Pressure cookers are time-savers and cost-cutters, allowing you to prepare a healthy meal with minimal effort.
If you’re new to using a pressure cooker, here are some tips on how to get you started.
No Browning
A pressure cooker does not typically brown foods and so if you enjoy this aspect of cooking, it’s something that has to be done at the start of cooking before one adds liquid and puts the lid on. That said, if time is important to you, browning isn’t necessary for eating.
Don’t Use Too Much Liquid
A stainless steel pressure cooker is sealed shut in the cooking process. This significantly reduces evaporation. Therefore, do not use the same amount of liquid you would use in a conventional pot. At least 1 cup of liquid is sufficient but never fill above halfway.
Use It to Tenderize Meats
Cheap meats can be literally tough to chew on. To make them far, far easier to chew, pressure-cooking does the trick. For meat-eaters, this is often one of their favourite uses as it makes your meats into something easier to eat.
No Overfilling
Adhere to the maximum mark on the inside of the pot. A programmable pressure cooker should never be completely full. Stick to the two-thirds rule. When you overfill, you run the risk of ejecting foods from the pressure release valve. If this happens, your pressure cooker will have to be shut off, cooled down, and thoroughly cleaned.
Stop-And-Go Method
Few recipes have instructions where everything cooks at the same time. To make it easy, start with slow- to-cook foods such as meats. Partially cook them and then, release the pressure. Add in faster cooking ingredients, bring the pressure up again, and resume cooking until everything’s ready at the same time.
Brown And Then Deglaze
For the best flavors, brown any meats or vegetables in your pressure cooker first by using oil. Remove it and then deglaze the pot with wine, broth, or water. Then, return the food you’ve removed and cook under pressure. The tastes will be even more pronounced when the meal’s complete.
Buy A Decent Quality Pressure Cooker
Most important of all, ensure you have a good quality pressure cooker. It doesn’t have to cost hundreds. There are plenty of pressure cookers in Canada on sale that will more than do the trick.
Cut into Uniform Pieces
To ensure everything’s cooked all the way through – particularly meats – ensure the food’s cut into uniform pieces. This way, the same amount of time will have to be applied to each piece, eliminating the risk of some pieces coming out only partially cooked.
Pressure cookers are a great way to prepare everything from meats and veggies to soups, casseroles, and risottos. Find your high-quality programming multi-use pressure cooker from Living.ca.
