I just bought my instant pot pro 6 qt home to make chicken overnight to slow cook and I don’t see a function of “normal” do in custom add the function?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Ana Jane! It appears as though this model only has a low and high slow cooker setting. And it does not tell me the temp it cooks at. It may be that this model has been updated to cook more like a traditional slow cooker, but I can't say for certain as the instruction manual does not give me much information on temperatures. Sorry!
Lou
Hi! I have an instant pot. One day, I made a big mistake with a roast on low. It was just not cooked at all ahahah. So now, I know to put it on medium. Yesterday, I made a beef cube with small carrots and Oignons. Unfortunately, my carrots were not cooked and Oignons really crunchy. For the beef cube, it was easily pulled. I really miss my slow cooker.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Lou! To be perfectly honest, I MUCH prefer making Instant Pot Pot Roast over using the slow cooker function on the instant pot. However, if I do use the slow cooker function, I would recommend only cooking on high for best results.
Sandrs
When I use the instapot as a slow cooker, do I put the vent on the lid on sealing?
Kristen Chidsey
It does not matter for slow cooking, as no pressure is reached. You can even use a glass lid designed for slow cooking in the instant pot.
Suzi
Me too! After my slow cooker's liner broke for the second time, I just resolved to use my Instant Pot's slow cook feature. It is just not the same! I should have searched this BEFORE I made soup with crunchy vegetables (even after cooking all day)!
Janis Vaile
There is no adjust button on Instagram Pot Gourmet from Costco. I don’t know how to adjust to low, med, or high and I cannot find the answer anywhere. Does anyone know?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Janis you would hit pressure level then use the plus/minus button to adjust. I hope that helps.
K
I held slow cooker button while simultaneously pushing the plus sign to get desired setting (high).
Not obvious at all. I just pushed buttons like a kid. Lol, hope my corned beef turns out. Happy St. Patrick's Day.
Kristen Chidsey
I hope these tips helped! You can stop the slow cooker process and use my recipe for Instant Pot Corned Beef. Happy St. Patrick's Day.
Jennifer F
I have the Costco model. You have to keep pushing the slow cooker button and it will toggle between less, normal and more, which I assume is low, medium and high.
ariel
I wish I'd seen this article before I bought my InstantPot. Couldn't figure out why it wasn't slow cooking like my trusty crockpot. I thought an InstantPot would be a great functional do-everything item for my kitchen but slow cooking a stew even on "more" takes FOREVER. I've started to pressure cook the stew for the last 10 minutes just to get it finished.
JC Rod
I put a pork roast in the Instant Pot....set it for 9 hours per the recipe. When I opened the lid and stuck a fork into the roast it was hard as a rock. I looked and I had set it for slow cook. The 'warm' light was on. So I thought maybe it had come on accidentally? Or ?? I don't know. Anyway, I read the article above. I went back to the Instant Pot, I pressed the warm button to make sure it was off. Then I tried to find out how to set it 'high'...couldn't find a button, just the area that said low, normal, high....or something like that. Then I pushed the slow cook button and then pushed it a second time and lo and behold the aboved mentioned lights went to high. So I am using the suggestion above in the article and I will add 15 minutes per hour. Hopefully after 12 hours it will be cooked. If not, I will have to dump it.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi there! I hope these tips help. I am a bit concerned that your pork roast sat on the keep warm for 9 hours--that would not be safe to eat.
Ann
Hi! What setting would you recommend for slow cooked chicken and dumplings? I keep coming up empty when it comes to a good slow
Cooked chicken and dumplings meal on the slow cook settings.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Ann. I have a recipe for Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings if you are interested in that. If not, I would say I would suggest normal temp which is more like low heat.
Diana Engel
just got my Instaantpot today, and I'm already confused. My instructions say Less is the equivalent of Low on the slow cooker. This is different from what you say.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Diana! If you look at the temperature ranges of the slow cooker function on the instant pot and compare them to a slow cooker temperature, there is a difference and that is what I accounted for after tons of research and trials.
Joan S Sawicki
You might try pot in pot method using steam and a stainless steel bowl and cover loosley with aluminum foil
Kristen Chidsey
I have not tried this myself Joan, but the steam function is actually still using high pressure, so I doubt this would work the way you intend.
Marge
Looking for Pork and Sauerkraut recipe in slow cooker or insta pot. Do you have any ideas?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Marge! Happy to help! I have a recipe for Slow Cooker Pork and Sauerkraut and for Instant Pot Pork and Sauerkraut.
Marge
Thank you. I will be trying one of your recipes tomorrow. Well I was always told that Pork and Sauerkraut was a must for New Years Day because it was good luck.
Thanks
Kristen Chidsey
I hope you enjoy Marge and happy New Year!
Gerry Sammarco
When using the slow cooker function, do you lock the cover in place? Thanks
Kristen Chidsey
It is not necessary to lock the lid or close the vent knob.
Carrie
Hi there, I wondered if I could use the slow cooker function on my instant pot to cook my turkey dressing. I usually cook it in a crock pot, but it’s just the hubster and me and I only have a small amount of dressing. When I cook it in the crock pot, I’m always stirring and adding chicken broth......what are your thoughts?
Carrie
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Carrie! If you made this in the Instant Pot, you would need to do the same--stir and add broth. You would also need to plan on more time for it to be done.
Brenda
I watched your video on how to use the crockpot feature. All seemed good, it started counting down. I left the house and came back 4 hours later expecting my house to smell yummy. The instant pot was cold but still counting down. What did I do wrong????
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Brenda. Was your food cold? Or just your Instant Pot? The Instant Pot exterior does not get as hot as a slow cooker.
Bonnie Doran
I don't have an "Adjust" button on my Instant Pot Duo to change the Slow Cooker setting. What do I do to change it?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Bonnie! Hitting "pressure level" should do it for you!
Judy Rosen
I have an instant pot duo nova. I want
To slow cook . This model does not have hi low med levels for slow cooking. Nor is there an “adjust” button. Plus and minus setting changes the time function, not the temperature. Can you slow cook on “high” in this model?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Judy! I just reviewed the manual for the Nova and here is what you need to do for this model: Press Slow Cook to select the Slow Cook Smart Program. Press Slow Cook again to cycle through the Less, Normal and More temperature options. Use the − / + buttons to adjust the cooking time. Press Keep Warm to toggle the automatic Keep Warm setting off and on. I hope that helps!
David
Any difference between using the original lid or the available glass lid in slow cooker modes?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi David. The advantage of the glass lid is that it has a small hole to release steam and you can see through it. The glass lid is nice to have, but not at all necessary.
Madison
Hi! I’ve never cooked with the slow cooker setting on my instapot? When using the slow cooker can you eel the vent open and take lid off to stir periodically? Or does the lid have to stay on the whole time like when you are pressure cooking?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Madison! You can remove the lid to stir and the position of the vent knob does not matter.
Shawn P
One of my favorite methods to reheat food in smaller quantities is to use the instant pot stainless steel pans with silicon lids, and use the steam setting on high for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on what I'm reheating. You can find a kit on Costco website (I bought two of them in the warehouse). I reheat everything in these. Soups, leftovers, etc.