# Question for Instant Pot users

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-instant-pot-users/793918>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 17, 2017, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-instant-pot-users/793918 "2017-08-17T22:58:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-instant-pot-users/793918/1 "2017-08-17T22:58:45Z")

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I bought one earlier this week, and have used it twice. My question is this: HOW can I cook something in it, and not have my whole house smell like what I cooked afterwards? 😕 The first time I used it, the beef stew smell wouldn’t go away, and I swear I can still detect a trace of it. I boiled eggs in it earlier this afternoon, and am afraid the same thing is going to happen with those.

I will add that in both cases, I vented it before opening the pot. Would that make the difference?

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**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-instant-pot-users/793918/2 "2017-08-18T01:57:07Z")

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I have a regular stovetop pressure cooker, not an Instant Pot - venting the steam all at once it can be “aromatic”; letting it sit and cool down “naturally” would help, I think, IF the recipe allows for that option (with some foods, you want to release the pressure quickly to prevent overcooking - for example your beef stew might be OK if you just let it sit and cool down for a while, your eggs might not.)

An advantage of a traditional cooker is that rather than venting you also have the option to reduce pressure/temperature quickly by running cold water over it in the sink - obviously you can’t do that with an electric model.

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**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-instant-pot-users/793918/3 "2017-08-18T02:15:37Z")

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I vented the beef stew because I was hungry. Guess I wasn’t as hungry as I thought. :smack: The egg smell seems to have dissipated.

The manual says you can speed the decompression by draping a wet cloth over the top of the lid. I just might try that tactic next time.