Pressure Cookers

[jetcone]

My mom

used her Revere 1950 and I still use that today. But I have pressure cooked for most of my adult life, I wouldn't be without one! I just got Fred and Greg into pressure cooking, well Greg hasn't jumped on the bandwagon yet but Fred has and is sailing along making complete dinners for Robert in his Revere.

 

A fantastic company that direct markets sells the best line of stove top pressure cookers out there.

Its called Pro Selections, mine are all hitting 30 years of weekly use and still going strong! I posted the link for ya'll below.

 

I have just gotten into 1950's pressure cookers and have a collection of them of which my all time favorite meal maker is the MinitMaid!! 

 

http://www.pro-selections.com

 

[appliguy]

Eddie the Control Master was the Presto Temperature Probe that was made to fit a number of Presto Portable Appliances (other companies like GE, Westinghouse and Farberware used the same idea too). You could use one probe on Presto’s Electric Fry Pan, Dutch Kettle, Mini Oven, Griddle, or Saucepan. If you had the Control Master Automatic Timer Probe that I have the main difference is that the temperature probe is wired to a clock work timer with a back lit dial that you plug into the wall and when the time you set is up a bell rings and the timer switches off the current to the appliance. As for a self contained pressure cooker being safer to use and easier too…I agree with you. To use mine all you do is put the food and water in the cooker, secure the lid and turn the temperature on the probe all the way up. When the weight starts to hula you turn down the temperature until the pilot light goes out on the probe and then you set your timer for how long you want the meal to cook (or in the case of the automatic probe you set the timer from the hold setting to the amount of time you want the meal to cook) The probe cycles on and off during the cooking period to keep the pressure at the proper place…it is like you say….easy….PAT COFFEY

 

[foraloysius]

Oh John!

Those cookers look more like surgical apparatus!

 

[jetcone]

Surgical

apparatus indeed !! Those do the best rack of lamb I've ever made, and all the vegetables to boot !

 

 

 

[maytagbear]

Maybe not surgical, but definitely medical

An Autoclave sterilzer is functionally similar to a pressure cooker.

You can look it up.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[rp2813]

I cooked four huge country style ribs in the 8-quart Presto for dinner tonight.  Seasoned with salt, pepper and hot paprika, then browned in olive oil on all sides in the cooker, removed to a platter and dumped in a halved and thinly sliced  large onion and a bit of liquid to deglaze, then put the ribs back in and added around 2 cups of liquid (water, ketchup, cider vinegar, soup seasoning (like Maggi -- instead of worcestershire), celery salt and a dash of liquid smoke.

 

Brought up to pressure, let the weight rock for 15 minutes, cut the heat and allowed pressure to reduce on its own.

 

The ribs were fabulous!  Tender as if braised for hours.  I looked up recipes on line before checking the Presto booklet, which had something similar, so I tweaked it a bit to make it my own.  I like that there was no sugar, and that the finished sauce didn't have that cloying bottled bar-b-que taste.

 

I can't imagine doing ribs any other way.  It was a cinch!

 

[foraloysius]

Medical indeed!

Now Bob, how can we help you further? Do you already have a hunch what kind of pressure cooker you want?

 

[toploader55]

Jon

I've seen the Minute Maids at your house and would never doubt your word.

But the Rack of Lamb thing... You'll have to bring one down to the Cape so I can experience this procedure.

After years of being in the Restaurant industry, I have always done the Hot Sear Crust thing on a Rack.

I'll have to find me a Minute Maid. And maybe 2. I'll send one to Bob !!!

Bob.. BTW... Just on FleaBay... There are quite a few Prestos there.

 

[passatdoc]

WMF

I bought a WMF set and it arrived this week. I waited for a sale and paid $150 (one day special) for a 3.5 and 6.5 quart set---they use the same pressure lid, and it also came with an extra glass lid, which enables either pan to be used as a covered sauce pan or stock pot. However, when I opened the box, they had shipped me the 4.5/6.5 qt set, which costs more. Either they goofed or they ran out of the 6.5/3.5 sets. The smaller cooker looks fine for making a meal for two or three. For larger crowds, the 6.5 will be needed. I just washed them a few days ago and have not had a time to try them. They can be depressurized in one of three ways: natural cool down; run cold water over the cooker (not too water-wise given California's drought), and the lock on the handle can be released, which releases the steam (180 degrees away from the user.

I was terrified of pressure cookers after watching an episode of "Lassie" in which a pressure cooker exploded and nearly killed Lassie. Given that technology has improved since the 1960s, I am willing to give it another try.





I"m happy this thread started, I'm learning a lot of tips.

http://www.wmfamericas.com/shop/coo...-cooker-sets/perfect-plus-pressure-cooker-set

 

[jetcone]

Eddie

I brown the rack first then add the veggies, red wine and wail it up to high for 10 minutes , juicy, brown on the outside, pink on the center! I have one at the Cape already, next time Im' down we'll do ribs.

 

Say in 2 weeks!

 

 

 

[appnut]

Luigi and everyone, thank you for the responses. I have a better idea as to what all can be cooked in one of these. But continued discussion is more than appreciated. I do have an idea what I will be looking for.

 

[passatdoc]

Amazon carries the WMF pressure cookers. But I subscribe to their website and get notices of one-day sales. I really like the idea of the set because you don't have to buy two separate cookers of different sizes (the 6.5 lid is interchangeable with the 3.5 and 4.5 sizes, I have the 6.5/4.5. I got the set on a one-day sale at 60% off, which was also 30% below the Amazon price. I'm bookmarking this thread to save all the good ideas therein.

 

[tomturbomatic]

The only problem with that arrangement is that sometimes if you are cooking a larger roast or a large batch of something like Swiss Steak, a wider cooker can be more convenient. Mom used the 6 qt. Presto and Mirro for eye of round roasts because they were wider than the 4 qt cooker. I have the 12 qt Kuhn Rikon cooker for the same reason.

 

[kimball455]

HI ..

Beef Stew and Onion Soup for visiting friends. Vary as you wish. First the stew. The marrow bones were roasted to a nice brown color. Rough cut onions are caramelized. The bones go into the pressure cooker filled to about 2/3 with water along with caramelized onions. That cooked for about 20 min and then quick release. Meanwhile, the beef cubes were dredged in seasoned flour (salt and fresh ground pepper) and browned in butter and olive oil. The beef, spices of your choice but include a bay leaf, a splash of Worchester Sauce and additional water as needed goes into the pressure cooker. Cook on high pressure for 20 min. Meanwhile, the veggies (onion, celery, carrots) are caramelized and held. Potatoes are cut into chunks. Once the meat time is up quick release pressure. Potatoes and caramelized veggies to into pressure cooker. Timer for 10 min. Quick release pressure when time is up. Guests devoured. Next day, caramelized a pile of onions sliced 1/8 on the mandolin. Added the caramelized onions to the strained left over broth from the stew and served with a nice slice of French bread on top. Great soup course with no left overs. Your timing may vary depending on your pressure cooker. Vary stew veggies as you wish. I have a 6 qt cooker.

Harry

 

[appnut]

Ralph, does your 8 qt. Presto have the "jiggler" on top or is it like the modern 8 qt. SS on the Presto web site.  With my coordination issues, I'm just concerned as to how difficult this one is to lock and unlock vs. the more traditional arrangement?   Take a look please. 

 

[spiraclean]

Have had a 5 litre Kuhn Rikon for a few years now, and use it a couple of times a week. This is my first pressure cooker, and I consciously decided to go in at the top rather than settling for a cheapie and wanting to upgrade again soon after. The spring loaded plunger valve system on these is non-threatening for a beginner to get to grips with, and now I have long become accustomed to the cooker, I still appreciate how easy it is to control.

I do still hear the usual horror stories about pressure cookers, and a lot of people say they wouldn't dare use one, because the fear of redecorating the kitchen ceiling with tonight's dinner still prevails. My mother received one as a wedding present in '75, and never used it once for this reason. Things have changed a lot since then, and it would take an almost deliberate act of carelessness to blow up a modern PC. I know with mine, it is designed to vent excess pressure from the valve first, followed by the gasket, only blowing out the safety plug as a very last resort.

 

[passatdoc]

I used to be terrified of them after having watched an episode of "Lassie" as kid in which the pressure cooker exploded and nearly killed Lassie.

 

[foraloysius]

Bumpity bump!

Bob, have you already made a decision?

I don't think a more modern pressure cooker is more difficult to handle than a pressure cooker with a jiggler. I have a more modern one, I almost never take that valve out. It's a very easy knob to turn. Really nothing to it.

 

[norgeway]

The older ones

Are just as safe as the new ones...IF you read the book!..You can blow the plug out of a new one just as easy, Two of my Dads sisters were notorious for doing that!! They never read the directions, once my Aunt Mable filled hers full of collard greens...You can imagine what that did to the ceiling...Vomit green spray!!!!LOL, Collards should be, imho, left in the garden!!!!YUCK!, Aunt Beulah always tried to fill up her old Mirro Matic to the top, which the book tells you NEVER to do, I remember once she was going to make Liver Mush."Yeah, its a Southern thing". anyway, she had the pork liver and half of a hog head in the pot, I was about 12 ,and happened to be there that day, I told her, you cant do that, it will blow up...did She listen..NO, did it blow up, YES, GREASY pork broth all over the kitchen!!LOL, Did I have to help clean it up...YES and still had to turn the grinder to grind up all that meat for the liver mush, "Its a little like scrapple except it has liver and is flavored with sage and red pepper, and I could eat my weight in it!!, And I wont eat one bite of liver by itself ..LOL

 

[washerboy]

I love my PC

I use mine at least once a week..I have a universal. I've cooked dried beans,and like to pressure greens. I've never done very well with roast..they seem to have a funky texture. I've always wanted to try pressure fried chicken..I did once several years ago but it was sticky/slimey...if anyone has some tips I'd appreciate them. Also I love the smell of green beans being processed in jars..and I run my jams through the PC for about 15 minutes just be ensure food safety. I have "blown the fuse" on 2 septrate times and I was trying to pressure sweet potatos..whole..bad idea!!.It's true..once you learn how to use one you'll love them.