Pressure cooker

[Corzhens]

Do you still use pressure cooker?

I have noticed some homes where they use the microwave in lieu of the pressure cooker. But I guess tenderizing meat in pressure cooker is the best way than microwaving. Just this morning, we usee the pressure cooker for the beef brisket that we used in cooking porridge. Well, it's really tender and nice to the bite.

 

[Rosyrain]

I have never owned a pressure cooker and I really do not know anybody who owns one around here. I am personally scared to use one because of the potential for the thing to blow up. I know that the chances of that are really remote, but I am nervous none the less. I really do not think they are a tool that the younger generation here in the US ever uses. I have a crock pot that I use for slow cooking and tenderizing meats.

 

[Morning Glory]

I know quite a few people who use them. And recently I've seen some of our top chefs using them on TV shows. I do have one but have to confess I'm not very confident with it. Not because I think it will blow up but because you can't check how things are cooking , which you can with a slow-cooker. Last time I used it I cooked a whole gammon and it came out completely overcooked and dry! It would be useful if someone here who is confident in using them would post a few simple recipes to get me going..
The great benefit of the pressure cooker is the speed with which it cooks, so its surprising they have fallen somewhat out of fashion. For example, @Corzhens mentioned brisket, which would take hours in a slow-cooker.

 

[sidevalve]

Try the net for older recipes - there are loads out there. Plus as I have said before they are really handy on a camping trip as you can cook several things at once.

 

[Corzhens]

I know quite a few people who use them. And recently I've seen some of our top chefs using them on TV shows. I do have one but have to confess I'm not very confident with it. Not because I think it will blow up but because you can't check how things are cooking , which you can with a slow-cooker. Last time I used it I cooked a whole gammon and it came out completely overcooked and dry! It would be useful if someone here who is confident in using them would post a few simple recipes to get me going..
The great benefit of the pressure cooker is the speed with which it cooks, so its surprising they have fallen somewhat out of fashion. For example, @Corzhens mentioned brisket, which would take hours in a slow-cooker.

You are right with the blind cooking - you cannot see what's happening inside the pressure cooker. What we do is use the timer. For hard beef, our pressure cooker can tenderize it in 6 minutes. For softer beef, just 5 minutes. But there are times we cannot estimate the cooking like the red beans which are sturdy. It takes 20 to 30 minutes in the pressure cooker so what we do is to cook for 20 minutes and the check. If the beans are still hard, we cook another 5 minutes then another 5. But the texture is much preferable than other ways of tenderizing.

 

[Caribbean girl]

I have never used a pressure cooker myself, but I remember my mom using one years ago. This was usually around Christmas time when we were having the whole family over for lunch. I remember she used to cook cow heel in the pressure cooker on those occcasions since cow heel is something that takes a while to cook if done in an ordinary pot. That's all I can remember of a pressure cooker. I do not own one now and have never thought of doing so, since I never had the experience of using it. I don't know if it is as popular these days as it was in years gone by.

 

[Morning Glory]

You are right with the blind cooking - you cannot see what's happening inside the pressure cooker. What we do is use the timer. For hard beef, our pressure cooker can tenderize it in 6 minutes. For softer beef, just 5 minutes. But there are times we cannot estimate the cooking like the red beans which are sturdy. It takes 20 to 30 minutes in the pressure cooker so what we do is to cook for 20 minutes and the check. If the beans are still hard, we cook another 5 minutes then another 5. But the texture is much preferable than other ways of tenderizing.

So, you cook the red dried red beans without soaking? I have some in the cupboard, so I will give it a try. How do you know how much water to add?

 

[GadgetGuy]

So, you cook the red dried red beans without soaking? I have some in the cupboard, so I will give it a try. How do you know how much water to add?

I, also, do red kidney & pinto beans in the pressure cooker without soaking them first. Pintos are soft in an hour & the red kidney beans in about the same time.

 

[Corzhens]

So, you cook the red dried red beans without soaking? I have some in the cupboard, so I will give it a try. How do you know how much water to add?

Yes, I do not soak the red beans when I cook it in the pressure cooker because.. I usually forget it, hahahaaa. But when my husband is the one cooking, that's no problem because he knows all those things and I am only the substitute cook in the house. When we had acquired a housemaid, my cooking chores have been relegated to the housemaid. But still, the master chef is my husband. By the way, when the red beans is soaked in water for 30 minutes before cooking, you save about 5 minutes cooking time and sometimes even more minutes.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Here's my recipe!

Kideny Beans with smoked Ham (pressure cooked).

Discussion in 'Beans, Peas and Lentils' started by Shermie, Sep 19, 2014.

Unwatch Thread

1. 
   ShermieChef de Partie
   Location:
   East Boston, MA
   Kidney Beans with Smoked Ham (pressure cooked)
   02-01-2013, 08:27 PM
   Ingredients;
   
   1 lb. dried kidney beans.
   
   1 medium onion, choped or sliced.
   
   3 or 4 gloves garlic, chopped or sliced.
   
   2 T. bacon fat, olive or canola oil.
   
   2 cups diced smoked ham or picnic shoulder meat, or a leftover ham bone.
   
   4 cups (1 qt) water to cover beans.
   
   1 teaspoon each;
   
   Salt, seasoned salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder and sugar.
   
   
   Directions;
   
   Heat fat or oil in pressure cooker over medium high heat.
   
   Add chopped or sliced onions & garlic cloves. Sautee until onion pieces begin to brown slightly around edges. Add ham or other smoked meat. Cook for about 10 minutes more.
   
   Meanwhile, pick over beans to remove ant foreign material, sucks as rocks, etc.. Rinse thoroughly in colander under cold water. Drain.
   
   Add beans to onion and meat mixture. Add water to cover.
   
   Cover cooker with lid, seal and set pressure regulator onto vent pipe. Let pressure build up. When regulator begins to jiggle, time beans to cook for about 1 hour.
   
   Remove pressure and check to see if beans are done or need a little bit more time to pressure cook. When beans are soft, add seasonings & sugar and let liquid cook down until thickened slightly. Reduce heat to about medium low.
   
   Adjust seasonings if desired. Serve over hot-cooked brown or white rice.
   
   Enjoy!!
   
   
   
   
   Note;
   
   You can use just about ANY type of dried bean for this recipe, such as lima beans, pinto beans, blackeye beans or cow peas.
   
   You can also substitute a leftover smoked ham bone, smoked ham hocks or smoked neckbones.
   
   
   
   
   

 

[ReadmeByAmy]

When I was still single I remembered my mother is using a pressure cooker when she is cooking her special Chili Con Carne. Yes it is true that the ground beef and the red kidney beans easily cooks fast and get tender. But now she is not using it anymore. It is still best to cook in an ordinary pot even it is slow because the foods taste better than cooking in a pressure cooker.

 

[winterybella]

I might have said this before. The last time I saw my pressure cooker my husband had it catching water from a leak. I don't know if that means it's a relic or something to be thrown out. I am guessing I can't even find the small attachment for the top. I have not used mine in perhaps a decade, but I remember the quality being very good. I also remember when it was first introduced to me decades ago , I had a fear of using it. It was said to be a very dangerous piece of kitchen equipment. I vaguely recall hearing of injuries to the face and hands of some who did not use it correctly.

 

[GadgetGuy]

When I was still single I remembered my mother is using a pressure cooker when she is cooking her special Chili Con Carne. Yes it is true that the ground beef and the red kidney beans easily cooks fast and get tender. But now she is not using it anymore. It is still best to cook in an ordinary pot even it is slow because the foods taste better than cooking in a pressure cooker.

Not so sure if I would agree with that.
In fact, according to top nutritionists, food tastes far better when cooked in a pressure cooker. In a regular pot, nutrients, vitamins & minerals are most often lost through boiling and vapor from the steam.
In a pressure cooker, most of the essential nutrients are retained longer because of the extremely high heat & steam generated by pressure cooking.

The end results are food that not only taste better, but food that has retained most of the nutrients through super-fast pressure cooking.

 

[sidevalve]

Like the 'beans and smoked ham' recipe - must dig out the cooker and give that a try

 

[GadgetGuy]

Like the 'beans and smoked ham' recipe - must dig out the cooker and give that a try

Try it!
I think that you'll like it!!
Of course, you don't have to use ham if you don't have it. You can use any type of smoked meat, such as turkey wings or drumsticks or smoked pork neck bone.