Pressure Cooker

amillenium wrote: »

Hope this isnt considered a hijack but rather a related question: I am debating a pressure cooker as my next big kitchen gadget purchase...do you guys think its worth it? I have a slow cooker and like the fact it can be set up in the morning and not when everyone is ravenous in the evening. What do you use it for most?

Which do you all think is better, an electric pressure cooker or a stove top one? I really think this is the answer for me. I never have the hours it takes to cook. I am debating which one I should get.

Make soups all the time. Favourites in the pressure cooker: Borsht and Thai sweet potato....really good if pureeing the soups with an immersion blender. Great for stocks. Head Cheese (studenatz).

Make our rice in it as well.

I got my Instant Pot and haven't stopped using it! My favorites so far are:

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/76137606724/pressure-cooker-mexican-beef (ultimate favorite)

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2015/12/instant-pot-pressure-cooker-chicken-and.html

http://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/pressure-cooker-mongolian-beef/ (I didn't eat this but my husband and son and all his friends loved it)

https://greatchow.wordpress.com/2015/03/31/bbq-ribs-the-greatest-fall-of-the-bone-braised-baby-back-ribs/ (Again, I didn't eat them but my family raved about them)

In addition, I've made a whole chicken, chicken broth and a few other soups. So happy I got it!

I have an old one that I got about 35 years ago. My favorite thing to cook in it is Beef and root stew. The meat is sooo tender. I actually just cook the beef in it and then put that in a BIG pot with carrots, rutabagas, parsnips, potatoes, and onions. Then, my secret seasoning ingredient is brown gravy mix. For juice to cook it in I use beef broth. I just simmer it from there till all the veggies are nice and tender. I want to give all the foods time to talk to each other and blend their flavors into this wonderful taste. LOL. I LOVE my beef stew and so does everyone who tastes it. I know... the pressure cooker looks like it doesn't have much to do with it but it does. Cooking the beef that way not only guarantees that it is tender without it being mechanically tenderized but by cooking it quickly, it preserves the flavor to add to the whole thing.

Insta-Pot is great. Beans are easy, brown rice, stews, braises, tagines. I cook beans by boiling them first on saute then slow cook for 2 hours or so. It does it all. It's a little slower than the stovetop pressure cookers because it cooks at a lower pressure (11 psi vs 15) but the convenience of not having to babysit it the whole time more than makes up for it. Steel cut oatmeal is easy in it.

amillenium wrote: »

Hope this isnt considered a hijack but rather a related question: I am debating a pressure cooker as my next big kitchen gadget purchase...do you guys think its worth it? I have a slow cooker and like the fact it can be set up in the morning and not when everyone is ravenous in the evening. What do you use it for most?

Buy one!! I too have the Canadian made Instant Pot that many are mentioning here. I have a family of 4 and I have used mine for almost 2 years. I make stews/soups, anything I made in my slow cooker in a fraction of the time and even desserts if I feel adventurous and I do like to cook..so it's fun. I can make my beef stew that I use to cook all day in my pressure cook in less than an hour..that's building up pressure and cook time to depressurize..and's it's the exact same taste as for the previous 20 years of crockpotting-it.

I also researched buying my pressure cooker for about a month...just reading and researching online in the evenings..before I settled on the Instant Pot. Worth it!

OMG! I love my pressure cooker!
We do 18 hard boiled eggs at the beginning of each week (2c. of water, high pressure 6 minutes and slow release)

I have also found pork to be AMAZING in the pressure cooker. Take a sweet potato peeled and cut into 4-6 pieces. Lay pork chops on top. Mix 2 C of water and 2tbsp Worcestershire and pour in. Cook on high for 20 minutes quick release.

My favorite is to cook a whole chicken. I will often do this while we eat dinner. Takes about 30-40 minutes. Then we chop up the chicken, freeze some for quick dinners, use the rest for dinner the next day.

So many options, but so convenient, especially if you're busy!