One of the cool things about getting something new is learning all the features and unique language surrounding whatever you got. However, sometimes it can feel intimidating, but I hope to ease some of your worries.
Answer: QPR or Quick Pressure Release and Quick Release, as commonly referred to, is a method of turning the pressure release valve promptly after cooking has finished to let the steam pressure out immediately. Make sure your hands and arms are away from the vent area!
I already wrote an article on NPR
or natural pressure release, but here we will look at some of the Quick Pressure release’s special considerations. Some of the safety information in this post applies to any pressure cooker you use, and you should keep it in mind at all times when pressure cooking and using QPR.
Before we get started, it is essential to note that you should not use the QPR unless your recipe calls for its use. You might think this sounds silly, but before you ruin a meal, clog your vent, dirty your lid and cooker, or possibly even injure yourself. Let me teach you a little about the subject.
Due to the pressure built up and the resulting steam from the cooking process, your pressure cooker is under a lot of pressure (sorry for the pun ;D). The pressure inside the container is the same as many car tire pressures. Importantly, if you use QPR and cook a portion of food known to foam up, like rice or other starchy foods, you run the risk of clogging the tiny vent hole. So you should pay close attention to the recipe and instructions of the recipe.
So first, you might want to know how to use the QPR on your Ninja Foodi; keep reading to find out.
How to Use Quick Pressure Release for my Ninja Foodi
Using the Ninja Foodi pressure cooking lid’s QPR function is really simple once your Foodi beeps indicating that it is done, use a wooden spoon or similar to turn the pressure release vent from seal to vent.
Ensure the pressure is released right after the cooking is finished, within 3 minutes sooner if possible. Once you have the vent opened, steam and droplets of water will start to shoot out, making a hissing noise, and just let things run their course, and the pressure will dissipate from the Foodi until the lid unlocks. Sometimes this process can take a while, and that is normal.
Once done, the lid will automatically unlock for you, allowing you to twist it open and follow the next steps in your recipe.
I know I talked about the safety side of things, but I will give you some more details in the following section.
Important Considerations When Using QPR (any pressure cooker)
QPR is said to increase the temperature when used. However, when using NPR, you are adding more cook time to your recipe.
Using the quick release can be a little hazardous if you are not careful. Do not open the vent with your face over the lid, and keep your hands and arms away.
Last, in this section, any kinds of foods that tend to bubble or foam or produce a thick stock have the potential to squirt from the release vent and make a mess. Worse, if they land on you, it would be very easy to burn your skin because the liquid will be, scalding and it is more likely to stay in the same spot than water. For this reason, you should use the natural release method whenever you are cooking these types of foods.
What is Natural Pressure Release?
Unlike the quick release (QPR), where you are opening the vent very soon after the cook time completes. The NPR is where you leave the vent in the closed position and let the cooker release the pressure at a natural rate.
Some recipes will give you a time for this, and others will tell you until you can open the lid. We did write an article on this already, so you might want to check it out. Ninja Foodi NPR
Will My Ninja Foodi Explode?
No, it is improbable that your Ninja Foodi is going to explode. The worst thing I have found is people trying to force the lid open have had the lid pop off.
Beyond that, it would likely take catastrophic failure for your Ninja Foodi to explode.
What is a Steam Diverter Ninja Foodi?
So you can use a spoon or utensil of some type to open the vent and release the pressure, but another option is to use a steam diverter. These little attachments go onto the vent and redirect the steam where ever you point to the outlet. They also give you an easy way to reach for and open the vent without worry about the hot steam to get your hand or arm.
Not to mention several of them are cute, lol. We have found a few of these linked in our For Your Kitchen section under Specialty Items.
