pressure cookers?

[HollyDay]

Anyone use one?  I'm trying to cut my grocery bill and meal prep time.  I'm wondering if a pressure cooker would allow me more flexibility.  I use crockpots quite a bit, but unless I get it going first thing in the morning, they don't help much for dinner.  Sometimes I need something quick. 

 

So, would a pressure cooker be a good idea?  And if so, which one?

[Petrichor]

I love my pressure cooker. I can cook just about anything(mainly stews or currys - I suppose the same sorts of things you could cook in a crock pot) in 15-20 min, including prep time. I'm a bit old fashioned, so I prefer the non-electric kind. 

 

This is the one I have. Make sure to get one that isn't aluminum. 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-6-Quart-Stainless-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B00006ISG6/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1442687397&sr=1-2&keywords=pressure+cooker

[JumpyTheFrog]

I love my Instant Pot. We use the yogurt setting to make our own organic yogurt for 1/2 price. I also like the pressure cooker setting and not having to babysit it at the stove. I can get it going and then leave the house and the food will be ready when DH wants it.

[redsquirrel]

I LOVE my pressure cooker!

 

They do have a bit of a learning curve, but it's not difficult at all.  What you need is a good cookbook and just give it a try

 

My favorite pressure cookbook author is Lorna Sass.  Her recipes always work for me and she loves pressure cooking as much as I do.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Under-Pressure-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0061707872

 

http://www.amazon.com/Pressure-Perfect-Twenty-Minutes-Cooker/dp/0060505346/ref=pd_sim_14_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=09VH4NQ62WAC8A6EBHDY&dpID=51rNZjG9j8L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR106%2C160_

 

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Vegetarian-Cooking-Under-Pressure/dp/0688123260/ref=pd_sim_14_10?ie=UTF8&refRID=1SNBNZ940Z8XGZRX868T

 

Check out your library to see if they have any of her books and give them a try.

 

I didn't bother with any particular brand, I just got a stainless one.  I don't have a 'next generation' pressure cooker and have never seen one. I have the old fashioned kind with a gasket and the little bobble on top. That is the only kind I see my friends using.

 

Can't say enough good things about pressure cookers!

[ashfern]

I have an electric one and I love it. You can even cook meat from frozen for the days that you forget to get meat out to thaw. My husband likes the way chicken cooks better in the pressure cooker compared to the crock pot. It's always dry in my crock pot but moist in the pressure cooker.

[netwelladm]

I absolutely love my pressure cooker. Mine is a stovetop. Once you go pressure cooker, I don't think you will ever go back to a crockpot. The only time my crockpot sees action now is to keep things warm at events (church rally, family gathering).

[friscomom]

I have a couple of old fashioned pressure cookers as well...the ones that are used on the stove top, I use it every day for cooking my beans and lentils (vegetarian family here). Its quick, easy to clean, easy to maintain and I cant imagine my kitchen without it! Hope you find one that you like!

[redsquirrel]

I absolutely love my pressure cooker. Mine is a stovetop. Once you go pressure cooker, I don't think you will ever go back to a crockpot. The only time my crockpot sees action now is to keep things warm at events (church rally, family gathering).

 

That is true for me as well. Except also I keep my crockpot for making yogurt. That is pretty much all I use it for.

 

Now if I could only afford an induction cooktop. My friend has one and it is magical!  She can boil water for pasta in a matter of moments. She got it used and says once you have one, you will never, ever go back. I've even considered buying an induction burner for the kitchen.

 

If I had that my cooking could all be lickity split!

[xixstar]

Love love love my pressure cookers and I even teach classes on using them. They save my family from eating out on busy nights and when I fail to plan.

 

I like both my stovetop model and the electric Instant Pot too.

[Sun]

I love my Instant Pot. We use the yogurt setting to make our own organic yogurt for 1/2 price. I also like the pressure cooker setting and not having to babysit it at the stove. I can get it going and then leave the house and the food will be ready when DH wants it.

 

I love my Instant Pot too. I use it a few times a week to cook unsoaked, dried beans. I have a Presto stove top pot too, but I much prefer the ease of the electric one. I love being able to set it up and then continue on my day, knowing that whatever I've put in there will be hot and ready whenever we're ready for it because the Instant Pot will keep it warm once it's done cooking.

[Spy Car]

I'll be the contrarian. I don't like what pressure cooking does to the texture of food. The pressure causes cell walls to break down really quickly and too many items turn to "mush."

 

I'd much rather cook low and slow. 

 

Bill

 

 

[Petrichor]

I'll be the contrarian. I don't like what pressure cooking does to the texture of food. The pressure causes cell walls to break down really quickly and too many items turn to "mush."

 

I'd much rather cook low and slow. 

 

Bill

 

Maybe you are cooking the food for too long/at too high of a temperature?

 

I cook on very low heat, and fresh chicken, or frozen veggies are done within 5-10 min of putting the lid on. I put the lid on when the liquid in the bottom of the pot starts to boil a bit. 

 

I have finished off stir frys with still slightly crispy veggies and nicely cooked moist chicken in my pressure cooker. 

[FriedClams]

I bought an insta pot and I don't love it. Food tastes muddled and like Spy I don't like the texture. I'm planning on gifting it to a friend or re-bay-ing it. I'll also say, other than chili, I don't like the crock pot either.

[Evergreen State Sue]

Love love love my pressure cookers and I even teach classes on using them. They save my family from eating out on busy nights and when I fail to plan.

 

I like both my stovetop model and the electric Instant Pot too.

 

I wish I could take a class from you.  I was given an electric one and have tried it (with my dh's help) about 3 times and am ready to give it to Goodwill.  I just can't get the hang of it.

[Isabella]

Yes! Love my pressure cooker. It definitely does help for budgeting (avoiding take out on chaotic nights), flexibility, and prep time. Last night was one of those nights....I was tired out after working, my fridge was nearly bare, my married dd and her husband were here around dinner time, and I'd only got a beef roast out of the freezer a couple of hours before, so it was pretty much frozen still. I threw the roast in the pressure cooker with a bit of beef stock, a glass of Apple juice, a generous squirt of balsamic glaze and some salt and pepper. 50 mins later, a beautiful tasty pot roast with yummy sauce that just needed thickening. In the meantime I made a cauliflower gratin with carrots as they were the only veges I had left in the fridge.

In fact, I probably use the pressure cooker only on those nights when it looks like you'd be having two minute noodles otherwise. Basically it means we eat well with a minimum of time, fuss and despite not being organised.

[Isabella]

Forgot to say mine is electric one, actually one of those 5 in 1 machines. So is also a slow cooker, rice cooker etc. It's NewWave brand.

[Barbara H]

We are big Instant Pots fans here. We expected to use it mostly for stuff like beans, soup, curry, chili, etc. and I like it for all that. But we also find that it is a very convenient appliance for other foods I didn't expect. Hardboiled eggs are 6 minutes and they peel 100% of the time even if they are new eggs. Mashed potatoes are a snap. It is great for winter squashes that would take an hour in the oven. We eat a lot of beans and breaking dependency on canned beans has saved us money and it is healthier. I never had consistent results with beans on the stove and I like that the Instant Pot is set it and forget it. I made white bean salad for dinner and with beans soaked overnight it is 10 minute cook time.

[Jyhwkmama]

Have an electric Fagor. Love it!!! 

 

We eat a plant based diet. Beans are so easy to fix in the PC.

 

Steamed potatoes are the very best. It really seals in the potato flavor. 

 

Must have a silicone basket to use an electric PC effectively. 

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Silicone-Steamer-Green/dp/B00A2KD8IY/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1442884982&sr=8-8&keywords=silicone+strainer

 

[mamaraby]

I love my InstantPot. I don't have any texture issues. My rice cooks perfectly everytime. Potatoes are super quick and easy (mashed, for salad, and pre-cooked for quicker baked). Beans require a little bit of practice (pre-soaked usually turn out better for me). I've also been able to adjust my favorite crockpot recipes to the pressure cooker. I love that it has a stainless steel insert and I don't have to smell whatever it is that is cooking all day. My only complaint is that I don't have a second one.

 

I'm a vegan, though, so I don't cook meat and have no opinion on pressure cookers for meats and dairy.

[Spy Car]

Maybe you are cooking the food for too long/at too high of a temperature?

 

 

 

Uh, no.

 

It takes very little time under pressure to ruin the texture (by my taste). If one way undercooks the food (which is difficult) there is less damage, but then the time-factor gains are eliminated. 

 

Not a fan of what pressure cooking does to food. 

 

Bill

[Ms.Ivy]

I have a Fagor stainless steel pressure cooker.  It's big enough to can in, too.  I don't can a whole lot, but it's nice to have the option available.  I really like it.  The only veggie I use it for is sweet potatoes.  Otherwise, I mainly stick to meats and beans.  I don't use a microwave, so it's a quick way for me to get something on the table if I forgot to start dinner.  I think the meat tastes fine if I brown it first in the pot before pressure cooking it.  

[VaKim]

Have an electric Fagor. Love it!!! 

 

We eat a plant based diet. Beans are so easy to fix in the PC.

 

Steamed potatoes are the very best. It really seals in the potato flavor. 

 

Must have a silicone basket to use an electric PC effectively. 

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Silicone-Steamer-Green/dp/B00A2KD8IY/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1442884982&sr=8-8&keywords=silicone+strainer

Tell me more about the what and how of the basket, please. I have only used mine for beans and a roast. I just can't figure how it is really any faster or better for most things than a regular pot on the stove (for making mashed potatoes, for example). Wish I could take a class too.

[Sun]

I love my InstantPot. I don't have any texture issues. My rice cooks perfectly everytime. Potatoes are super quick and easy (mashed, for salad, and pre-cooked for quicker baked). Beans require a little bit of practice (pre-soaked usually turn out better for me). I've also been able to adjust my favorite crockpot recipes to the pressure cooker. I love that it has a stainless steel insert and I don't have to smell whatever it is that is cooking all day. My only complaint is that I don't have a second one.

 

I'm a vegan, though, so I don't cook meat and have no opinion on pressure cookers for meats and dairy.

 

I never presoak my beans anymore with the pressure cooker. I'm just not great at planning that far ahead for a meal, and having the pressure cooker has allowed me to ditch the canned beans completely. I mostly make pintos, black beans, or garbanzos. I really like being able to include salt from the beginning because I think the beans turn out more flavorful when the salt is absorbed throughout the bean, rather than primarily in the broth.

 

Would you mind sharing how you do your rice and potatoes, both for mashed and precooked? I really need to branch out from all my bean cooking! Also, what do you find easier about soaked beans? I had to play around with times to get the texture I wanted for the black and pinto beans, and in that process I occasionally had to bring the pressure back up for another ten or fifteen minutes because they weren't quite as tender as I wanted the first time they depressurized.

[AHASRADA]

I have an old-style jiggle top pressure cooker. I use it to steam tough meat, to make broth from bones, and pea soup. That's about it. Stews always seem to stick and burn on the bottom, and veggies cook so fast, I'm not interested in waiting for the pressure to build, only to cook carrots for 3 minutes, release pressure, add potatoes, wait for pressure to build again, cook 3 min. etc.

 

I also thought it would be great for cooking beans, especially if I forgot to soak in advance. I add oil as suggested to reduce foaming. One time, the valve under the jiggle top kept getting clogged, and I was so afraid it would blow. I continually cleared the valve by poking a toothpick down the opening, but I would reclog almost immediately. My SIL was severely burned as a child when a pressure cooker exploded, so I am very wary and no longer do beans in there.

 

Do the electric cookers solve any of these issues (sticking, burning, foaming, long waits for pressure build and release) ?

[redsquirrel]

I have an old-style jiggle top pressure cooker. I use it to steam tough meat, to make broth from bones, and pea soup. That's about it. Stews always seem to stick and burn on the bottom, and veggies cook so fast, I'm not interested in waiting for the pressure to build, only to cook carrots for 3 minutes, release pressure, add potatoes, wait for pressure to build again, cook 3 min. etc.

 

I also thought it would be great for cooking beans, especially if I forgot to soak in advance. I add oil as suggested to reduce foaming. One time, the valve under the jiggle top kept getting clogged, and I was so afraid it would blow. I continually cleared the valve by poking a toothpick down the opening, but I would reclog almost immediately. My SIL was severely burned as a child when a pressure cooker exploded, so I am very wary and no longer do beans in there.

 

Do the electric cookers solve any of these issues (sticking, burning, foaming, long waits for pressure build and release) ?

 

I have a 'jiggle top' model and haven't ever had any of those problems. I've heard beans can foam so you need to add 1 tsp of oil, but I've never had a problem with it. I add the dash of oil and that's it. 

 

I wouldn't personally bother cooking veggies in a pressure cooker. Maybe potatoes, but not carrots or broccoli. I like most vegetables lightly steamed so I mostly use the microwave for that job. I would think a pressure cooker would give you a puree?

 

I'm sorry you've had such problems with it.

[Jyhwkmama]

Tell me more about the what and how of the basket, please. I have only used mine for beans and a roast. I just can't figure how it is really any faster or better for most things than a regular pot on the stove (for making mashed potatoes, for example). Wish I could take a class too.

 

 

The basket i so that you can steam things. For potatoes, I put about 2 cups of water in the PC, put in the basket, then put in the potatoes and steam for 13 min. They always come out amazingly good!

 

The basket enables you to steam things and not get them soggy. I eat a plant based diet and eat a bunch of vegetables, so a steamer basket is a necessity for me.

[Forget-Me-Not]

We are big Instant Pots fans here. We expected to use it mostly for stuff like beans, soup, curry, chili, etc. and I like it for all that. But we also find that it is a very convenient appliance for other foods I didn't expect. Hardboiled eggs are 6 minutes and they peel 100% of the time even if they are new eggs. Mashed potatoes are a snap. It is great for winter squashes that would take an hour in the oven. We eat a lot of beans and breaking dependency on canned beans has saved us money and it is healthier. I never had consistent results with beans on the stove and I like that the Instant Pot is set it and forget it. I made white bean salad for dinner and with beans soaked overnight it is 10 minute cook time.

Hold the phone! Hard boiled eggs in the instant pot??? Fill me in please!

[Jyhwkmama]

There are many YouTube videos showing people cooking with their electric pressure cookers (search under pressure cooker, instapot, or Fagor).

[KungFuPanda]

Can you borrow one for a while to see if you'll even like/use it? Buying an appliance that might not see regular use won't help your budget. I do use mine, but I use all my gadgets all the time.

[Bensmom]

My husband bought me one a few months back. The owner's manual is not very helpful. If you love you pressure cooker, would you mind sharing cook time and pressure setting for various types of beans? We are a vegetarian and vegan household and I would love to be able to cook beans faster!

[mamaraby]

My husband bought me one a few months back. The owner's manual is not very helpful. If you love you pressure cooker, would you mind sharing cook time and pressure setting for various types of beans? We are a vegetarian and vegan household and I would love to be able to cook beans faster!

I have an InstantPot and I use www.hippressurecooking.com for my pressure cooking timetables (though I think they're meant more specifically for non-electric models). For beans, I always have better luck with results if I pre-soak. Otherwise, they tend to cook unevenly. I stick a strip of kombu in with my beans, too.

 

You'll also want to check out JL Fields's website/cookbook. Chef AJ's website has links to her recipes/videos, but it's probably easier to search "The Chef and the Dietician" on YouTube for her videos. There's also "Simple Daily Recipes" on YouTube for more vegan pressure cooker recipes.

 

Lorna's Sass' "Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure" has timetables in it, too.

 

Would you mind sharing how you do your rice and potatoes, both for mashed and precooked? I really need to branch out from all my bean cooking! Also, what do you find easier about soaked beans? I had to play around with times to get the texture I wanted for the black and pinto beans, and in that process I occasionally had to bring the pressure back up for another ten or fifteen minutes because they weren't quite as tender as I wanted the first time they depressurized.

If I don't presoak my beans I find that they cook very unevenly. Some of the beans will be mushy and some will still be crunchy. If I presoak them then that seems to ensure even cooking. I have found beans to be finicky in general and that's probably why I still buy canned beans. My one exception is a recipe from "OATrageous Oatmeals" for a red bean and oat groat dish. It was originally meant for the slow cooker, but I adjusted the recipe and cook it in my InstantPot now (with dry beans).

 

Rice - We mostly eat brown rice. I cook mine with a 1:1.5 ratio of rice to water, 23mins at high pressure (which is InstantPot's default I think). The only exception is a recipe for Spanish Rice that I found on the InstantPot website and veganized. That's 15 minutes. Then I use a 10min-natural release.

 

Potatoes - If I'm making potatoe salad (or something requiring cut up potatoes), I stick my metal straming rack that came with my IP in the bottom, load it up with cut potatoes plus 1c water, and cook for 4m on high, quick release.

 

Shortcut baked potatoes - http://www.hippressurecooking.com/short-cut-potatoes-a-crunchy-crust-in-half-the-time/

 

Shortcut sweet potatoes - http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2015/01/perfect-baked-sweet-potatoes-in-the-pressure-cooker-and-oven.html

 

Mashed potatoes - http://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cooked-and-smashed-potatoes-lesson-1-boiling-and-maximum-capacity/

 

Whole red potatoes/small potatoes - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jPbDJ3Ztdpw

[Barbara H]

Hold the phone! Hard boiled eggs in the instant pot??? Fill me in please!

 

I used the times from this article from hip pressure cooking. The thing I find to be amazing is that even if the eggs are fresh from the grocery store they peel well 100% of the time and that's always been hit and miss for me in the past.

 

You might also be interested in this all in one pot potato salad with eggs recipe. I used a little bit different seasoning but the method of potato and egg cooking together worked for me. Like all potato salad it is better if you make it ahead.

 

For anyone new to the Instant Pot, I'll give you the heads up that the cooking times in the booklet that comes with it often seem really off (tend toward way over cooking stuff). For Facebookers there are several different Instant Pot groups in FB that are helpful for sharing recipes, tips, etc.  The cookbooks Mamaraby shared are great too!

[Sun]

I have an InstantPot and I use www.hippressurecooking.com for my pressure cooking timetables (though I think they're meant more specifically for non-electric models). For beans, I always have better luck with results if I pre-soak. Otherwise, they tend to cook unevenly. I stick a strip of kombu in with my beans, too.

 

You'll also want to check out JL Fields's website/cookbook. Chef AJ's website has links to her recipes/videos, but it's probably easier to search "The Chef and the Dietician" on YouTube for her videos. There's also "Simple Daily Recipes" on YouTube for more vegan pressure cooker recipes.

 

Lorna's Sass' "Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure" has timetables in it, too.

 

 

If I don't presoak my beans I find that they cook very unevenly. Some of the beans will be mushy and some will still be crunchy. If I presoak them then that seems to ensure even cooking. I have found beans to be finicky in general and that's probably why I still buy canned beans. My one exception is a recipe from "OATrageous Oatmeals" for a red bean and oat groat dish. It was originally meant for the slow cooker, but I adjusted the recipe and cook it in my InstantPot now (with dry beans).

 

Rice - We mostly eat brown rice. I cook mine with a 1:1.5 ratio of rice to water, 23mins at high pressure (which is InstantPot's default I think). The only exception is a recipe for Spanish Rice that I found on the InstantPot website and veganized. That's 15 minutes. Then I use a 10min-natural release.

 

Potatoes - If I'm making potatoe salad (or something requiring cut up potatoes), I stick my metal straming rack that came with my IP in the bottom, load it up with cut potatoes plus 1c water, and cook for 4m on high, quick release.

 

Shortcut baked potatoes - http://www.hippressurecooking.com/short-cut-potatoes-a-crunchy-crust-in-half-the-time/

 

Shortcut sweet potatoes - http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2015/01/perfect-baked-sweet-potatoes-in-the-pressure-cooker-and-oven.html

 

Mashed potatoes - http://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cooked-and-smashed-potatoes-lesson-1-boiling-and-maximum-capacity/

 

Whole red potatoes/small potatoes -

Thank you for all the links and info!

 

 

 

[Spy Car]

I'm not going to follow all the links, but I read this one for Shortcut baked potatoes:  http://www.hippressurecooking.com/short-cut-potatoes-a-crunchy-crust-in-half-the-time/

 

It is a pretty good example of why pressure cookers ain't so great. What does this "shortcut" gain one?

 

It still asks the cook to bring an oven up to temperature. And it still takes 20 minutes of baking time. Plus it adds another step of using a pressure cooker, which can be active/semi-active time if one doesn't have an electronic programmable type one, and still leaves a mess to clean up and kitchen time to move hot potatoes from a pressure cooker (that needs to be de-pressurized first).

 

In contrast "baking" a potato traditionally involves no extra mess, no active time, and no hassles. The "time saving" is a false promise. It is the more time-consuming option (even if it cuts a little time off the start to finish).

 

But the biggest problem is what pressure cooking does to the texture of foods. The beauty of baked potatoes is the wonderful fluffy light texture a perfect baked potato develops.

 

Now, follow the linked take a good look at the pressure-cooked potato. It does not take a culinary genus to see that potato lacks the fluffy-light texture that makes a baked potato great. It looks mushy. It surely would taste mushy. So for a method that costs a person active cooking time and cleanup, the end result is food that is inferior to the easier and less time consuming method.

 

Think twice.

 

Bill

 

ETA: Fixed link

 

[Jyhwkmama]

I'm not going to follow all the links, but I read this one for Shortcut baked potatoes:  http://www.hippressu...-half-the-time/

 

It is a pretty good example of why pressure cookers ain't so great. What does this "shortcut" gain one?

 

It still asks the cook to bring an oven up to temperature. And it still takes 20 minutes of baking time. Plus it adds another step of using a pressure cooker, which can be active/semi-active time if one doesn't have an electronic programmable type one, and still leaves a mess to clean up and kitchen time to move hot potatoes from a pressure cooker (that needs to be de-pressurized first).

 

In contrast "baking" a potato traditionally involves no extra mess, no active time, and no hassles. The "time saving" is a false promise. It is the more time-consuming option (even if it cuts a little time off the start to finish).

 

But the biggest problem is what pressure cooking does to the texture of foods. The beauty of baked potatoes is the wonderful fluffy light texture a perfect baked potato develops.

 

Now, follow the linked take a good look at the pressure-cooked potato. It does not take a culinary genus to see that potato lacks the fluffy-light texture that makes a baked potato great. It looks mushy. It surely would taste mushy. So for a method that costs a person active cooking time and cleanup, the end result is food that is inferior to the easier and less time consuming method.

 

Think twice.

 

Bill

 

 

I have an electric pressure cooker that requires no monitoring once it is set. It does not heat up my house or use as much electricity as an oven. The inner pot rinses cleanly with just water or a dab of soap (takes about 1- 2 min to clean). I actually prefer the taste of potatoes cooked in my PC to those cooked in my oven. I give those cooked on my grill only a slight edge over the PC ones. (but they require more monitoring and going out in the elements.) Even given the heat up time, I can still cook potatoes faster in my PC than in my oven.

 

I cook in my electric PC almost every day.

[mamaraby]

I have an electric pressure cooker that requires no monitoring once it is set. It does not heat up my house or use as much electricity as an oven. The inner pot rinses cleanly with just water or a dab of soap (takes about 1- 2 min to clean). I actually prefer the taste of potatoes cooked in my PC to those cooked in my oven. I give those cooked on my grill only a slight edge over the PC ones. (but they require more monitoring and going out in the elements.) Even given the heat up time, I can still cook potatoes faster in my PC than in my oven.

 

I cook in my electric PC almost every day.

Basically this, but also, not mushy. But the great thing is, no one is making Bill use or like a pressure cooker. Not your thing? No problem, Bill. No need for you to own or use one. Not everyone is going to like the same thing.

 

Most of the time I just cook ours in the IP and skip the oven. Less energy and less time over all. We eat a lot of potatoes over the course of a week so those little bits add up. If you're a potato aficionado who has exacting standards about potato end results then you're likely not intersted in a pressure cooker and spend all your time perfecting your baking method for the potatoes in your oven while lovingly crafting the perfect, authentic hummus.

 

YMMV. There is no one right way, it's what appeals to your own personal tastes and preferences.

[xixstar]

It took some trial and error to get recipes right in the pressure cooker. If I was a more patient person, I might have given up but I knew that it could make dinner happen in half the usual time so I kept trying. And cooking from frozen has a lot of merit on a crazy weeknight too.

 

I have people ask about texture differences between a nice, slow braise or simmered and honestly I can't really compare because I don't have the patience for that kind of cooking. It is either fast stir-fry or fast in the pressure cooker for me. So if you're a huge cooks illustrated fan looking for the "perfect" texture and are willing to cook 8- 12 hours to make that happen, you might find the texture less appealing. For me, since I never cook that way, everything turns out great for weeknight meals.

 

This is not directed at Bill who clearly doesn't like pressure cooked foods and that is okay. More for others unsure about pressure cooking. Those in my classes have really loved the results of what we make together.

[kbutton]

If anyone is interested, Aldi is having a multi-function electric pressure cooker in stores next week. It will cook rice as well. I haven't seen it to tell you if it's aluminum or not, but it's 39.99, so it might be a low risk way to try a pressure cooker.

 

I've loved every appliance I've bought at Aldi in case you were wondering.