Speaking of pressure cookers

[panthera]

Always

sear the meat first, then raise it off the bottom of the pressure cooker, even if you're using lots of water.

Several folks have mentioned no lowering the pressure suddenly, that's right and give the meat the same time to rest as you would if it were a roast out of the oven: The juices redistribute over time and the temperature evens up.

Pressure cookers are wonderful if you're cooking far above sea-level, when I'm in the 'States, I cook at 6,000' plus. There, they do make a difference.

 

[toploader55]

bendix5

What a Beauty.

That's the only other Presto besides mine that I've ever seen with the Wooden Handles. The Women I spoke with at Presto told me if the Pressure Regulator ever goes, you re fit it to the Rocking type.

 

[rp2813]

Dropping Pressure

It has been mentioned here and I've heard it before--don't drop pressure quickly or the meat may be tough. Yet, in the pressure cooker cookbook I have the author recommends against letting pressure equalize on its own because the lid could seal itself shut. I don't really get this, because isn't the lid already sealed to maintain pressure while cooking? How could it seal further? The author advises that if the the cooker seals itself, to bring pressure back up a bit and then release it and remove the lid.

Can anyone comment on this?

 

[maytagbear]

That sort of

vacuum locking is really rare. I've only had it happen once, and the remedy for it is to bring it back up to pressure, and then quick release....cold water, or the button, if it has a quick release button.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[rp2813]

OK, it sounds like I don't need to be terribly concerned.

Thanks Lawrence

 

[jetcone]

Love pressure cooking

I recently drug out my Mom's 50 year old Revere cooker as you can dial the pressure in 5lb increments.

I have found that the higher the pressure you cook at the more you loose the aromatics. So I pulled out the Revere and loaded it up with Angus beef at 10 pounds for 20 minutes.

WOW what an intense flavor!

Lower pressure is better!
Now I am using that Revere ware every week!

 

[rp2813]

I like the idea of a dial with 5lb increments. I may have to keep an eye out for a Revere cooker. The two cookers I currently own are both 15lb models, although I suppose there's a way to guesstimate lower pressures as one becomes more familiar with the cooker. Revere eliminates the guesswork. I like that.

 

[sudsmaster]

Higher pressure = higher heat.

Meats tend to toughen at high heat, so low pressure makes more sense there. Tough meat might lose more juices and flavor that way.

The higher heat could also force more volatile oils (important for flavor) out of the foods. On the other hand, the pressure would tend to keep the flavors in the cooker until pressure is released.