I am having trouble using the Slow Cooker mode on the Instant Pot. I tried a recipe at low, and it was not even remotely cooked...am I doing something wrong?
I’ve been getting a lot of questions like this recently. And I don’t have an answer.
In all my years of using the Instant Pot1, I can count on one hand the times I’ve used it as a slow cooker. And, well… those times weren't really slow cooking. I was reheating chili I pressure cooked the night before, for my annual chili potluck at work. Low heat is not enough - I need high heat to be ready by lunchtime. I start at “Slow Cook - High” for an hour or two, and then, once everything is bubbling, I turn the cooker down to “keep warm” until it is time to serve.
For all the things my Instant Pot can do - “It’s a pressure cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker, rice cooker…”2 I really only ask it to do two things. First and foremost, it is my pressure cooker. I use the "Manual" (now "Pressure Cook") mode. I also use “Sauté” mode to saute onions and/or brown meat before turning on pressure cook mode. (And, occasionally, to simmer food after it is pressure cooked.) That’s it, I’m done. The Instant Pot is my favorite cooking tool because of how well it does those two functions. 9 modes? 11 modes? Doesn't matter to me, all I want are those two.3
One of the first comments on my Instant Pot FAQ asked about slow cooking mode. (Like I said, I never use it, so I had to look it up in the manual.) According to the Instant Pot manual, the Slow Cooker settings are:
- Normal mode: 90 to 96°C/194 to 205°F.
- More mode: 93 to 99°C/199 to 210°F.
- Less mode: 88 to 94°C/190 to 201°F.
That looked like like “Low” mode lines up with a Slow Cooker set to low, and “High” mode with a slow cooker set to high. But over the last few months, the volume of Instant Pot as a Slow Cooker questions has jumped. More and more, I’m asked: “I set my Instant Pot to Slow Cook - Low mode, came back ten hours later, and the results were not good. Am I doing something wrong?”
Turns out:
- Slow Cook - Normal means "Low" in a traditional slow cooker
- Slow Cook - More means "High" in a traditional slow cooker
- Slow Cook - Less means "Keep Warm" in a traditional slow cooker
I don’t know how to answer, yet. I’m going to test out slow cooker mode on the Instant Pot, and I will follow up on this in the New Year, but testing is going to take a while. (Ten hour slow cooks aren’t a quick answer.) But, before I start testing,
Updated: Also, the Instant Pot has some limitations as a slow cooker. For more details, see my Update on Instant Pot as a Slow Cooker post. Or the comments on this post, or the Update post.
I want to throw the question to my readers:
Questions about Instant Pot Slow Cooking:
- Are you using the Instant Pot as a slow cooker?
- Is it working?
- What settings do you use? (I saw a Reddit thread that said “Slow cook - medium on an IP is a slow cooker at low. Slow cook - high on the IP is a slow cooker at high. Slow cook - low is a ”keep warm" mode. Does that work for you?)
Please answer in the comments below - what are your experiences? (Or, reply by email, on Twitter, or Facebook, or whatever social media platform you can find me on. Frankly, I’d prefer blog comments - I can barely keep up with Twitter as it is, and I’ve declared Facebook bankruptcy and only check it once in a blue moon.) Thanks!
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PABlues says
My experience is that I only use the “more” setting for the slow cook feature. I have cooked many many pot roasts , pork roasts , BBQ, stews using this setting for about ~ 10 hours at a time. I have the littlest IP and I have shoved pretty big roasts into it. The key is ensuring there is enough liquid and using the glass lid with a vent hole. So nice to leave for the day and have the majority of dinner done when I get home. I would not want the cooker to go less then 8 hrs or risk tough meat.
Rob says
I have the IP Lux model (Pioneer Woman version) which comes with the glass lid option. This model is not good as a slow cooker either.
I make a lot of pot roasts and pressure cook the roast first. When I add vegetables and go into slow cooking mode on the "More" setting, it doesn't get very hot even after 3 hours. To get it going again, I used Saute on the Low setting to get it boiling for about 5 minutes but it didn't seem to help much. I also tried putting a towel over the glass lid to retain heat which helped a little. Next time I will try using the pressure cooking lid.
Hang on to your crock pot because they heat from the sides and do a better job.
Valerie Solis says
I tried to cook a green lentil and veg stew today. I soaked the lentils and cooked them in a pan until soft. I sauteed onion, tomato ,mushroom , veg etc in the IP which works great and added the lentils in their hot water to the mix and set to slow cook. Came back 5 hours later and it was only warm certainly not cooked and the veg were small pieces, It doesn't come to the boil so I will definitely go back to my old slow cooker which is a real shame considering the high price for the IP.
As a pressure cooker it is marvellous - I bought it for the stainless steel insert which is non toxic but I have to say disappointed indeed to have to resort to my old slow cooker which I nearly ditched.
James says
Just to clarify how I was trying to use the slow cooker mode with my Instant Pot. I had the machine on "more" for several hours. It just kept the stew a little more than warm, not cooking at all.
James says
I share the issues with my Instant pot on slow cooker mode. I'm about to get my slow cooker I packed up in the basement to finish the beef stew I've tried to make. A big disappointment on a so called "all in one" cooking machine. PC is fine, but Instant Pot really needs to redo their slow cooker mode.
leesuh says
yes, my first instant pot slow cooker experience was a fail because I didn't understand which was the high setting. It took 3x as long to cook beans in the slow cooker with the regular setting. I figured out that more = high and I also use a glass top from another pan instead of the instant pot lid. This works great for me.
Jim B says
I have the 9in1 6qt. Normal won't cook anything, more (high) takes 10 hours to cook stew, never boils.
Kal says
The temp in slow cook on high is only 155 degrees after 3 1/2 hours of cooking chili. Not the 210degrees I have read that it should reach on more/high setting. Should I cancel and switch to a pressure mode for a short time to finish it off.
Patti LaValley says
This product is Not a slow cooker, plain and simple. They need to stop advertising it as such or fix this issue. Works great as a pc however, don't get rid of your crock pot!!
Jim B. says
I’ve been cooking a stew for 6 hours on the “more” slow cooker setting and the temperature has only now reached 194F inside the pot. That is more like what I get on my slow cooker on LOW in just about 3 hours. I guess I will have to start using the chili and Beans pressure cooking setting from now on. Worthless as a slow cooker for me.
Sher says
My gal just got me an Instant-Pot for the express purpose of aiding me in slow cooking with reduced cooking smell in my very tiny place. You see I have a condition where I can Not eat carbs of almost any kind and so depend on raw fats for energy such as avacados, coconut oil based "coconaise" - when I cook lamb, pork, beef, chicken or turkey, I use my IP to slow cook over 12 to 24 hours depending on what I'm cooking. When its 3-5lb pork shoulder, lamb or heavy beef ribs I might even slow cook in mi IP for 48 hours! In the Slow Cook Low setting! With the right marinate design, the result is so tender and the fats, having NOT been over cooked are perfectly good for my purpose and my energy levels are excellent! - I've been on this careful, difficult diet now for a 8 months and have lost 50lbs, am far more muscular and have much higher, consistent energy levels then ever before in my life! The secret is simply keep cooking temps low so animal fats are great for me instead of destructive due to high temps. - The IP is perfect for think ribs when I want also bone broth - here I simply add heavy onion quantity mixed shitake mushrooms, mildly salted and low temp cooked for 48hrs - the result is a Very strengthening bone broth and meat combo which is also very tasty and satisfying. Also keep in mind that Grass Fed - No Hormones, organically fed creature is key along with organic additions to my IP recipes. It is difficult to keep sugar and especially corn syrup (all of which is GMO is deadly!) out of my recipes but I am finding creative options with a little experimentation and research - this also means NO grains of any kind as well... Difficult but doable with amazing results !
Brian says
Before you slow cook anything invest in the glass lid for your Instant Pot. It is a necessity if you are going to use it as a slower cooker and is also great for saute recipes that require a cover and occasional stir. As noted above Normal=Low, More=High, Less=Keep Warm. Getting the lid helps keep the liquid ratio of your recipe at the proper balance and obviously understanding the heat settings will get you pretty close to the designated time on a traditional slow cooker recipe, usually within a half hour or so.
Andrea says
Brian,
Will you please give an example of a successful meal you made in the IP using it as a slow cooker? There are many more IP users giving testimony of slow cooking fails, and not enough users testifying to successes.
Chuck says
I just did a 2 1/2 lb. buffalo roast in the instant cooker using the slow cooker mode. I browned the seasoned roast using saute and then used it just like I use my crock pot. No rack, onions, juniper berries and beef broth in the bottom, then the roast. Roast sitting in liquid which came about 1/3 up the side. Cooked on normal mode for four hours with the idea of checking it at that point. At the four hour check the internal temp was 170 degrees and immediately went to the keep warm mode. An hour later I pulled the roast, strained the liquid into a pot, put the roast back in the pot on keep warm and made gravy. The roast was tender and delicious. This was a test to see how my new Instant pot would do as a slow cooker and it did great.
Jackie says
I have the IP Duo 6qt. This was trial and error since we just got this a couple days ago. I put a 4lb pork roast, baby carrots and chopped potatoes on slow cooker setting and it automatically set to normal. I set the timer for 8 hours and thought it was strange that after 4 hours it was barely warm on the outside. I let it do it's thing but when the 8 hours were up, the veggies are hard and the outside of the roast is rubbery and inside is bloody. So disappointed! I know I set it right, i even watched a few videos before. What am I doing wrong?
Linda Lin says
What model of IP are you using? I had a Lux60 6 Qt instant pot and the slow cook function worked well as a regular slow cooker setting on high. It only took 30 minute to boiling and continue bubbling. I gave it to my parents and am considering buying a newer model, such as Duo plus 60 6Qt 9 in one. However, it seems that the slow cook function in the newer model does''t work as well anymore.
Karen says
I recently tried my IP as a slow cooker for the first time to cook a 4 lb. chicken. The recipe called for 8 hours on low but my IP deferred to NORMAL and I just left it there because I couldn’t adjust the temp. range. Well, after 5 hours there was condensation on my IP glass lid but raw looking chicken. After 7 hours, the same so I had to bake it for 2 hours more in the oven as not to waste it. What a disappointment.
I emailed my experience to IP and, although customer service acknowledged my inquiry, no forthcoming advice was received.
I have no confidence in this feature of the IP but will try it again and increase the temp and time and see what happens.
Todd says
I had similar problem. I tried a lamb stew with lentils on high with the glass lid. The sauté function worked fine to brown the meat with onions. The soup on high for 5 hours never got to bubbling and everything was barely cooked I measure the temperature and it was 175 deg.. I had to finish on the stove. After clean up I filled up with water to max line and left on high for 4 hours. I measured the temperature and it was only around 195 to 197deg. The other thing is the IP kept clicking about 5 times a minute like turning on and off. Since it heats from the bottom the meat, lentils and veggies. must block the heat. The IP just does not get hot enough for use as a slow cooker. I thought it was my unit but seems not after reading these comments. This was the first time I had ever used the IP for anything. Need to keep my slow cooker
Dean says
I must say I'm glad I found this form. I too just tried making beef stew the other day and what I did was use high heat for 5 hours and medium heat for 5 hours. I have the glass lid so I didn't bother with the regular lid that comes with it. After the 10 hours there is still a bone in the center of my carrots the potatoes were done and the meat was cooked but not as tender as the results in a slow cooker. I had to use two cups of water as well. I think what I will do next time is just keep it on high heat for 10 hours as I like to cook my stew a long time. The other thought after reading all this is maybe using the normal Hood with the steam release valve closed to help with the process. It can't hurt I don't think. But I'm still struggling with trying to make the perfect rice. It seems so simple but yet I made it the other day and it came out sticky. I use jasmine rice 1 to 1 ratio and I did two cups this last time and it came out sticky. I've had my 8 quart IP since last fall and I do really enjoy it there's just some Kinks that need to be worked out. Any suggestions for the rice? Thanks
mhmoore says
Hi Dean, I had problems at first with rice too. I have cooked several different kinds. What works best for me. I almost always rinse my rice really well. For my husband and myself I usually use 1/2c rice, 1/2 c water. I have the 6 qt instant pot. I use a steel mixing bowl or the inside pot of an old rice pot. I cover it tightly with foil, set it on the rack with about 2 cups of water in pot, lock the lid, close the steam, and hit "RICE" I just use the normal setting which on my pot is 12 minutes. Perfect rice every time. Hope this helps.
Egan says
Had same issue with overly sticky rice, then tried less water, and that solved the issue. A 1 to 1 ratio is open to some ambiguity between dry and liquid measure. I initially used a liquid measure cup for the water on my initial tries, and that did not work well. I tested and found a liquid cup of water is much more than if you measure a cup of water using a dry measure cup. So, I recommend using the same cup for your rice and water measure. Then, my rice was still too sticky, so I started to use less water. The actual amount of water needed will probably depend on the type of rice used, but try 1 cup rice + 3/4 cup water (measuring both water and rice using the same cup), and this should solve your issue. I now think that pressure cooking rice needs less water than the stove top's 1 to 1 ratio because of faster cooking time and less evaporation.
Lori says
this was super helpful for me to convert instant pot recipes to use in my fagor lux
Patti-Ann Marzocco says
I was terrified after reading these posts that my new Instant Pot would not effectively replace my crock pot which was certainly my plan. So I carefully prepared my most common slow-cooker dish, chicken alfredo. I did everything as I normally would in the crock. Two hours on Slow-Cooker high, and 1.5-2 hours on low. It turned out perfectly! It was bubbling within the first 30-45 minutes, and cooked just the same as my slow-cooker. So I am wondering if the problem is associated with a certain version of the IP. Mine is an Ultra, just received it for Christmas, here in Canada. It really sounds like there may be an actual defect in some of the pots out there on Slow Cooker settings??
Paul Clay says
I used the slow cook feature to make a stew for the first time this week. Set to medium heat level with the lid closed and valve in venting position and after 7.5hours it was not fully done (meat & veg still a bit tough. Set to high for another 1.5 hours and was ok, although veggies were a tad hard giving the length of cooking. I think next time I will try the idea above of using a different lid and see how it compares. Overall it was a success and the family enjoyed it. I wonder if a crock pot heats all the way around, rather than just the base and so gives better results for slow cooking?
Abbi Barden says
Did they fix the temp problem? I just got an Ultra 60, cooked two recipes from the new Stock the Crock cookbook and both were perfect on low for the recommended time in the original recipes. My only problem was that the each recipe called for adding something at the end on high. That did not work at all. The first was sliced bok choy (5 mins) added to a chicken thigh dish. It wouldn't cook until I stirred it in, and even then it took about 15 minutes. The other recipe called for turning to high and adding cod on top of a flavorful cooked rice base until flaky (15-30 mins). After 15 mins the fish was still cold. I moved it to the oven to bake, returning it to the Instant Pot when done. The rice mixture, by the way, was perfectly cooked and delicious as were the chicken thighs. Apparently, due to the inability of the heat to radiate quickly upwards from the bottom heating element in this mode, ingredients added on top at the end don't cook. Guess I still need to get a crockpot!
Thanks to "Dad" for all the info and for hosting this helpful discussion.
Patti says
I just tried to make Korean oxtail soup in the slow cooker/Low pressure mode and as instructed, left the setting to “venting.” But it continued to release so much steam the entire time. Is this normal since it’s not in the sealed mode? I couldn’t take it so after 30 min, I just switched it to high pressure at 120 min. (Was hoping to try a longer lower temp cooking process to see if the broth would become milky white the way it does after 2-3 days of simmering stovetop).
Jennifer Chambers says
I tried to cook a beef stew using the slow cook mode. After 5.5 hours on the highest setting ("more" I think), the potatoes and carrots - even the onions, were still raw. I ended up cooking it an additional 10.5 hours (16 hours total) and it was still not done!!! Ridiculous!
I wanted this to replace my slow cooker. Obviously not happening!!
Nicole says
I tried the slow cook function on my IP today after reading all the comments. I decided on medium for 9 hours. Was cooking a stew. Potatoes were not even close to being soft. I left the vent open.
Finishing it now for 20 mins on meat/stew setting.
Brighid says
I tried the slow cook function for the first time. Two pound pork loin roast with lots of salsa and some balsamic vinegar in the pot for liquid. Used normal slow cook for 7 hours. When I opened it up the roast was just surface cooked and totally raw in the center. Didn't even look like it had been boiling. I used the IP lid set to vent. Ended up pressure cooking it to save it. This is definitely some flaw in the machine with all the negative response.
Lou says
I slow-cooked chilli on high for 4 hours but it was not cooked. I pressure-cooked it another 15 minutes and that worked. First time using the slow cooker feature. Very disappointed as I'll have to keep using my heavy, old crock pot when I need to slow cook. Thought the IP would do it all!
JO ANNE STODDART says
Hi
I am trying to use my Instant Pot as a slow cooker but can not figure out how to adjust the cooking temp to high. The user manual says to use "cooking program key" but there is no such button on my cooker. When I push slow cook enter the time I want it to cook (i.e. 8hours) wait 10 seconds for the peep and then I try pushing + button to go to More (not normal) and the time changes, not the temp.
What am I doing wrong?
Mike Vrobel says
Use the “Adjust” button
Lori says
Just failed my New Year's pork Roast in IP on slow cooker mode. After 6 hours on middle setting, meat and sauerkraut were barely warm. Had to pressure cook for 20 minutes to save dinner. What is wrong with slow cooker setting??? Has to be faulty.
Greg N. says
The instructions in the Instant Pot how-to manual say that you use the Venting setting when you use the IP as a slow cooker. Maybe that is part of the reason for the poor results that some people get. Should the steam stay in the IP even on slow cook? Other variables that get me lost are the pressure, temp., and time settings for a slow cook. So you can see, I'm looking for a push button cooking method. Crockpot seems to work best for slow cooking.
Anne says
I am both delighted to read all these comments, and know I'm not crazy, and very ticked off, too. I bought this as a combo, pot to replace both my pressure cooker (which never scared me) AND my slow cooker, which worked just fine. I have only tried one thing - a bottom chuck roast w/ onion gravy - and even after 6 hours it was inedible. Very disappointed.
Sue says
I read all these comments and more and decided to try a veggie soup taking all the advice into consideration. My soup is great! I cooked it 10 hours on Slow Cook and put the heat on "more". It's perfect. Oh, the vent was open. I did use lots of bone broth, more than the recipe called for. I'm not much for measuring.
Esther says
My IP isn't a slow cooker: it's a disaster! I've tried 3 times now, and My food isn't even warm!
K says
It could have cooked for half an hour to an hour longer. The chicken mostly shredded up but it would have been better with more time. I did end up adding a cup of boiling water to it about half an hour in. The chicken was a little dry but i get dry chicken cooking the same dish under pressure, not sure why. Overall it turned out pretty good. I think I might try it again on High to see how it turns out.
K says
I am cooking chicken for Hawaiian haystacks on the slow cook method today. There’s two cans of cream of chicken soup, 8oz cream cheese, chicken breast and italian seasoning in an 8qt IP. Put on normal for 6 hours with the original lid and valve open. We will see what happens with it! I may add some water to it.
Owlet says
Huh...well, just for science's sake, I'll add my experience here because it's slightly different, it seems, from most others. First, my IP (I think it's a 5-qt DUO?) has always worked great for pressure cooking (as long as I did everything right). Yesterday I tried a slow cook for the first time.
My usual slow cooking is the type without liquid added, especially when I know from experience that my ingredients will create a broth anyway (and these did). The recipe I used did not call for water, and I didn't add any. I used the IP lid BUT I had the valve on seal since I figured that I wanted less, not more, water to escape--now you all tell me it should be open. Yet, my pork roast (with carrots and parsnips thrown in) cooked through at the "normal" setting in 4 hours.
Results: the meat shredded beautifully but was a bit dry. Part of the reason is probably that it sat in the hot pot for an hour past the 4-hour cook time because we were just too busy to get to it yet? The other part is most likely because I slow cooked a cut of meat that isn't ideal for that process. But it was definitely done all the way through. If I were to do this recipe again, I might go with 3 or 3.5 hours for a 2-lb roast plus veg.
Chris says
I have played with this a bunch and I think the reality is the poster who said it must have the consistency of water is correct. And not just the consistency of water but......it needs to be water. The only time I have seen it hit the stated temps for low, med and high is when it was tested using water. The second I add anything that is not just water it is considerably lower even if it is a broth based soup. Not sure if it is the veggies resting on the bottom that throws it off but it is what it is and I just account for it by either cooking at a higher temp and/or longer. All the other functions, meat/stew, chili/beans, etc. work great so between all the different settings I am OK with it and overall the IP is my most used kitchen appliance. Well actually the convection microwave and omega juicer hold that honor as I use them every day.
Monique says
Used my IP yesterday with Slow Cook on Normal for 4 hours and vegetables were still raw and had used 2 cups of water. Very disappointed. Had to finish on Pressure Cooker for 1 more hour. Hope someone finds a solution.
Matt says
Echoing a lot of users comments here. I tried making a Thai chicken stew in my 8qt Instant Pot. It cooked for 8hrs on low and the vegetables were rock hard. I changed it to "soup" mode and let it cook for a couple more hours on high which did the trick, but the chicken ended up really tough and dry. I'm really bummed because I was hoping to get rid of our slow cooker to save some space, but I guess we'll have to keep it.
Sharon says
I have to agree. I got an 8qt Instant Pot for Christmas, the point was to get rid of my crock pot and pressure cooker. Loved the Pressure Cooker, but the Slow Cooker is worthless. I ended up Pressure Cooking a Pork Loin Roast instead of Slow Cooking it like I have for years. The instructions say to “Press this button”, “Cooking Program Key”. There isn’t a COOKING PROGRAM KEY”. Help.
Lee says
I tried my indtspot in slow cooker mode and it was a disaster. Not hot enough to cook anything. I followed the suggestion of not using the pressure lid. The pot does recognize when you place that lid on the pot even if you don’t lock it. I just used another pot lid I had that fits. The slow cooking mode sizzled the entire time and my meatloaf was finished in 4 hours set on “more”, the same as my traditional slow cooker crockpot when set on high. I did remove the pot lid after about 2 hours and tried the IP lid again but the sizzling immediately stopped and didn’t seem to kick back in. So if you want your IP to also be a slow cooker, it looks like you need to use a different lid than the IP lock lid
DB says
Thank you! Can't wait to try this!
Bradley says
3 qt IP slow cook test with 1.5 cup water.
Temps were measured with a Thermapen.
Temps were stable after 10 minutes (relay clicking) . Temps were the same at 10 and 30 minutes.
Low: 182 deg F
Norm: 191 deg F
More: 198 deg F
I tried both the glass and IP cover. Temps were within a degree with either cover.
Stephen says
I can also confirm these issues with slow-cooking in the Instant Pot. Tried to make beef stew with the slow-cook mode set to LOW and after 11 hours the potatoes were still crunchy.
Mark says
I see this thread is still going so my 2 cents. I tried slow cooking some chili yesterday and the IP(not slow cooker) recipe said to cook for 6 hours on low. It had at least 2 cups of liquid. I did 3 hours on normal but did the last 3 on "more". Took off the lid that never did get hot and it was warm but not cooked. I had to pressure cook for 15 minutes and then some of the peppers still had texture. Not crunchy, but not cooked all the way. I do keep the lid on but remove the pressure weight. I am trying now with water and a glass lid off another pot that fits perfectly. On high (more) I am getting 209 deg.F. On low 189 deg. F, and on normal 200 deg. F. This is with my Fluke thermocouple thermometer so should be pretty close. My theory is that the IP knows when the lid is on and this affects the slow cooking somehow. It may affect different versions of the IP differently.
Gail says
Today I tried to make hamburger soup in my instant pot using the slow cooker function on normal mode. I set the timer for 6 hours as suggested in the recipe and when I checked it after 6 hours the soup was barely warm and the vegetables were raw. I have had to cook it on the stove. I followed the instructions in the manual so am wondering what could be wrong and if I might have a faulty unit. I have had it for 3 months and successfully used it for pressure cooking and sauteing. What are your thoughts and advice?
Cait says
My son gave me an Instapot 'cause he loves his. I have 4 slow cookers (4-7qt sizes) that I use all the time, but I tried to use this gift last weekend for deconstructed cabbage rolls...2 hours on med and it was not even hot, so I switched to high for 4 hrs! I checked the temp with my instant read temperature thermometer and it was 165'. I called my son, who said he'd never tried the slow. I then tried pressure for 30 min, and the meal was cooked.
I did like the sauté feature, but as a replacement for my slow cookers, it was a JOKE!!!!. I'll keep it because it was a gift, but I'm keeping all the slow cookers as well. ps..I prefer the old fashioned ones I picked up at thrift stores for a few dollars.
PPS For Christmas, my son gave me a Gornemia sous vied cooker. Gotta love a guy who cooks.
Mary says
Tried cooking an online recipe of slow cooker yogurt Bundt cake in a 6 cup Bundt pan in the Instant Pot on Slow Cooker mode, high temp. Placed cake batter in pan on the rack and used a glass lid, leaving open a bit per the recipe. After the 2 hours it was just warm batter. Completely closed the lid and after another 2 hours the batter was just warm, but the lid had condensed water on it. Gave up and just baked the cake in the oven, and it was awesome. After reading comments by Bonnie and Tresy about the slow cooker mode requiring at least 1 1/2 cups liquid that means all baking type recipes will not work in it, because adding liquid would steam it instead of bake it. They should include this information in the user manual so people don't waste their time trying to bake things in the slow cooker mode with dry heat. Glad to know I'm not the only one having problems with it. Slow cooker mode worked for meatloaf though, so I know it works. Love the pressure cooking recipes still!!
Kathy says
That's why I'm here too - too unsuccessful attempts to cook a roast...not tender at all. And I got rid of my slow cooker! But I do love the IP as a pressure cooker. Just thought I might be doing something wrong.
Karen H says
So..... I'm getting ready to put southwest chicken chili in my instant pot this morning. Another attempt to use the slow cooker setting and the last time, like a lot of you, was a flop. I just saw that the vents need to be OPEN for the slow cooker to work so I'm hoping that is the issue I had before and maybe it'll help those that come here looking for answers in the future.
Lindsay says
I have the Instant Pot IP-LUX60 6-in-1, purchased in November 2016. I have used it as a slow cooker two times to make pork carnitas. Both attempts were successful, however, I did have to adjust cooking temp the first time. The recipe calls for cooking on low for 6-8 hours. But low on the IP just wasn't hot enough. So I switched to 'normal'. After 6 hours on normal, it was perfectly moist and shreddable. Total cook time was 8 hours; two on low and then 6 on normal. Second attempt, I did 6 hours on normal setting and it was once again perfect. Just like 8 hours in my traditional crock pot.
I don't know if this makes a difference or not, but I did purchase the glass lid and use that when slow cooking. (The manual says the glass lid is optional for slow cooking)
Mary says
I just used ip as slow cooker. Had a full pot of chili type soup with 2 lbs of chicken breast. Set it on high and cooked for 7 hours. I checked on it after 8 hours and when I opened the lid it didn't feel hot. It was warm. And the meet was still tough. Now re-cooking under manual mode for 30 minutes.... I hope my soup is still edible....
Vnelson says
I noticed that all the complaints about this began in February. I purchased the IP 8 quart a few weeks ago and tried slow cooking with no success. It never warmed up to the right temperature which was supposed to be above 200F on High.
I tried an experiment with 1.5 cups of water on the Slow Cook High setting and checked the temperature several times in the course of one hour. Each time the water temperature was only about 160F. I did hear the heating element turn on and off several times during the hour. I believe 160F is supposed to be the "low" setting.
I think the Slow Cook programming in newer (?) units is incorrect.
There have also been times when the Sautee function will say On but the unit does not heat up at all and, of course, never reaches HOT.
Something is wrong and it is not "user error".
Lisa G. says
I have also had a problem with my new instant pot using the slow cook mode. I tried cooking a large chuck roast and it turned out terrible! Started on low, it was barely warm after 3 hours. Turned to medium, not much difference after 4 hours. Finally turned to high to get it to cook, but it turned out very tough, not tender at all. I may return mine and go back to a regular slow cooker, which always produces a very tender and tasty meal. I was so excited to get the instant pot, but now just very disappointed.
Emily B. says
I've got the IP Duo 60 and we tried today to use a slow cooker recipe for beef stew. Set on low, left for 6 hours "cooking"... My husband opened it up mid afternoon to check it as he said it smelled the same as when he had put it in. It was. Luckily he checked it in time to still hit the "stew" program and have it ready for dinner!
Tresy says
I came here because I was looking for some explanation of my two most recent slow cooker experiences, both bad. Tried out 2 breakfast bread recipes in 175 Best Instant Pot Recipes that used Slow Cooker on Low for up to 5 hours. Both recipes came out completely undercooked. Today's recipe I'm trying to salvage in in the oven. Was instructed to cook it in the pot in a springform pan. No water. Put it on the steamer rack just to get it off the bottom of the pot. Total disaster. It's been in the over now for nearly and hour and still not fully set yet. If low is really 190°F, that would explain a lot, though "More" at 210°F is hardly better.
MELANIE says
I've tried twice to use my IP as a slow cooker. Both times trying to cook a simple pork tenderloin covered with BBQ sauce as I had before my slow cooker died. First time on low - came home to uncooked tenderloin after being gone 10 hours. 2nd time bumped up temp to medium and after 10 hours, it was not cooked again. I'm going to try one last time on high and see what happens. I had hoped to avoid having to buy a new slow cooker but my IP hasn't come thru for me yet.
CG says
As a follow-up to my earlier post, after reading Bonnie's post and noting that my email from InstantPot said the same thing as hers about the liquid needing to have the consistency of water, I did a test today in which I cooked only potatoes in water, and they were cooked after 7 hours on low. So it does seem to have some connection with the liquid, but I agree entirely with Bonnie that it does seem to defeat some of the recipes like some stews and other recipes that that have a thicker liquid in which the ingredients cook.
CG says
I used the slow cooker function twice on low and had the same results that many people are reporting, the potatoes, carrots, celery and even onions in the stew were not cooked after eight hours. The second time I used it, the liquid was lukewarm and the meat wasn't even cooked, let alone the vegetables. I turned the temp up to high and cooked for another hour. There was no change in the vegetables.
I contacted InstantPot and they had me run some tests with water and said to make sure not to touch the timer function, lid on venting position, etc. I followed all their instructions, did another stew and still ended up with uncooked vegetables after eight hours. I'm very frustrated because I really liked the idea of a multi-function pot, especially with the browning feature.
Claire says
I had a similar experience when cooking beef stew on the slow cooker mode. I used "low" temp for 6 hours which used to work with my crockpot. I checked the stew and it was nowhere near done so I bumped it up to "medium" left it a couple more hours and still the potatoes were nowhere near done. I finally just transferred the stew to a dutch oven and put it on the stove and simmered it another 2 hours. Finally done enough to eat but potatoes still hard. Seems the slow cooker feature on the IP just does not get hot enough. Might try another recipe on "high" and see if I get anywhere. This is disappointing thus far because I was hoping to have one appliance to work as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, etc. and it's not seeming to work that way.
Bonnie says
I tried the slow cooker mode on high for 6 hours and it wasn't even warm. I contacted IP help and did a water test which did warm the water with the slow cooker. IP help said that when using the slow cooking mode that you need to have at least 1 1/2-2 cups of water. I have not tried the slow cooker with water yet but it does seem to defeat some of the recipes that don't require that kind of liquid
Lisa says
I'm returning my IP but wanted to report my findings in case it's helpful to someone else. I really only cook two things in my slow cooker: kalua pork and Trader Joe's pot roast. I've done this probably close to 100 times so I know what kind of results to expect after 10-24 hours (depending on size of meat). So first, I tried pressure cooking kalua pork. After 90 minutes, the meat was not shreddable, not even close. Kept adding more and more time and finally the meat was shreddable with a fork, but the meat was just not as tender as when cooked in a slow cooker. In fact, the meat felt dry and stringy, like the fibers had not broken down. So I thought fine, if it works on the slow cooker setting, then I'll keep it. I did a side by side test, 4lbs pork butt in the IP on slow cooker mode "normal" setting and 4lbs pork butt in a crockpot low setting. I set the timer for 18 hours and went to sleep. 10 hours later, the meat in the slow cooker was absolutely tender and shreddable as expected. The meat in the IP was not even close. I left the meat in the IP for the entire 18 hours, adjusting to "high" for the last 3 hours and still struggled to shred the meat, which was just dry dry dry! So, I'm returning my IP and sticking to my crock pot!
A couple things to note: when my crockpot is on low, it gets hot enough to boil liquid. The IP did not even come close to boiling when on normal, and I saw one or two bubbles on high. So it seems even when the IP is on high, it's not even close temperature-wise to low on my crockpot.
Laurie says
I've had the same experience with pork loin (chops and roast)! Tried the "low" setting for 6 hours - not shreddable and dry. I added a hour at "high" but the same outcome. So I tried it again on "normal" for 8 hours and it was shreddable but SOOOOO DRY! I'd love to figure out how to use the slow cook function to cut down on the number of kitchen appliances but I'm not willing to eat dry meat! 🙂
Laurie says
Also, I've tried to pressure cook pork loin chops and had the same experience. Dry and not shreddable. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. 🙁
Lacey says
This has happened to me, however I have found that I just need to add more liquid. I know recipes say at least one cup, with roasts or shredded pork, I add about two cups of liquid (broth, water, whatever) and they come out perfect every time. I have even been successful using pork chops for shredded pork in a jam (I realized too late that I in fact had not purchased pork butt)--the IP shredded them just like a roast. Even from frozen!
Pat says
I had a bad first experience with the IP as a slow cooker. Then I emailed IP people Jan. 7. Still haven't heard from them. They assigned me some ticket that I could check the status of my question. Couldn't access it. So, I read comments and watched videos. I cooked a 3 lb. roast for 7 hours. I added 2 cups of broth (as suggested by so many), hit slow cooker; normal (not low); for 7 hours using a favorite recipe. It turned out very well.
Larissa says
This is the same problem I am having. Slow cooker white beans and ham hocks in crock pot are are silky and tender after 10 hours, same time in IP on low, raw beans.
Yesterday I tried my kalua pork which I normally make in crock pot for 10 hours on low for tender, succulent pork. Put pork butt in IP on medium at 2pm yesterday and this morning the pork has released lots of liquid, but it's hard as a rock, not even close to falling apart. Unfortunately I donated my crock pot and my pressure cooker thinking the r IP would replace both, but that's not the case. I'm disappointed....
Ash says
I have exactly the same problem in my IP. I've tried oxtail, beef, lentils and the slow cooker has never worked. I've had to pressure cook. Is there any other setting that can yield a higher temperature?
Jo says
I wonder if it is because the pressure release valve has to be set on 'vent' and not 'sealed'. In a conventional crock pot, the lid is closed and not to be opened, thus keeping all that wonderful moisture inside the pot with the food. In the IP, that moisture can escape through the vent opening and seems to me like that would contribute to lack of moisture in the food, leaving it dry, dry, dry. Maybe?
Jillian Rocchio says
My first time slow cooking a pot roast, I put it on the lowest setting because I was going to be out all day.... when I came home, it was not at all close to done. I still had to pressure cook it.
Today, I tried a pork roast on the medium slow cook setting for 7 hours. When I came home 9 hours later, the screen said "OFF". The manual says it should stay in a "keep warm" mode for 10 hours after the slow cooking is done, so I'm not sure why my slow cooker was off.
For now, I am going to stick to pressure cooking with it and use my slow cooker for slow cooking.... but I wish I could trust it to be more reliable with slow cooking!
Margaret says
I have only tried the Instant Pot for slow cooking twice.
neither times successsful.
The first was a scalloped potato recipe, followed all the directions, after the specified time 5 hours potatoes still hard and had turned black.. Added two more hours, Nothing. Next day put them in the oven with more milk. No good. They did turnout in a potato soup very succssfully.
Today I tried , Golabki, unstuffed cabbage roll recipe. six hours on high, meat not cooked cabbage still hard. I have put them back in for another twohours. We will see.
What is the problem with the cooker?
Kate says
I tried using my 6 quart duo to slow cook some split pea soup, and the peas were still hard when I got home from work 9 hours later. I used low, and I only tried it because I was curious. Next time I'll try it on medium.
DT says
Mike –
I have not at this point ever used my LUX60 as a “slow cooker” but I soon plan to. So this topic is of great interest to me. Am looking forward to seeing what the conclusions are.
- augustwest
Aaron Friedman says
I use it quite often to cook tomato meat sauce for pasta. I've used Low and Medium and they've worked fine.
Chip says
You might find this recent article interesting:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/why-pressure-cookers-are-better-than-slow-cookers.html
Bev Gagnon says
I just used my Instant Pot as a slow cooker for the first time two days ago. I made a Mississippi Pot Roast with a 3 lb. Chuck roast, used the slow cooker function on "normal" for 6 hours. The meat was soft, tender, and flavorful. The original slow cooker directions called for cooking on "low" for 6 to 8 hours, so the IP is probably a little hotter on normal than a traditional slow cooker on low? I'll be watching for your test results!
Jeanne in Ohio says
I've used the slow cook function many times. I always use the higher setting and the time that I'd use for my other slow cookers (I have at least 6). I've been happy with the slow cooker modeon the IP, although I'll keep my others because I have various sizes for various uses.
Kate says
Hi Jeanne, with all of your slow cooking experience, maybe you can answer my question. I have a slow cook recipe that calls for 1/2 cup of liquid. Will the IP function properly in slow cook mode with that amount of liquid? Adding more to come up to the suggested pressure cooking minimum of 1-1 1/2 cups will ruin the recipe. I'm just not sure if the IP cooks using pressure or just plain heat in the slow cooker mode.
BThompson says
Hi Kate,
You might have already found out the answer to this, but the IP on "Slow Cook" mode does not use pressure, so you should be able to use the 1/2 liquid just as your recipe describes.
That said, the IP website does mention it's VERY IMPORTANT to make sure your lid is set in the "vent" position when using the slow cook method. That way it's not building up any pressure.
hope that helps!! 🙂
Bonnie says
thank you
Elizabeth says
You could purchase the IP lid for slow cooking and to use as a cover when other foods are on the warm mode.
Susanne L says
I tried a recipe from the Asian Slow Cooker for Sriracha Chili Chicken wings. The recipe called for 4 hrs on low but in the IP on medium slow cook it was done in 2 hours and they were just about falling apart.
I think if you are using the IP as a slow cooker the times need to be adjusted... I'd feel uncomfortable setting it in the morning and coming back late in the day unless its a very forgiving meat.
I regularly make congee in the IP and as I like mine very smooth. I start it manually for about a half hour and after I release the pressure I switch it to slow cook medium and let it go all night. Gets that Chinese restaurant texture that used to elude me.
Brent Weaver says
I've used the IP Duo for slow cooking quite a bit and find that the medium setting works about like low mode on a traditional crockpot. Just last week needed to make kalua pork for a crowd of students and used my older slow cooker and my IP in slow cook mode; both batches turned out excellent. Beans, etc. work great on IP's medium setting.
Love the blog, congratulations from another Dad who cooks for his family.
Mike V says
Thanks, Brent!
Ruth says
Do you need to modify crock pot recipes for the ip? Such as reducing amount of liquid?