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Post by okiemomof3 on May 7, 2015 19:28:37 GMT
I was given a pressure cooker for Christmas last year and have only done two things in it that we like...rice and potatoes. I have lost the instruction manual (which also had recipes in it) and i would love to have some ideas and/or recipes or techniques on how people use their pressure cooker. There was one time when i had two pork chops that wouldn't fit in the skillet and i saw that cooker sitting on my counter and decided to toss them in there and see what happened. I did remember the instructions said to have a minimum of 1 cup of water in there. So, along with seasonings and water, the pork chops were put in there and it was set to cook. They came out tasting awful, pretty much like boiled meat, all the seasoning was in the broth and not on the meat and i don't want to repeat that any help or ideas or techniques would be greatly appreciated!
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Post by hermitjohn on May 7, 2015 21:15:11 GMT
Reminds me of my paternal grandmother that couldnt cook worth a darn, and seriously, she boiled hamburger in open pan on stove. It was as bad as it sounds. Think that was one thing that really attracted Dad to Mom, women in her family were very good cooks. I suggest looking at various pressure cooker forums for recipes. Like this one: www.hippressurecooking.com/ Though be aware the woman running forum seems to make commissions off selling new expensive equipment (and very anti vintage stuff) so just ignore that, you can perfectly well use any pressure cooker you are comfortable with. Mine is 6qt Minitmaid made in 1930s!! and heavier duty than anything you will find today. It was originally made with pressure regulator that allowed pressures up to 35psi. I replaced it with modern 15# jiggler style and added a pressure gauge also. I like to have both on any pressure cooker/canner that I use. If you are wanting to pressure cook meat, two suggestions. You keep meat up out of the water, you want it steamed, not boiled. And if you dont like look of steamed meat (thats what you are really doing is cooking with steam), then you want to pan sear or broil the meat so its brown on the surfaces before pressure cooking it. Me, I mostly use pressure cooker for beans and grains. I discovered secret on youtube two or three years ago. For grains and rice, you want to put the trivet in bottom of cooker, add inch water, then put a stainless steel bowl on the trivet, put the grain and or beans in the stainless bowl along with 1 1/2 cup water for each cup of grain/beans. Cook away. Example: I found I like one cup lentils, one cup millet, and one cup brown rice together. I also throw in handful crushed wakame. And my cooker is oval so I put couple big potatoes on trivet outside the bowl. I cook this so often, I just know how high to fill stainless bowl with water rather than measuring out 4 1/2 cup water. When cooker gets to 15#, I turn down heat so its just enough to maintain pressure, but not enough to try to further increase pressure, and set egg timer for 13 minutes. When 13 minutes are up, I turn off heat and let pressure naturally go down. Though if in hurry, have removed the weight and let steam bleed off fast. Anyway then stir (fluff) it like one would rice that was cooked in non-pressurized steamer and season and eat it. Thinking on cooking meat, suppose you could cook it similarly, steam it in bowl away from water, then let it cool, then brown it in skillet or under broiler. Twice cooked is rarely used technique that deserves more thorough thought and experimentation. Oh and if you choose to cook multiple items together, you want to choose items with similar cooking times. Small pieces of veggie cook incredibly fast, so you dont want to cook them with grains or beans. However a big potato takes about same time as rice, millet, and lentils. Another combination I like is one cup black beans, one cup chick peas, and one or two cup whole oat groats. Together these take around 35 minutes at 15psi. Pinto beans take from 45 minutes to an hour, depending how old they are.
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Post by oldmania on May 7, 2015 22:53:05 GMT
I use mine every week. I use an 8 quart pressure cooker, not a canner. Add 5 cups pinto beans and 2 TBSP finely minced ham, fill water to within a couple of inches of top. Seal, put pressure regulator on vent pipe and bring to pressure using high heat. When beans come to pressure, turn heat down to medium and set timer for 50 minutes. When done, reduce pressure under cold running water. Remove lid and add 1 tsp salt.
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Post by wally on May 8, 2015 0:37:59 GMT
Almost any cut of meat will come out of a pcooker fork tender. Once you are comfortable with your cooker you will use it a lot
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2015 9:35:40 GMT
I use mine every week. I use an 8 quart pressure cooker, not a canner. Add 5 cups pinto beans and 2 TBSP finely minced ham, fill water to within a couple of inches of top. Seal, put pressure regulator on vent pipe and bring to pressure using high heat. When beans come to pressure, turn heat down to medium and set timer for 50 minutes. When done, reduce pressure under cold running water. Remove lid and add 1 tsp salt. This sounds delicious. I am going to have to try this. I have a pressure cooker but don't use it much. I bet my husband would love this. Thank you.
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Post by aftermidnite on May 8, 2015 13:21:54 GMT
I was gifted TWO from a member on HT a few months ago ..
Those 2 cookers have made my life so much easier and I LOVE being able to cook a meal in such a short time .. I do agree about meats tho ..if you don't want it steamed be sure to brown or sear it before adding it to the cooker.. Up until a couple days ago pressure cooker was the only way I had ever made my swiss steak and I usually make it once a month because it is my daughters favorite meal I look online for recipes that look interesting and then vary them to make them my own .....
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2015 12:48:33 GMT
Modernist Cuisine has a few recipes with a different take on vegetable soups in a pressure cooker. They are relatively simple, and quite delicious. I made some of the Carrot Soup for lunch yesterday, and froze a few servings also. In the books, the have a Corn Soup that is too die for.
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Post by elseesd73 on Jul 6, 2015 23:13:03 GMT
I have an electric pressure cooker, that sits on cupboard. It does a real good job and runs so quiet. I also have a microwave pressure cooker. The other night I put in a box of Uncle Bens long grain and Wild Rice mixture, the package of seasoning, 2 1/4 cups water and 1 tbsp. butter. Mix up, with spoon, then layed 1/2 Cornish hen on top. Put microwave on high and 19 min. Turned out so good. Have also done 4 thighs and 2 thighs, same time. Going to try a couple pork chops next. May have to add another minute or so. If you have the right cooking vessels, the microwave does an excellent job.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2015 18:57:37 GMT
*edited to remove personal info*
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2015 19:19:54 GMT
Also wanted to add that what I've found best for me was to heat it up to medium (so if your stovetop goes to 10 then between 4 and 5) and wait for the top knocker thinger to start spinning/bobbing/dancing, once it does it means the internal pressure has reached max so you can slowly reduce the heat till that bobber is barely dancing but it has to be moving so if it stops moving then you increase it slowly till it starts again. Once you hit this sweet spot then you start the timer. I always go with five minutes then let the pressure release normally without forcing the PC open. If I feel it needs more cooking then I add on 2 minutes at a time, each time going through the whole process of tightly sealing the lid and waiting for the bobber dance sequence to commence before starting the new timer. I'm sorry if this is coming off as me trying to discuss basic information that wasn't asked for, it's just that a couple of my girlfriends and myself didn't know any of this when we first started using our PC, so thought I would add it just in case
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Post by kkbhf on Jul 27, 2015 19:22:22 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2015 21:57:39 GMT
We use the pressure cooker most for older chickens and rabbit, whole. 2 cups water and put the lid on. Makes great chicken meat for enchiladas and casseroles. New potatoes and peas, then open and add 1/4 cup cream, salt and pepper and stir....James
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Post by bluejeans on Jul 27, 2015 23:46:50 GMT
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