Any One Use Pressure Cookers ?

[danemodsandy]

Presto!

I have a 6-quart Presto in stainless. I've come to prefer the Presto to the fancy-schmancy European models, because the supply of replacement parts comes and goes on the Euro stuff, but Presto is always there for you. This is no reflection on European manufacturers, but rather American distributors, who handle stuff while it's new to the American market, and "hot", but who disappear like muggers in a dark alley as soon as they can. Back when I was in the housewares biz, I saw MORE Euro stuff come and go, rendered useless by lack of support.

 

[petek]

That's my concern with some of the new ones on the market including my electronic one..where do I get a new gasket etc if'n when this one needs replacing. T-Fal is pretty well positioned but probably need to order but Presto parts are in every hardware store. I can't see paying $300 or more for the cachet of having a Swiss made Kuhn-Rikon either

 

[petek]

On yahoo groups there's a group called pressure cooker recipes

 

[rp2813]

Yeah, I finally bought a big Presto based on ease of obtaining replacement parts. Just down the street at my local ACE Hardware to be exact. Finding a gasket for my Mirro 4qt involved going on line and waiting. The one ACE that carried Mirro parts closed and I haven't found them in a store since.

I don't use either one as much as I'd like. I often recommend pulling one out for cooking jobs that would otherwise be too long, but my partner rarely agrees with me. I put my foot down when it comes to artichokes. There is no other way to cook them but with pressure. Not much more than 15 minutes from popping them into the cooker and serving them up.

 

[retro-man]

love pressure cooking

I have my mothers pressure cooker from I believe 1960. It is a Mirro-Matic 4 qt. The weight for the pressure valve is a heavy round disk. It has 3 holes in it. Each hole represents a different pressure setting. 5/lbs, 10/lbs, 15/lbs. I used it all the time for pot roasts, chile, baked beans and a lot of vegatables, esp beets. It has the base plate to raise the food off from the bottom for low water usage. I did make quite the mess last fall when I thought the pressure was gone out. I had removed the weight and let it all out, but didn't remove it from the burner which had been off for at least 20 minutes. I wish I could have seen the look on my face when I released the cover and about 1/2 of the beaf stew I was making overflowed out and over the sides. Covered the stove and drippans were overflowing, not to mention three very happy dogs covered in stew. They had a grand time licking up the floor and themselves. I had to change clothes and do a lot of cleaning up. I must say this is the 1st time I have had an accident with this. So I learned never to do that again. Remember to remove from unit to cool.
Jon

 

[drhardee]

The husbear uses and ADORES his mothers' 1974 Avocado Green Presto Pressure Cooker. We almost came to blows (well, none that night!) when I offhandedly suggested discarding the wretched thing and letting me buy him a brand new one.

You'd have thought I said "throw the dachshund in the trash and let me buy a new one"!

It's been Maytag'd and Miele'd to a fare thee well, and every time I dish-wash it, some more paint flakes off. To keep him happy I only hand wash it now. He bought a new gasket set..one for the valve and a big one at a local hardware store..it was easy. We just took in the lid and fumbled around til we found the right one. He'll be cremated with this thing!

 

[drhardee]

We've even got the original owner's manual and cookbook, dated 1974

 

[petek]

This is what your avocado Presto looked like when it was new and never used. The recipe book for mine is dated 1970. Excuse the dust on top I only gave it a quick sleeve wipe

 

[paulg]

They scare the #%$&@ out of me.

Those pressure cookers scare the living daylights out of me.
I WANT to know them... and love them as you all do. I've heard nothing but good from those who use them properly. But honestly I would probably cower under a table as I make my first pot roast. My partner wants nothing to do with them. If I did find an electric PRESTO I may take the plunge. I'd place it on a card table in the yard and plug it in the garage while I check it with binoculars from the second floor...
Oh perhaps I'm being a little overdramatic. But what's to stop an older unit from malfunctioning and blowing me to bits?

 

[petek]

By the 70's all the pc's had safety pressure relief rubber plugs in the lid usually.. you can see it on the lid of mine in the picture above. It will blow out long before the pot could explode.
CR tested them a couple of years ago and purposely plugged them to see if they worked and they all did. I don't worry about it. I wouldn't use a real old one without the safety relief though.

 

[whirlcool]

I was waiting for someone to bring up the dangers of pressure cooking.
Nearly everyone has a story about how Grandma's pressure cooker exploded and sent the contents of her chicken soup up thru the roof where it landed 6 blocks away in all directions.....

But the fact is, that even with pressure cookers from the late 50's:

All pressure cookers have pressure relief valves. The ones from the 50's had them made out of metal. If they got too hot, the metal melted and all the pressure would release as a woosh of steam. No explosions. With this type you had to go to your local hardware store and pay about a buck for a new one. The old one unscrewed with a wrench and you just screwed the new ones in. I have seen these on 1958 Mirro's.

The rubber kind is easier to deal with. If it pops up, lower the heat and push it back down. Simple and no replacement needed.

About explosions. All pressure cookers now have interlocking lids The lids are kind of like airplane doors. The higher the internal pressure, the tighter the lid is held on. When the unit is working (pressurized) you couldn't take the lid off very easily if at all.

If more people would only try them, they certainly would use them more. They are safe to use and the results are just wonderful. Once you've had a pot roast or spare ribs done in one of these, there ain't any goin' back.

Remember, the key to sucessfull pressure cooking is in the browning of the meat before pressure cooking it. On a pot roast we use olive oil and garlic on high heat to sear the meat quickly. This usually takes about 10 minutes (5 on each side).

 

[mattl]

Speaking of Spare Ribs....

I often do spare ribs in my PC, not baby back but the big old slabs you used to get for $.79 lb I put a whole slab in and cook until tender then toss them on the grill -- I know rib affectionados are cringing --- but it's the way we've always done them. I have tried other methods, but I always return to the old standard.

Anyway back to my story, Last year I tossed a rather large slab of ribs in, added a little water and celery, onions, parsley and seasonings, got it up to pressure, set the timer for 20 minutes and walked away. About 10 minutes later I hear a big "WOOOOSH"! Dash into the kitchen and see everything is covered in rib juice --ceiling, walls, floor, counters. Apparently the ribs shifted and just managed to block the port in the center of the lid the weight sets on and the pressure relief valve did what it was supposed to.

In the 50 or 60 years my parents and I have been using PCs this is the first and only time we've had a problem, and to be honest it really was my fault. I'm just more careful now, but i still use it often.

 

[whirlcool]

Yeah, those are the kind of ribs I am talking about.
When your safety valve let go there was probably a lot of water still in the cooker hence the rib juice everywhere.
How many people here are thinking of getting a pressure cooker?

Paulg:
I think you should give one a try. You'd be amazed at the results. BTW, I loved your description of your scenario concerning the use of pressure cookers. I know people who have felt the same way about other things too! I got a good laugh out of that.

 

[paulg]

Thank you Whirlcool...

Thank you Whirlcool!
Funny thing... My two biggest fears in life are A) FLYING and B)Pressure cookers.
... And I am actually not kidding about that...
I take XANAX while flying. That I probably will never overcome. However your advice will make me consider using a pressure cooker without being sedated.
The concept of the lid being HARDER to remove under pressure "clicked" with my brain. Additionally, I didn't know about the safety release plug. Since I live better electrically, I will now pursue an electric PRESTO.

 

[whirlcool]

Actually I have heard that the stove top pressure cookers are much easier to control cooking wise than the electrics.
When you turn the heat off on a gas model, it pretty much stops cooking. On an electric there is more residual heat.
There are two ways of opening a pressurized cooker. One is to remove the heat and let it side for 15 minutes or so till it depressurized naturally, or put it under cold running water for a minute or two. This will depressurize it almost instantly.
This link may be helpful in making your decision.

Fastcooking.ca - Pressure Cookers: Are Electronic Pressure Cookers a Good Deal?

Electronic electric programmable pressure cookers vs. Fagor new generation stove-top pressure cookers.

fastcooking.ca

 

[toggleswitch]

It is my understanding that an electric one may not generally be cooled under running water.

 

[maytagbear]

It depends.........

My electric Presto (a design no longer made by Presto) is like an electric fry pan, has a removable control, and with the control removed, it is coolable under running water.

Most current electric pressure cookers do not have removable control units, but generally have pressure release buttons.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[petek]

This is the electronic one I have. I love it. There's no guesswork, just put the food in and push a button. I suppose the only guesswork is guessing when it will finish but most food is done in about 20-25 minutes. Remember that's from a cold start

http://kitchen-dining.hsn.com/bravetti-platinum-pro-electric-pressure-cooker_p-2099992_xp.aspx

 

[paulg]

I had to laugh.

I almost fell over laughing today. Today, less than one day after I wrote my last post regarding my fears of the pressure cooker, I read the CPSC website. What did they recall? A PRESSURE COOKER!
Go visit www.cpsc.gov for details.
... Doesn't change my mind - I still trust y'alls advice. I am sure they are safe and wonderful. But the timing of the recall couldn't have been any better.
I will stick to the name brands you recommend for starters. Is there a name for a fear of pressure cookers? PRESTOPHOBIA? MIRROMANIA?

 

[washernut]

Mirro

I made a wonderful Navy Bean Soup in mine today...I have an electric ceramic cooktop and it's a little tricky getting the temperature regulated. A couple of times I had to slide it off the burner and let it pressure down. I've been using one for years but, I have to admit I was peeking around the corner at it waiting for the regulator to stop and start bobbling....

Bill