pressure cookers???

[yolanda]

I thought I might send one to my just engaged daughter for Christmas. I had seen one on the qvc website, it had some pretty good reviews, this one was suppose to be the customers pick. It is about $89. I was just in Walmart and saw one for $30.
I also thought I would like to have one. I figured knowing me, I'll get her the more expensive one and get mine from Walmart. Who has experience on this one? Are they really as great as I hear or does the food just taste boiled. Thanks in advance! Yolanda

[pamelaw]

I will NEVER cook beans or pot roast again without my pressure cooker. My MIL gave me one she never uses. It is only a 4 qt size, and I want to also get a bigger one.

When I make beans, I boil them for 3 minutes, let them sit for one hour and then put them into the pressure cooker (never fill it more than 2/3 full with beans) and cook it with the whistle on top going for around 40 minutes and they are fantastic!

Pot roast, OM Goodness is it ever fall apart tender and very, very tasty. I make a version of potroast with Gyro seasonings and serve it with garlic/lemon roasted potatoes and salad and my families eyes almost roll to the back of their heads, it is so tasty and good.

I love pressure cookers. Just read all of the instructions carefully and follow them and be prepared to develop a reputation as a fantastic cook. The fame can be fatiguing at times.[8D]

pamela

"So let us not give up in doing what is fine, for in due season we shall reap if we do not tire out." Galatians 6:9, NWT

[bethannp]

I don't know how the one from walmart is. My mom gave me small 4 quart one for Christmas several years ago and I love it. Fresh veggies are great. I have a little metal basket that I put my veggies in for the pressure cooker. As long as you follow the instructions they don't come out as mush. My small one is a Mirro brand. No complaints from me.

I also have one that I can with. I wouldn't want to be without either one. My canning one was also a gift from my mom. An extra one she had now that she isn't canning for 6 any more.

[QE3]

I have the T-Fal one and it was worked great for 4-5 years~! I don't use it much anymore, I suppose because I've changed the way I cook. We do more low-carb eating now.

Kate
T-Tapp Trainer-in-Training, Houston
-:¦:- Queen of Everything plus 3 boys! -:¦:-

[TaliGator]

I love my pressure cooker, it is a Kuhn-Rikon (http://www.kuhnrikon.com/) - though it was expensive it's a very nice one with a lot of safety features that you won't find on the cheaper ones.

Miss Vickie's (http://missvickie.com/) website has some comparisons as well as recipes and general information.

Like others, I won't live without one now that I have one. I love to make rice in it as well as roasts. The other night I had a small 1.5lb roast and it took 25 minutes to cook once it came to pressure (total of about 40 minutes from start to finish). It was perfectly done and it didn't heat up my whole kitchen.

[TaliGator]

I thought I'd post this as an unusual way to use your pressure cooker - it's not just for meats and beans!


Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake
(60 minutes)

Serves 6 to 8

Upside down sounds crazy, but let me assure you, this will be one of your favorite cakes. Make sure you allow enough time to chill the cake well. You can remove the cake from the pan hours before serving for a creamy texture.
Ingredients:

1 20 ounce can Pineapple Chunks (in unsweetened pineapple juice)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sugar

Cheesecake:
3 extra large eggs (at room temperature)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1 pound cream cheese (softened)
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup crushed pineapple (well drained, reserve juice)

Directions:

1. Cut a piece of aluminum foil 2 feet long by 1 foot wide and double it twice lengthwise to create a strip for moving the pan to and from the cooker. Set Aside.

2. Butter the sides and bottom of a 7 inch spring form pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the inside bottom of the 7 inch spring form. Cover the exterior bottom and sides of the pan with a large sheet of aluminum foil so that no water can seep in. Set aside.

3. Drain the pineapple chunks well. Reserve the juice for making the curd. Place on paper toweling and blot all the excess liquid of the cubes. In a heavy skillet (cast iron is best), melt the butter. Add the pineapple single file over the surface. Sauté, turning to brown evenly. Add the sugar toward the end to obtain a nice charred brown look. When colored well, remove from the skillet and cool. When cooled: Carefully place each piece of pineapple on the parchment lined bottom of the cake pan. Start on the outside rim and work around in circles. Leave the center circle clear.

4. In a food processor, blend the eggs, cornstarch, sugar and lemon extract. Add the softened cream cheese and sour cream and process until smooth. Open the bowl, scrape down the sides. Add the crushed pineapple and blend with on and off strokes until well mixed. Pour the mixture carefully over the arranged pineapple cubes. Cover with buttered foil so that the foil fits tightly around the sides but allows some room on top for the cheese cake to expand.

5. Set a trivet or rack on the bottom of the cooker. Pour in 2 ½ cups of water. Center the pan on the foil strip and gently lower it into the cooker. Loosely fold the ends of the foil strip over the top of the pan.

6. Lock the lid in place and over high heat, bring to high pressure. Adjust the heat to maintain pressure and cook for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pressure drop naturally. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape. Remove the foil lid, blot up any excess water from the top of the cheesecake with a wad of paper towel. Cool completely, and then chill.

Pineapple Curd
1 ½ cups reserved pineapple juice (approximately)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
2 tablespoon crystallized ginger, chopped

Method:
1. In a small heavy pot, place all of the reserved pineapple juice you have. Add the sugar and boil the volume down to about 1 cup. Mix the cornstarch and water together and add to the hot syrup. Stir well to incorporate. Cook until the sauce thickens and is shiny and clear. Add the ginger, chopped very fine. Cool the mixture at room temperature.
2. The pineapple curd will be used to finish off the cheesecake after you follow the next steps.

Final Assembly

1. Remove the cooled cheesecake from the pan by running a sharp knife along the sides. Release the spring. Place a serving plate on the surface of the cake. Reverse the cake. With the tip of a small sharp knife, remove the bottom of the cake pan from the surface. Peel off the parchment paper. Use the pineapple curd to lightly glaze the pineapple pieces without masking them. Place the remaining curd in the center of the cake.

Notes:

This recipe is from the *April 2002 Chef of the Month interview with Arlene Ward (from the Kuhn-Rikon web

[yolanda]

Tali! Bless your heart and Thank you so much for the recipe. I can hardly wait to get one now. Thanks everybody, I guess it's the thing to have! Yolanda

[BarbieBuff]

I have an electric pressure cooker (Wolfgang Puck from HSN). Have made a couple pot roasts (brown, then cook for 1 hour, take pressure down and add carrots and potatoes and cook for maybe another 15 min. under pressure)and my husband was in hog heaven. And he's very picky. The thing I like about the electric is that the temp stays constant. I remember having to watch the burner at my mom's so the temp wouldn't go too hi/low.

I can't wait to get my kitchen finished - countertops being installed Tuesday :D:D:D - so I can start cooking again!!

[treysmom]

I love my pressure cooker. I want to get the Cooks Essentials one on QVC. I have never had any problems with anything I ordered from QVC, and I love the other Cooks Essentials products I have.

[pww818]

I love my pressure cooker as well! I had been using an old one with the jiggle top and finally bought an expensive one. I would get your gal one of the ones you are looking at, then if she likes and uses it, she can upgrade to the expensive ones after a couple of years.

I use it every week, especially for kale...takes about 3 minutes for a ton of kale.

I also make applesauce in it. Making apple-cranberry sauce tonight to go with pork tenderloin.

Applesauce:

Core, quarter and pare about 6-8 apples and put in pressure cooker with 1/2- 1 cup of water or apple juice (depending on your manufacturer recommendations). Add a cup of raw whole cranberries. Bring up to high pressure and cook for 1-2 minutes. Let the pressure come down naturally over 10 minutes. Open cooker and run fork thru apples to break them up. I like mine chunky so I don't stir too much. Add sugar to taste. If I am making just applesauce, I dont add sugar, but with the cranberries I add some brown sugar.

Hope she enjoys it!

Pam
(PS An excellent cook book is Lorna Sass' "Cooking Under pressure".)

[yolanda]

Thanks Pam!!! I love applesauce and cook with apples all the time. I can't wait to get my pressure cooker. Yolanda

[gingerb]

Here's a ?.......can you use a pressure cooker on a flat top stove?

Everything I've ever eaten that's been cooked in one has tasted divine, and I've always wanted one.

~~gingerb:D

P-L-A-Y Come on, push it. You can do it.
Just tapp already, would ya?!?

[Honeywell]

I have been wanting one for quite some time. Especially sor my winter soup recipes.

I have been looking at a Duromatic. It looks fantastic! Any have one or know about it?

Brenda

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." unknown

[TaliGator]

Ginger - I posted a link above for Miss Vickies. I'd email her at her site and see what she says about the flat top stoves. I personally don't know but would assume it would be OK though you may need to keep a closer eye on the amount of pressure.

Brenda - I have a Kuhn-Rikon (Duromatic) and I adore it. It has the most safety features and is easy to use. I had a piece that needed to be replaced and the company sent it to me for free without any question, that impressed me. I highly recommend them.

[gingerb]

quote:Originally posted by TaliGator
Ginger - I posted a link above for Miss Vickies. I'd email her at her site and see what she says about the flat top stoves. I personally don't know but would assume it would be OK though you may need to keep a closer eye on the amount of pressure.


Thanks!



P-L-A-Y Come on, push it. You can do it.
Just tapp already, would ya?!?

[JulieLyn]

I never used a pressure cooker until after I was married and DH bought me one. Apparently his parents used one all the time. I have no super yummy recipes for you, but I do have a few humerous, now at least, stories of caution for you.

First one is from my Daddy, which may explain why my mother never cooked with a pressure cooker. He is 3rd youngest of 15 children so he came along when his parents were nearing their 50's. His mother was ill and his father decided that he would do the cooking for the family. Mashed potatoes were on the menu and Grandpa decided to hurring things along a bit. The potatoes were prepped, put in the cooker, and cooked. Grandpa was doing well until impatience got the better of him and he didn't wait for pressure to reduce sufficiently. According to Daddy, the very small kitchen was covered in potatoe and Grandpa was not allowed to use the pressure cooker again!

Second story is mine. We had had the pressure cooker for about 3 years and I didn't realize that during our short shrew infestation the little plastic safety valve had suffered from small nibbles. I was standing two feet from the cooker when it reached high pressure. The valve shot from the lid like a bullet from a gun. It sounded like a gun shot and then there was all that loud whistling. Of course, I screamed and ran out the side door, where DH was standing on a ladder attempting to fix the fence. DH got a really good laugh out of that one, and I replace the valve every 2 years. I don't let anyone in the kitchen when I use the cooker.

Third story concerns my father-in-law. He grew up very poor, second oldest of 17 children in the family, but became a self-made millionaire. We were staying at his home and he was going to cook for us. He wouldn't tell us what he was cooking and were we ever surprised when dinner came. He had cooked chicken and dumplings in the pressure cooker. The chicken/vegetable part would have been fine, but he stuck in a whole chicken. He could have salvaged that, but he also made the dumplings in the cooker, under pressure! Oh was he proud of 18 minute (cooking time, altogether it was about 35 minutes) chicken and dumplings. It was one of the more horrible culinary experiences I have had. The chicken was falling apart and full of little bones and the dumplings were mush, but we sat there hmmming noncomittedly into our bowls. I think the really ironic part of the whole thing is that it only takes 45 minutes TOTAL to make chicken and dumplings the old fashioned, and much tastier, way.

Enjoy your cookers!

JulieLyn [:p]

[TaliGator]

I gotta say that I've never been witness to a situation like the above. Thankfully the pressure cookers of today are so full of safety features that it's almost impossible to make something happen. I have seen some jiggle top cookers out there still, the really cheap ones from Wal-Mart, and I think they'll cause problems if you aren't careful but most of the newer ones aren't like that.

ALton Brown did a show on pressure cookers, it was fun to watch. He made beef broth for his sick sister. :)

[TaliGator]

A couple recipes came in my Kuhn-Rikon newsletter:

Herbed Sage Dressing


Steaming bread dressing in the Pressure Cooker makes this stuffing ultra-moist and intensifies the flavors. The dressing can easily be prepared ahead and reheated before serving.

1 8oz. package bread crumbs, herb-seasoned
1/2 stick butter, melted
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 tsp ground sage
1 tsp herbs de Provence
1/2 onion, chopped, sautéed
3 ribs celery, chopped, sautéed

• Prepare the bread crumbs as directed on the package.
• Toss with sage, herbs de Provence, sautéed onion and celery.
• Place the trivet in the bottom of a 4-quart or larger pressure cooker and add 1/2 cup water. Place dressing in a 7" buttered decorative casserole and place it, covered, on the trivet.
• Close lid and bring pressure to first red ring (low pressure).

Time 15 minutes. Allow pressure to subside naturally.

-=-

Cranberry, Orange and Apple Relish

1 lg Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
3 cups (1 pkg.) fresh cranberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
zest of 1 whole orange

• Place all ingredients in a 4 qt or larger cooker and stir to blend.
• Close the lid and bring pressure to the first red ring.
• Stabilize heat and cook 5 min.
• Allow the pressure to subside naturally, off heat.
• Serve room temperature.