The Instant Pot is one of the most popular electric pressure cookers on the market. It has a variety of pre-programmed settings that make cooking foods like beans, stews, and chilis extremely convenient. One of the settings on the Instant Pot is the “Bean Chili” setting. This setting is specifically designed to perfectly cook bean-based chilis.
How the Bean Chili Setting Works
When you use the Bean Chili setting on the Instant Pot, it automatically adjusts the time and temperature to optimize cooking beans from scratch. Here’s an overview of what happens during this setting:
- Pressurizing – The Instant Pot builds up pressure to reach high temperatures needed to properly cook beans.
- Cooking Time – The beans cook for a preset time under pressure. This softens the beans and allows them to absorb flavors.
- Natural Release – After cooking, the Instant Pot switches to the “keep warm” setting and allows pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. This prevents beans from overcooking.
The exact timings vary across Instant Pot models, but most cook beans for around 28-30 minutes followed by a 10 minute natural pressure release. So in total, you get tender, flavorful beans in around 40 minutes!
Benefits of the Bean Chili Setting
Cooking beans in an Instant Pot has several advantages over traditional stovetop or slow cooker methods. The Bean Chili setting offers the following benefits:
- Evenly cooked beans – The pressurized environment gently and thoroughly cooks every single bean.
- Timing convenience – No need to monitor stovetop pots. Just set it and walk away.
- Nutrient retention – Pressure cooking retains more nutrients compared to boiling.
- Perfect texture – Beans turn out perfectly tender, never mushy.
- Flavor infusion – Beans absorb seasonings for a rich, flavorful chili.
You’d have to carefully control temperature, time, and release to achieve similar results on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. The Bean Chili program automates this process.
Tips for Using the Setting
Follow these tips when using the Bean Chili setting:
- Make sure beans are completely submerged in liquid. Add broth or water if needed.
- Stir in seasonings like chili powder, cumin, garlic, and onion.
- Saute aromatics like onions for 1-2 minutes before pressure cooking.
- Let pressure fully release when finished cooking. Don’t rush the release.
- Check beans for doneness after cooking. Cook for a few more minutes if still too firm.
- Add tomatoes, peppers, corn, etc after cooking beans since these cook quickly.
Sample Recipe
To give you an idea of how to use the Bean Chili setting, here is a tasty sample recipe:
Instant Pot Bean Chili
Ingredients:
- 1 pound dry beans (pinto, black, kidney, etc), rinsed
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
- 32 oz vegetable or chicken broth
Instructions:
- Select Bean Chili setting and adjust time if needed based on bean type.
- Add all ingredients except tomatoes to Instant Pot.
- Cook under pressure for preset time.
- Allow for natural pressure release for 10 minutes.
- Release remaining pressure manually.
- Stir in tomatoes and taste. Adjust seasonings as desired.
- Serve chili topped with your favorite extras like avocado, cheese, etc.
The bean chili setting makes this delicious chili nearly effortless! You can use this basic recipe as a template and customize with your favorite chili ingredients.
Troubleshooting
Here are some common issues and how to troubleshoot them when using the bean chili setting:
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Beans are undercooked | Increase cook time in 5-10 minute increments until beans are tender. |
| Beans are mushy | Reduce cook time. Check beans at 25 minutes. |
| Chili lacks flavor | Stir in more spices, broth concentrate, or salt to taste. |
| Burn or error message | Make sure liquid covers beans. Add more if needed. |
Checking beans early and adjusting time is an easy fix for under or overcooked beans. For best results, use the preset time as a starting point and tweak as needed based on your preferences.
Conclusion
The bean chili setting on the Instant Pot is an incredibly useful function for easily making flavorful chili with perfectly cooked beans. It eliminates the guesswork and monitoring required for stovetop or slow cooker bean dishes. For best results, make sure beans are submerged, season well, and allow for a full natural release. In just 40 minutes or less, you can enjoy tender, hearty beans ready for chili night!