• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
    • Featured On
    • Meet the Team
  • Food
  • Family
  • Fun
    • Travel
    • Holidays
  • Check Out Our Shop

Our WabiSabi Life

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
    • Featured On
    • Meet the Team
  • Food
  • Family
  • Fun
    • Travel
    • Holidays
  • Check Out Our Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
      • Featured On
      • Meet the Team
    • Food
    • Family
    • Fun
      • Travel
      • Holidays
    • Check Out Our Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Food

    The Instant Pot Burn Message: What It Is & How to Avoid It

    By Debi Leave a Comment

    This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This site also accepts sponsored content

    The surest way to avoid an Instant Pot upset is to follow tried and tested recipes.

    However, whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned pro (excuse the pun), it’s never a bad idea to revisit the basics.  

    On that note, we’ve put together a quick guide to ensure you know what that the Instant Pot burn message is and how you can avoid it.  

    A small bowl full of Greek Yogurt topped with granola, bananas, and a strawberry.

    #1: The Instant Pot Basics

    There are a variety of cooking modes available to you on the Instant Pot. These include everything from Manual to Saute to Slow Cook and even Yogurt cooking settings. 

    But how do you work them? 

    You simply select the function (i.e. slow cook), and adjust the time and pressure to suit your recipe. It’s important to find a recipe site that provides you with all the instruction you need for Instant Pot cooking modes and pressure release methods.

    #2: What is the “Burn” Message?

    The “Burn” message means don’t panic. The great thing about the Instant Pot is – it lets you know what is going on with your dish. Your cooker or microwave would just keep incinerating your meal without so much as a beep. 

    However, it’s rarely your food that’s burning. More often than not the Instant Pot burn message is an alert to let you know that your pot has detected a high temperature at the bottom of the cooking dish. 

    #3: Always Add Water

    Instant Pot best practice dictates that you always use enough liquid for your dish. This allows the pot to bring the cooker to pressure. 

    How much liquid should you add? 

    Estimates vary and should be applied based on what recipe you decide to use. For example, many Instant Pot chicken recipes will call for at least half a cup of water.

    Image Source: No Attribution Required

    WARNING! If you don’t use enough liquid you will get the burn message. Simply add more water after the Instant Pot has fully cooled down if this occurs. 

    #4: Use the Trivet

    Using the trivet is a tried and tested way to never burn your dish. 

    The trivet makes sure no food gets stuck at the bottom of the inner pot – and makes getting the burn message almost impossible. 

    #5: Only Cook What is Appropriate

    You should only cook what is considered suitable or proper within the Instant Pot guidelines or according to top-notch Instant Pot recipes.

    This means, no fried chicken or turning your pot into a deep fat fryer. 

    We trust that you’ll understand that this may trigger something far worse than the burn message. 

    #6: Is Your Liquid Too Thick?

    What’s worse than a lack of liquid? Thick liquid, that’s what. 

    Cooking thick tomato or cream-based sauces can cause the burn message to trigger. That’s because those thicker (sometimes starchier) sauces are more likely to get stuck on the bottom of the pot, which is what causes the burn message in the first place.

    #7: Is Your Instant Pot Properly Sealed?

    If your Instant Pot is not sealed correctly it can leak steam. That will cause the food at the bottom of the pot to burn. 

    And, you guessed it, that will trigger the burn message. 

    It’s wise to be mindful of instant pot best practice to ensure you get the most of your recipes and most importantly avoid that burn message. 

    More Food

    • Beef Enchilada Casserole
      🥘 Top 10 Casserole Recipes for Busy Weeknights
    • Beef Enchilada Casserole
      Beef Enchilada Casserole: Easy Family Dinner
    • mac and cheese casserole
      Macaroni and Cheese Casserole: Creamy, Cheesy Comfort for Busy Families
    • Vegetable Lasagna
      Easy Vegetable Lasagna: A Cheesy, Veggie-Packed Family Dinner

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Debi!

    Welcome to my world. I am a 40 something year old mom to a lot of kids and a lot of pets. When I am not busy with the kids, grandkids, or animals, I love to do crafts and read.

    I love to knit and can often be found working on a project.

    More about me →

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    Popular

    • Beef Enchilada Casserole
      🥘 Top 10 Casserole Recipes for Busy Weeknights
    • Beef Enchilada Casserole
      Beef Enchilada Casserole: Easy Family Dinner
    • mac and cheese casserole
      Macaroni and Cheese Casserole: Creamy, Cheesy Comfort for Busy Families
    • Vegetable Lasagna
      Easy Vegetable Lasagna: A Cheesy, Veggie-Packed Family Dinner

    Patriotic

    You must use the category name, not a URL, in the category field.

    As seen in

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Media Kit

    AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE, I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.

    Our WabiSabi Life is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

      Buy fashion girls boots from DHgate.com

    Copyright © 2025 ·Our Wabi Sabi Life· ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkPrivacy policy