The first time I saw the dreaded burn message on my Instant Pot, I was both terrified and frustrated. But, I wasn't ready to give up on my pressure cooker. So, I figured out what it meant, how to fix it and how to prevent it in the future. If your Instant Pot says burn, I got you. Read on for everything you need to know to get back to the fun of pressure cooking.
Jump to:
- What does the burn warning mean on my Instant Pot?
- How do you fix a burn notice on an Instant Pot?
- How to avoid a burn message in the future
- Will Instant Pot still cook if it says burn?
- How do I bypass burn warning on Instant Pot?
- Instant Pot says burn then went away
- How to clean a burnt Instant Pot
- Instant Pot recipes
- Similar articles
- Fast facts
What does the burn warning mean on my Instant Pot?
Here's the good news: your Instant Pot looks out for you.
It's equipped with sensors that alert you when the temperature at the bottom of your pot is getting too hot. You'll hear frantic beeping and see a message on the LED screen that reads "BURN", "OvHT", "HOT" or "Foodburn" (differs by model).
By the time this warning goes off, your Instant Pot probably has a bit of burned food attached to the bottom. When it detects this, it raises the alarm and stops cooking to prevent your entire meal from turning into a scorched mess. Again, it's got your back.
If this is happening to you often, it can be frustrating. But, there are actually a number of steps you can take to minimize how often you see the dreaded "BURN" message in the future. Keep reading for all the details.
How do you fix a burn notice on an Instant Pot?
Despite initial alarm, the Instant Pot's burn notice doesn't have to be a sign of disaster. Your meal could still turn out great.
It's important to act fast when the Instant Pot sets off a burn warning. It's not only safer, but also ensures you can save your precious dinner. Cause nobody wants to start from scratch.
When the burn notification goes off, press cancel and then perform a quick release to release any pressure built up inside the pot (use a tea towel to open the valve and step away quickly to avoid the steam).
From there, you'll want to remove the lid and start looking for the culprit. Here are the usual suspects:
- Check the bottom of the pot. If any food is stuck, you'll want to scrape and dislodge it before resuming cooking.
- Check if there's enough liquid. You need at least 1 cup of liquid in the Instant Pot. If things are looking a little dry, add ½ cup of liquid before you resume cooking. This will usually solve the problem.
- Check the device. Sometimes it's the Instant Pot itself. Make sure the silicone ring is properly inserted. Check that the inner pot is correctly placed and there's nothing caught between the pot and burner. And finally, check the floating valve to ensure it is clean as any food debris can prevent it from moving up and down correctly.
Once you've checked and fixed the potential causes listed above, you can go back to cooking your meal. Replace the lid, seal the pot, and set it to cook for the time you had left.
Pro Tip: If you don't know how much time was left in your recipe when the burn notice went off, the best you can do is guess. Since that's not ideal, I've started setting a separate timer on my phone to track the progress of my recipe. That way, if the burn message goes off, I know where the recipe was at and how much time remains.
How to avoid a burn message in the future
Now that you know how to address a burn error when it happens, let's talk about how to prevent the dreaded message in the future.
You might be wondering (like I once was): "Why do I keep getting a burn message?!" Well, there are a number of reasons you might be running into the issue again and again. But, the good news is that most of them are pretty solvable.
From now on, every time you prepare to use your Instant Pot, be sure to do these things:
- Use enough liquid. Always use a minimum of 1 cup of liquid when pressure cooking. When there isn't enough liquid, or when the liquid is too thick, your Instant Pot will struggle to reach pressure and you'll see a burn warning. Well-tested recipes will take this into account, so pick from recipe developers you trust.
- Deglaze after sautéing. If you use the sauté function prior to pressure cooking, you'll need to deglaze the bottom of the pot before switching cooking methods. Any food that remains stuck to the bottom will cause the dreaded burn message.
- Add ingredients in the right order. Starchy ingredients have a tendency to burn. If your recipe calls for starchy ingredients, put them in last and do not stir. This will help separate them from the bottom of the pot, preventing sticking and burning. In a good recipe, liquid ingredients will always be listed first.
- Add burn-prone ingredients after pressure cooking. There are some ingredients that are just prone to scalding. These include many thickeners, like milk, cream and cornstarch. It also includes thick, sticky sauces.
- Check your equipment. An improperly sealed lid will cause the Instant Pot to cook and cook your ingredients as it attempts to reach pressure. Eventually, the liquid will have evaporated and your food will begin to burn. Double-check that your sealing ring isn't damaged or dirty and is properly inserted. Then check that the inner pot is properly placed and nothing is caught between the pot and burner. Finally, be sure that the pressure valve is clean and set to the sealing position.
Will Instant Pot still cook if it says burn?
No, your Instant Pot will automatically stop cooking when the burn notification is set off. Sometimes it will cool down and resume cooking once it’s reached a lower temperature. But, it's in your best interest to address the warning right away, or it might continue to go off through the cooking process and completely ruin your meal.
Scroll up for the troubleshooting steps you need to take when the burn error goes off.
How do I bypass burn warning on Instant Pot?
If you're wondering how to ignore the burn notice on your instant pot, you can't. Since the burn message is a safety feature in your pressure cooker, there is no way to override it. You'll need to hit cancel, do a quick release on the pressure, and troubleshoot. Once you've found the culprit, you can resume cooking and finish your recipe.
Scroll up for the troubleshooting steps you need to take when the burn error goes off.
Instant Pot says burn then went away
Since the burn message is really just alerting you that the inner pot is getting too hot, it's possible that it cools back down on its own and resumes cooking.
That said, it will often go off again a few minutes later because something is amiss. Whether it's food stuck to the bottom or an improperly sealed Instant Pot, there's usually a reason the pressure cooker overheated. So, your better bet is to go through the troubleshooting steps, fix the issue, and finish your recipe in peace.
Scroll up for the troubleshooting steps you need to take when the burn error goes off.
How to clean a burnt Instant Pot
I hope it doesn't come to this. But, if you open your Instant Pot and see a scorched mess, you'll probably need to start over. Here's how to clean your pot and get it ready for round two:
- Remove as much food as you can from the inner pot, then fill it with warm soapy water.
- After letting it soak for some time, give it some elbow grease and scrub away those pesky scorch marks.
- If there are still stains left over, you'll need something a little more heavy duty. Grab a non-abrasive cloth and dampen it with Bar Keepers Friend or a little baking soda. Either remedy will help rescue even the stickiest of dishes.
Here's what you'll need
- Non-abrasive scrub or silicone pot and pan scraper (use mine all the time!)
- Bar keepers friend
- Baking soda
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Your Instant Pot says burn. Now you know how to rescue it. So, let's get back to the fun part: cooking. Below are a few of my favourite things to make in the pressure cooker.
Similar articles
Fast facts
So, your Instant Pot keeps saying burn. Here's what you need to know:
- Your Instant Pot is equipped with sensors that alert you when the temperature at the bottom of your pot is getting too hot.
- When this happens, you'll see a burn message.
- Be sure to cancel, do a quick release of the pressure, and fix the issue before resuming cooking.
- The most common culprits for the burn message are from food being stuck to the bottom of the pot, not enough liquid, or an incorrectly sealed pressure cooker.
- To prevent this error in the future, you'll also want to add your ingredients in the right order and add thick ingredients after cooking in the pressure cooker.
Do you have any other tips on preventing the Instant Pot burn message? Let me know in the comments below.
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