pressure cookers?

eamon

Dear All

When did pressure cookers fall out of fashion?

I've been using one for years and can make wonderful food. Stews, curries, chillies (using soaked dried beans) in 15mins or less (about an hour if you include the preparation time). It is still a fuel efficient means of cooking.

This weekend will be unto my third pressure cooker. Current model I've been using for 17 years and can no longer get spares.

Look forward to replies

yours

Eamon

MrsB_2

Quite a few OS regulars have them and rave about them - personally I'm too scared to try one!!! There's only enough room for one steam emitting monster in my kitchen!!!

wishingonastar_3

I love my pressure cooker, i don't use it so much since i invested in my slow cooker, but its out every sunday for the veg and bits for sunday dinner. great for quick cooking of xmas pudding too!!!!

£Ronnie

I bought one recently and love it, although have found that I am only imaginative enough to try a few dishes in it. Can you recommend a good website or recipe book??
PS can get on with Vicky's website that someone else recommended...

Jay-Jay_4

My Mum's always used a PC. She makes giant pans of broth with a jointed chicken, carrots, spring cabbage, celery, onion, thyme, garlic (red pepper sometimes) salt and pepper and water.

When I was pregnant and unable to eat anything I would have a bowl of that broth (seived ) and I knew that I was having a shedload of vitamins.


MMMmmmmm ... with proper bread and butter!!!! :drool:

mum26

they frighten the life out of me

zar

My inlaws kept using theirs (whereas my parents' one died long ago) so it was one of the first kitchen things my DH got - used their old one til we got married and then got a new one when we got married (same model - the prestiege domed one as you can get spares easily) so his sister could have the old one. We always use it for potatoes (not baked obviously!) and I wouldn't be planning on cooking something stew like for tea tonight if I didn't know that I can just pop everything in there and it'll be quicker than getting a takeaway!

I think its just a habit thing - if you're used to them you're not scared of them and I guess if you're not they might be a bit daunting and they don't get much promotion. I don't think there's much info on them in the argos catalogue for example, and they are rarely mentioned in food magazines.

I guessed they fell out of fashion when people started using microwaves? but I'm in my 20s so don't actually know. I think its high time they had a resurgence though and they deserve to be as popular as slow cookers on OS as cheap and quick and very nearly as tasty!

Be brave they are very safe and easy to use really!

Re: books. We have an old cookbook that used to come with the prestiege one (v. good) the one that came with the prestiege one (OK) and a secondhand good housekeeping one (excellent).

Until you find a cookbook some tips/ideas:

casseroles/stews/soups/mince based sauces(bolognaise) - any recipe that calls for a couple of hours of simmering on the stove/in the oven will take about 15 minutes at high pressure.

Any meat suitable for pot roasting, e.g. brisket, will take about 25 minutes I think.

Stock - it makes a lot of sense to make stock in the pressure cooker as it takes ages otherwise. I haven't found any advantage in use a slow cooker to make stock over pressure cooking.

If you are stuck for ideas, try browsing the slow cooker recipe thread as usually the two methods work for similar dishes. The results are slightly different but not much.

[Deleted User]

The new ones are much safer. I have a tefal pressure cooker and it is very different to my old prestige. I agree with all OP says. It is a super device.

ivyleaf

I have a good book called "Pressure Cooking Day by Day" by Kathleen Broughton. It was published by Kaye & Ward. It's about 20 years old, so probably out of print, but you might find a copy on ebay or Amazon. It has't any pictures but has very clear recipes and instructions.


Good luck with your pressure cooker, I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

ivyleaf

Sarahsaver

It used to be my job as a kid to lift the valve off!!! :rolleyes:
I think they died a death because if anyone elses vegetables turned out like my mum's...a case of bung it all in together and MUSHY VEG

zar

We more often undercook our veg and have to bring it up to pressure again

Both problems easily solved by using a timer so don't let it put you off!