To all the cooks under pressure

[parunner58]

Hi To all the cooks under pressure. A few years back after we remodeled out kithchen I asked my wife for a new set of cookware for Christmas. The deal was I would trade in all the pots I had for a new set if Calphalon Professional Hard Anodised ones. She aggreed and bought me the 15 piece set. I sent my Farbeware, Tfal and my Mirro pressure cooker up to the church's runmmage sale. I used the pressure cooker a few times a year so I figured I did not need it. We since we now have the Food Network and I am a fan of Alton Brown and Iron Chef (both old and American) I am looking topurchase a new one. My mom had given me the old one for a gift. I recieved the Alton Brown gadget book for CHristmas this year and read his chapter on them. I searched the internet and and could not believe you can get one between the prices of $60 and $400. I am leaning towards a Fagor Duo 5-Piece Pressure Cooker Set in the Chefs catalog. It looks like a good deal and you get a 4 and an 8 quart for $130. I think it would be good having teh two sizes, the small one for when it is just the two of us (three people) and then the larger one for when when I cook for the whole family ( 20 of us ). LEt me know what kind's you all have and if you have any comments on this one. Being Irish (my last name is O'Reilly )my favorite meal to make in it and my crock pot is Corned beef and cabbage and Irish Stew . I hope to have this purchased before St. Patty's day.

I know a lot of us have never met in person but the comradery in this group is great. I have never met a group of such diversre people who get together with a common love of appliances both large and small and old and new. I am hopeing one day to be able to get to one convection to meet everyone.

Thanks
MikeO

http://www.chefscatalog.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=cprod3080111&parentId=cat1441005&masterId=cat381001&cmCat=&index=2&showCrumb=true

 

[SactoTeddyBear]

Re: Fagor Cooker:

Hi! Mike, I've got an 8-Quart Fagor Pressure Cooker, that was bought at a local Gift & Gourmet Show, Cooking Demo Booth 10-years ago. It took a little time to ever get started with using it, because of the "Horror-Stories" of the old Pressure Cookers "Blowing" their Tops, but we bought it because of it looking like it was more tightly secured when going under Pressure. The Woman who was doing the "Demo's" suggested to everyone who bought one of their products to take it out of the Box right away, when they got home and place the Pressure Cooker on top of their Stove, so it would be in sight and help you to start using it right away. Unfortunately, because of something going on right away when we got home, needless to say our Cooker stayed in its Box for a while, but it certainly get great "workouts" ever since.

I highly recommend that Fagor Set that you mentioned about and I certainly don't think that you will ever have any regrets getting them. They are the best made, as far as I'm concerned.

The design had changed thru the years, just like everything else does, but I highly believe in only looking into that particular Brand. Mine has what I call a couple of Hooked-Like Claws across from each other on the Sides of the Pot, that a Bar across the center of the Lid slides under, then you turn a Wheel in the Middle of the Lid/Bar Clockwise, to close the Pot. It has a Pressure Ball with a couple of holes on either side for releasing Pressure, that clips onto the Spout. The Cooker also came with a Cookbook, Basket for Deep-Frying and a low-sitting Plate with good-size holes in it for "Dry-Cooking" of items, like a Roast. We paid $215.00 w/tax and it has certainly paid for itself, when I finally started using it. I've never had any problems with it, incuding with the Lid Seal, everything is still original on it. I've not really used the Basket or Plate very much, beause I like to Cook Sauces and Mixed Meal items "Stews" or similar items, that need the whole area of the Pot, without restrictions in it.

"BTW" I've got a Gas Stove and I have Browned and started the Cooking on a "Medium-High" Heat, but most of the otherwise Cooking is between Meduim and Medium-Low Heat Settings. When I'm ready to release the pressure, I set the Pot on the back Burner of my Stove and aim the Release Valve towards the Vent-Hood Filter opening area, turn the Fan onto it's High Speed and pull the Pressure Knob off, to excape the Steam directly out thru the Exhaust Fan, when it stops "Hissing" and the Steam is gone, then I turn the Wheel Counter-Clockwise to open the Lid. Most of the Cooking time, after going under pressure is about 45-minutes, for a full pot of Food Cooking.

"Good-Luck" with your search and purchasing,I hope that this has helped you at least somewhat, with another happy Customer's input about their experience with a Fagor product.

Peace and Happiness, Steve
SactoTeddyBear...

 

[retromom]

You got me under pressure......

Mike:

Saw the pressure cooker on your thread. Wow! What a great set! When you get them, you'll have to let us know how they cook. There are many cooks among our members who love sharing recipes (myself included), so there is never a shortage of dinner ideas!

Yes, I agree that we are a diverse group with a common interest; love and respect for wonderful "old-fashioned" things and ways, and for each other. Too bad the rest of the world can't copy, eh?

Hope to see you in Omaha

Venus

 

[GESwivel]

Revere Pressure Cooker

I have had my Revere Pressure Cooker for about 7yrs. and think it is great. I use it about 3 times a month on average. I make roasts, stews, Tortilla soup, pea soup, bean soup, etc. The food comes out great. The meats are very, very moist. It is much better than my mother's old Presto from years ago. It has about 3 safety locks on it, so there is no concern for danger. It is 8qts. 18/10 stainless with a thick aluminum disk on the bottom, so heat is distributed evenly and food not burned easily. It was selling for $90 at the Corning/Revere Factory Outlet, but purchased it on sale for approximately $45.

I cook with it using my gas range. Most of the food I pressure cook can be cooked on low flame. I have cooked peeled and cubed potatoes(for mashing or potato salad) in 7mins. That is quicker than the microwave oven. I cook ribs in it, then transfer them to the grill to harden the outside of the meat. The meat falls right off the bone.

I think you will enjoy the pressure cooker if you want to cook food quickly without the microwave oven.

I would stay away from Mirro. I looked around before I purchased. The Mirro was not as good quality as the Revere, Fagor, etc.

 

[SactoTeddyBear]

Re: GESwivel:

Hi! GESwivel, how about the Tortillia Soup Recipe!!! An additional comment from my Thread. I know that everyone is going to have their Favorite Brands of everything and I can agree with you as well on the Revere, besides the Fagor Pressure Cookers. If I hadn't seen the Fagor at the Home & Garden Shows, besides at the State Fairs here, I would have probably checked with the Consumer Reports before going out to buy my Pressure Cooker. I might even check out a Revere Pressure Cooker, just for comparison. Do they come in different sizes as well as the Fagor's do? We have an Outlet Shop, in Folsom, Calif. area not far from where I live, here in Sacto, Calif. as well and I'm pretty sure that I saw a Revere Shop and I know that there is a Farberware Shop there. I located the Farberware Shop, after some Friends of mine bought a new Electric Skillet and they had wanted to get another Farberware Skillet, but there weren't any Stores in Town at the time, that we could find carrying the Farbarware Brand.

Peace and Happiness, Steve
SactoTeddyBear...

 

[kenmore1978]

pressure cooker sizes

I would get just the larger size, you can always cook the samller amount in the large size, rather than paying for and storing a large and small set.

 

[spiralactivator]

Like pretty much everything I have, my pressure cooker is vintage (that is, used). It's a 4-quart Mirro-Matic with three-weight pressure regulator; cost $8 at a thrift shop run by the local SPCA. Before that I had an early '70s Wearever, but it was in really rough shape.

The first pressure cooker I ever saw was my mom's big old National cooker-canner. It had a big needle gauge, but was apparently missing parts. Mom had rescued it from someone's trash heap, and the one time she used it (to put up grape jelly), it spat water all over the kitchen. Then it sat in the basement for a decade before being put on OUR trash heap...where someone else rescued it.

 

[kenmore1978]

Fagor

Oh, didn't realize the Fagor was a set. Thought they were separate items where one made a choice of which size to get.

 

[kenmore1978]

Most versatile pressure cooker

is the Princess Digital. After using it for the first time, I'm really impressed with its versatility

 

[retromom]

Recipes are going to start flowing......

Hey Jaune!

I couldn't resist. I ordered "The Pressured Cook" by Lorna Sass. Can't wait to get it. Thank you for all your input and advice.

Do you know if Fagor or the other pc manufacturers make an 8 quart cooker in stainless. I have a Mirro 8 quart, however, it is aluminum. The stainless cookers that I have seen are 6 quart. This is a bit small for my family.

Venus

 

[kenmore1978]

aluminum vs stainless

Miss Lorna says should be stainless with copper or aluminum clad bottom

 

[parunner58]

My New Fagor pressure cookers are here. I did get the 4qt and 8qt set. I made Chicken and Dumplings on Saturday night and I love these new cookers. My wife said that they sounded like they would not explode like the old presto one sounded with the little rocking weight on the top. It was much quieter than the old. I am not sure what will be the next meal. I know that the 17th I will be making corned beef and cabbage in it. So far I feel it was a purchase well made.

Mike