Posted: 3/30/2005 8:18:25 PM EDT
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I just got a 8 quart pressure cooker. Seemed like a good way to make soup and stuff. The direction said to boil some water before using for cooking. The damn thing is scaring me to death. All I can think of is flying schrapnel. When the pressure built up it had a life of its own! So any suggestions on what to make? |
Pot roast. Tender and delicious in a pressure cooker. Just don't take the "shaking thingy" off the top until it's completely cooled - and just don't ask me how I know 
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Yankee Pot roast , it's about all I use mine for , just don’t add the veggies till the last 10 min . As for the shrapnel .. as long as the pressure valve is rattling your ok if it stops and just keeps blowing a solid stream of steam the heat is too high . |
OhOh, hmm, no shaky thingy. I think its built in. Damn now I am gonna have to look. |
I don't open mine until the pressure is down. Does your cooker have any recipes that call for veggies? You might look and see and modify those recipes to suit your needs. You might also do a websearch for your particular brand of cooker and see what they have to offer. Patty |
I live for danger  Actually I wait till it is no longer expelling steam , mine has a stepped latch that lets you release any residual pressure without fear of the lid coming off , but by all means RTFM that came with it  |
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Read your instructions thoroughly! There are VERY different instructions for reducing the interior pressure, depending on the design. I have two different styles of cookers. The pressure canner, with dial gauge, and a 'regular' cooker that has more built in safety features. Modern closure is metal to metal and the gasket would blow out before the top blew off (or so the mfg. claims). Pressure is controlled by a weight, no gauge. Stainless steel, and I love it... Not all pressure cookers are suitable for pressure frying, so be mindful of the instructions for your cooker. Don't risk an oil burn :( My fav cookbook is "Cooking Under Pressure" by Sass. My favorite dish is either cheesecake (yes!) or artichokes :) Gives the artichokes an intense flavor from cooking with very little water, mostly steam. Venison or beef stew with mushrooms and root veggies is a winner. I use the cooker frequently for grains and beans. HTH, Gwen cooking from food storage |