The Instant Pot burn message is a common problem that many Instant Pot users come across, so you’re not alone! Find out why you’re getting the Instant Pot burn error message, how to avoid the problem in the future, and how to fix the burn error and save dinner. See special instructions at the bottom to find out how to deglaze your inner pot and clean the burnt food easily.
What You Will Learn in this Article
- What to do When You Get the Burn Message | How to Save your Meal
- What is the Burn Message on the Instant Pot?
- Why You’re Getting the Burn Message
- How to Avoid Getting the Burn Error
- Bonus Tip: How to Use the Deglaze Technique to Clean the Inner Pot
- Nothing Works and You Keep Getting the Burn Error No Matter What You Cook
What to do When You Get the Burn Message – How to Save Your Meal
If you’re getting the burn message, this section will tell you what you need to do to save your meal.
I strongly urge you to read the entire article because there are many reasons for the burn error and you’ll need this information to successfully use the Instant Pot in the future.
Sometimes the Instant Pot says ‘burn’ and then changes to ‘On’. If this happens to you, just say ‘thank you’ and let it keep cooking. You’ll probably have some food stuck on the bottom, but you should be able to salvage most of it.
In some rare cases, the scorched/burnt taste may penetrate the entire dish and you may need to start over. But in most cases, it’s possible to salvage your meal when you get the burn error.
How to Fix the Burn Error Message
- Turn off the Instant Pot
Press ‘Cancel’ to turn off the Instant Pot.
- Do a Quick Release of Pressure
If the float valve is up and the Instant Pot has sealed, move the steam release handle, button or switch (depending on your model) to the ‘Vent’ position.
- Open the Lid
Once the pressure has completely released, turn the lid counter-clockwise to open the lid. Lift the lid and remove it.
- Remove the Inner Pot from the Base Unit
Lift the inner pot out of the base unit and place it on a heat-resistant surface.
- If there’s Nothing Stuck to the Bottom, Add More Liquid
– Let the Instant Pot cool down.
– Most likely, the original liquid may have partially evaporated.
– Add enough liquid to replace the original liquid that evaporated, plus an additional 1/2 to 1 cup.
– Lift the food with a spatula to allow the liquid to reach the bottom of the inner pot. - If Food is Stuck on the Bottom, Clean Inner Pot
– Transfer contents that are not stuck to the bottom to a separate bowl.
– Scrape and clean out the inner pot so there’s nothing stuck on the bottom. Find out more on how to deglaze your Instant Pot to clean it easily.
– Allow the Instant Pot unit to cool down.
– Most likely, the original liquid may have fully or partially evaporated. Add enough liquid to replace the original liquid that evaporated, plus an additional 1/2 to 1 cup. - Continue Pressure Cooking
Resume pressure cooking the recipe. You might be able to reduce the original pressure cooking time since the food might have already partially cooked.
- Reduce the Liquid
If there’s too much liquid left after pressure cooking has completed, reduce the liquid by cooking on ‘Saute’ mode.
- Option: Use the Pot-in-Pot (PIP) Method to Finish Cooking the Dish
– Check out my comprehensive guide to using the Pot-in-Pot (PIP) pressure cooking method.
– This is a great alternative if you want to avoid any further hassles with the Instant Pot burn error.
– Just transfer all ingredients to a separate oven-proof dish that will fit in your inner pot and use PIP to finish pressure cooking.
What is the Burn Message on the Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot has over a dozen safety features to protect you and the food you’re cooking. These safety mechanisms also protect the Instant Pot from being damaged. One of these safety features is a burn-protection sensor that monitors the temperature.
The Instant Pot gets very hot under pressure and this heat needs to be regulated and controlled during the pressure cooking process.
According to the Instant Pot company, when a high temperature is detected at the bottom of the inner pot, the burn-protection sensor suspends heating. On older Instant Pot models, the warning ‘ovHt‘ (overheat) is displayed. This message has been changed to ‘burn‘ or ‘food burn’ on Instant Pot models produced around January 2018 and later.
Getting the burn alert doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong with your Instant Pot. It just means that your Instant Pot works differently from previous models and so recipes written for older models may not work as written, and you’ll need to make a few modifications and follow some tried and tested pressure cooking techniques.
If you’re seeing the Instant Pot burn code, the following sections tell you why this may be happening, how to avoid it in the future, and how to fix it when it happens to you.
NOTE: Some Instant Pot users notice certain ‘hot spots’ on the bottom of the inner pot, where food tends to scorch. Although this is rare, if you encounter this, you should file a ticket with Instant Pot customer support.
[You Should Also Read: 16 Reasons Why your Instant Pot is not Sealing]
Why You’re Getting the Burn Message
1. Sealing Ring Issues
If your sealing ring is not installed properly or if it’s missing, your Instant Pot will leak steam, and that will cause the food at the bottom to scorch and your Instant Pot display will say burn.
2. Steam Release is Venting
If your steam release handle is in the Venting position or the steam release button is accidentally stuck in the down position (Ultra model), your Instant Pot will leak steam, and that will cause the contents to burn.
3. Not Enough Liquid
Pressure cookers work by building pressure from steam generated in the pot, which in turn cooks food at high temperatures. This steam cannot be created if there isn’t enough liquid in the Instant Pot.
4. Food Scorched on Bottom During Saute Mode
If you’re using the Saute function, food can get stuck on the bottom of the Instant Pot and get scorched. This can block the heat sensor and trigger the Instant Pot burn warning when you start pressure cooking.
5. Recipe Contains Tomato Products or Prepared Sauces
Recipes containing products like tomato paste, tomato puree, tomato sauce, cream of chicken, cream of mushroom and alfredo sauce tend to scorch on the bottom while the Instant Pot is coming to pressure.
These ingredients are not thin enough to build steam and some contain fillers like corn starch, flour or cheese which tend to scorch. I see lots of complaints about chili recipes and pasta sauces causing the burn notice.
6. Recipe Contains Starch (Pasta, Rice)
Stirring in and incorporating pasta and rice with all the other ingredients may give you a burn code. This may have worked for some older models of the Instant Pot and that’s possibly why the recipe you’re following directs you to do that.
7. Instant Pot is Too Hot After Sauteing
If you use the Saute function immediately before pressure cooking, especially if you’re using high heat, it can lead to a burn error during pressure cooking.
8. Recipe was Tested with Different Instant Pot Size
If the recipe was written for the 6-quart Instant Pot, and you are using an 8-quart, it’s possible that there may not be enough liquid for the 8-quart to come to pressure.
9. Recipe was Tested with an Older Instant Pot Model
If you’re following a recipe you’ve found in a cookbook or on the internet, you could be getting the burn message because that recipe was developed using an older Instant Pot model (before January 2018) which didn’t have the burn error as a safety feature.
Back in the ‘old days’ of when the Instant Pot was first introduced, if there was an overheat condition, the Instant Pot would countdown as though it were pressure cooking even though the float valve wasn’t up and the Instant Pot hadn’t sealed.
How to Avoid Getting the Burn Error
1. Install Sealing Ring Properly
You need to make sure that the sealing ring is pushed into the sealing ring rack all the way in and all around. Clean the sealing ring after use and don’t forget to put it back in place when you begin pressure cooking. Sealing rings can also get worn out or stretched out over time, requiring replacement.
2. Steam Release Should be in the ‘Seal’ Position
The steam release handle or button (depending on the model) needs to be in the ‘Sealing’ or ‘Seal’ position. If it’s venting, steam will escape and there won’t be enough liquid to pressurize the Instant Pot.
3. Add Sufficient Liquid
According to the Instant Pot company, your Instant Pot pressure cooker requires 2 cups of liquid. If you’re just starting out, you can prevent the burn notice by always using the minimum recommended quantity of liquid.
Through trial and error, I make recipes with less liquid, even as little as 1/2 cup. To figure out what your minimum quantity of liquid is, you can experiment by doing the water test or initial test run with different quantities of water. According to Jill Nussinow of The Veggie Queen, and author of Vegan Under Pressure cookbook, start with 1/4 to 1/2 cup, and increase the quantity with each subsequent test until you’re able to get the Instant Pot to come to pressure and stay under pressure for 5 minutes.
Keep in mind that many foods (e.g. vegetables, meats) release liquid and that counts toward the minimum liquid requirement. Canned tomato products and thick sauces don’t count toward the quantity of liquid because they are too dense.
Note: When you’re adding liquid, make sure it gets underneath any food that’s already in the inner pot. This prevents the food from scorching and creates steam.
4. Deglaze Inner Pot After Sauteing
After sauteing and before pressure cooking you need to deglaze the inner pot. Deglazing involves adding a thin liquid like wine, water or broth to the hot surface and scraping the bottom with a silicone scraper or wooden spatula to remove the caramelized and brown bits that are stuck.
Deglazing adds wonderful flavor to your dish, but more importantly, it cleans the inner pot. So any liquid that you add will make full contact with the bottom of the inner pot and that allows the sensor in the Instant Pot to properly register temperature and pressure.
5. Layer Ingredients
One pressure cooker technique that’s commonly used to prevent foods from burning and sticking to the bottom is to layer problem ingredients such as tomato-based and starchy ingredients.
- Add the dense and starchy ingredients last e.g. tomato sauce, tomato paste, pasta, rice.
- Don’t stir.
- Gently push pasta, rice, and other starchy ingredients so they are submerged in the liquid.
- Close lid and pressure cook as directed.
The layering technique described above can also be used for starchy ingredients. Instead of stirring them in, add them at the end, right on top.
The pasta or rice needs to be submerged in liquid, so push down on it with a large spoon or spatula to make sure it’s covered in liquid.
6. Use Pot in Pot (PIP) Cooking Method
Another option is to use the Pot-in-Pot (PIP) cooking method to cook dishes that have thick sauces. You don’t ever have to worry about the burn message when you use the PIP technique.
7. Control Saute Temperature
Use medium temperature for sauteing and turn off and cool down the Instant Pot after sauteing and deglazing. You can cool it down quicker if you remove the inner pot from the unit and set it on a hot pad or cooling rack. Be sure to use gloves.
Alternately, you can saute on the stovetop and transfer the sauteed food to the Instant Pot to pressure cook.
Note: I find that allowing the Instant Pot to cool down after sauteing is one of the best ways to avoid the burn error.
8. Modify Recipes for the 8-Quart
If you have an 8-quart Instant Pot but you’re using a recipe developed for the 6-quart Instant Pot and the quantity of liquid is below the manufacturer-recommended quantity, either double the recipe or add an extra 1/2 to 1 cup of liquid. Keep the cooking time the same.
9. Raise the Food Using a Trivet
- I frequently put the food I’m pressure cooking (especially meat) on a trivet to raise it up a bit so that the liquid can cover the bottom of the inner pot
- This works really well when the quantity of liquid in my recipe is minimal.
10. Grease the Inner Pot
- Use a cooking spray or oil to grease the inner pot before you begin pressure cooking. This can help prevent food from sticking to the bottom of the inner pot.
How to Use the Deglaze Technique to Clean the Inner Pot
- Select Saute mode and allow the Instant Pot to get hot.
- Add 1/2 cup of water to deglaze.
- Scrape the bottom of the inner pot until the food gets unstuck, adding more water as needed.
- Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Empty out the inner pot, wash, and dry.
Nothing Works and You Keep Getting the Burn Error No Matter What You Do!
If you are not cooking with problematic (e.g. tomato-based or starchy) ingredients, you have enough liquid, and you’re not making any of the mistakes detailed above and you continue to get the burn code, the first thing I suggest is you read the article on why your Instant Pot is not sealing.
If you’re not making any of the mistakes detailed in that article, the next thing to do is a water test.
How to do a Water Test
- Add 2 cups of water to the inner pot.
- Close the lid.
- Pressure cook on high pressure for 2 minutes.
- Do a quick release of pressure.
- If the Instant Pot does not seal or you get the burn error, you might have a defective unit.
If the water test fails, you should file a support ticket with Instant Pot support.
I hope this article has helped you learn about the Instant Pot burn code and how you can avoid it and fix the problem. Please share on social media using the links at the top and bottom of this article. Thanks so much!
You might also find these helpful:
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| Instant Pot Pot-in-Pot Cooking | Instant Pot Tips and FAQs | 16 Reasons why Your Instant Pot is not Sealing |
Laura L.
Thank you for this article! Every time I use tomato paste I get the BURN notice. Couldn’t figure out how to get around it and still use it to get that deep flavor I like. Now I’ll just put it on top before I seal the pot!
Paint the Kitchen Red
I used to be skeptical about just pressure cooking tomato paste on the top, but find that it works quite well. Glad to be of help 🙂
David S Laker
It’s been almost a year since I posted my comment regarding the BURN message/problem.
The original IP did not have such a function and I never had a problem. The 2018 model has the BURN notification. WHY? I cannot duplicate my perfectly satisfactory recipes done in the older version in the new model. Why would a manufacturer add a wrinkle like this? Has there been any investigation? Something stinks.
Paint the Kitchen Red
David – I believe they did it because in the old models if something was burning, it would start counting down even when the Instant Pot didn’t pressurize. But I understand what you’re saying, they need to make it smarter maybe?
Cindy Thompson
This article is great; however, I think my issue might actually be a defective IP. I was sauteing some cubed chuck roast for a soup and the burn notice came on (while sauteing). I turned the pot off and added some liquid (about 2 cups) to deglaze it. I turned it back on and almost immediately the notice came back on. I tried turning off, unplugging and scrapping the bottom 4 or 5 times and the notice came on immediately each time. I ended up cooking my soup on the stove. I cleaned the IP thoroughly. This was about 5 days ago. Yesterday I was going to hard boil some eggs and the IP immediate gave the burn notice. The pot wasn’t even hot yet. I think I’m going to have to get a new IP. 😢
Paint the Kitchen Red
Cindy, I’m so sorry this has happened to you. But it definitely sounds like a defective Instant Pot. So frustrating!
Marsha Eckels
Hi….. I came across your article by accident. I’m a cook from way back. Last Christmas I received a 8 qt IP as a gift. Circumstances of the new year had me moving about these last several months, so I haven’t used the pot as of yet. After reading your article , I have decided to regift the pot to someone else. Having been a blue ribbon chef for the past 70 years allows me a trick or two for making many meals quickly n delicious at the finish line. This IP sounds like a headache waiting to happen ..what a very nice person u must b trying to explain all of this to IP enthusiasts. Perhaps the manufacturer should step forward n send a book to everyone that buys one of these pot. It should b called “The dos n don’t do with your IP”… plus an address to ship back for a full refund. LOL. Good luck to u.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Marsha, pressure cooking is great for cooking eggs, rice, pulses/beans, and of course tougher cuts of meat. You might be pleasantly surprised if you try it out. But yes, there are do’s and don’ts for sure!
David J
I also think the manufacturer should allow me the option of bypassing the burn notice and continue cooking my food. When I get the burn notice I don’t know how long my food has been cooking or how much longer to continue cooking it. It should be the users decision to continue cooking if there is a burn notice.
Nancy
The instructions I have seen say to some or rinse rice become cooking. I have not seen you mention that. Is that necessary in all rice dishes? I also get burn notice when I cook a rice, chicken and veg combination.
Paint the Kitchen Red
I generally do rinse my rice when I’m making it plain. When I’m making it with spices, I often rinse but do occasionally skip the rinse. If you’re getting a burn error, put the liquid in first, then the veg, and finally rice and don’t stir the rice in. See if that gives you better results. I would add more liquid if you still get the burn.
DSHEPP
Hi Neena,
I have an Ultra 6qt. and I’ve tried both your “easy spaghetti” and “penne with sausage” recipes, and both times got the dreaded “burn” error. It’s my fault that I should have read further on your website (I just printed the recipes). But next time I will let the inner pot cool down after sauté, layer ingredients, add tomato based products last, don’t stir, and add an extra 1/4 cup liquid (if needed).
Thank you for all the great info here, I was able to salvage both meals and they were still the best spaghetti I’ve ever made, and the penne with sausage was better than East Side Mario’s (which was what I was trying to accomplish @ home), so thank you for the recipes.
P.S. I will update your website my 2nd attempt on both recipes, as they are that good.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi there – you’re very welcome! I’m sorry you had some troubles but glad to hear that you were able to salvage and enjoy the meals! Once you get the liquid quantity right, and follow those suggestions, you’ll be all set to make these recipes again and again – feel free to shoot me an email if you continue to have troubles. And thanks for the lovely comment 🙂
Paul Nielsen
How annoying. Spent the last hour trying to get chicken and rice to cook and repeated burn message. Gave up and went to the oven. Instant pot ended up making cooking time twice as long and more dirty pans to wash as well. I guess I should just use it to sterilize water
Paint the Kitchen Red
Sounds very frustrating, Paul. Did you stir in the rice or did you leave it on top? It might help to not stir it in.
Kay
I’m a newbie. Reason 1 solved my problem. Thanks.
Tracy
Thank you for this! I’ve had my IP for over a year and had never gotten the burn notice. I tried restarting 2 times, got the same results. I deglazed the itty bit that was there, ( I hadn’t seared or sautéed anything) but I’m pretty sure putting the roast on The trivet was the trick!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Yes, that trivet trick was something I discovered a year after getting my Instant Pot!
KGaylin
Thank you so much for your instructive Instan Pot videos and posts. This latest one on The Burn message explained why I got this signal after sautéing on Hot. I will modify future sautés to medium and allow a cool down period in the future. Incidentally, your instructions are much better than the company’s own documentation.
Paint the Kitchen Red
I’m happy to be of help – thanks for your kind words 🙂
Donnie
Found a link to this from a reddit post. I think most all the information is great with the exception of 1 item in the list. It seems like the information about letting the pot cool down after saute mode is counter-productive to me. Your reason why is interesting and likely even accurate as to why it helps in certain situations, but I think it is wasting energy and time to do it in most cases.
Ironically, recipes from Simply Happy Foodie mentioning to get ingredients up to boil with saute to avoid the burn notice is my reasoning for disagreeing with this tip. The burn notice is unlikely to happen once the pot comes to pressure unless one of the other issues you mention is also in play. If you use the residual heat to get the liquid to start boiling you are saving time to get to pressure which means limiting the time to get the burn notice. Unless you aren’t paying attention while getting it to a boil you should not have anything burning on the bottom.
I know that is not as easy to put into a list of tips, but since many gravitate to the Instant Pot for its perceived speed of use I thought I should mention an alternative option that helps with that.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Donnie, thanks for taking the time to comment. I do agree that under normal circumstances preheating the IP will make cooking faster and more energy efficient. However, in some (maybe rare, maybe not) cases, Instant Pots have these hot spots that are causing the burn error for no apparent reason. So in those cases, trying to cool the inner pot down is worth a try. Thanks again – I do appreciate your input.
David S Laker
Love my 6-Qt Onepot so bought an 8-Qt for my friend for Christmas. First demo to friend on how to make stew, EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS I DO WITH MY 6-Qt., and up comes the dreaded ‘burn’. Tried a restart a few times but you cannot simply “add more liquid” to a stew.
There is an undisclosed and sinister reason for this–probably greed.
I sent it back and lost the shipping and gift wrap costs.
Sanford Toyen
I’ve always been a fan of pressure cooking. When the Instant Pot came out, I was quite excited. But, the reality is, it’s a dud. The 8 qt. will always always ALWAYS give you the “burn” message before it gets up to pressure. The same is true for any recipes that involve rice and/or tomato.
Frankly, the “solutions” that are listed here are pretty lame. The whole point of the Instant Pot is to make cooking easier and faster. If you’re having to constantly worry about getting the burn message (which you will if you have the 8 qt), then it’s not a kitchen product that will make your life easier. It will just make cooking more difficult and you will experience the frustration (as I have, multiple times) of having your hard-work and money spent on food, end up in the garbage. I would not advise you attempt any of the “solutions” on this page. The Insta-Pot, at least the 8 qt version, is simply not a quality product.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Sanford, sorry to hear about your frustrating experience. I have an 8 quart and I don’t get the burn message very often. I cook pasta and tomatoes in it. The solutions I’ve listed are generally applicable to electric pressure cookers. Granted, there are faulty Instant Pot and if you have one, you really should open a support ticket with the company.
Robin
Thank you, Red, for taking the time to coordinate all this information. I have read and re-read everything, many times, and I strongly suggest that everybody who gets here do the same.
I also strongly suggest, however, that you amend your web site with a message that strongly advises your readers to NOT continue to cook with an Instant Pot that flashes the “BURN” message after repeated use and after you are convinced that you have competently followed the directions for use in the Manual. .
This a manufacturing defect and home cooks who try various workarounds to this defect, in order to complete a meal for their hungry family, allow this defective product to remain in their kitchen.
The Instant Pot that display the “BURN” message repeatedly have a defective sensor. It is as simple as that.
Me thinks that if you want to do even more for your readers than you are already doing, then include the procedure for sending the defective units back and display it prominently.
If enough consumers do this, then these Units will be recalled and the defect will be discovered and corrected.
Sadly, I fear that this error will remain uncorrected because many more home cooks will keep the I/P. rather than return it. You should not have to work around this issue. It is a defective sensor issue and not a layering issue. or a saute issue or a seal issue and I suggest that you advise your readers about this or they will simply put their I/P away and forget about it, or, they will begin to use it as a “crock-pot” or a “slow cooker”, and that will be a shame. IMO! Thank you once again for all you do. I hope that you will consider my suggestion. Happy New Year!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks for your detailed comment. I understand your frustration and I will take your comment into consideration when I’m editing this post next. Many of the burn error reasons are legit pressure cooking errors so they cannot be discounted. But burn errors for no reason at all, of course, should be reported to the company. Happy New Year to you too!
Kacie
Hi! My hubby bought me the 8 qt. DUO for Christmas and I was so excited! Well, every time I use the “manual/pressure cook” function, the timer won’t start OR I get the burn message. When I hit cancel and wait for it do de-pressurize, I still see plenty of water/liquid at the bottom of the pot and it’s always clean before I use it. The only time the “BURN” message made sense was when I saute’d something first and there was food on the bottom of the pot.
For example, I like to boil eggs in my Instant Pot. If I use the “Poultry” function ( mine doesn’t have the egg button) it works great…and it’s on high pressure! When I try the “pressure cook” function (also on high heat) the timer never starts and all the water evaporates. Also, my manual says a minimum of 1 cup of water/liquid. When I talked to tech support, she told me 3 cups minimum because it’s an 8 qt. I asked why my manual says 1 cup and they didn’t have an answer and that 1 cup is the minimum for the 3 qt. So far, I’m not impressed. Do you think this might be a technical issue since it’s only happening during “manual” mode? Thanks!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Kacie – So did you try the 3 cups water? My hunch is that you’ll have the same issue because I don’t think that’s the problem. I think this is a case where you need to file a ticket at http://support.instantpot.com.. The fact that using Poultry works fine and Pressure Cook does not means there’s something wrong – IMO. Good luck – very frustrating. do you have the option of returning/exchanging?
Vince
Tonight, I was trying to cook baby potatoes. I watched several youtube videos and all called for 1 cup of water. I got the burn message, turned the post off, opened the pot and took out the potatoes. I tried to put more water in but the water gushed out from the bottom of the pot and all ran all over the counter and floor. What should I do? Will it no longer hold liquid?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Vince, I’m not sure how water got through if you had the inner pot in. Read this post on Common Instant Pot Problems and see if #16 will help you out. Good luck.
Fishingpot
Thank you. My own fault for the burns. Really appreciate the warning and chnace to salvage the food. I always forget to check that the vents are closed. My own fault. Thank you for the information. I would have continued making the same mistake.
Paint the Kitchen Red
I still make that mistake on my DUO sometimes 🙂 Glad it was a fixable issue and your were able to salvage your meal.
Dante Driver
So glad to have found this page! We just got a new 8-quart Duo which has displayed the “burn” message EVERY TIME WE HAVE USED IT so far. Our old 6-quart Duo Plus NEVER displayed a “burn” or “OvHt” message. Not once. I’ll clean it up after we finish the meal we just cooked and try the water test to see if it throws the “burn” message again. I’m wondering if we have a defective unit, but I might return the 8-quart and go back to using our old trouble-free 6-quart.
Paint the Kitchen Red
It’s frustrating, Dante. If you can’t find the “new normal” then you might have a defective unit. Are you getting the burn error even when you didn’t use the Saute mode? Do keep me posted if you get the chance.
Barb Murray
I made a BIG mistake today! I have been using my instant pot almost daily and today I made a dish with pasta and didn’t realize the sealing ring wasn’t in! I am so used to dump and go do something else, that I didn’t notice and of course the “burn” notice came up. Really burnt the pasta on the bottom but was able to salvage the dish and it didn’t permeate the meal. I have now just put in the ring and added water and put under pressure for 3 minutes and the burned pasta on the bottom was released. Whew! Thought I would have to buy a new insert!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Barb, if you can believe it that happens to me sometimes after using the Instant Pot for a few years! I store my sealing ring on top of my lid, which is usually upside down on my IP. Thanks for your comment!
Gail
Thank you for this information. I just read a post on Facebook about a woman who had a terrible accident with her pot, getting second degree burns and needing hospitalization. That’s why I’m here now. I’m a new IP user and just got the burn message. I’m thinking I will do what Jeff suggested above and set temperature lower. Will that change cooking times? Even considering returning it.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Gail, the burn message is not as ominous as it sounds – ie. not dangerous. It’s just a message telling you that you need to adjust your recipe/technique to allow the IP to come to pressure. I wouldn’t return it until you’ve given it a try. There are so many safety mechanisms built in, you don’t need to worry about anything as long as you’re being smart ie. don’t force open the lid, don’t obstruct the steam release, etc.
And on a side note, that story was not the Instant Pot brand of pressure cooker. the Instant Pot is designed with 10+ Safety Mechanisms and is UL certified. At Instant Pot, they encourage their customers to carefully read and follow the Important Safeguards. As with any appliance, exercise caution when using your Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker.
Jeff Bjorklund
Hi, good article ! I used my older 6qt. Duo for 3 yrs (alot) and replaced it with a new 6qt duo. Never before had the ‘burn’ issue, but on 2nd meal I scorched (burn) a chicken and rice dish 3 times, lol. All of your article recommendations are spot on,, but something new that I learned recently, probably cause I read more of the manual, is that you can adjust the temperature setting from ‘normal’ to ‘less’ or ‘more’ on any of the program keys just by pressing the key again and it scrolls thru these temp settings. I’m thinking, but haven’t tested it yet, that setting the temp at ‘less’ for the vulnerable types of dishes may help with the burn issue.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Jeff, that’s an excellent point that I haven’t mentioned in the post. I do find that letting the IP cool down helps a lot too, so a combination of the two might be best. I would love it if you’d give me an update if you think of it!
Meg
Thanks very much for the post! My 8 qt instant pot gave the burn warning for the first time after I had it heated up in sauté mode, but then I decided not to sauté. I plopped some chicken and salsa inside and switched it immediately to pressure cook. I’m glad there is nothing wrong with it… I will simply cool it down next time I have a less liquidy pressure cook to do. Thanks again!
Meg
Paint the Kitchen Red
Cooling down after sauteing usually does the trick. Glad you got it figured out and thanks for your comment.
Connie Cortright
Thank you so much for this info!
I have a 6qt Ultra. I didn’t get a burn notice (not sure if thosbpot has that?). , but while cooking fettuccine carbonara, the pot would t come to pressure and I couldn’t figure out why. I had sautéed my chopped bacon, used a slotted spoon to remove it from the pot, then added diced onion and sautéed with garlic for a few minutes, then d carefully deglazed the pot before adding 3 cups of broth and a pound of fettuccine -broken in half. I closed the lid and it off, then pressure cook for 8 minutes as the recipe said. After 15 minutes, the pot still wasn’t under pressure and steam was pouring out of the valve, so I did a QR and opened the lid to find the fettuccine stuck to the bottom of the pot. I simply transfers the salvageable pasta to a pot, added water and boilred for about 4 minutes till it was done and added my carbonara ingredients to that pot. I was bummed it didn’t get made in the IP because after having successfully made the most scrumptious spaghetti and meatballs in the IP, I was so anticipating a great success with this recipe, bit dinner was
delicious!
So, after reading your info, I think next time I’ll cook the bacon on the stove OR let the pot cook down after using sauté mode and before adding the broth and pasta to cook on pressure cook mode/ I believe the pot was too hot for sauté mode which caused the pasta to stick causing the pot not to come to pressure and pour out steam. But do you know why I didn’t get a burn notice?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Connie, thanks for taking the time to comment. Yes, I think letting the pot cool down may help you, and maybe even adding a bit more water. Cooking the bacon in the pot should be fine as long as you do a really good job of deglazing.
The ‘burn’ error is not on the older models of the Ultra (my old Ultra doesn’t have that error either.) If you continue to have a problem, you might try to put a very low trivet on the bottom and put the pasta on that so that the liquid makes contact with the bottom of the pot. Worth a try.
Connie
Thank you!
I just got my IP Ultra 6qt at Kohl’s a few weeks ago. I didn’t know there were “old” versions of the IP Ultra, but I’m assuming mine is new. It has the dial.
Paint the Kitchen Red
They look the same, Connie, and have all the same features. It could be the older version? Also, I wanted to mention a couple more things to you. When I’ve made fettuccine alfredo in the IP, I’ve done two things: included mushrooms, and they sit below the pasta forming a buffer between the pasta and bottom of the pot, and I also fan out the pasta to reduce clumping.
Terri
Thanks so much for this info! I’ve got a 6 qt. Duo – recd for Christmas 2017. I’ve never gotten burn notice before tonight: I was cooking chicken thighs in a jarred tomato base curry sauce It was taking forever to get up to pressure when it beeped & read “burn”. Scared me to death! I turned off, unplugged and looked in. It was simmering and very little sauce was stuck to the pot. I poured it all in a skillet to finish cooking. Not a disaster, and your hint about tomato based sauces gave me a clue. I’ll use layering & add extra liquid next time.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Yes, common mistake 🙂 I’m happy to hear that you were able to salvage the meal. Layering works really well.
Penny
I am a new user to the instant pot ultra . I made spaghetti and sauce. Got burn notice. Turned it off. Some stuck to bottom but not burned.
Made oatmeal. Burn notice, did burn. Made chicken and rice. Burn notice. Added correct liquid.
I’m about to return it.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Penny – I’m sorry you had trouble, but the recipes you’ve tried can be tricky in the Instant Pot. You might be following a recipe that does not mention the layering technique because that model of Instant Pot didn’t require that. Some recipes do need more liquid and/or Pot in Pot cooking (in the case of oatmeal). My recipes are tried and tested, and you may have better luck? You can also try a soup or other recipes with plenty of liquid.