Pressure Cooking

[Durgan]

Pressure Cooking

http://cahloo.notlong.com Here is pictures of my pressure cooker and colander insert.

Any cooking that minimizes the time, temperature, and water will help to preserve nutrients. Pressure cooking under steam is one of the methods best because it minimizes time and requires little water. http://hajeir.notlong.com There are far more benefits from Pressure cooking than deficits. It far surpasses all other methods of cooking. Practice makes perfect. http://missvickie.com/library/benefits.html A gormet meal can be prepared within an hour, once one gets proficient.

Pressure cooker rings should last the life of the cooker. The lid should be run under water to wet the ring before putting in place. This lubricates slightly and prevents tearing.

The other action that ruins rings quickly is leaving the lid on the cooker loose with the heat on. The ring gets hot due to lack of conduction and dries out quickly. If it is desired to heat the material in the cooker, then use another lid.

How do I know, because I ruined a ring once, and determined the cause.

I have never had the small safety grommet damaged, but have lost it if the rocking pressure valve hole gets jammed, due to material plugging so a spare may be in order. Since then I have change my procedure as depicted following.

I have a colander exactly the same size as the pressure chamber and place the material to be cooked in this device, My material doesnt touch the water due to the base on the bottom of the colander. This means peas, rice, grains, oats, can be cooked without the bits of material jamming the rocking exhaust, thus preventing the safety valve from blowing.

The colander was a typical type and I knocked off the two handles with a sharp blow from a a hammer. This is easy since they are only spot welded in place.

[Durgan]

This is a copy of a comment left on my blog http://eghea.notlong.com

Hi

I followed and enjoyed your garden blog through the summer of 2007. Found your 2008 blog today. I am from India, where a kitchen is incomplete without a pressure cooker. We cook every thing in it. From rice and lentils to meats. You can use the pressure cooker to steam foods, if you take off the 'rocking exhaust' as you call it. We just call it the whistle. Because that's what it does. Also, if you want to heat something, put the lid on with the ring, but don't put the exhaust on. This method will work for both steaming things in your colander as well as heating.

I am surprised that vessels weren't included in your purchase. In India, when you buy a pressure cooker, it comes with three interlocking cylindrical steel vessels that fit into the cooker. As well as a perforated base, which is put on the bottom of the cooker to prevent the clogging you mentioned. Maybe I will post pictures of the assembled cooker on my blog and send you a link. I am sure you will be able to find similar pots around the house.

Also, I am sure you do this, but make sure to take off the exhaust before each time you cook and make sure the path for the steam is clear through.

To increase the life of the ring, you may want to remove it from the cooker, wet it and stretch it lightly before you operate the cooker.

Happy pressure cooking !

[runnerbean]

Durgan, I find the pressure cooker overcooks certain foods, I enjoy my slow cooker, I put all the ingredients I want to use for whatever meal I am doing, and come home to a hot tasty meal, all the vitamins and nutrients are contained withn the pot, and it uses very little electricity, I prefer slow cooking to pressure cooking, but hey not knocking you, each to their own.

[Durgan]

Originally Posted by runnerbean

Durgan, I find the pressure cooker overcooks certain foods, I enjoy my slow cooker, I put all the ingredients I want to use for whatever meal I am doing, and come home to a hot tasty meal, all the vitamins and nutrients are contained withn the pot, and it uses very little electricity, I prefer slow cooking to pressure cooking, but hey not knocking you, each to their own.

I use both, the slow cooker, and the pressure cooker. The pressure cooker can over-cook very quickly, but with care and experience I manage to get perfection. I like the bit in the post from the person in India, who mentioned running without the rocker in place. It give more control. Some vegetables are cooked almost as soon as the pressure comes up. The insert means the vegetables don't get water-logged, since the contents don't get touched by the liquid water. Turnips cook perfectly in the pressure cooker.

I like to make pot roasts periodically and find I can have it ready to serve in about an hour. The meat is cooked alone, then the vegetables added later and mixed in.There is little difference in the end result from slow cooking.

Dried beans can be cooked much faster in the presssure cooker.