Speaking of pressure cookers

[norgeway]

Aluminum...

Maybe not the MOST healthful thing---but NOT poisionous,I never leave any food in aluminum, but if it were poisionous,anti perspirant would be outlawed, come on down south Toggles and ill cook you a nice big southern dinner,complete with fatback seasoned vegetables lard infused pie crust and biscuits made with lard also,also lots of salt and sugar, all cooked in aluminum, you will never eat old bland healthy food again...A-MEN..pass the cholesterol!!

 

[sudsmaster]

It occurs to me...

That I never posted a pic of the Cuisinart PC in question...

So here it is...

 

[sudsmaster]

Control Panel

 

[norgeway]

Electric P C

I have a friend who has that Cuisinart and loves it, looks like a fine product.

 

[bendix5]

Here is a picture of my model 40 presto from 1947. The year my parents were married. It has had plenty of use and has always cleaned up well and cooks exceptional even on a flat top stove. I use it every couple of weeks. I actually cook more with it in the summer because it is fast and cool. I do stews, beans, roast and vegies etc. These are a great cooking tool and once you get used to it there is nothing to it. Yes, there are things you can cook faster in a regular pot. Like cream of wheat or rice. When I need replacement parts I order on line from Presto. I did get a new regulator a few years ago as the original one kept popping off the top. Outside of that just the lid seal every few years. I would love to try an electric on some day. Until then I will keep old faithful going. Dano

 

[joeekaitis]

We just had the most velvety smooth split pea soup that ever caressed the tongue, courtesy of 10 minutes in our pressure cooker (plus a few minutes of pressure-drop time).

Another neat trick:

Stock up on Italian sausage when it's on sale and pack it away in the freezer. When you need some for a recipe, drop the rock-hard frozen links into a 4- to 6-quart pressure cooker, throw in a half-cup of water, bring it to pressure and maintain for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to drop naturally. The casing melts in the mouth without feeling slimy, and if you want a little more snap, just brown 'em under the broiler.

If a recipe calls for sausage squeezed out of its casing and browned, I pressure cook it and pulse-chop it in a food processor. The intensified flavor compensates for the lack of browning.

 

[rp2813]

I'm having a difficult time deciding if I like the idea of rock hard Italian sausage better than melt-in-the-mouth . . .

I'm going to try the pressure cooker method, though. That sounds quick and easy.

 

[maytagbear]

Have both!

Ralph, have both.

Sequentially or simultaneously. It's very possible in the right places.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[panthera]

Cuisinart

does have a flair for design. Their quality is pretty good, too. My stainless steel prestos in the US give an air of solid comfort to rainy and snowy afternoons when the pressure regulators are rocking away on top of them. Only had one safety valve release in my whole life - and that was my fault. Forgot rule number one of cooking beans: Ten times more oil into the water than you think you need, only fill the pressure cooker to 1/4 the capacity...

 

[peteski50]

Pressure cooker!

I have had a pressure cooker for 4 years now. I don't use it often but I do like the way the meats are cooked. I am still trying to master the way I do the stuff. I have made pot roast about 6 times and corned beef 2 times. All good. Most of the time tender but sometimes on the pot roast it came out a little tough. Also I learned to use ample amount of liquid. I am definatly open for suggestions. Last week I made broccli rabe but first I browned a ton of garlic in the bottom of the pot and than steamed the broccoli rabe for 4 minutes - I than added it to some pasta with crushed tomatos - came out real awsome.
Peter

 

[norgeway]

meat suggestion

When cooking a roast,pay no attention to the timetable in the book, for example,beef stew is supposed to cook in 15 minutes....brown it well, add water, cook for 45 min at least,also,never drop the pressure instantly when cooking meat,always set cooker off heat and let pressure drop on its on, when I do say a chuck roast,maybe say 2to3 lb,I brown it well,add 1 bay leaf,enough boiling water to cover,pepper to taste,1 beef boulion cube" Knorr" a sprig of rosemary pinch of thyme,cover pressure at 15 lbs for 45 min, set off heat ,when pressure drops, uncover,salt to taste,make gravy serve, never salt beef or beans while cooking,tends to toughen them, hope this helps.

 

[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.