Your pressure cooker and dinner can be ruined with too much food or too little liquid. Too much food could block the pressure valve while too little liquid can permanently damage the cooker’s metal, bakelite and silicone fittings. Here’s everything you need to know to keep your pressure cooker on the level and dinner coming.
- What is a pressure cooker’s maximum capacity?
- Why should I care about my pressure cooker’s maximum capacity?
- How can I figure out my pressure cooker’s maximum capacity?
- This is getting too technical, just tell me how much rice, beans or stock I can make in my pressure cooker!
- Is there a minimum pressure cooker capacity?
- Can I use something other than water to reach my pressure cooker’s minimum liquid requirement?
What is a pressure cooker’s maximum capacity?
There are two maximum pressure cooker capacities and they depend on the ingredients being used.
- Max 1/2 Full for Beans, Rice, Grains, Dehydrated Foods and Fruit – These foods either expand during cooking or generate lots of foam (or both). Beans can swell to twice their size during cooking and some grains, even more. They also generate lots of foam and bubbles – which climb up the sides of the cooker to spray out of the valves – plugging them up. This class of ingredients should also be opened using Natural Release method – which avoids the foamy starchy, bubbly, goo from spraying out of the valve during the pressure release, too.
- Max 2/3 Full for Everything Else – Foods that don’t generally get any larger during cooking, bubble or foam are in this category and this includes meats, vegetables, soups and stocks.
If your recipe has lots of different ingredients, say a soup with vegetables and some beans, then you can go up to 2/3 full but if you’re cooking only one primary ingredient, say a bean chili, then you should respect that ingredient’s maximum capacity – 1/2 full .
Why should I care about my pressure cooker’s maximum capacity?
A pressure cooker’s maximum capacity is, in fact, a safety feature. In order for a pressure cooker to receive UL rating, their manual must contain text to this effect.
Pressure cooker maximum capacities apply to all pressure cookers types (electric, jiggler, weight-modified and spring valves), shapes (pressure pans, stock pot- and braiser-type cookers), sizes (from 1 to 12L) and origins (Europe, Asia, America). That’s because all pressure cookers have valves and safety mechanisms placed in the lid.
The maximum capacity recommendations are in place to ensure neither food nor cooking liquid interfere with, or trigger, the safety systems located in the lid. The NUMBER ONE REASON for pressure cooker mishaps usually involves someone not familiar with pressure cooking filling the cooker beyond the cooker’s recommended maximum capacity – ultimately blocking the pressure release valve.
How can I figure out my pressure cooker’s maximum capacity?
Unfortunately, many pressure cookers do not have markings inside to delineate these maximums. If your pressure cooker doesn’t, fill up the cooker with water to get a visual feel for the location. For example, my un-marked 6L Fagor Futuro is 2/3 full when the water is just under where the handles attach and 1/2 full just above where the round bottom starts to go straight.
Here’s a handy chart that lists the most common pressure cooker sizes, and how much a pressure cooker can hold at each maximum capacity.
Pressure Cooker Size and Capacity Chart
| Pressure Cooker Size | Max 2/3 Full Capacity | Max 1/2 Full capacity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (all other ingredients) | (beans, rice, grains & fruit) | |||
| liters/quarts (cup equivalent) | liters/quarts | cups | liters/quarts | cups |
| 1 (4) | .66 | 2 1/2 | .05 | 2 |
| 1.5 (6) | 1 | 4 | .75 | 3 |
| 2 (8) | 1.3 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| 2.5 (10) | 1.6 | 6 1/2 | 1.25 | 5 |
| 3 (12) | 2 | 8 | 1.5 | 6 |
| 3.5 (14) | 2.3 | 9 | 1.75 | 7 |
| 4 (16) | 2.6 | 10 | 2 | 8 |
| 4.5 (18) | 3 | 12 | 2.25 | 9 |
| 5 (20) | 3.33 | 13 | 2.5 | 10 |
| 5.5 (22) | 3.66 | 14 | 2.75 | 11 |
| 6 (24) | 4 | 16 | 3 | 12 |
| 6.5 (26) | 4.33 | 17 | 3.25 | 13 |
| 7 (28) | 4.66 | 18 | 3.5 | 14 |
| 7.5 (30) | 5 | 20 | 3.75 | 15 |
| 8 (32) | 5.33 | 21 | 4 | 16 |
| 8.5 (34) | 5.66 | 22 | 4.25 | 17 |
| 9 (36) | 6 | 24 | 4.5 | 18 |
| 10 (40) | 6.66 | 26 | 5 | 20 |
| 11 (44) | 7.33 | 29 | 5.5 | 22 |
| 12 (48) | 8 | 32 | 6 | 24 |
Cups are roughly equivalent to 250ml, they rounded down to the nearest cup measurement in the maximum capacity calculations. Whether your pressure cooker is measured in quarts or liters the max-fill calculations in U.S. cups will work.
If your pressure cooker size is not listed above, simply multiply its size by .5 to calculate the cooker’s 1/2 capacity and .66 to calculate 2/3 capacity.
This is getting too technical, just tell me how much rice, beans or stock I can make in my pressure cooker!
For someone shopping for their first or second pressure cooker – the prime concern is how much food it will hold. Here is a table that describes the maximum capacity of some key representative ingredients. Remember that “Max” refers to both the ingredients and their cooking liquid.
Pressure Cooker Max Fill by Ingredient
| Pressure Cooker Size | Max Soup/Stock | Max Dry Rice* | Max Beans* |
|---|---|---|---|
| liters/quarts | |||
| 1 | 2 1/2 cups (500ml) | 1/2 cup (125ml) | 1/4 cup (30ml) |
| 1.5 | 4 cups (1L) | 1 cup (250ml) | 1/2 cup (125ml) |
| 2 | 5 1/4 cups (1.25L) | 1 1/4 cups (300ml) | 3/4 cup (180ml) |
| 2.5 | 6 1/2 cups (1.5L) | 1 1/2 cups (375ml) | 1 cup (250ml) |
| 3 | 8 cups (2L) | 2 cups (500ml) | 1 1/8 cups (265ml) |
| 3.5 | 9 cups (2.25L) | 2 1/4 cups (530ml) | 1 1/4 cups (280ml) |
| 4 | 10 1/2 cups (2.5L) | 2 1/2 cups (625ml) | 1 1/2 cups (375ml) |
| 4.5 | 11 3/4 cups (3L) | 3 cups (750ml) | 1 3/4 cups (430ml) |
| 5 | 13 cups (3.25L) | 3 1/4 cups (780ml) | 2 cups (500ml) |
| 5.5 | 14 1/2 cups (3.5L) | 3 1/2 cups (875ml) | 2 1/8 cups (515ml) |
| 6 | 15 3/4 cups (4L) | 4 cups (1L) | 2 1/4 cups (530ml) |
| 6.5 | 17 (4.25L) | 4 1/4 cups (1L) | 2 1/2 cups (625ml) |
| 7 | 18 1/4 cups (4.5L) | 4 1/2 cups (1.125L) | 2 3/4 cups (680ml) |
| 7.5 | 19 3/4 cups (4.75L) | 5 cups (1.250L) | 3 cups (750ml) |
| 8 | 21 cups (5.25L) | 5 1/4 cups (1.28L) | 3 1/8 cups (765ml) |
| 8.5 | 22 1/4 cups (5.5L) | 5 1/2 cups (1.375L) | 3 1/4 cups |
| 9 | 23 3/4 cups (6L) | 6 cups (1.5L) | 3 1/2 cup (780ml) |
| 10 | 26 1/4 cups (6.5L) | 6 1/2 cups (1.625L) | 4 cups (1L) |
| 11 | 29 cups (7.25L) | 7 1/4 cups (1.780L) | 4 1/4 cups (1.3L) |
| 12 | 31 1/2 cups (8L) | 8 cups (2L) | 4 1/2 cups (1.125L) |
One cup is roughly equivalent to the the dry ingredient reaching 250ml in a measuring pitcher (sorry we cannot give the quantities in grams as beans and rice differ in their weight between varieties).
*assumes no more than two cups (500ml) of liquid per cup of dry rice
**assumes no more than 4 cups (1L) of liquid per cup of dry beans OR no more than 2 cups 500ml) of liquid for one dry cup of soaked beans
Is there a minimum pressure cooker capacity?
Every pressure cooker needs a minimum amount of liquid to generate enough steam to pressurize the cooker. Each manufacturer has their own minimum liquid requirements – this minimum is calculated based on the size of the pressure cooker, type of pressure valve and, for cookers that must vent to maintain pressure, cooking time.
A larger pressure cooker will need more steam to pressurize and will also need more liquid to boil and generate that steam. Some pressure valves vent by function or design. While a spring valve releases little or no steam to keep a cooker at pressure, instead, a weight-modified or jiggler-type valve must release pressure and steam rhythmically to maintain a set pressure. The extra venting means that a longer cooking time will evaporate more liquid, and the cooker will require more to keep it from running dry.
Some pressure cookers have a “min” line etched inside the cooker to make it easy to see if you’ve got enough liquid in them while others (usually the ones requiring more liquid) have a line with a 1/3 mark to indicate the minimum food and liquid requirement.
Refer to your pressure cooker’s manual to find its the minimum requirement.
Can I use something other than water to reach my pressure cooker’s minimum liquid requirement?
You can reach your pressure cooker’s minimum liquid requirement with stock, fruit juice, a little wine or beer – but not hard liquor (large quantities of alcohol will evaporate through the valve and the vapor will ignite).
Using advanced pressure cooking techniques you can calculate the liquid released by a vegetable or piece or meat in a recipe during pressure cooking – and use those liquids maintain pressure. Here’s a handy chart that will get you half-way there. This technique has enough caveats to merit its own article – so I won’t explain it here. Any well-written pressure cooker recipe from a trusted source will have already made these calculations to get the most flavor from the pressure cooker.
More Questions?
Leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to find the answer.
All this rice and beans, soup and stock… . doesn’t anyone cook whole chicken, beef roast, or the like?! What size pressure cooker would I need for a whole chicken? None of the advertising information relates this basic question. Thanks.
Lew —
Of course the pressure cooker is fabulous for whole chickens, roasts, etc. I make beef brisket (2 – 3 pounds) regularly, best ever and beats oven-cooking every time. And I’ve made pot roasts and lamb. I’m not much for chicken myself, but it’s a pc staple for many.
Basically, you want a pressure cooker that your ingredient fits into. Angling it, standing it up, all good. As you search recipes on Hip Pressure Cooking and other website, you’ll sometimes see advice to cut something large into chunks. Easier to “fit”, and reduces the (already reduced) cooking time even more.
My pressure cookers are a set. One giant pot and one high-sided pan, both of which take the same pressure lid. I tend to use the pot when making stock or bean soups; the pan for “flat” foods like the brisket or calamari braise — even though the diameter of the base of the pot and the pan are basically the same 9-1/2″.
Diameter is one dimension … there is another, height. Using information found in advertisements, Quart Size, are we talking 6 quart. 8 quart? “Quart” is a liquid unit we’re all familiar with, but it doesn’t relate to lopsided solids, like chickens, very well… I’ve just started my quest for a pressure cooker, I will probably just have to go see one in person to determine what size we need. Thanks again.
Assuming most cookers are cylinders, the volume will be V=pi*r^2*h.
A pot with a 9″ diameter means 4.5″ radius. Assume you want to fit a bird with a height of 7″ (including some space so you don’t overfill). That means you need a volume of 3.14 * 20.25 * 7 = 445 cubic inches
Go onto google and 445 cubic inches is about 6.5 quarts. And probably err on the side of larger just to be safe.
Of course these are estimates and you’ll probably need to just look at a few and decide.
Lew do you have a height limit that you’re trying to stay under? If I have one of the cookers you’re looking for let me know and I will measure it. There is a difference between brands as my Crock-Pot Express is at least an inch taller than the Instant Pot of the same (6L) size.
Ciao,
L
so if the chicken is taller thanthe fill line but does not fill the bottom space up… can that space at the bottom and the sides count for pressure space and its OK to put a chicken in there thats taller than the fill line?
Uncut whole chicken 6 qt.
In the pressure cooker whether we have to put the weight on to the lid on closing or after we confirm the steam is coming. Please clarify as we find difficult while cooking.
It depends on the model – modern pressure cooker will automatically close after venting. If you have an older or more primitive pressure cooker you may have to wait for it to vent to add the weight. The only way to be sure is to read the instruction manual for your particular pressure cooker.
Ciao,
L
iif you’re cooking a curry in instant pot mini, how many servings would it yield?
It depends on the recipe you use. If the recipe contains lentils look at the “bean” filling max, if the curry is just veggies or meat, look at the “soup” filling max.
Ciao,
L
Can frozen vegetables be substitued for fresh
vegetables in a recipe? If so ,is there a time adjustment in the cooking?
This website was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I’ve found something
which helped me. Thank you!