Pressure cookers

[Michelle1]

I just got my first ever pressure cooker as a gift...what should I make with it? Any tricks or tips?

 

[sallyomally]

These sound good:

http://fastcooking.ca/pressure_cookers/cooking_times_pressure_cooker_vegetarian.php
http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/pressure-cooker-white-bean-soup.php
http://www.yummly.com/recipes/vegetarian-pressure-cooker

I've never owned one,but would love to know how it works for you.It sounds like something that would be very handy to have around. Let us know.

 

[shyvas]

I always cook beans and brown rice in mine.
I also make soup, chillis and puddings as not only is the cooking time faster but it also saves on electricty.

 

[Forster]

I second the beans and brown rice.

 

[silva]

Right now Aldis has a stainless steel pressure cooker for $35.00!
I've been talking myself out of buying it, but maybe I can sell some unused cooking thing! I think I might use that...

 

[sallyomally]

I'm putting this on my Christmas wish list.

 

[shyvas]

I love making brown rice pudding in mine.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

I wish I had space for a pressure cooker.

 

[Limes]

I think you can do canning in it. Make yourself some jams and relishes, and can those bad boys up

 

[theveggiequeen]

I use my pressure cooker all the time for cooking everything from beans and grains to soups, stews, chili, stock, dessert, breakfast. I love my pressure cooker so much that I wrote a cookbook, The New Fast Food: The Veggie Queen Pressure Cooks Whole Food Meals in Less than 30 Minutes. I have recipes on my blog http://www.theveggiequeen.com/blog and my former blog http://www.pressurecooking.blogspot.com.

If you follow a vegetarian diet, the pressure cooker is your new best friend. After I started using one, I was hooked.

 

[Freesia]

They are good for cooking beans and brown lentils a lot quicker than usually takes.

 

[silva]

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!

I bought the last one at Aldis, and the lid is twisted on and I can't screw it off!!!
Worse is that the directions are apparently inside!

 

[kazyeeqen]

I think you can do canning in it. Make yourself some jams and relishes, and can those bad boys up

Pressure cooker =/= pressure canner.

Unfortunately.

I have a pressure cooker, and I have my mom's pressure canner (it's mine now! )

 

[silva]

How do you get the lid off?

 

[kazyeeqen]

All I know is that you twist it off. It has a rubber gasket around the inside, maybe it' new and extra sticky or has gotten super stuck in storage? There should be an arrow on the lid and base that shows you what position the lid should be in to open or close. At least mine has one...

Do you have a very strong man at your disposal, by chance? Sometimes they're good at that sort of thing...

 

[kazyeeqen]

Also there is a handle bit on the top and the bottom, so the big handle separates and the lid handle turns away from the bottom handle. That would be an easy mistake to make, and an easy fix, so I hope it's that.

 

[silva]

The rubber gasket was in the box. I see how the "tabs" are, and which way to turn it, but when I try and force it the bar across the top lifts up like it'll break if I continue.
I have the reciept...

 

[silva]

Hah!! Take that you ... thing!
I got it off all by myself! And I didn't break it! Sure enough, there's the booklet!

Good thing because I already looked at the recipes ..

 

[theveggiequeen]

I would say that the pressure cooker cuts the cooking time for beans or lentils by at least 70% which is much more than a little time.

Lentils take about 7 minutes at pressure and presoaked black, pinto, navy or kidney beans take 4 to 7 minutes at pressure, which is very fast.

 

[silva]

Oh yeah!! I've taken to using canned lately....
I'll like this! I can set mine to either 9 psi or 17!