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kframe19

I LOVE my pressure cooker!

kframe19
16 years ago

I roasted a chicken on Sunday.

Yum yum!

I made stock on Tuesday evening in my pressure cooker. Bones, herbage, onions, all tossed in.

20 minutes with the weight rocking and I have an INCREDIBLE stock!

Very flavorful and just loaded with gelatin.

I'm going to use it to make pot pie on Saturday.

20 minutes for something that would normally take 4 to 6 hours the traditional way...

WOO HOO!

Comments (47)

  • teresa_nc7
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Aren't they wonderful? I use mine all the time! I make 2-3 weeks worth of food for my mini poodle in about 15 minutes.

    Have you made the 3 Envelope Pot Roast yet?

    1 pkg. ranch dressing mix - the dry mix
    1 pkg. Italian dressing mix - "
    1 pkg. brown gravy mix - also dry

    Mix them all together in a bowl.

    Brown a 3 lb. pot roast on all sides in hot oil. Sprinkle about 1/2 to 2/3 of the dried mix (you are supposed to use the entire amount, but most find that too salty) on the top of the roast in the PC. Add 1-2 cups water or amount needed to cook a pot roast according to your PC's manual. Put lid on, wait for pressure to come up, and cook per time for your make of PC for a pot roast.

    I thicken the pan gravy with a slurry of cornstarch and cold water. Yummmmm!

  • mustangs81
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    PK, Didn't you get the Fagor? I did and used if for the first time tonight. I need to read directions thoroughly--it dripped steam through out the cooking process and it didn't lock. Duhhh, that's probably why it leaked.

    Teresa, Thanks for the recipe. If you like it, I'm sure I will.

    Cathy

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    Last week I did 2 cups of small, dried red beans for future batches of chili in only 22 minutes. Brown rice in 12 minutes, which I freeze in 1 cup servings. Country-style pork ribs cooked with sauerkraut: 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. pork country-style ribs, trimmed of extra fat, cut into 3-4 inch pieces oil, a drizzle to brown the ribs 1 large clove garlic, minced 1/2 large onion, sliced 2 cups sauerkraut - drain and save the liquid from the sauerkraut 1 TB brown sugar 1/2 t. salt freshly ground black pepper 1-2 med. to large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled cut in 4 pieces 1 large carrot, peel cut into 2-inch pieces 1/2 t. dried thyme 1/2 cup sauerkraut juice - saved from draining the sauerkraut 1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider 1/2 cup water The ribs are browned in the heated PC in just a little olive oil. Then add garlic and onion on top of the meat. Mix sauerkraut, brown sugar, salt and pepper in a bowl and pour over ribs in pot. Push the potato and carrot pieces down into the sauerkraut and added a sprinkle of dried thyme. Add liquids to pot. Put on the lid, put on the temperature gauge and turned up the heat to medium high. After the gauge begins to rock, turn down the heat to low and set timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, cut off the flame on the stove and let the pot sit for 3 minutes. Carefully carry the pot to the sink and turn on the tap for a slow drizzle of water over the pot. When the handle lock latch and the over-pressure vent go down, it is safe to open the pot. Teresa
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  • jessyf
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love my pressure cooker so much sometimes I just want to....[censored] it....

    (thats POLISH it, getchermindsouttadagutter)

  • Gina_W
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Should I get one? Is there a thread with T&T recipes so I can decide? Any shortcut to a good meal would be great for me. But I don't want to get one if I just keep it in the garage.

  • teresa_nc7
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Gina, if you enjoy braised meats, soups, stews, and recipes that are of the "slow cooked" variety, you will enjoy a pressure cooker! It makes foods taste like they have been slow cooked for hours when the time in the PC was more like 25 minutes. When cooking mostly for two, a 4 qt. or 6 qt. cooker will be of sufficient size. There are electric digital pressure cookers on the market now also. Many people like them, but I think a stove top is slightly faster (heats up more quickly) and easier to "operate." JMO

    Teresa

  • lsr2002
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love, love, love mine too. I got a three pan set, 2 1/2 liter, 4 liter and 7 liter over a year ago and then an 8 quart electric. The set was from SmartBargains and the electric was refurbished for $39. I use them all. The electric gets used to make soups for us and dog food for Brockley in combination with my 10 cup rice cooker. With the grains and legumes and oats in the rice cooker and the meats and veggies in the PC I can make over two weeks of food for the 65 pound dog very easily. I know you raw feed but others might be interested and Brockly, like Teresa's Andy is one happy and healthy boy. It browns meats quickly and beautifully and while it may take a little longer to heat up, which is hard to say because I always have larger quantities of food in it, you just set it and forget it and walk away. I love it and wish I had room to store a 5 qt electric also.

    I think the key is learning what it does well. When I do a braised dish, I plan on removing the meat and veggies and then quickly reducing the sauce. When you do that, the results are like hours of cooking. It makes great risotto, great beans and lentils, steel cut oatmeal in 15 minutes, good quick currys, spaghetti sauce and chilli. I was pretty impressed with the all in one meat sauce and rotini dish that cooked under pressure for five minutes with raw pasta right in the sauce. When I scooped that out into individual serving dishes, topped with mozzarella and baked it for about 8 minutes in the toaster oven to melt and brown the cheese you would never have known that I didn't cook the sauce separately, the pasta separately and then combine and bake for a much longer time.

    Have I told you that I love them?

    Lee

  • teresa_nc7
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That's the next thing I want to try, Lee - cooking pasta from dried in the pot with the sauce. I'm funny in that I don't like many pasta forms, but I have found a smaller penne pasta that I enjoy and I like bow ties too. Could you share your recipe for the sauce and pasta dish.

    FWIW, Andy had his checkup two weeks ago and the doc said he was as healthy as could be. I told her I made food for him regularly. He has stayed at 10 pounds for several years now, still acts like a puppy and he is 10 years old.

  • pat_t
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OK, girls - give it up. I have to know what kind of "dog food" you're making! Recipe please? I have a 10 lb. Chihuahua that needs to be on a diet desperately. But she is so spoiled from eating table food, I just can't see NOT feeding her "people" food. (She's not a dog, she's a miniature hog!!!)

  • teresa_nc7
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My recipe is very simple:

    1 cup brown or white rice, or barley
    1 lb.? package ground turkey or chicken
    2-3 cups water or broth
    2 cups vegetables, usually green beans, peas, diced carrots, grated sweet potato, winter squash (mashed),lima beans, spinach,
    whatever frozen vegetables I have on hand, often the mixed vegetables for soup

    stir all together in the cooker, cover, add pressure gauge, lower heat when pressure is reached,
    cook under pressure for time noted in manual
    for the type of rice or barley you are using

  • kframe19
    Original Author
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    "He has stayed at 10 pounds for several years now"

    My dog's poops are bigger than your dog! :-)

  • lsr2002
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Pat, your dog is much closer in size to Teresa's so quantities will be more appropriate from her, but basically the dog food food formula is 50% meat, 25% approved veggies and fruits and 25% whole grains and legumes. I have linked a discussion thread on this from almost a year ago when Teresa and I started doing this along with LindaC and some others. In the PC you can start with chicken and water, cook for 90 minutes, take out about 4 cups of wonderful stock (for people) and strain and freeze it. After 90 minutes in the PC (which is longer than you would just need to cook the chicken for stock) the bones will pulverize easily with a stick blender adding lots of calcium to the food. I then add the veggies and cook a little more and last mix in cooked grains and legumes. You can Google to find foods that are not good, onions being a prime example and wheat is good, yeast is bad so no bread. My rules are that I do not spend more than $1.99 a pound for the meat - this means that in general I do not buy ground beef, but chuck roast, round steak and sirloin are often on sale here for $1.49 - $1.79 a pound. Chicken thighs with bones go on sale for $.79 to .99. I buy veggies on sale - lots of broccoli at this time of the year but almost any can be used, my grains and legumes are bought in bulk. It cost less to make great food than to buy carp. I also make dog food day my use up what's in the fridge and freezer day which is why you might have noticed this in WFD #263 "I made dog food this afternoon, Brockley will be dining on a stew of chicken thighs and carne adovada with carrots, green beans, broccoli, apple, refritos negro and a mixed lentil bean brown rice pilaf. I love that I can clean out the fridge and freezer on "dogfood" day and he is a happy dog."

    Brockley knows when the cooking is for him and he does not leave the kitchen until it is packed and frozen. The food smells wonderful, not like canned dog food, but does not taste so great to people because you don't salt it. My dog loves spices though so I will add ginger, cinnamon, oregano and others. I use up my aging veggies in crisper drawer - I have not thrown out food because I overbought or changed plans since starting to make dog food - I feel so virtuous! LOL

    BTW my comment in my post above about "raw feeding" was directed at Gina because making dog food would not be a reason for her to buy a PC. It wasn't so clear after I posted.

    Brockley still gets crunchies (kibble) left all the time in a dish and we give him glucosamine, vitamins and fish oil on the advice of our vet. He is a very lively, happy, healthy NINE YEAR OLD puppy and I think a lot of that is due to better quality food. I started doing this at the time of the dog food recalls last year and then when I read what the canned food ingredients were I decided there wasn't a lot of nutrition there and started making food - I won't turn back.

    Lee

    Teresa the pasta recipe is from Pressure Perfect (Lorna Sass), I'll post it later today.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Dog Food Thread

  • lowspark
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I also love my pressure cooker. Among other things, I make beans in it - done in 30 min. Chili, roast, stew, chicken, all come out so tender and so quickly. Great for (normally tough) cheap cuts of meat. They come out fork tender.

    Thanks for the recipe for three envelope pot roast, Teresa, I'm going to try that! Lee - I'd love to see the recipe for pasta/sauce all-in-one.

  • pat_t
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Teresa & Lee - thanks so much for taking the time to post all the info. I'm going to check out that thread too.

    Since my 4-year-old Chihuahua, Gypsy, is so overweight, I think I should probably stick to chicken and leaner meats for her.

    I had no earthly idea that you could cook the chicken in the PC long enough to pulverize the bones with the stick blender (and yes I have one). This will be a great advantage!

    Thanks again!

  • teresa_nc7
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Dog Food recipe - if I have chicken thighs in the freezer, I sometimes use 3 or 4 of them in place of the ground turkey/chicken. After the thighs, rice, and veggies have cooked, I take the thigh meat off the bone and chop is up fine for Andy. He does not get bones as yet.

    The longer cooking time for chicken on the bone that Lee mentioned should result in very soft bones that she chops up fine using the stick blender.

    My dog is also given a little dry kibble everyday and usually a fruit treat of whatever fresh fruit I am eating. He can hear when a banana is being peeled...sheesh....

  • gardengrl
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Cathy, I got a Fagor (Rapida) for Christmas and I don't like it!!! It's incredibly finnicky to seal/pressurize, but once it does, I love the results. It seems I have to readjust the lid for some time before the little yellow "indicator" pops up.

    I'll be in the market for a different one soon.

  • eandhl
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    gardengrl, are you oiling your gasket after each use? I had an old PC and it wasn't necessary but have found with my Fagor Due it is. (just a little veg oil inside and outside of the rubber gasket) If I forget I get drips and it takes longer. On the duo I manually lock it, is the Rapida different? The pop up thing just means it up to pressure.

  • BeverlyAL
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm glad you are happy with your pressure cooker. I've used one for 40 years and I still haven't made stock in it. I must do that soon! I would like to make stock with mostly wings, but wings are very expensive here since the hot wings craze took over.

  • lsr2002
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here's the short version of the pressure cooker pasta that I made from Pressure Perfect - Lorna Sass

    Chunks of Italian sausage, sliced mushrooms and chopped onions were browned in the PC, then seasoned with herbs and garlic, wine and water added,topped with uncooked rotini, and a quart of pasta sauce (which could have been a 28 ounce can of chopped tomatoes). It was not stirred and was cooked under pressure for just five minutes. The rotini was perfectly cooked and all the ingredients melded together perfectly in just those few minutes of cooking. I put some in individual dishes, topped it with shredded mozzarella and parm and melted and browned the cheese in the toaster oven.

    PRESSURE COOKER PASTA

    3 large links of sweet Italian sausage broken up, about a pound (could have used a pound of ground beef)

    1 1/2 cups onion roughly chopped

    2 cups sliced mushrooms

    1-2 cloves garlic chopped

    1/2 cup dry red wine

    2 cups water

    3/4 t salt

    1 heaping t Italian herbs

    1/2 to 1 t red pepper flakes

    1 pound short pasta that cooks in 9-13 minutes, like rotini (you can use 12 ounces of pasta and decrease the water to 1 1/2 cups)

    1 qt pasta sauce or 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes in puree

    1/4 c chopped Italian parsley

    1/4 cup parmesan cheese to stir in or shredded mozzarella to melt on top

    A little sugar and/or olive oil to round out flavors, optional

    Brown first four ingredients in pressure cooker. Add wine and cook over high heat a minute or two to reduce wine.

    Add water, salt, and pepper flakes, stir and bring to a boil. Pour uncooked pasta on top, pour sauce or crushed tomatoes on top of pasta. DO NOT STIR!

    Lock lid and bring to pressure over high heat, lower heat to maintain pressure, cook 5 minutes. Quick release under cold water.

    Stir in parsley and parmesan and optional sugar and oil (I did not need the sugar or oil with the jarred sauce). Break up any clumps of pasta and stir to scrape any pasta off the bottom of the pan (I did not have any clumps). Let rest in pan 3-5 minutes, if any pasta is uncooked, place pan over low heat, cover, but do not lock lid, and cook a few minutes.

    At this point I scooped servings into individual dishes, topped with shredded mozzarella and melted the cheese under the broiler. You could also place all of the pasta in a large dish and top with cheese and melt.

    I think the key to success is to follow the layering directions and DO NOT STIR. This was a great casual dish with little effort. It's definitely something I will do again and try different meats, sauces and pasta shapes. The book does warn to only use short pasta, and not ones that cook in a much shorter time. Farfalle (bowties) would be fun.

    Lee

  • bubbeskitchen
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I, too, love my pressure cooker! I used Presto's for years but the gaskets, oiled or otherwise, got cranky. DF Bob's, late mother (great cook and friend), bought herself a Megafesa (on QVC, no doubt) but gave it to me unopened. I adore it.

    You've already read that I dread airborne food particles in my new digs, so pressure cooking has the added advantage of containing every bit of vapor.

    I want to buy a second one for CT (I've been commuting mine),. What other pressure cookers do you all like? Do I remember a thread recently on brands or am I imagining it?

    I gave away my Rival slow cooker, it was not as efficient and ran too hot. I prefer the quickness of the pressure cooker. Made beef, barley, mushroom soup just last week. All done in 25 minutes total. Wow!

  • arley_gw
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I learned to pressure cook with a 6 qt Kuhn Rikon stockpot. Love it, still use it, but recently bought a Fagor Splendid set with a 8qt stockpot and a 4 qt saute-pan-shaped pot, one pressure lid which fits both. All for around $100 at my local Dillard's.

    The KR is a little snazzier, better 'fit & finish', but the Fagor set is really good for the $$$. If you're only gonna buy one item, that set (I've linked to it) is a pretty good buy for the buck.

    I'm surprised at how much I use the smaller pot. Great for browning some cheap cut of beef, adding some aromatics and stock, and pressure cooking it into tenderness.

    Another application for PC's: Lorna Sass talks about making packets of aluminum foil in which you have placed a chicken breast, some sauce (like spaghetti sauce), cheese and grated parmesan. You can freeze these ahead of time, throw them in the PC and have a fairly healthy main dish pretty quickly.

    When shopping, I wouldn't bother about getting one that indicates a lower pressure like the Fagor Duo. I have a lower pressure indicator ring on the KR and I never use it; that is, all the pressure cooking recipes I use are for cooking at full high pressure, and I don't see any need for a second lower pressure.

    Here is a link that might be useful: fagor splendid multi set

  • teresa_nc7
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I agree with arley that lower pressure on any cooker is really not needed. On the Yahoo Pressure Cooker Group that I belong to, many members have the new electronic digital cookers and they seem to love them. I have also noticed that most recipes using the electric cookers have a slightly longer cooktime than my stove top Presto. IMHO, the electric cookers have more that can go wrong with them. My 4 qt. stainless Presto has given me no problems at all since I bought it 2 years ago - and I bet the stove top cookers take up less room to store than the same size in a digital model.

  • gardengrl
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    eandhl, I'll have to try oiling the seal. I sometimes do that with my Presto canner seal, but only if I think it it's a little dry.

    Mine has a manual lock too. It's so frustrating because I can't tell if I'm doing something wrong or if I just got a bad model. It works, but I have to put on and take off the lid, jiggle, push, maneuver, and swear a green streak before I know it has made a seal.

  • dgkritch
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have a confession...........

    I've been cooking for thirty years, water bath AND pressure can everything I can get my hands on in the summer, have a brand new (to me, from garage sale) pressure COOKER in the garage and have NEVER PRESSURE COOKED ANYTHING!!!

    Are you going to kick me off the forum?? :-(

    This thread is making me think I should get it out and try it....

    What should I try first "just to see if I like it"?

    TIA,
    Deanna

  • teresa_nc7
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Deanna,
    Check out the 3-Envelope Pork Roast that I posted above.

    I made this recipe in my 4-qt. stainless Presto and it was delicious:

    1 1/2 to 2 lbs. pork country-style ribs, trimmed of extra fat, cut into 3-4 inch pieces

    The ribs were browned in the heated PC in just a little olive oil.
    Then I added on top of the meat:

    1 large clove garlic, minced
    1/2 large onion, sliced

    Next, I mixed together in a bowl:

    2 cups sauerkraut - drain and save the liquid from the sauerkraut
    1 TB brown sugar
    1/2 t. salt
    freshly ground black pepper
    caraway seeds - this is where you could add them, I don't like them and didn't have any on hand, so I didn't put them in the recipe

    I poured the sauerkraut mixture over the pork rib mixture in the pot.

    Next I added:
    1/2 cup sauerkraut juice - saved from draining the sauerkraut
    1/2 cup apple juice
    1/2 cup water

    The recipe in my book said to use 1 1/2 cups water, so I knew I needed that much total liquid.

    Next I added 1 med-large Yukon Gold potato peeled and cut 4 pieces and 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces. I sort of pushed the potato and carrot pieces down into the sauerkraut and added a sprinkle of dried thyme, about 1/2 t. which could be ommitted if you don't like thyme.

    I put on the lid, put on the temperature gauge and turned up the heat to medium high. After the gauge began to rock, I turned down the heat to low and started a timer for 15 minutes. I stayed in the kitchen to be sure the gauge was kept gently rocking on a very low flame (gas stove).

    After 15 minutes, I cut off the flame on the stove and let the pot sit for 3 minutes. Then I carefully carried the pot to the sink and turned on the tap for a slow drizzle of water over the pot. When the handle lock latch and the over-pressure vent went down, it was safe to open the pot and enjoy the aromas.

    The meat is fork tender and delicious, the potato and carrot completely cooked soft, but not mushy and still hold shape. The sauerkraut is tender and mild with just a hint of tang. This recipe would be enough for 3 normal appetites or 2 real hungry folks (I had leftovers for lunch the next day.)

    One original recipe said to cook the recipe for 25 minutes under pressure. IMO this would have been way too long. The meat and the vegetables were absolutely perfect, to my taste, at 15 min. cook time and 3 min. cool down time - which is still cooking time - then a quick release of the pressure under the drizzle of water at the sink.

    I wanted to post all of this because I hope those who are afraid of the stovetop pressure cookers will see how very easy they are to use. From start to finish, this hot meal took me less than 1/2 hour.

    Ribs and Sauerkraut were made to be cooked in a PC!

    Teresa

  • steelmagnolia2007
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    They scare the hell outta me. Saw one explode once, and it wasn't a pretty sight.....

  • sheesh
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Inspired by this thread, I got out my PC and made chicken and potatoes with dumplings for dinner tonight! Wonderful! I'm so glad I did. When I put it away, I switched it to a top shelf for easy access tomorrow, but it'll be hard to decide which of your recipes to choose. Thanks!

    Sherry

  • teresa_nc7
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Tonight I made Lee's Pressure Cooker Pasta posted above. It turned out very well, even though I had to "guesstimate" the amounts to make about half the recipe. I didn't have any mushrooms on hand, but did include onions and green peppers. I used two sausages, just pinching off bite-sized pieces of peppers after I took the casing off. I used mini penne pasta and Barilla's marinara sauce.

    There's plenty leftover for lunch or dinner later this week.

    Thanks, Lee!

  • mustangs81
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Kathy, Thanks for the heads up. I'll stick with it and keep making adjustments. I got this new one because I thought my old Chantel was broken. Turns out it just needed the gasket oiled. Now I keep it (the gasket) oiled and in a ziploc bag.

  • sheesh
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lowspark, do you soak the beans first or just pressure cook them for 30 minutes? I want to try black beans and pinto beans.

    Sherry

  • mustangs81
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I made Teresa's 3 Envelope Pot Roast. I am not a good pot roast maker, this was easy and yummmy as Teresa said! 35 minutes to a perfect pot roast. Like Kathy mentioned, I played around with the PC lid and it worked perfectly.

  • ann_t
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    35 minutes? Okay that does it. I'm definitely going to start shopping around for a pressure cooker. I've been putting pot roasts and other slow roasting/braising dishes in the oven before going to work and letting Moe take it out of the oven 3 hours later. With a pressure cooker I could put a pot roast on to cook when I get home and by the time the sides are done the pot roast would be too.

    Ann

  • mustangs81
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ann, It was amazing! I browned it, then threw in the other ingredients, closed it up, 35 minutes later I had the most tender, tasty pot roast I have ever made. I was really leery about using the envelope ingredients but the combination made a tasty gravy. I added portabellos and sweet onions.

    I called Teresa for additional coaching, she wasn't home so I winged it.

  • pkramer60
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ann, definatly get one! Pot roast, boiled potatoes, any type of stew meat are done so fast.

    Sherry, according to my Presto book, all beans need to be soaked first and instructions followed. Beans in the PC may foam and plug the vents, causing it to over pressure.

    I make a very simple and easy dish of pork, green beans and diced potaotes. Almost stew like and full of flavor.

    Simply brown some pork peices in EVOO and S&P, add chicken/beef stock and garlic, PC about 8 minutes, cool, add the diced potatoes, chunks of onion and green beans, PC no more than 5 minutes, cool the PC and serve. It is a very low fat dish.

    Cathy, that pot roast looks wonderful. I may try that next week.

  • teresa_nc7
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Yay, Ann! You will love a pressure cooker for those days when you are at work.

    Lovely pic there, Cathy! I just saw by your number that you called today. You did great on your own. Did you use all the dry mixes or just part?

  • cookie8
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I got one for my birthday a few years ago, I returned it after reading the instruction or warnings I should say. I also had issues playing Perfection as a child.

  • mustangs81
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Teresa, I used 2/3 as you warned and I didn't add salt to the potatoes, just in case. But next time I will use all as we are salty people. (Yes, I know Peppi).

    I was calling you with PC questions and to ask if it was okay to add the onions and mushrooms. This is a keeper for us, thanks for sharing.

  • ann_t
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I will get another one. I had one a few years back. It was a Fagor. But I think it got missed in our move back to Canada because I haven't seen it since then. Even though I have a number of Pressure Cooker cookbooks I only ever used it to make things like soup and broth. Oh and rice pudding. I do remember that it made wonderful creamy rice pudding.

    Ann

  • teresa_nc7
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Fagor is still a good brand, Ann. It seems more people favor Fagor than Kuhn because of the price difference.

    Teresa

  • shaun
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well I think I'm addicted to my PC now because of all of you!

    I made more chicken soup yesterday and it was done in about 35 mins.

    I am going to try Teresa's 3 Envelope Pot Roast next. I just want to make everything in it!

    Oh I have the same question as Sherry, do you have to soak dried peas overnight and then cook them in the PC or does using the PC eliminate that step?

    I got out my Lorna Sass Pressure Perfect Book and I dont see anything mentioned about soaking first.

    Man this is a fun toy!

    OH I got mine off of QVC and it's a Cook's Essentials 6qt. Digital (electric) Pressure Cooker, normally almost $200 but they have it for $126.

  • arley_gw
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have a small (4qt) Cook's Essentials similar to that one. It got me hooked on pressure cooking, and now I have a 6 qt Kuhn Rikon, a 4 and 8 qt Fagor, and a ridiculously huge 30 quart All-American pressure canner which I have used as a pressure cooker on occasion.

    Lorna recommends (and I agree) that chuck is the best beef to use for most pressure cooking; you do need a little fat content in the meat.

    Ann, the pressure cooker's forte is comfort foods done quickly. If you like slow-cooked braises you can probably adapt a recipe for pressure cooking that will yield 99% of the goodness in 33% of the time. Indeed, some of the PC versions are preferable. I prefer osso buco made in the PC (in about 50 minutes) to the slow stovetop method, and you can have corned beef & cabbage in about an hour.

    One recipe that I've become addicted to is Lorna's Curry in a Hurry. Decent curry in about 15 minutes. Takes you longer to cook the rice than to make the curry.

    But you can also cook really healthy, too. I love steamed artichokes, but I don't like having to wait 45 minutes for them to be done. The PC can do them in about 12 minutes. (Of course, whatever health benefits come from eating artichokes is probably negated by dipping the leaves in hollandaise or melted butter...)

  • shaun
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just bought a pot roast and the seasoning packets to make the pot roast tonight! Woo Hoo! I'll post a picture of it when it's done.

  • gardengrl
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Cathy, good for you! We must have been on the same track last night because I made beef stew. Oiling the seal with a little EVOO made it seal better, but still finicky. Did your PC come with a video? There are some good recipes to grab from watching!

    If you're looking for a good Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe for a PC, I posted one on my blog.

    I love my (finicky) PC!!!!

    Here is a link that might be useful: My Blog: Just the Right Size

  • sheesh
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I made beef stew in mine Tuesday using my usual recipe, but it took only a fraction of the time! Tasted just the same, just the way we like it.

    Thanks for the soaking info, pkramer. Yikes! What do you think happens if it over pressures?

    Is there a method for calculating how much time is needed for a recipe or cut of meat? I don't have an instruction book or any recipes (except for those here), and you sure can't "lift the lid" to check for doneness. The timing question is the reason I put the PC away in the first place, but it seems too valuable a resource not to use!

    Sherry

  • gardengrl
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sherry,

    Go to Miss Vickie's Pressure Cooker Website. She has TONS of info on pressure cooking and gives you a general idea of cooking times for meats (I think). I HIGHLY recommend her website to anyone who is into pressure cooking.

    She has recipes, but some of them are for purchase only. I purchased one file for something like $3 and it was worth it.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Miss Vickie's Pressure Cooking Website

  • sheesh
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'll be on my way to see Miss Vickie right now! Thanks!

    Sherry

  • pat_t
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Teresa - I made your 3-envelope pot roast with a 3 lb. pork sirloin roast today. Threw in some new potatoes from the neighbor's garden, carrots, celery, and onion. Wow - was it ever good! And the gravy was divine!

    Thanks, ever so much, for posting this super easy recipe!

  • teresa_nc7
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Glad to hear it, Pat! It took me a while before I would try the recipe as I usually don't cook with a lot of packaged ingredients like those. But one try convinced me. I've decided that the total amount of those seasonings is a bit much for the smaller roasts that I usually fix, so I will be using half of each envelope the next time I make it.