How To Avoid The Instant Pot 'Burn' Error

If you're new to learning about Instant Pots or have been around the block, you've probably discovered that you'll run into some hit-or-miss moments when it comes to working with one — from using the wrong setting to simply just forgetting to plug the power cord in! However, one of the most frustrating mistakes of all has to be the "burn" error function.

The dreaded "burn" error beeping on the Instant Pot is essentially the smoke alarm function that lets you know something within the pot is too hot. Unfortunately, saving your recipe once something starts to burn can be tricky. Plus, once you open your pot to see what went wrong, it may not always be obvious.

You can't ignore the "burn" error, and fixing the recipe may be out of the question. Your best bet is to stop it from going off in the first place. Learn more about the "burn" error function on the Instant Pot and how with a few tricks, you can avoid it before your Instant Pot recipe even starts cooking.

You might see the words "BURN," "HOT," "OvHt," or "Food Burn" appear on your Instant Pot, depending on your make and model. But does this warning always indicate that something is burning? According to Pressure Cooking Today, not necessarily.

The burn error sensor on the Instant Pot essentially lets you know that the temperature in the pot is too hot, usually for one of four reasons: the cooking pot isn't positioned correctly inside the pressure cooker, the interior temperature is too hot, there's not enough liquid in the cooking pot, or the food on the bottom of the cooking pot is preventing the heat from distributing properly. Thankfully, most of these are preventable. For starters, before you even begin cooking your meal, be sure that your pot is adjusted securely and evenly within the pressure cooker. You'll also want to ensure the sealing ring is flush with no gaps.

Another reason Instant Pots tend to "burn" is because there isn't enough liquid at the bottom of the pot. Insider states that at least one cup of liquid should help prevent the burn notice from appearing. Last but not least, if your recipe calls for sautéing ingredients before cooking the recipe, make sure you scrape the bottom of the cooking pot well so that there are no burnt bits left on the bottom, as this can disrupt the dispensing of the heat.

Even if you've done everything correctly before sealing your lid and walking away, you may still run into the "burn" error from time to time. But that doesn't mean your Instant Pot dinner recipe isn't salvageable.

The first thing you'll want to do is press "cancel" and use the "quick pressure release" function. Once the float valve drops, carefully remove the lid and begin investigating. If food has burned on the bottom of the pot, remove the food and scrap up the bits of food. If there's a significant amount of burning, remove the pot and clean it before transferring the food back into it.

To finish your food after you've fixed the issue, give the recipe some more liquid if needed and remove any burnt pieces of food (i.e., cut off any burnt pieces of meat). However, if you're working with a thick sauce or a "quick-cooking" dish, your best bet is to finish cooking the meal on the sauté feature to prevent the "burn" notice from going off again, or transfer the dish to the stovetop or the oven.