6 Tips to FAST Cooking with a Pressure Cooker
March 26, 2012 by Aimee • 21 Comments
I {heart} my Pressure Cooker.
Spring Baseball has started back up! This means life takes on a different pace. Watching our little boys play ball and love every second of it makes the chaos totally worth it. I know some of you may be a little fearful of pressure cookers, I totally get that. On my first attempt I blew up a pot of black beans. I was afraid for a while, both because of the damage it could have done, but also because of the clean up…YUCK. But once you get the hang of it the flavor that’s offered from cooking food in the Pressure Cooker and the speed of getting a meal from the fridge onto the table make it totally worth it.
and the speed of getting a meal from the fridge onto the table make it totally worth it.Pressure cookers trap steam, increasing the pressure in the cooker. Water boils at a high temperature and higher pressure point, meaning shorter cooking time. Usually a meal can be prepared in twenty minutes and all in one pot, making clean up so simple. Not only does it require less energy from you, but it’s energy efficient for your utilities, too. And as a bonus, nutritionally speaking, faster cooking times means less vitamin and nutrient depletion.I’ll be adding some pressure cooker recipes that our family absolutely LOVES, so if you don’t have one yet, be sure to buy or borrow one. You’ll be in for a real treat! This is the one that we have Pressure Cooker.
Here are a FIVE TIPS for you when using a Pressure Cooker:
- Before adding anything to your pot, start by browning your meat with some oil or butter.
- Never fill the pot all the way up. You only need 1/2 to 2/3 of liquid in your pot depending on what you are cooking. Your food will expand.
- The best indicator is your ear. Wait for the loud “SSSHHHH” sound. You will also notice steam pouring out of the hole at this point. A slow steam is not an indicator that the pressure cooker has reached high pressure.
- Once high pressure is reached, turn down the heat to a low heat and move the pressure release slightly.
- After 6 minutes of “SSSHHHH” release the pressure and you’ll hear a loud “HISSS” sound. This is releasing the steam.
- Wait for ALL the steam to be released before taking the lid off of the pressure cooker. Just because the lock has released, doesn’t mean that the cooker is ready to be opened.
Fagor Website
Wow great information. I’ve never had a pressure cooker. This does make me want to try one though!
When I was first married I had a pressure cooker and used it all the time and yes I had a couple of times when I blew things up but once I got use to it, it was fine then it stopped working and at that time they were out of fashion and I was unable to get another one…………now that there is just me and hubby I have no use for one..
I do love my pressure cooker
Scariest cooking utensil ever! But my Mom makes great corn on the cob in hers. Laura
great tips! I might just look out for one now! Looking forward to those recipes!!
Thanks LOTS! I posted my first one tonight! We love this recipe!!! Keeping my fingers crossed you come across a GREAT deal on one! XO, Aimee
http://www.itsoverflowing.com/2012/03/ready-in-minutes-scrumptious-chicken.html
When I lived with my family, we used to use one all the time, but I don’t have one now. Gonna have to fix that!
Thanks for following me. I love my pressure cooker. My mom called it her “presto” cooker because that’s the kind she had. My son played baseball from the time he was two with his dad and played college baseball for 4 years. He played year round and when it was over we didn’t know what to do. Enjoy those days! My favorite wreath is the one made by Laura at This and That!
So true!!! Yes, corn on the cob is GREAT. We love using it to make Mashed Potatoes Love that! XO, Aimee Lane
I love pressure cooking and encourage everyone to check it out.
I teach pressure cooking and don’t let the pressure cooker make noise. I like it to be quiet.
Thanks for this post.
An expert on it!! Love that! I’ll be by for a visit for sure! XO, Aimee
This is so helpful! Thanks for sharing!!
I would love for you to share this at my Flaunt It Friday link party. There are also TWO amazing giveaways this week! It closes Sunday at midnight.
http://www.dottedlinecrafts.com/2012/03/flaunt-it-friday.html
Looking forward to more posts,
Sarah@
http://www.dottedlinecrafts.com
estou ansiosa por obter novas ideias!!! eu cozinho arroz, faço doce de abóbora além de outras coisas na minha panela de pressão, acho muito mais prático e rápido. Obrigada por compartilhar idéias!!! Vania Angelo – Brasil
I love making soup with pressure cookers.Homemade soup is delicious and perfect in the winter months, but nothing is worse than waiting hours upon hours for your masterpiece to be complete and ready to eat. Even worse, soups are generally better the next day, giving you even longer to wait.
Pressure cookers are a great kitchen tool to have on hand for the cold wintery months and are much safer than they were in your parents’ time. Invest in a good pressure cooker for years of warm, delicious treats in less time.
This will come in handy as I just purchased a pressure cooker. Thank you!
My tip would be…always make sure the lid is on tight…my mother cooked with one of those for YEARS…when I was a kid, I was standing in the kitchen one afternoon, when suddenly KAAAAABOOOOOOMMMMMM!!! I thought a bomb exploded!! My mom was cooking beans and ham hocks, I think she didn’t put the lid on tight…there was BEANS EVERYWHERE in that kitchen…I was so traumatized, I’ve been scared of a pressure cooker ever since. NO LIE!! lol
My Mom gave me her fear of these but love mine now. Want to point out that wken cooking beans you have to be sure the foam doesn’t clog the vents. My instructions recommend addinfg a few tablespoons of oul per cup of dry beans to avoid rhis problem
I never tried corn on the cobb but have used pressure cooker for 50 years and LOVE it!!
For those looking for a pressure cooker, Big Lots and Walmart have really good prices on them
CamieQ
I have 3 pressure cookers. When I got married 4 years ago he had 1 I had 2. They are all different sizes so that is good. Always make double sure you have liquid in your pressure cooker. My mom and dad owned a drive-in restaurant. My dad had put a roast in the big one got called away thought he had put the water in it. He put the lid on and put the pep cock on he was stand by it slicing something and it blew up. The lid cracked into several pieces we never did find the pep cock we think it went through the ceiling. Oh yea my dad didn’t get hurt too bad the pieces mainly went up. He had trouble hearing out of that ear for a day or two.