Post: #1

Chefsteps has just released a video that shows the benefit of using a pressure cooker a million times better than I ever could. I figured it warrants its own thread in case some guys aren't checking the Bone Broth thread.

These are a very worthwhile investment, imo more of a valuable tool than a slow cooker

Post: #2

Excellent video Veloce.
Thanks for sharing.

Pressure cooker will be my next investment in the kitchen for sure.
I often prepare a lot of big cuts through slow cooking.

A pressure cooker will reduce time needed for cooking big time.

Post: #3

Veloce,

Thanks for your recommendation for a pressure cooker. Any chance you could recommend a bigger one? I took a look at it last night and I thought it might be a little small.

Thanks.

Post: #4

I read somewhere that a pressure cooker is great so long as exact temperature isn't a concern.

Post: #5

Hey guys, Being indian using a pressure cooker is almost second nature to me. I have two at home. Use it everyday to cook lentils and beans/meat and also soup , is fast and also cooks much better. My mom uses it cook even rice , must say the rice is much better cooked this way.

I highly recommend getting one.

Post: #6

So what temperature are you using on the stove, full heat? Also when its done cooking do you simply open it up and get exposed to tons of hot steam or is there a certain safety step you should do?

Post: #7

Holy shit! Beef stew meat cooked tender in 45 minutes? Sold!

Post: #8

(12-26-2014 07:37 PM)kbell Wrote:  So what temperature are you using on the stove, full heat? Also when its done cooking do you simply open it up and get exposed to tons of hot steam or is there a certain safety step you should do?

It can be tricky for first time users. The temprature depends on what you are cooking. There are some indian recipies that i cook on medium heat (rice with spices and meat). However if i am cooking lentils or bean or just only meat, its generally on full heat. The heat is not the issue, there is a sound of pressure being released by the valve, i generally let around 4-5 sounds before switching the stove off. Remember to use enough water because it works on the principle of boiling water , and releasing the vapour. Food can get burnt if you dont use enough water.

To open it, you have to wait for the pressure to come to normal before opening else it will just blow up due to all the built in pressure. If you cant wait for all that time, then you can also cool it by running it under normal tap water for the pressure to be normal. A bit careful here though. However the food is also cooking in the time that the pressure eases off so i just let it return to normal pressure on its own.

Post: #9

What is better to make pot roasts, a pressure cooker or slow cooker?

Post: #10

here are a couple of links I found that might be interesting
http://missvickie.com/workshop/buying.html
http://www.pressurecookerdiaries.com/abo...re-cookers
http://www.pressurecookerdiaries.com/abo...ure-cooker

What do you suggest for a budget first-time purchase? The first link above says avoid electric, aluminum on the inside, and non-stick coated - and to try and look for one that hits 15psi and has a steamer rack to raise the food out of the water if necessary.

Post: #11

Are there stainless steel 8-10 quart models that don't have nickle in them? I'm allergic to it. Most of the best ones seem to have this 18/10 ratio of the nickle. There is the silit brand but its 300 +50 shipping for it! Normal fagors are like 100.

Is the nickle fully enclosed and does not contact the cooking surfaces? I have glasses that have nickle in them however they are covered in a titanium and some sort of paint which creates a barrier from the skin. The parts with metal also don't touch my face as well.

Post: #12

(12-27-2014 10:16 PM)Roosh Wrote:  What is better to make pot roasts, a pressure cooker or slow cooker?

I have never used a slow cooker so cant say but for one the meat cooks very good in the pressure cooker in a reasonable amount of time. And also the taste of the meat should be different in either cases. The case for slow cooking probably is that you allow the spices or other flavour if any to seep into the meat. The meat i cook in the pressure cooker is usually marinated overnight.

Quote:here are a couple of links I found that might be interesting
http://missvickie.com/workshop/buying.html
http://www.pressurecookerdiaries.com/abo...re-cookers
http://www.pressurecookerdiaries.com/abo...ure-cooker

What do you suggest for a budget first-time purchase? The first link above says avoid electric, aluminum on the inside, and non-stick coated - and to try and look for one that hits 15psi and has a steamer rack to raise the food out of the water if necessary.

The links give good information, especially the second one. Yes dont buy an electric one, i dont think it will completely serve the purpose. I think the most important feature is the pressure regulator, make sure its robust and working well. For a beginner though i think you should buy a 6 quart cheap one , not too expensive. See if you feel comfortable with it. I dont think aluminium or stainless steel makes much of difference. Though if you use the aluminium one regularly (i use mine every two days) it might degrade pretty quickly - and sometimes even the odd reaction in the dishwasher.

Quote:Are there stainless steel 8-10 quart models that don't have nickle in them? I'm allergic to it. Most of the best ones seem to have this 18/10 ratio of the nickle. There is the silit brand but its 300 +50 shipping for it! Normal fagors are like 100.

Is the nickle fully enclosed and does not contact the cooking surfaces? I have glasses that have nickle in them however they are covered in a titanium and some sort of paint which creates a barrier from the skin. The parts with metal also don't touch my face as well.

I am not sure because mostly the nickel is for corrosion so it is always mixed. And there is not a wide variety of cookers in the western world so it might be difficult.

Post: #13

Great investment.

I went with this one http://www.productreview.com.au/p/brevil...-fast.html

Post: #14

Depends on the time you have. If you go out and come back home at 6 and expect to eat by 7-7:30, pressure cooker is your choice. Else slow cooker.

The thing to watch for, while buying a pressure cooker, is the pressure at which these cook and the type of flame you have.

Avg. ones cook at 12-15 psi (similar to our indian ones), which is needed to completely and correctly the food. A higher pressure means also that the thickness of the container is higher and the material is different (steel vs aluminium). So inspect the cooker before you buy it.

Buy a steel cooker if you can. It cooks better and food is more nutritious than cooked with aluminium. Also, if you're cooking chicken, you're better off with an open pot rather than cooking under pressure. The water needed is extremely high and cooking in a pressure cooker means a lot of energy and water. So only use vegetables for pressure cooker and meat for slow cooker.

For the flame, make sure you have a gas stove. Electric stoves are not conducive for a good cooking experience. They use a lot of energy and have longer cooking times. Also without the pressure lid, the cooker can be used as a regular pot.

Hope this helps.

(12-27-2014 10:16 PM)Roosh Wrote:  What is better to make pot roasts, a pressure cooker or slow cooker?

Post: #15

I just got the fagor rapido 8 qt pressure cooker from Bed Bath and Beyond. It does have a fat belly so hopefully that won't be too much on an issue.

Post: #16

I know it's not ideal, but what do you guys think one of these multifunction Instant Pots? They have very good reviews on Amazon.

I don't have much space at home and I would like to avoid having both a stove pressure cooker and an electric slow cooker.

Post: #17

(12-27-2014 10:16 PM)Roosh Wrote:  What is better to make pot roasts, a pressure cooker or slow cooker?

Neither imo.


   

Enamel covered Lodge 7.5 quart dutch oven. I've replaced most of my crockpot cooking with one. Meat needs to be seared first, and a crockpot won't do that. You are essentially boiling the meat. Also a crockpot has set temp controls, unless you go for a real expensive one. The Lodge cost me $70, and the cast iron has superior heat retention. The big advantage of a crockpot is that you can plug it in and leave for the day. But the Lodge is more versatile as it can be used in the oven or on the stove.

I grew up in a culture of pressure cookers, where mostly beans were fast tracked to the table. Just remember to soak overnight and it won't be an issue. I have on packed away and have never used it. I personally never liked meat that was cooked in one, but they are fast.

Post: #18

I've been a die hard pressure cooker fan for years. I buy tough cuts of meat and make a couple of pounds of braised shredded meat (think pulled pork etc) and eat it throughout the week.

I'd have to say a pressure cooker is waaay better for pot roasts due to how little time is required compared to traditional braising methods. If I was going to enter into a cooking contest I would still use a cast iron braising pot or pan but honestly the results are nearly identical. Crok Pots accomplish the same thing, but you need to have better planning and timing. You have to basically plan on having an 8-12 hour window. With my pressure cooker I can crank out a 4 pound roast in ~45-1hr while watching a TV show and have food for the week.

Annoying things to make like Ropa Vieja, Oxtails, lamb shanks, etc become something you can just randomly decide to eat at like 5pm on wednesday.

There is a learning curve to the thing regarding how much liquid is required and how long things need to cook. Good pressure cooker blogs help shorten the learning process though.

Post: #19

I just got a Fagor Duo. I'm going to attempt bring it to pressure than making a simple steak bone broth. I also got a ton of mushrooms from costcos so I might use the broth to make a mushroom soup. Any good recipes?

Post: #20

Quote: I've been a die hard pressure cooker fan for years. I buy tough cuts of meat and make a couple of pound of braised shredded meat (think pulled pork etc) and eat it throughout the week.

Any recipes on this? I tried doing this with leftover beef broth meat but it came out bland since I didn't know what seasoning to add.

Post: #21

I bought an electric pressure cooker a couple months ago. I conclude that it is uniformly superior to a slow cooker.

Principal reasons:

*Much faster - divide high temp slow cooking times by 3-4. For bone broths, it's even more drastic - 1-2 hours versus 8-48 hours.
*Flavor is superior - you have less flavor loss because the pot is sealed and cooks quicker. You can also discern the different elements better - a slow cooker tends to mush all the flavors together.
*Texture is superior - food is less soggy than with the slow cooker - food has more structure while still being fully cooked and edible. Admittedly, I never mastered slow cooking, but I think this is far easier to manage with the PC.
*Food is more nutritious, due to reduced cooking times.
*Better flavor, part II - the maillard reaction is enhanced by the higher temperature. Eg, potatoes taste a bit sweeter and more savory in the PC as a result.

I tried making ghee in a slow cooker once and it didn't work, I later realized, because the temp wasn't hot enough to give it that toasty flavor. I think a PC will do the trick.

I use mine every day, typically for rice or potatoes. Cooking times are much faster than any other implement besides the microwave. Rice comes out a bit differently, much more glutinous and a bit sweeter. I recommend the Instant Pot IP Duo 60.

I never got into slow cooking, because it would take several hours and my cooker was too big and unwieldy.

Post: #22

(01-05-2015 11:23 AM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

(12-27-2014 10:16 PM)Roosh Wrote:  What is better to make pot roasts, a pressure cooker or slow cooker?

Neither imo.




Enamel covered Lodge 7.5 quart dutch oven. I've replaced most of my crockpot cooking with one. Meat needs to be seared first, and a crockpot won't do that. You are essentially boiling the meat. Also a crockpot has set temp controls, unless you go for a real expensive one. The Lodge cost me $70, and the cast iron has superior heat retention. The big advantage of a crockpot is that you can plug it in and leave for the day. But the Lodge is more versatile as it can be used in the oven or on the stove.

I grew up in a culture of pressure cookers, where mostly beans were fast tracked to the table. Just remember to soak overnight and it won't be an issue. I have on packed away and have never used it. I personally never liked meat that was cooked in one, but they are fast.

I'm all about dutch ovens too (I have a Le Creuset you could fit a small pig into) but you can absolutely sear in a pressure cooker.

I'm late to some of the thread posts, but Roosh a pressure cooker is far superior to a slow cooker for a pot roast. Basil pretty much outlined the benefits above.

Post: #23

I've been using the pressure cooker a little more and becoming more comfortable with it. One problem I'm having is that I can't get the previous food odors out of the silicon gasket. Is there a way to remove the smells? I've been using soap and handwashing like it mentioned in my directions book.

Post: #24

(02-13-2015 08:02 PM)kbell Wrote:  I've been using the pressure cooker a little more and becoming more comfortable with it. One problem I'm having is that I can't get the previous food odors out of the silicon gasket. Is there a way to remove the smells? I've been using soap and handwashing like it mentioned in my directions book.

I've never used one with a silicon gasket. Silicon shouldn't absorb odors. Is it dishwasher safe?

Post: #25

Mine has a gasket that smells. Honestly, I don't think it matters - the food residue is so minute in comparison to the food you're cooking that it doesn't seem to impact the flavor. I know mine smelled like chicken soups because that's all I made initially.

In general, I think hyper-cleanliness is a huge waste of time with no apparenr increase in safety. People have such high cleaning standards that cooking becones such an ordeal that they do less of it and eat unhealthy food instead, thereby becoming weak and fat. That said, I am single, and am much more vigilant when cooking for others.