Nancy, no the amount of steam coming from the steam valve is not nearly as much as is lost during a simmer.

What is a "low" pressure cooker?

When I simmer bones for stock, If there is too much for my 10 qt Le Cruset dutch oven....which at a low simmer doesn't lose so much as a breath of steam, I keep an eye on the level in the pot and add more water as needed.
But usually I like for the stock to cook down and concentrate.
Linda C

Beverlyal,

Here is a QVC explanation:

http://tinyurl.com/3x8353l

I had never heard of this type of pressure cooker but I wanted to give it a try. I very seldom order from QVC; if it is something I want, I watch the promo and then search the 'net for the best price.
I didn't find this product elsewhere and even though it was expensive by my willingness to spend, I decided to buy it.

Nancy

Thank you for the link. It looked like most people were pleased with their low pressure cooker. I use a regular pressure cooker and it spits a little moisture from the valve sits, never a lot. Yours may be a little different so I think I would have to try it with different amounts of liquid just to see if it acts like a regular pressure cooker.

Nancy, I'm glad you are enjoying your purchase. I'm curious, though: how does it differ from a regular PC? Does the lid actually lock on the pot? Does it say in the literature how high the pressure gets in the pot? (How many PSI) I'm just wondering what the difference would be in this pot versus using a regular PC on a lower heat setting.

I've used a regular pressure cooker for more than 30 years. I (like others) am not sure how your low pressure cooker is different from mine, but even cooking on low pressure, the little bit of steam coming out of the pressure gauge is more than made up by the steam accumulating inside the lid and falling back into the pot. I would think your case would be the same.

BTW, I love my pressure cooker and use it probably 2 to 3 times/week on average from autumn through early spring (less in summer when we grill outdoors almost every day).

Do you roast the bones before you start the soup, mudlady? I think it makes a big difference in the flavor of the soup. I use my pc frequently, too, for soups, chicken, beans, pot roast.

I also look forward to hearing what "low pressure" means.

Maybe my TinyURL link didn't work for everyone? Here is QVC's description of a low pressure cooker:

"Gordon Ramsay K31101 - Gordon Ramsay 6 qt. Nonstick Low Pressure Stovetop Cooker
Low pressure, high quality. World-renowned chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay knows home cooking should be a joy--not a job. And with his new low-pressure stovetop cooker, you can combine the classic techniques of slow cooking with the updated ease and control you need when preparing everyday meals. Now, you can boil, bake, braise, and simmer--all in the same pot! Low-pressure cooking is an ideal choice when making family dinners. This generous 6-quart cooker reduces cooking time over a conventional covered pot--water boils at a higher temperature under pressure, thus speeding up the cooking process. Plus, bathing food in steam seals in flavor and nutrients that are typically boiled out on the stovetop. Not just fast, it's convenient. Forget about long waits for pressure to drop before you can check on your food. You can open the locking lid at any time during the process--so it's easy to check on your potatoes, add ingredients, stir, or adjust seasonings. That's the kind of control every chef needs. You can even cook delicate fish dishes--unlike with an expensive electric high-pressure cooker. Advanced non-stick technology makes cleanup a breeze. From holiday feasts to quick-and-easy suppers, Chef Ramsay's innovative new cooker is the tool every home chef needs--and it's only available at QVC until October, 1, 2011. From Gordon Ramsay Signature.
Average Customer Rating: 4 out of 5(62 Reviews)"

I have never roasted the bones, yet I have been satisfied with the flavor of the soup. I just make it the way my mother did. I did make soup in this cooker and the meat cooked faster and was more tender than usual. The soup came out fine. However, I am disappointed with the performance of the cooker because I had the pot filled 3/4 full with the water,bones and meat and the pressure valve allowed not only moisture to escape but it also spewed grease all over the top of the pot. It was difficult to clean thoroughly around the vent in the lid. Next time I will make a smaller amount of soup. I liked the taste of the soup, the tenderness of the meat and the shortened cooking time.
Nancy

I guess what we are wondering is how many psi does your cooker cook at. Does the box or the manual tell you? Most regular pressure cookers cook at 15 psi - I'd never heard of any other psi until today. I read your link and couldn't find the psi info, but I did see a pc that cooks at two different psi - high and low. I'm not sure what the advantages of low are, except for the fish noted in your link, but fish cooks very fast, anyway. I do like the idea of a glass lid.

Sorry it was hard to clean and spurted a bit, but all pcs spurt and release steam as they cook. It's how they regulate the pressure. Have you ever used a pc before? There is a bit of a learning curve, but once you get on to it, I think you'll love it for many things. I know I do. Good luck.

I read the url, still don't understand how it can be under pressure and yet you can remove the lid at any time. Probably more scientific than I want to know.

Actually, a PC is more than 15 psi pressure. It is 15 psi pressure ABOVE atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric pressure is a little more than 14 psi.

For a 10" diameter PC, it works out to be 1,177 lbs on the lid. No you will not be able to open it.

At 15 psi, water inside the PC will be about 252 degrees max.

For a so-called low pressure cooker, it will be anywhere between 212 to 250 degrees F inside.

The total steam lost would be the BTUs from you fire, minus radiation heat lost from you pot to outside. To evaporate one lb of water, you will need to supply 970 additional BTUs above boling point.

dcarch

Now that is clear as mud to me dcarch! ; )

I just watched the video. I don't see much value in it.

It cooks at slightly higher temperature, that's it. Nothing wrong with that. but I wouldn't want to pay that much to have another thing in the kitchen that offers me so very little.

I may be wrong, I will not cook good seafood in it, and I see no need to cook chicken in it either.

Your regular slow cooker will do just as well.
A regular pressure cooker will be much better for beef and pork.

dcarch

Oh dear, I very seldom, make that almost never, make an impulse purchase, and I will be very chagrined if I find I don't like this cooker. My father bought my mother a PC back in the 50s and she hated it. I don't recall why, maybe just because it was his choice. In 1969 my new husband took a PC from his mother's cellar and brought it home to me. I don't know if my MIL ever used it. I had a fairly open mind about using it but it conked out soon after it arrived and I never felt the need to pay for another one. I do believe my low pressure cooker yielded more tender soup meat in a shorter cooking time. If nothing else can be said for my new cooker, I am often too impatient to slow cook something for dinner and choose, in stead, to eat junk because it doesn't have a long prep/cooking time.

I have been thinking about the process of steam loss during cooking because that is what really made me want this cooker. I figured the steam lost through the valve would be less than the loss from a regular covered pot. If I have to add water sometime during the cooking process I fear the end result will be a weak flavor. Now, I am wracking my elderly brain regarding the process of distillation. I know particles in the boiling water that have a higher boiling point than water are left behind and "pure" water is obtained from the captured steam. What I don't know is, what constitutes taste? Does the water loss from slow cooking contain taste? If it doesn't, there is no problem if I add more water during the cooking process in order to have enough broth in the finished product.

I intend to experiment with several recipes to see if I appreciate what this cooker has to offer. If I find I don't like the cooker I will have to live with the knowledge that I wasted around $60. I do eat very poorly now that I am cooking for one and often, if I have gone out for the afternoon, I am too impatient to cook a decent meal when I get home. If I find just a few chicken and beef recipes that can be prepared fairly quickly, the purchase will be beneficial.

Nancy

Nancy, if you purchased your slow cooker from QVC remember that purchases made this time of year can be returned until January 31, 2011. Use it for a few weeks, if you don't like it...send it back.

/tricia

Reading back my posts, I think I was sounding way too negative. Let me restate my points:

1. You will like a low pressure cooker, because it does cook faster and require less refill of water. If it has non-stick coating, even better. Not too many pressure cookers have non-stick surfaces.

2. Just keep in mind the following temperature for cooking based on pressure. A regular pressure cooker (15 psi) will be much faster. I think a low pressure cooker is 5 psi:

0 pounds (psi) - 100�C (212�F) (boiling point)
5 pounds (psi) - 104�C (220�F)
10 pounds (psi) - 113�C (235�F)
15 pounds (psi) - 121�C (250�F)

3. You can buy pressure cooker that has high and low pressure settings.

4. The steam that gets out is just pure water. It has no taste.

5. There are other volatile compounds that get distilled during cooking. Whatever smells you smell in the air are those compounds.

dcarch

Dcarch--
Thanks, I appreciate the science.
Nancy