Cooking TipsPressure Cookers, Friend Or Foe
Pressure cookers have this terrible reputation of being very dangerous. In the past they have been known to burst and trigger a fire in the kitchen or leave burns all over the cook. It is not like that with newer models and they are very safe to use. Food is mixed with a little water inside the pan. The lid is different in that it clamps and locks shut once this is done the cooker is placed on a burner of a stove. The heat gets hotter and starts to create steam which, in turn, creates a pressure inside the cooker because it cannot get out. Pressure will keep rising until it can"t anymore for the area inside the pot and then a little valve on the cooker or a weight that is attached to the cooker will start to release this excess steam preventing an explosion. Food is cooked at a much higher temperature without any danger of being burned. It also cooks 70% quicker than if you used the oven or a regular set of pots and pans.
Once time is up for cooking the pressure cooker should be removed from the heat but allowed to sit for awhile until the steam inside dissipates. Pressure cookers have a regulator that looks like a little valve or a weight that you can jiggle to let the steam out. Once no more steam comes from it you can safely unclamp the lid and remove it.
The food inside the cooker will still be cooking once it is removed from the heat because the steam is still present. Many people will put the cooker in the sink and run the cold water on the cooker instead of waiting until it is safe to release the steam to stop the food from cooking. The valve still has to be released even if the cold water method is used.
Advantages of cooking with a pressure cooker are many. You use a high temperature so if the food is affected with bacteria or germs it will kill them and they will not bother you. Foods will keep their lovely colors in a pressure cooker. If you put green beans in green beans will come out instead of limp gray beans. You can put the toughest piece of meat in a cooker and let it go with some liquid and it will come out tender and tasty. If you have a hard time getting the lid off it usually means there is still pressure in the pot that could harm you. Just wait a little or run cold water and try until it comes off easily. When you remove the lid hold it away from you to prevent any burn from steam or food that might not want to stay in the pot. This does not happen very often with all the safety features of the new models.
Many companies make good pressure cookers but you can find some of the best made by T-Fal Wearever. They have several different sizes including 4, 6, 8 and 12 quart models that run USD $35 for the 4 quart and USD $65 for the 12 quart cookers. The handle is long and narrow and is made of durable plastic and the pot is made from aluminum that is polished out and natural aluminum on the inside. The 12 quart is a little different having 2 handles that lock at each side of the cooker. All models are equipped with safety valves and all gaskets can be replaced to ensure safety. The 12 quart cooker may go under the name of Mirro and can be used in the canning process. They can be placed in a dishwasher and are rust free. You will never get burned because they cannot be opened unless all the steam and pressure is gone from inside the cooker. Pressure gauges are included and readable. These cookers come with a 10 year warranty.
Another company, Megafesa USA, makes an eight quart Super Fast Cooker that will cost upwards to USD $90. It cooks three times faster than a regular pressure cooker mostly because of the materials that are included in the base of the pot. You can choose from three different cooking speeds from 6 psi all the way up to 15 psi. The lid cannot be opened until all steam is released from the cooker. This cooker has a safety valve, a valve that will release over pressure and the lid contains a window that has a safety edge. The cooker is made from aluminum but also with steel. Because of this it is advised that the cooker only be hand washed.
Do not be afraid of pressure cookers because today they are just as safe as using a microwave. They do not use as much energy because cooking takes so much less time. Do not worry about getting a nasty burn because you cannot open a pressure cooker lid until all the pressure is gone. This is truly a way to produce a healthy meal for the family.