The 10 Golden Rules of Pressure Cooking
Cooking on pressure cookers is one of the easiest ways to prepare your
meals, but you need a few tricks up your sleeves to make those pressure
cooker recipes perfect. Pressure cooking can be a daunting task if you
don’t know the basics of this cooking method. If you’re new to this and
you’d like to make a pot roast, beef stew or other pressure cooker
recipes, here are 10 useful tips to make sure you do it the right way:
- Liquid content – The amount of liquid required for each
recipe vary according to your pressure cooker’s brand. Depending on
the manufacturer, a pressure cooker may require as little as a
half-cup liquid, while others may need up to 2-3 cups. In following
recipes, you can use more liquid than recommended, but never use
less water. If you end up with too much liquid than advised, you can
repair the recipe by cooking it in the uncovered pot until all
excess liquids are reduced to your liking. This brings me to the
second-most important tip:
- Read the pressure cooker manual – Every type of pressure
cooker comes with different settings and recommendations. As such,
it is very important to read and understand your pressure cooker’s
manual, so you could follow the instructions and create
pressure-cooker dishes perfectly.
- Read the pressure cooker recipe twice – To prevent
screwing up a recipe, make sure to read it twice or thrice. Pressure
cooker recipes are fairly easy to follow, but you may be faced with
a complex recipe that requires more advanced cooking techniques.
- How to achieve even cooking with pressure cookers – Since
some ingredients cook easily, while others require more time, the
trick to cooking them evenly is done during food preparation. Cut
easy-to-cook ingredients like vegetables into larger pieces, while
longer-to-cook ingredients like beef or meat into smaller pieces.
- Cooking vegetables on pressure cookers – Vegetables cook
extremely easy in a normal pan, so adding them on your pressure
cooker can lead to a mushy result. To avoid this, always add
vegetables at the end, particularly if you desire your veggies
half-cooked.
- Dealing with foods that expand – Cooking beans, split
peas, lentils, cereal grains and other foods that absorb liquid can
be tricky because they expand while being cooked. When your recipe
calls for any of these ingredients, never fill the cooker more than
half because it could cause the vent to clog. The recommended fill
line for recipes like these is about two-thirds.
- Mixing Flavors – If you want the flavors of food to mix
well, make sure that the ingredients have enough liquid contact to
absorb the flavors. On the other hand, if you prefer to keep flavors
on their own, use a rack above the liquid and place individual
ingredients there. In addition, be aware that preparing dishes on
pressure cookers promote concentrated flavors. As such, you may want
to reduce the amount of herbs and seasoning to use, particularly
when you convert conventional cooking into this slow-cooking method.
Fresh herbs are recommended when using pressure cookers.
- Using the lid and timer – In developing pressure to your
dish, timing is an important key to a successful recipe. In
addition, ensure that the lid is closed properly and locked into
position before turning the pressure settings. Once the time is up,
you need to reduce pressure according to the recipe instructions and
shake the pot to readjust the inner temperature. This is very
important because the steam could burn your skin.
- How to keep food from burning on pressure cookers – If
you’ve collected several pressure cooker recipes, you’ll notice that
most recipes instruct you to bring the dish to a boil before closing
the lid. This step is important because it allows for quicker
pressurization and reduces the chances of burning the food. However,
if your recipe calls for browning, make sure to scrape the food
clinging to the bottom of the cooker, so that the ingredients become
loose once you add liquid.
- How to store a pressure cooker – Like any of your cooking
utensils, storing your pressure cooker extends the life of your
cooker. Before keeping the cooker, make sure to check if the lid is
completely detached. If you store the cooker closed, you’ll be
surprised to smell the last dish you made once you get the cooker
out of storage. Also make sure to wash the rubber seal thoroughly
before storage. Although a rubber seal should last up to 150 meals,
you could extend its life by rubbing it with mineral oil after each
use.
The pressure cooker can cook delectable dishes perfectly,
particularly when a recipe calls for a moist cooking method. So if
you’re planning to make soup, puddings, stews and other moist recipes,
make sure to follow these 10 simples guidelines and you’ll be amazed at
how simple cooking with pressure can be.
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