Thinking of getting my first pressure cooker

16 years ago

I've never cooked with a pressure cooker, but I'd like to try it. (I remember being afraid of the pressure cooker as a child! I'm feelin' brave now!)

I was thinking of getting one with the long handle as it might be easier to open. Would that be true?

I know I want stainless steel. I'm thinking 6 or 8 quart.

I've seen electrics which sit on the counter, but I'll probably go with stove-top unless there is a reason not to.

Any suggestions?

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Comments (8)

donna_loomis
16 years ago
Socks, I've had both electric and non-electric. Of course, I didn't have the kind of money to spend on the pricey electrics, so my experience may not be typical, but I wasn't impressed with electric so much. And it didn't last long enough, in my opinion. I have two sizes of Presto (non-electric) PCs and other than the occasional gasket change, they require no maintenance and will last pretty much forever.

Even if you are cooking for only two, I suggest that you get the 8 quart. Remember, you cannot fill them more than 2/3 full and in some cases (rice, I think) half full. Even a small roast may be tall enough to use the larger cooker.

I have only had PCs with the long handle, so I can't speak to that.
teresa_nc7
16 years ago
The Fagor and Kuhn Rikon are the upper level brands. I have used a Fagor for demonstrations and it was very easy to operate and clean.

I have a Presto stainless 4 Qt. cooker and I love it. Less expensive than the two brands above, but does the job just fine -- very easy to clean also. I do wish now that I had bought a 6 QT. model. I ordered mine from pressurecooker-outlet.com. Great service and fast shipping! A stainless cooker is definitely the way to go!

There is no need for you to buy a non-stick cooker, IMHO. The stainless cleans really easily and you can use Barkeeper's Friend if there is any difficult cleaning problem.

Now.....I have never used an electronic programable PC but I know lots of people love them. The reasons that I would not want one: a) I think the cooking times are longer for them than a stove top model -- and let's face it, quick cooking is one of the primary reasons for buying a PC! b) they've got to take up more room on the counter top and inside a cabinet, c) there more things that can go wrong with them than a stove top model and d) I bet they are more difficult to clean. Again...this is just my opinion.

Teresa
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Siphoning can be a common problems for those not used to using a pressure canner and it takes practice to get it right. ;) Unfortunately it looks like most of our discussions on siphoning have fallen off the forum so I'll try to hit the highlights. Everytime you adjust the heat under the canner the pressure inside is affected and siphoning occurs so you need to avoid changing the level of heat. If the pressure goes a bit highr than the 11 lbs required that's fine. It also helps to bring the canner up to pressure at a lower stove setting than max. You also need to let it steam well for a full 10 mins before placing on the weight. And when time is finished, let it return to zero all on its own. When it reaches zero, remove the weight but DO NOT open the lid. Wait an additional 10 mins before opening the lid. If you are going to be using your pressure canner then you need to do several practice runs with it first to get use to controlling it and how your stove controls it. Put some sealed jars inside filled with colored water and process them as the recipe calls for. If at the end the water in the canner is colored then siphoning happened, refill and try again. If you are using an electric stove try to avoid making any changes in the heat setting during processing. For future reference please note that canned roasted peppers that are not pickled require the addition of acid - 1 T per pint bottled lemon juice usually - so if your recipe did not include that instruction then it is likely an outdated/unsafe book/recipe. See link below for more details or review the guidelines at NCHFP. Hope this helps. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: Processing Peppers
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You can cook in a pressure canner. Many of the bigger ones are made of aluminum, though, which is reactive, and you might not want to cook a highly acidic recipe in it. If you think you might be doing pressure canning a lot, you might want to consider WAFCO's All American line. They are built like a tank and will outlast you--your great grandkids will fight over it. Sorta pricey, though, but absolutely top quality. I had the 921, and gave it to a relative and bought the 930. The 921 was fine, but it could only process 7 quart jars at once; the 930 can process 14 quart jars at once, so it nearly doubled my efficiency. They are available at different internet outlets, with some (but not much) discounting. Here is a link that might be useful: wafco all american canners
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I have a small (4qt) Cook's Essentials similar to that one. It got me hooked on pressure cooking, and now I have a 6 qt Kuhn Rikon, a 4 and 8 qt Fagor, and a ridiculously huge 30 quart All-American pressure canner which I have used as a pressure cooker on occasion. Lorna recommends (and I agree) that chuck is the best beef to use for most pressure cooking; you do need a little fat content in the meat. Ann, the pressure cooker's forte is comfort foods done quickly. If you like slow-cooked braises you can probably adapt a recipe for pressure cooking that will yield 99% of the goodness in 33% of the time. Indeed, some of the PC versions are preferable. I prefer osso buco made in the PC (in about 50 minutes) to the slow stovetop method, and you can have corned beef & cabbage in about an hour. One recipe that I've become addicted to is Lorna's Curry in a Hurry. Decent curry in about 15 minutes. Takes you longer to cook the rice than to make the curry. But you can also cook really healthy, too. I love steamed artichokes, but I don't like having to wait 45 minutes for them to be done. The PC can do them in about 12 minutes. (Of course, whatever health benefits come from eating artichokes is probably negated by dipping the leaves in hollandaise or melted butter...)
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You've hit on one of the great advantages of a PC. Quite often, after I have roasted a chicken for dinner, I'll throw the carcass into the PC with water, an onion, celery, carrots and some pepper, and bring it to pressure. By the time I'm done cleaning up the kitchen, I have made some great broth to be used in the next day or two. The only drawback I know of is that the broth made this way is not as delicate as the stock made by gently poaching ingredients for hours and hours. Flavorwise, it's great, but if you're looking to make absolutely clear consomme or demi glace I don't think it would be as good. (My guess is that the higher temperature denatures the proteins, but that's just a guess. Classic French chefs make a big deal about never letting the stock boil. In a PC the temps get to around 250 degrees F, well over boiling.) You'll find yourself with an abundance of fine broth, and you'll be adding it to all sorts of stuff. ("Hmm, I think I'll cook this pot roast in chicken stock.") Plus, since you control what goes in to the stock, it'll be a heck of a lot better than that pricey oversalted bilgewater they sell in cartons at the supermarket. Wait till you try osso buco in the PC. Worth the expense of the PC right there.
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annie1992
16 years ago
I have a 6 quart Presto that's about 35 years old, I got it as a wedding present in 1974. I've replaced the gasket twice and once bought a new "jiggler" because the old one got lost. It's still just jiggling right along, LOL.

I use it sometimes, but not often. It's great for chop suey for Ashley, lean round is fork tender. Elery likes it for his pink half runner beans.

My pressure canner has the shorter handles, the pressure cooker has longer ones. I don't find one any easier to open than the other, but I have been known to touch the hot sides of the pressure canner accidentally with my thumbs as I'm turning the locking lid, I don't do that with the longer handles on pressure cooker.

I've never had an electric, so I can't tell you anything about those.

Annie
arley_gw
16 years ago
I have used a bunch of PC's, starting with an electric one that I no longer use.

My not so humble opinions:

1. Best value for dollar: Fagor Splendid line. They make a multi cooker that has a 8 qt stock pot, a 4 qt pot (sort of like a saute pan), a pressure lid that fits both, and a glass (non-pressure) lid that fits both as well. See the link. Got it at a department store for around $100.

2. Best one I've ever used: Kuhn Rikon. However, the difference between the KR and the Fagor is more aesthetic than performance; both cook well. If cost were no object, I'd get the KR 5 qt brasier. But I don't have $300+ laying around...

3. I'm surprised how much I use the smaller Fagor pot; it's very convenient for browning a toughish piece of meat, adding a little liquid and pressure cooking it till tender.

4. Having said that, if you're only getting one pot, get the largest you have storage for. The KR I have is a 6 qt stockpot, and there are times I wished it were 8 quarts.

5. Lorna Sass ROCKS! Get any of her cookbooks and go to town. The latest one, Pressure Perfect, is quite complete.

Once you get used to pressure cooking, you'll never give it up. Steamed artichokes in 12 minutes instead of 45. Osso Buco in under an hour; corned beef & cabbage in a little over an hour; foolproof risotto...the pc's forte is comfort food quickly. Pot roasts, chili, etc. There is a recipe in Lorna Sass's cookbook called 'Curry in a Hurry' which I make at least twice a month. Good tasting stuff in 20 minutes.

Here is a link that might be useful: fagor pressure cooker set
arley_gw
16 years ago
Two more comments:

1. Some PC's come with a low pressure and a high pressure setting. I don't see much benefit for that; most of your PC'ing will be done on high. (I have a PC with dual settings and I never cook on the lower setting.)

2. Another resource for pressure cooking is missvickie.com.

Here is a link that might be useful: miss vickie
dees_1
16 years ago
I got a Fagor cooker/canner set for Christmas. It is 6 qts, has a steamer basket and all canning needs for putting up pints. I'll be canning some chili and stock later this month. So far, I've only used it for beans. I need to play around with different dishes. The only trouble I have is finding the right settings on my pro range to get the pressure up quickly and maintain it. It takes some monkeying around before you get the feel for it.

I've found the same item at Tuesday Morning for about $70 so you can pick it up relatively inexpensive. I'll second the Lorna Sass book. There is also an instruction/recipe book that comes with it; it's pretty helpful.
readinglady
16 years ago
I know Fagor lists that 6-quart as a canner, but it really doesn't meet USDA standards. The problem is a small pc like this heats up and cools down a lot more quickly than a standard 12-quart or bigger canner. That heating and cooling time is part of the total safe processing time, so even if someone is following current guidelines, there's a risk of inadequate heat penetration with a small vessel, especially with something dense like chili. I hate to be a party-pooper, but I wouldn't risk it.

I second the recommendation of Miss Vickie. Her site is invaluable. I've linked to her page of pressure cooker recommendations. She also has a book out and like Lorna Sass's, it is an excellent resource.

Here is a link that might be useful: Miss Vickie on Choosing a Pressure Cooker
arley_gw
16 years ago
Amazon has that Fagor set for $99.99, eligible for free shipping.

It has one setting (high, 15 psi) so you're not paying for a low-pressure function you probably won't use. I don't mean to sound like a shill for this set, but I've used a bunch of PC's and this set really is a good value. Read the user reviews on Amazon.

Tuesday Morning often has great buys. Worth going to one if there is one nearby to see if they have any PCs.

Here is a link that might be useful: fagor set

Thinking of getting my first pressure cooker

Comments (8)

donna_loomis

teresa_nc7

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