The only thing I ever heard about a pressure cooker when I was younger was that it could explode, so I was always afraid to use one. Today’s pressure cookers are not your grandmother’s version.
I purchased a Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker
It’s the opposite of the slow cooker for sure. The crockpot is ideal if you plan ahead and prepare your meal ahead of time. The pressure cooker is perfect for when you want to get the meal on the table fast.
I am still experimenting with recipes. I have made my Lentil Soup recipe and it cooked in 15 minutes vs. 45 on the stove. That’s a time saver!
If you would like to convert some of your conventional recipes to make in the pressure cooker, you can find a similar recipe and make your adjustments. That’s what I did for my lentil soup. I found a recipe for pressure cooker lentil soup and adjusted my water accordingly and followed the instructions for cooking the soup. I just used my own spices and ingredients.
I have also cooked different cuts of meat for chili and stews and cooked them in the pressure cooker and then added to my pot on the stove. This works well for me as I make large batches of chili, soups, stews, etc. and freeze in individual portions. The pressure cooker is limited in the amount you can cook at one time. Why use the pressure cooker? Because the meat is so unbelievably tender and so quick and easy to use!
I am by no means an expert on pressure cooking. Just an amazed user of what this mysterious kitchen appliance can do. I thought I would share several articles and sites that I have found useful.
The Kitchn
I love the website The Kitchn. They always have great recipes and kitchen tips. Following are two links on pressure cookers.
What Is Pressure Cooking, and What Does It Do? A Pressure Cooker FAQ
10 Things You Need to Know Before Using an Electric Pressure Cooker
Pressure cooking 101 with Chef Cristian Feher
This is a great video by Chef Cristian Feher on How to Use a Pressure Cooker. He shows how to use both an electric and stove top models.
Popular Pressure Cooking Recipe Sites
Following are two popular sites for you to find recipes for your pressure cooker.
Pressure Cooker Parmesan Risotto
The Public Kitchen shared America’s Test Kitchen’s Pressure Cooker Parmesan Risotto. Who knew you didn’t have to stir risotto?
Amazon Links
For your convenience, I have attached two Amazon links. One for the Cuisinart pressure cooker that I use as well as a cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen. I love the internet but still love my cookbooks.
I got a stovetop pressure cooker a couple of Christmases ago, but was afraid to use it.
Then I had a baby.
Let me tell you: it’s a lifesaver. I only pay attention to keep the baby far away, and keep the valves clean.
Chiara – Thanks for the tip to keep the valves clean!
Hi Elaine – What timing you have with this post! I’ve been looking into pressure cookers and debating if I would get a lot of use out of one. Everyone I asked said, “Don’t they blow up?” When I come home from work the last thing I want to do is cook and wash lots of pots and pans. I thought this might be a good alternative. Thank you for all the info and your insights into using it. I’ll check out the Cuisinart you linked to above. Wonder if it does stuffed grape leaves!
Debbie – I think you would like using one. The cooking time is really a big time saver. Of course the prep work is the same as a conventional recipe (ie: Sautéing onions) but it can be done in the same pot. Once you close the lid, that’s when the time savings begins! And yes, I did see that you can make stuffed grape leaves in a pressure cooker!
I started with the Cuisinart. It’s a great little pressure cooker. Thanks for the shout out. Have fun!
I love pressure cooking, especially after a long day when I forgot to take anything out of the freezer!