I've never had luck with meat. My mother used it for meats but back then I never paid much attention. My new one leaks at the seal so I maily use it as a pot to boil potatoes now.

Sorry I can't help you.

When I cook meats, I do not lower the temp once it reaches full pressure, and I usually cook for 30-35 minutes after it reaches pressure.

Not sure if those two things would make a difference for you or not, but I have made some great meat dishes in mine.

I have some good PC recipes, too. I can post a few if you'd like.

I use the PC more often than I thought I would. I never buy canned or boxed broth anymore. I always make my own, it is far superior to any store-bought.

Linda

Once the pressure regulator starts to jiggle, it makes no difference how hot the fire is, the temperature will remain the same inside the pot as long as there is water inside the pot.

dcarch

Sometimes it's hard to know if the pressure gauge is "jiggling" or not, but you'll get the hang of it. Also, depending on how big your roast was, 45 minutes might not have been enough. How were the vegetables? Next time, test the meat; if the veggies are done but the meat isn't, just continue cooking the meat a while longer.

Honestly, once you get the hang of it, you'll love it for roasts, chicken, stock, beans. And, like dcarch said, make sure you have enough liquid in the pot to finish the job.

Sherry

We might be able to help you more if you told us the make (brand) of your PC, the size, and the weight of your chuck roast.
Thanks!

A good resource for PC newbies is at the link. Miss Vickie has a lot of good advice. She also has a fairly new cookbook which is a good reference.

Another good PC cookbook writer is Lorna Sass. Her most recent is 'Pressure Perfect'.

Invest in either one of those and you'll get really good at PC techniques.

One thing that you do need to be aware of is that some meats (beef, especially) can get tough and stringy if you release the pressure too quickly. For beef, I find it really is important to let the pressure come down by itself rather than venting the pressure or putting the pot in the sink and running cold water over it.

Don't get discouraged! I find the PC to be one of the most useful tools in my kitchen.

This may whet your appetite for what great stuff it can do:

This recipe for Osso Buco is from Lorna Sasss "Cooking Under Pressure". I have made it both as a slow braise (traditional), and made it in the pressure cookerÂI actually prefer the pressure cooker version. Even if youÂre only cooking for two and using just two veal shanks, donÂt halve the remaining ingredients; the sauce is wonderful by itself. Once you get the Osso Buco started in the cooker, cook up some pasta or rice to soak up the sauce. The gremolata garnish is traditional, but I donÂt care for it; some authorities, such as Marcella Hazan, donÂt use it.

OSSO BUCO alla MILANESE (Braised Veal Shanks, Milan-style) Serves 4

4 veal shanks, about 10 oz each
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
½ cup dry red wine or dry vermouth
1/3 cup beef or chicken stock or bullion
2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced thinly
½ pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
One 14 oz can tomatoes, coarsely chopped, including juice
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg (optional)
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste (less if using canned bullion)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Gremolata: (optional)

1 tablespoon finely minced garlic 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
½ cup finely minced fresh parsley

Rinse the veal shanks, pat dry, and dredge in flour, pressing the flour into the veal with the heel of your hand. Shake off excess flour.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the cooker. Over medium heat, brown the veal on both sides and set aside on a platter.

Add the remaining oil and sauté the onions until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the red wine and stir, taking care to scrape up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the stock, browned shanks, carrots, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, basil, oregano, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Lock the lid in place and over high heat bring to high pressure. Adjust the heat to maintain high pressure and cook for 18 minutes. Let the pressure drop naturally or use a quick-release method (venting the steam or putting the cooker in the sink and running cold water over it). Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape.

Prepare the gremolata, if used, by combining the garlic, lemon zest, and parsley. When the shanks are done, stir in the gremolata and simmer for a few minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Note: if using smaller shanks, check for doneness after 15 minutes of high pressure.

I don't use mine as much now that DH is not here, but I used to use it a lot. The nice thing for me is that you could buy the cheaper cuts of meat that still have great flavor and the meat usually almost falls apart I liked to brown my roasts first because I like them to look good and done. You have to watch the vegetables because you can pulverize them. I have had some trouble with the pressure cooker leaking fluid around the handle, but not that bad. I find you have to replace the rubber ring. I have had both Presto and the Mirro. I think I liked the one where the pressure gauge rocked. I just might go back to that some but I think I would like a smaller new one. I use my slow cooker a lot though--especially on Sundays. - Barb

Here's another great PC recipe. I make this about twice a month, varying the meat choices.

CURRY IN A HURRY

This recipe from Lorna Sasss Pressure Perfect is a quick and easy way to make a pretty tasty curry. You can make it with chicken, beef, lamb or pork, and vary the hotness by using mild or hot curry paste. 2 tablespoons of mild curry paste makes a pleasant-but-wimpy curry; 4 tablespoons of mild paste makes it pleasantly zingy; 4 tablespoons of hot curry paste makes it very hot, near my limit of tolerance (and I really like hot food). I generally use 2 tablespoons of hot and 2 tablespoons of mild curry paste. This is another recipe thats ridiculously easy yet produces delicious food. If you dont want to mess with the yogurt, peas and cilantro, dont botherthe dish will still be very tasty, but the sauce wont be as rich or velvety-smooth. ( I personally dont like cilantro, so I dont use it.) The recipe calls for 3 pounds of bone-in chicken; I find it easier to use about 2 or 2.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs. Once you get the pressure cooker up to pressure, make a pot of rice. By the time the rice is done, so is this.

1 cup water
4 tablespoons Pataks Mild Curry Paste
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 pounds bone-in skinless chicken thighs or breasts, or 2-2.5 lbs boneless skinless thighs, or 2 lbs. other meat
(see chart below)
1 cup plain yogurt
1 ½ cup frozen peas
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (optional)

Pour the water into a 4-qt or larger pressure cooker and blend in the curry paste. Place on high heat and add the onion and meat of your choice.
Lock the lid in place. Over high heat bring up to high pressure. Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for the time indicated in the chart. Turn off the heat. Allow the pressure to come down naturally. (If cooking chicken, release any remaining pressure after 4 minutes.) Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow steam to escape. If the chicken or meat isnt tender, cover again and simmer until done.
If necessary, skim off the fat that rises to the surface or degrease the broth in a fat separator. Blend the yogurt into 1 cup of the broth. Stir the peas into the curry and simmer until they are defrosted, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and stir the yogurt mixture into the curry. Stir in the cilantro and salt to taste. Serve in bowls over rice.

Meat choices and Cooking times

Chicken (see notes above): 8 minutes high pressure, 4 minutes of natural release, then quick release

Beef (boneless chuck, 1" cubes): 8 minutes high pressure, then natural release

Pork shoulder (1" cubes): 8 minutes high pressure, then natural release

Lamb (boneless, 1" cubes): 12 minutes high pressure, then natural release

If using beef, pork or lamb, trim off excess fat and cut the meat into approximately 1" cubes before cooking..

I don't use my pressure cooker as often as I should, Elery uses it regularly for beans but I prefer my crockpot for beans or split pea soup. Mine is an old Mirro (I think, though it might be a Presto), it's over 35 years old.

I do use it for chop suey, for swiss steak, anything that I use a tougher cut for like round steak. I've never made a pot roast in mine, so I can't help there, but beef in the pressure cooker has always been fall apart fork tender.

I do let the pressure come down by itself, I don't run it under cold water to hurry the process, so maybe that makes a difference.

Annie

i have a presto and i use my pc quite a bit, i make cook corned beef in it 1 hour with the "rocker" rocking gently then let the pressure come down on it own, beef stew 12-15 minutes letting the pressure come down on its own.to cook something like a chuck you have to maintain the pressure for the entire time then let the pressure come down on it own.probably lowering the temp did not maintain the pressure for 25 minutes

Thanks for all the suggestions...and the recipes. And Linda, yes, I would love some tried and true recipes.

I realized that I misunderstood the directions when it said to start the timing when it started steaming. Mine doesn't have a button that "dances" on top. It is a 6 qt. Fagor. I brought it to where it was steaming, then put it on the 2 mark. When I should have put it on 2 from the beginning and then just lowered the heat.

Tonight I browned some chicken, covered it with onions, carrots, celery and an alfredo type sauce I made. It turned out much better than the roast did last night. (You could have bounced that off the floor! LOL) I am trying pork carnitas tomorrow night.

Thanks again everyone. I like that no one makes you feel inferior for your questions. :)