Pressure Cooker

[Turando]

Hi,

I'm wanting to get a pressure cooker and was wondering if anyone had any tips on what I should look out for in a pressure cooker?

Does anyone use one and love it? I'm mainly getting it for meat particularly an meat and rice dish my mum makes (she cooks the meat in the pressure cooker she has) that my husband loves. Her pressure cooker is really old though so she has no idea about the new ones.

Also what is a good size to have for a family? I want something that I can make small and big amounts of food in (as sometimes we make a lot for parties etc) and that will last me a long time.

Thanks!

 

[oneoffour]

I have an 6 qt pressure cooker. Size seems to work for the three of us fine. Being only four years I guess it is newer. It has two pressure settings on the lid valve for high and low pressure. I think that is a new feature. I know they make ones that are electric and you can do more settings with them. Oh yes I got a stainless steel one not aluminum.
I like it when it has to get to the table fast and I love it for risotto.
Have two cookbooks and have used both for ideas The Pressured Cook and Cooking Under Pressure both by Lorna Sass

 

[Katie H]

Also what is a good size to have for a family? I want something that I can make small and big amounts of food in (as sometimes we make a lot for parties etc) and that will last me a long time.
Thanks!

You might want to look into Kuhn Rikon pressure cookers. We have one we love. Actually, we have two because the one(s) we purchased consisted of a large (about 5-quart) one and a smaller almost fry pan-sized one as a set. The larger pot is great for cooking bigger portions and the smaller one is great for cooking for 2 or 3 people. It's a great tool. It might seem expensive, but it will last for years and years. Love it.

 

[kitchenelf]

I have a 7-quart and love this size. It holds the larger chunks of meat and a few veggies just fine. Also, a larger, tougher bird fits nicely too.

You will not be disappointed!

I have a WMF right now. I miss my old one terribly (I do believe it was a Mirro). It had a rocker valve that I truly miss with 5#, 10#, and 15# "holes". The sound alone can make a day better.

My advice is to: Whatever you get read your instruction manual. Know what the safety features are and then don't "taunt" them before they are ready to release. Know what a slow release is and a quick release. I always use my quick release method (all that means is taking the entire unit and sitting in your sink and running cold water over it until the pressure is fully released).

We have lots of recipes to share and there are lots of good cookbooks out there. The Internet is FULL of recipes.

How big is your family? That will help also in determining the correct size you need.

 

[Turando]

Hi,

I'm happy to pay more for quality. I saw a few mention of the Kuhn Rikon ones being good so I am going to see if they are available here.

kitchenelf: my family is just me and my DH at the moment. And our baby who is on the way But we do cook a lot in one go and eat large portions (right now I can eat for 20!). I want to be able to use it for when we have people over to make things easier which is why I'm after a larger size and to make things like stews and soups etc so I can freeze them too. Plus I want to get one that will last me a while when we have more kids and more mouths to feed every day!

6-7 quarts sounds good to me. I think that is a similar size to my mums. Is there a minimum amount of food that needs to be in a pressure cooker when you cook it?

I'm looking forward to using it as I know I'm going to be really busy with the baby (due in 3 months) and anything that saves me time is great

Thankyou for all your help!

 

[PytnPlace]

Funny you should mention pressure cookers. I just got a Fagor yesterday and can't wait to start playing with it.

 

[Soup Lover]

I think the 6-7 quart size is a good one. You will also love it for things other than stews--at least I do. I cooked a whole cauliflower in 2 minutes to make a cauliflower salad. Artichokes in 10 minutes. Bean soups!!

 

[PytnPlace]

I heard risotto is great in pressure cookers as well.

 

[Chopstix]

I gave my mom a Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker some years ago. Somehow that particular unit's seal was not that good. We took it to service but they said there was nothing wrong with it. My mom continued to use it although sometimes the seal was not good if the lid was not replaced properly. This means it's not fool-proof?

I myself got a WMF pressure cooker last year which came with one great feature: it came with two sizes of pots that shared one lid. I so love the convenience of being able to make a small batch or a big batch. Also this model has so many safety features. Even the pressure release vent is ergonomically designed such that escaping steam is directed away from the cook.

So, based on my experience, I'd definitely put my money on WMF (German) instead of Kuhn Rikon (Swiss).

 

[Chopstix]

I heard risotto is great in pressure cookers as well.

The pc is amazing with risotto! Perfectly al dente risotto in minimum time and even less effort. Just make sure you use risotto recipes specifically for pressure cooking. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[Aurora]

I have and just love the QVC line of electric pressure cookers:

Pressure Cookers > Kitchen Electrics > Cooking & Dining at QVC

They are very easy to use, have built in timers for delay start and timed cooking. They have a high and low pressure (15 & 10 psi) and will brown, steam and keep things warm until you are ready to eat.

The cooking pot inserts are non-stick and are removable for easy cleaning. They don't heat up the whole kitchen like stove top units do. I use it 3-5 times a week and just love it.

I have an 8 quart and a 6 quart oval which makes it very easy to cook ribs and roasts.

 

[Turando]

Thanks for the recommendations on brands. I'll need to see what brands are available here in the ME. I think I might have seen the Kuhn Rikon ones but that could be my imagination too So it's good to get other brand recommendations too. I'm sure I saw a German one around here somewhere.

I'll go today and have a look around to see what is available before making a decision on size. Two of them might be good too for small and large batches.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

The pc is amazing with risotto! Perfectly al dente risotto in minimum time and even less effort. Just make sure you use risotto recipes specifically for pressure cooking. Good luck and enjoy!

Is that - risotto made with rice, or risoto made with diced potatoes? There are a good number of risotto recipes that use potatoes instead of rice. Actuall, just FYI, resotto is a method of cooking starchy veggies slowly, adding liquid as the dish is cooked, while constantly stirring, to release the starches and create a semi-thick, creamy texture. You can achieve the same effect with a pressure cooker, but it's not really a risotto by the classic definition. But I'm splitting hairs here. I give this info for the purists and as I said, merely for imformational purposes.

As far as pressure cookers go, mine is ancient, a mirro, with a disk shaped device with three holes that regulate the pressure to 5, 10, and 15 lbs., just like Kitchen Elf. The thing still works like brand new. I had to replace the saftey valve and the rubber gasket, both of which I found at a local hardware store.

Pressure cooking does the job of a slow-cooker in a fraction of the time. But know, that any meat prepared in a pressure cooker will come out well-done. So if you want something other than well done, use a different cooking vessel. And don't try to fry in your pressure cooker unless it is specifically designed for pressure frying. The increased operating temperatures can build pressures that can cause the vessel to explode like a bomb.

To give you a bit of info about why following the directions is so important, pressure is measured (at least in the U.S.) in lbs. per square inch, or in other words, the number of square inches divided by the pressure measured in pounds. So if you have a surface area of 50 square inches, and a pressure of 10 pounds, you would multiply the surface area by the pressure, giving you 500 lbs. total pressure exerted on the inside surface.

Of course a pressure cooker has more than 50 square inches on the lid alone. If while under pressure, you tried to release the lid, it would be catastrophinc. Lets say that the lid is 10 inches across, then you would have a radius of 5 inches. The formula for the area of a circle = pi times r squared. This would give you the lide an area of approximately 78.5 square inches, multiplied by the ten pounds of pressure. When the lock was released, you would have 785 lbs. of force pushing the lid upwards. It would probably rp the lid from your hands and blow a hole through your ceiling. And that's why you carefully follow the instructions. When you do, everything is safe as can be. When you don't, you are inviting very serious injury to yourself, and anyone else around.

That being said, I love my pressure cooker. But I do respect it.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Corey123]

Hi,

I'm wanting to get a pressure cooker and was wondering if anyone had any tips on what I should look out for in a pressure cooker?

Does anyone use one and love it? I'm mainly getting it for meat particularly an meat and rice dish my mum makes (she cooks the meat in the pressure cooker she has) that my husband loves. Her pressure cooker is really old though so she has no idea about the new ones.

Also what is a good size to have for a family? I want something that I can make small and big amounts of food in (as sometimes we make a lot for parties etc) and that will last me a long time.

Thanks!

I got two.

A 6-qt Fagor and a 7-qt. Kuhn Rikon. Both are SS. The Fagor unit is out of commission though. One of the handles broke off. I'm ordering two new handles and a gasket for it.

The Kuhn Rikon unit doesn't hiss like the Fagor unit does. But it's a matter of personal preferences.

They're good for dried beans though! The beans get done in record time under pressure, as opposed to 4 hours or more with the regular method!

 

[Chopstix]

Is that - risotto made with rice, or risoto made with diced potatoes? There are a good number of risotto recipes that use potatoes instead of rice. Actuall, just FYI, resotto is a method of cooking starchy veggies slowly, adding liquid as the dish is cooked, while constantly stirring, to release the starches and create a semi-thick, creamy texture. You can achieve the same effect with a pressure cooker, but it's not really a risotto by the classic definition. But I'm splitting hairs here. I give this info for the purists and as I said, merely for imformational purposes.

Hi GW, by risotto I mean the Italian rice dish using Arborio or Carnaroli or other types of rice grain. Risotto is not to be confused with En Ristretto (not sure of spelling) which is the Italian cooking technique (of slowly adding liquid while constantly stirring) that I think you may be referring to? You are right in that this technique is the authentic way of cooking risotto.

Some people (me included) sometimes find this traditional way of cooking risotto too time consuming, labor-intensive, and even tricky. In which case, the pressure cooker method for risotto can work for certain risotto recipes.

 

[Chopstix]

I'll go today and have a look around to see what is available before making a decision on size. Two of them might be good too for small and large batches.

Turando, try looking for the two pots with one shared lid. Both pots have the same diameter but one is deeper than the other and hence has more capacity. But both can use the same lid. As the safety controls are on the lid, I should think the lid is quite expensive. You really don't need two lids anyway... Good luck!

 

[missvickie]

Many improvements and features have been incorporated into the new, modern pressure cookers, making them a cut above the old style, noisy "jiggle top" models. Today's pressure cookers come with many advanced features and they are 100% safe and a joy to use.

Although there are slight variations between brands and models, here are some things I recommend looking for when shopping for a new pressure cooker:

Heavy Gauge, 18/10 Stainless Steel Construction Throughout
A Spring Valve Pressure Regulator
A Heavy, Encapsulated, Three Ply Base
A Quick Release Mechanism
Multiple Safety Systems
Standard 15psi Pressure Setting
A Pop-up Pressure Indicator

Of the brands already mentioned, I'll weigh in by favoring the Kuhn Rikon too. The Fagor is a real kitchen workhorse if you're looking for a bargain price. The WMF is a marvel of German engineering, but unforfunately it does not meet the 15psi standard.

 

[chilichip]

I need a recipe for my pressure cooker to use beef ,can't find the book that came with it,

thaks !!!

 

[Corey123]

Many improvements and features have been incorporated into the new, modern pressure cookers, making them a cut above the old style, noisy "jiggle top" models. Today's pressure cookers come with many advanced features and they are 100% safe and a joy to use.

Although there are slight variations between brands and models, here are some things I recommend looking for when shopping for a new pressure cooker:

Heavy Gauge, 18/10 Stainless Steel Construction Throughout
A Spring Valve Pressure Regulator
A Heavy, Encapsulated, Three Ply Base
A Quick Release Mechanism
Multiple Safety Systems
Standard 15psi Pressure Setting
A Pop-up Pressure Indicator

Of the brands already mentioned, I'll weigh in by favoring the Kuhn Rikon too. The Fagor is a real kitchen workhorse if you're looking for a bargain price. The WMF is a marvel of German engineering, but unforfunately it does not meet the 15psi standard.

Yeah, I like the Kuhn Rikon as well! It doesn't hiss like the other brands do. I like the gleaming luster of the stainess steel!

Presto used to be my favorite. Chillchip, what brand is yours?

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I need a recipe for my pressure cooker to use beef ,can't find the book that came with it,

thaks !!!

Check your private messages for a host of ideas, and technique.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North