I know this may sound like an extravagant spending item, but I have saved a lot of money in the long run with a stainless steel pressure cooker. Why? I can cook up to 1/4 the time it would conventionally. I find I save water, too. Just don't put more food or liquid than the recommended amount.
REAL pearl barley that takes up to an hour to cook, takes only 20 minutes. Just add 1/2 cup more water than the barley.
Rice is a cinch; SAME AMOUNTS of water and rice. If You have two cups of rice, you cook for only 2 minutes (and etc.) after the pressure gauge begins to jiggle or signals it is reaching the pressure point of cooking. There is no over boil to deal with either!
Pinto beans that may take up to 4 hours to boil tender or done in 30 minutes!
Even tough meat can be tenderized in a pressure cooker. I just marinade it and the flavor gets soaked in record time. I don't soak it, just put it in, and begin cooking! Depending on the amount and the way it is cut, it will take from 15-30 minutes.
I have seen STAINLESS STEEL pressure cookers starting as low as $30. It will definitely be worth the cost even if it costs $70 initially. Aluminum burns easily and has been thought to be a probable cause of alzheimer's disease.
So what do you do if there are burns on the bottom? I put the pressure lid back on the pan and let it set. That alone usually loosens the burns.
You can buy a pressure cooker at Bed Bath & Beyond. Last price was $19. They're in the stores or order on the internet. I need a recipe for chicken & dumplings made in the pressure cooker.
I agree they are a great way to save money & time. I like to make stew in mine. I have two & now want to buy a large one to can in. Does anyone know of a good place to buy one? Liz Az
Tim, I,ve been using a pressure cooker for forty years or more,my present one I,ve had for about eight years. I use it constantly.Not only do i use it for stews, casseroles etc but i make jams, chutneys and even made christmas puddings.I don,t usually burn mine but if i do i just put a couple of cupfuls of water in and bring it back to low pressure for about five minutes and hey presto a clean pressure cooker. Jan UK
I asked my dad if I could have my mom's pressure cooker a few days ago. I used to use mine all the time. The gasket on mine leaks & it takes too long to cook anything AND it is too small for us. I used to use the huge 16 qt canner when my kids were still home. Even cooked turkeys in it. I've seen a lot of recipes lately for cooking in them so I asked if I could have it & am anxious to buy something in grocery shopping tomorrow to cook in it. There are lots of recipes online. Just google pressure cooker recipes or pressure cooker & the item you would like to cook.
I think that Pressure Cookers are the best item in the kitchen. Like Tim I think they are wonderful. I know a lot of people still think they're dangerous, but the modern ones just blow out of the safety hole, and the worst that can happen is chicken soup on the ceiling. However, one should be able to hear them, and will definitely know if the pressure is getting too much. One of my favourite desserts, Creme Caramel, I can cook in 5 minutes in the Pressure Cooker, then just leave it to de-pressure on its own. Cheap cuts of meat turn into beautiful, tender casseroles, and because of so little air escaping one loses far less vitamins in vegetable cooking than boiling on the stove. I'm at the stage where I wouldn't know what to do without mine - I really love it. It's so economical too - you have a pot boiling on the stove many degrees higher than in a saucepan, on the lowest simmer control. Fantastic. Leah from Down Under.
I had never used a pressure cooker until just recently, but I am here to tell you, I think that thing is my new best friend. Cook time is ever so much shorter, also it tenderizes tough meat, and the flavor of whatever you are cooking is more intensified, because it is all left in the pot, not escaping into the air through steam. I heard somewhere that pressure cookers were making a come-back; I had never used one due to the fear of explosions that were common in earlier times, but pressure cookers have been greatly improved upon as far as safety is concerned. Someone on another web-site started a thread about "what kitchen gadget would you miss the most if it disappeared", and this would be the thing that I would miss the most . I would recommend to everyone to get one of these things and use it; they are absolutely wonderful!
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I know this may sound like an extravagant spending item, but I have saved a lot of money in the long run with a stainless steel pressure cooker. Why? I can cook up to 1/4 the time it would conventionally. I find I save water, too. Just don't put more food or liquid than the recommended amount.
