The first Pressure Cooker I owned had only one setting and very little instructions. The first time I used it I was making soup and the lid blew off. Everything in my Kitchen was covered with the soup!
I decided that I might buy a new one and went to look at a few. I was amazed at the choices!
I didn’t know what to do so I asked my Friend what to look for. She told me to buy anything from a reliable Store and to buy a Brand I knew.
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIEND:
I should never buy a used Pressure Cooker.
I should look in the Box and make sure there was an Owners Manual to tell me how to use it.
The bottom of a good Pressure Cooker is flat and has the name of the Manufacture and the model number on it.
The handles should be solid and attached very well. The entire surface of the Cooker should be smooth and have no scratches or dents.
Ask the Sales Clerk to check the gauge to make sure it accurate and that it is not loose.
My Friend likes her large five quart Stainless Steel Cooker, (she told me that you can only use about 2/3 of the pot for cooking), because the bottom has a triple wall, (made of copper), it has a ’’15psi’’ and that means it will reach the temperature she needs quickly.
Her Cooker has one long handle and a short one on the opposite side. She told we that the Cooker she had before had two short handles and she burnt her hand. The longer handle prevents this from happening.
She told me not to buy any Cooker that has a ’’non-stick’’ interior because it chips off fast.
The Pressure Cookers that use a new finish called ’’flurocarbons’’ will damage the interior at higher temperatures.
WHAT I BOUGHT AND WHY:
I made a list and when back to the Shop and bought a Kuhn Rikon Pressure Cooker. The Company is Swiss and has been making Pressure Cookers for many years.
My new Cooker is Stainless Steel and has two ’’pressure settings’’, (ten and fifteen psi). The Sales Clerk made sure it reached the correct temperature.
It has a small vent to let out the steam and this means I use less water and it is a very quite Machine.
The base has a ’’3-ply’’ base and that stops anything from burning.
The Sales Clerk showed me the Instruction Booklet and had me fill out a one Year guarantee card. After the year if something goes wrong with it the Store has every replacement part you can think of, (I have to pay for it of course).
SOME TIPS, (from my Instruction Booklet):
’’ 1. You can use more liquid than recommended, but never use less.
Be sure the lid is properly closed and locked into position before developing pressure.
When you are cooking dried beans, cereal grains, lentils, split peas, rice or other foods that absorb liquid and expand, do not fill the cooker more than half full to avoid the potential of clogging the vent during the cooking process.
Only fill up your pot to the 2/3 lines except for dried legumes or any foaming foods. (you fill the pot to the ½ line).
If you used too much liquid take off the lid and cook it until some of the liquid has evaporated.
If your recipe calls for salt add it at the last few minute of cooking.
Always use your Timer.
If you are making a Stew or a Soup that has many times of food cut the ones that cook faster into larger pieces that the ones that cook slower, (make these smaller).
I found that if I brought my food to the boil point before I closed the lid the cooker will come to pressure much faster and reduce the chances of burning the food.’’
CLEANING:
I always wash my Pressure Cooker by hand and never in the Dishwasher.
I take everything I can apart and wash each part separately. I use a Toothbrush to make sure that I clean the gauges and valves. My Husbands Pipe Cleaner works well when I clean the vents. I wash the Lid in hot soapy water and the inside with warm soapy water. When I finish all of this I make sure everything is completely dry before I put it back in my Cupboard. I follow what my Instruction Book said and never put any of the gadgets inside or the lid on the top.
MY THOUGHTS:
I’m happy I bought a Pressure Cooker. I hope my tips helped you.
Comments are always welcome and ratings don’t matter.
©LL2003