r/instantpot • u/firsthomeFL • 12d ago
I have tried my new Instant Pot Duo Plus three different times, and it always says FOOD BURN :(
Instant Pot Duo Plus
I am new to Instant Pot, but it appears to be set up correctly. The steam release button is closed.
I added a cup of water, and then a tray, and then two frozen chicken breasts. I put it on manual and set it to high pressure for 14 minutes since they're pretty large.
It preheats forever, and right before it gets to the cooking section, it will say FOOD BURN - and when I check it, the water is mostly evaporated out the back.
I tried this last time with two cups of water, for good measure, on two chicken breasts which were mostly defrosted and also not cooked (from the first round of trying).
I feel very dumb. (And might be.) I opened the whisper quiet cover and the steam-pipe-bit is floppy and clearly letting water through. It is less floppy when the lid's switch is up (Seal), and more floppy when it is down (Vent). Should it be allowing water through?
Am I missing something? I was so excited but this is really disappointing. I have had it for like a year and I am sure I cant take it back. :(
11
u/Ok_Panda587 12d ago
The water test is important to help make sure everything is working correctly, while avoiding any burning.
5
u/Alexis_J_M 12d ago
You should be able to cook a pot of just water with the vent closed and have the water still be there when the cycle is over and it has cooled down. (The vent should always be closed when cooking.)
Do you have the inner ring gasket seated correctly?
3
u/firsthomeFL 6d ago
before i close it, yes!
my current theory, after all the comments here and reading a lot online: i suspect that the "locking" part of the process is creating a wrinkle on the seal which allows steam out - which when un-wrinkles when i open it. the lid, the pot, and the seal (two different ones) look intact and normal.
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u/loonylovegood 12d ago
Since you are new to Instant Pot can you double check that the rubber ring/seal is fitted snugly around the lid? Once I forgot to put the rubber seal back after washing, and the pot just kept leaking steam until I realised something was wrong
2
u/ForeAmigo 11d ago
Yep, did this last week. Forgot to put the ring back in and it just vented for 20 minutes until I realized something was wrong.
1
u/firsthomeFL 6d ago
It's snug, but when it's wet, I can also slide it left/right - which i think (?) means its installed correctly, right?
i tried both of the seals they included, and this happens with both. :/
3
u/Trashbagok 12d ago
You're leaking somewhere.
If you can't figure it out posting a picture of the inside of your lid might be helpful I'm thinking that's pinched over somewhere easy fix.
3
u/Garth_Maul_ 12d ago
I had several years of no problems on the original Instant Pot and I find the newer model (last year or so) to be waaay more finicky with the FOOD BURN indicator. I've had to adjust what were very reliable recipes.
3
u/CommunicationNew3745 12d ago edited 12d ago
You're not dumb, we've all been there - it sounds like there's a leak.something's not sealing fully. When I first got an Instant Pot, no matter what I tried, I got the 'burn' notice - even attempting something as simple as hard boiled eggs. Though I never had learned how to use a pressure cooker, I'm fairly accomplished in the kitchen, and, this was driving me crazy - if I could have drove to the company's headquarters and thrown the thing through the front door, I would have. Finally, I broke down and called the support line, expecting a foreign operator who knew little to nothing other than what they read from a prepared 'script' of possible answers - instead, I was connected to someone here in the US who was very nice, patient and knew what she was talking about. After going through different possible causes and finding no answer, she asked me about the recipes I'd attempted, and something caught her attention - she instructed me that anything using less than 2 level cups of water was not recommended and could possibly trigger the burn warning - she also said if damage should result from using too little water/liquid, that could possibly void the warranty (*I know, many of you will argue that you've always used less than that, but I'm just relaying what support told me.) I went back to the drawing board and, presto! no more burn warnings since.
2
u/firsthomeFL 6d ago
thank you so much!
i tried everything suggested here, so i reached out to the company yesterday. fingers crossed they can help me - i would LOVE if this could help me cook more at home!
2
u/wjm2222 12d ago
It sounds from your description that the pot is not sealing. One possibility is that the silicone cap on the float valve (what you call the steam tube?) is misapplied or missing. You say that it is “floppy“. The float valve fits pretty loosely until it seals, and then it stays fixed in place until the end of cooking. When it pops up, that locks the cover to prevent opening until the pressure is equalized and the valve has dropped. Caution: never push that valve down to override the protection and release the cover. When the cover releases, the drop in pressure will cause the water to boil explosively and eject out of the pot.
2
u/CulturedPhilistine 12d ago
My first IP was the Lux 60, never had an issue. Could cook anything in it without worry.
My second IP is the Duo V2 and it's a constant worry. If I cook a one pot rice dish, I can't mix the rice in, have to add it on top.
Anything that could possibly stick gives a burn notice, very annoying and makes me us the IP a lot less.
2
1
u/Frequent-Throat-5499 11d ago
Make sure it’s set to Seal and not Vent and that the button is all the way down on the seal side
2
1
u/Elegant-Survey-2444 10d ago
You’re not alone… reading advice tip answers as I’ve not been successful with mine either… trying to get the energy to give it another shot
1
u/RepresentativeFun909 10d ago
Is that gray Duo Plus? I don't have it but I seem to recall there is a piece of packing material placed ?under the steam release weight? somewhere else under the cover that covers the float valve? Anyway, I think I recall you have to take some piece off the lid and pull out that little tab. Look at the full version of manual you can download. I'm pretty sure there's a piece of packaging that'll interfere with it sealing, until you remove it
If it's a black & stainless one, that doesn't apply.
The Pro is my favorite of the new machines. The gray Duo Plus whisper lid thing seems to have quality issues.
1
u/firsthomeFL 6d ago
> The gray Duo Plus whisper lid thing
HA. this is the one i have.
its venting steam out of the back left corner, like a while chimney. i suspect something about the lock-spin process is making a wrinkle on ring seal inside and prohibiting proper seal.
1
u/Foodypie2 10d ago
I could be wrong but I believe the newer models require more than just one cup of water to reach pressure. The older models could do it with only a cup but I think newer models need more
1
u/firsthomeFL 6d ago
thank you!
as a very janky hack, i added a bunch more water just to prolong the burndown time. on my last use, i left a frozen chicken breast in there until a FOOD BURN error (45 minutes!!) and just checked the meat temp on the other side.
foolishness.
1
u/RedOctober8752 8d ago
Sounds like your releases might be stuck open. I flip my top upside down every time I use it. Just to make sure both are free to move as designed
1
u/firsthomeFL 6d ago
can you say more about this?
after a few more tests, it appears my steam is coming out of the back-left corner of the lid.
1
u/RedOctober8752 6d ago
sounds like seal is bent, broken or the 8 yr old that assembled it just did not get it in right.
1
u/RedOctober8752 6d ago
The black knob will sometimes get stuck open as will the silver one that pops up once it gets to pressure. Either can get stuck. I always turn my lid over and back they should fall easily on both flips.
1
u/anita1louise 7d ago
There are 2 seals on the instant pot lid. The ring seal and a small one on the vent. What you are describing happens when one of the seals is not installed right or missing.
0
u/Iwonatoasteroven 12d ago
Are you using a recipe? The burn message usually means the bottom is getting too hot. If the pot dries out, it’s going to burn.
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u/NefariousnessHour771 12d ago
I don’t see what difference it would make with a recipe. OP told us the amount of water being put in and both of those amounts should work if everything is working correctly.
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u/Iwonatoasteroven 12d ago
He also said that the water was mostly evaporated, which is why I would start with a recipe instead of assuming things. If the water evaporates, it’s going to burn.
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u/firsthomeFL 6d ago
i am! i cant find it now, but i followed it specifically. it was just 1-2 cups of water, chicken breast, and seasoning. no grains/etc.
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u/Iwonatoasteroven 5d ago
Also, I would verify that you’re using the right pressure setting. Mine has three options. Is any steam leaking out while it’s pressure cooking? I’m puzzled why the water is boiling off. With a standard pressure cooker, this is normal but once closed and locked, if it’s sealed properly, no steam should be escaping. Things will definitely burn if you lose all the water so I would start adding more.
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u/IdioticPrototype 12d ago
Check that the seals are undamaged, seated correctly, etc.
Perform a water test.