Ever stared at your pressure cooker’s control panel and felt a little… intimidated? All those buttons, all those settings. It’s like the cockpit of a spaceship. If you’ve found yourself wondering What Is The Soup Broth Function and how it differs from, say, the “Manual” or “Soup” setting, you’re in the right place. Trust me, I’ve been there. My first electric pressure cooker was a beautiful mystery, and that “Soup/Broth” button was a puzzle I was determined to solve. Getting to grips with this specific feature is a total game-changer, turning your appliance from a simple bean-cooker into a gourmet flavor-extracting machine.
So, let’s pull back the curtain and demystify this powerful setting together. By the end of this guide, you’ll understand not just what it does, but why it’s the secret weapon for creating the richest, most flavorful foundations for your meals.
The Secret Behind the Button: What Is the Soup Broth Function?
At its core, the soup broth function is a pre-programmed setting designed to gently simmer ingredients under low pressure for a longer duration. This creates a clear, intensely flavorful liquid by extracting collagen, minerals, and deep savory notes from bones, vegetables, and aromatics without aggressively boiling them into a cloudy mess.
Think of it this way: making traditional broth on the stovetop requires a low, gentle simmer for hours and hours. You can’t have a rolling boil, or the broth will become cloudy and greasy. The soup broth function on your electric pressure cooker is designed to replicate that gentle, non-agitating simmer, but it does so under pressure, which dramatically speeds up the process. It’s the best of both worlds: stovetop quality in a fraction of the time.
Soup vs. Broth: Aren’t They the Same?
This is a common point of confusion. While many machines combine them into one button, there’s a subtle difference in the intended cooking style.
- Soup Setting: Typically uses a higher pressure setting for a shorter time. The goal is to cook the solid ingredients in the liquid, like potatoes, carrots, and meat for a hearty stew.
- Broth Setting: Uses a lower pressure setting for a longer time. The goal isn’t to cook the solids to perfection, but to extract as much flavor from them as possible to create a delicious liquid.
If your machine has just one “Soup/Broth” button, it’s most likely programmed for this lower-pressure, flavor-extracting method.
A Quick Trip Down Memory Lane: The Evolution of Pressure Cooking
To really appreciate these fancy buttons, it helps to know where they came from. The original stovetop pressure cookers were purely manual. You’d crank up the heat on your stove, watch for the little valve to start jiggling, and then turn the heat down to maintain pressure. It was effective, but it required constant babysitting.
Then came the modern electric pressure cooker, the “smart” multi-cooker we know and love today. These marvels of kitchen technology introduced microprocessors that could control temperature and pressure with incredible precision. This allowed manufacturers to create pre-programmed settings for common tasks—like making yogurt, cooking rice, and, you guessed it, simmering broth. The soup broth function is a direct result of this technological leap, offering a set-it-and-forget-it solution to a once laborious task.
How to Use the Soup Broth Function Like a Pro
Ready to make the best broth of your life? It’s easier than you think. Let’s walk through the process, step-by-step. I’m going to use a classic chicken bone broth as our example.
- Sauté Your Aromatics (Optional but Recommended): Turn on your pressure cooker’s “Sauté” function. Add a little oil and toss in some roughly chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for a few minutes until they start to soften and smell amazing. This little step builds a huge layer of flavor.
- Add Your Bones and Scraps: Add your chicken bones or carcass to the pot. If you have leftover vegetable scraps like parsley stems, onion peels (they add great color!), or mushroom stems, throw them in too.
- Deglaze the Pot: Pour in a splash of water, white wine, or apple cider vinegar and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. This is called fond, and it’s pure flavor!
- Add Water and Seasoning: Add your remaining seasonings, like a bay leaf, a few peppercorns, and a splash of vinegar (which helps extract minerals from the bones). Then, add cold water to cover the ingredients, but never fill the pot more than two-thirds full. This is a critical safety rule.
- Lock and Load: Secure the lid, making sure the steam release valve is set to the “Sealing” position.
- Select the Magic Button: Press the soup broth function button. Most machines will default to a set time, which is usually a great starting point. For bone broth, you might want to increase this time to the maximum allowed.
- The All-Important Release: Once the cooking cycle is complete, do not use the quick release. Let the pressure cooker release pressure naturally (this is called a Natural Release). This slow, gentle depressurization is key to a crystal-clear broth. A quick release will cause the liquid to boil violently inside, resulting in a cloudy final product.
- Strain and Store: Once the float valve has dropped, carefully open the lid away from your face. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve to remove all the solids. Let it cool and store it in the fridge or freezer.
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| 6 | Visit the CUCKOO Store |
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| 7 | Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker, Warmer & Sterilizer, Includes App With Over 800 Recipes, Stainless Steel, 6 Quart |
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| 8 | HealSmart 12-in-1 Multi Electric Pressure Cooker, Non-Stick 6QT Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker for Yogurt Maker, Slow Cooker, Cake, Multigrain, Dishwasher Safe |
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| 9 | DUMOS 12-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker 6 QT Stainless Steel Multi Cooker Electric for Pressure, Rice, Steamer, Yogurt Maker, Slow Cook,Meat Stew, Cake, Porridge, Multigrain, Sliver |
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| 10 | Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Mini Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker, Warmer & Sterilizer, Includes Free App with over 1900 Recipes, Stainless Steel, 3 Quart |
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Expert Tip: “For an even deeper, richer flavor, roast your bones and vegetables in the oven at 400°F (200°C) until they are deeply browned before adding them to the pressure cooker. This caramelization adds an incredible depth that you just can’t get otherwise.” – Chef Isabella Rossi, Culinary Institute of America.
A Word on Safety: Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Modern pressure cookers are incredibly safe, with multiple redundant safety features. However, user error is always a possibility. Here are a few key things to remember:
- Don’t Overfill: As mentioned, never fill your inner pot past the 2/3 line, especially when making liquids like soup or broth.
- Check the Sealing Ring: Before you close the lid, always make sure the silicone sealing ring is properly seated and free of food debris. A bad seal means the pot won’t come to pressure.
- Respect the Steam: Never put your face or hands over the steam release valve. Hot steam can cause serious burns.
- Never Force the Lid: If the lid is difficult to open after the pressure is released, it means there’s still some residual pressure. Don’t force it. Wait another few minutes until it opens easily.
Why Bother? The Amazing Benefits of Pressure Cooking Broth
You might be thinking, “This is great, but why should I use my pressure cooker for this?” The benefits are huge.
- Time-Saving: Traditional bone broth can take 12-24 hours on a stovetop. In a pressure cooker, you can achieve a similarly rich broth in just 2-3 hours.
- Flavor Extraction: The high-pressure environment is incredibly efficient at breaking down connective tissues and extracting collagen and gelatin from bones, leading to a more flavorful and nutrient-dense broth.
- Energy Efficiency: A sealed pressure cooker is a closed system. It uses far less energy to maintain its temperature compared to a pot simmering on the stove for an entire day.
- Nutrient Retention: Because the system is sealed, fewer vitamins and minerals are lost to evaporation compared to traditional cooking methods.
Keeping Your Magic Pot in Tip-Top Shape
To keep making amazing broths, you need to take care of your machine. After each use, make sure to wash the inner pot, the lid, and the silicone sealing ring. It’s especially important to remove the sealing ring and wash it separately to get rid of any lingering food odors. A clean safety valve and float valve are also crucial for proper operation, so give them a quick check to ensure they’re not blocked.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I just use the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting instead of the soup broth function?
Yes, you absolutely can. The soup broth function is essentially a pre-set for low pressure. You can achieve the same result by selecting “Manual” or “Pressure Cook,” setting the pressure to “Low,” and programming the time yourself. The pre-set button is just there for convenience.
Why did my broth turn out cloudy?
The most common culprit for cloudy broth is using the quick release method. The sudden drop in pressure causes the contents to boil vigorously, emulsifying fats and small particles into the liquid. Always use a full natural release for the clearest results.
What’s the difference between broth and stock?
Technically, stock is made primarily from bones and is simmered for a long time to extract collagen, resulting in a richer mouthfeel. Broth is typically made with more meat and is cooked for a shorter period. However, in modern home cooking, the terms are often used interchangeably.
Is the soup broth function the same on an Instant Pot versus other brands?
The name and specific parameters (exact pressure and default time) can vary slightly between brands, but the underlying principle is the same: a low-pressure, long-duration cook designed for gentle flavor extraction.
How much liquid should I use for the soup broth function?
You always need a minimum amount of liquid for your pressure cooker to build steam—usually about 1 to 1.5 cups. Beyond that, add enough water to cover your ingredients, but remember to stay below the 2/3 max fill line.
Your Kitchen’s New Best Friend
Understanding what is the soup broth function is like unlocking a new level in your cooking journey. It’s a simple, convenient feature that harnesses the power of pressure to deliver deep, homemade flavor in a fraction of the time. It turns kitchen scraps into liquid gold and forms the foundation for countless delicious soups, stews, sauces, and risottos. So go ahead, dust off that pressure cooker, gather some bones and veggies, and press that button with confidence. A world of flavor is waiting for you.