How to Clean the Instant Pot Ring
One of the great things about the Instant Pot is that it can cook a wide variety of foods, both sweet and savory. One of the not-so-great features of the Instant Pot is that the rubber o-ring tends to pick up a wide variety of odors, both smelly and pungent.
Nobody wants a garlic-scented cheesecake – unless you’re making some savory goat cheesecake, in which case, yes – but don’t worry. There are some simple strategies you can take to prevent such a disaster.
For starters, you can buy a couple of rings and make one for savory dishes and one for sweets. They make them in different colors, so it’s easy to track them. While it might sound a little overkill, I wouldn’t blame you for having a special cheesecake ring because it can never be too extra when it comes to cheesecake.
However, your most powerful weapon against the horrible smelly ring is the dishwasher. The entire lid is dishwasher safe without any problem, but you must remove the ring for it to have its own fully cleaning bath. Also make sure it is completely dry before putting it back in the lid to prevent future unpleasant odors. (If you don’t have a dishwasher, you can wash the ring by hand.)
If some of the stench doesn’t go away even with a good wash, you have another plan of action. For a really smelling ring, Bon Appetit recommends soaking it in diluted vinegar for an hour or so, washing it with soap and letting it dry in the sun. If that still doesn’t work, don’t worry too much. Instant Pot professional and New York Times food writer Melissa Clarke found that even if a ring might smell a little, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the smell will pass into the food. She told Bon Appetit that she used a “garlic, smelly” chocolate pudding ring and, while rinsed out, “never found it switching over to custard.” So keep your rings clean, kids, and don’t worry about the slight scent.