A good dutch oven will make wonderful stew and is probably more useful than a pressure cooker. I have an ancient Warever and a almost as ancient Le Creuset. Love them both!

I've never used a pressure cooker, but would like to try.

How do you make stew in the pressure cooker? Put everything in at once?

Susan

I make stew in the pressure cooker all the time and it is so good! And fast!
Brown your meat in a little oil with onions and garlic right in the cooker.
I then add 1 can beef broth 14 oz?
1 can stewed tomatoes 14oz?
1/2 can water
2 TBL Kitchen Bouquet
carrots, sliced
potatoes, quartered
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen beans
Cover and bring up to pressure. Let cook for 25 minutes.
Quick cool pan.
Pull out meat and veggies.
Bring gravy in pan to a slow boil, mix corn starch with a little water and add to the gravy, stirring constantly til gravy thickens.
Pour gravy over meat and veggies.
Serve with biscuits and a salad.
Kathy G in MI

I think they'd have to bury me with my pressure cooker if it died....I have a Presto and it is great....I would be absolutely lost without my cooker.....

Does anyone have an electric pressure cooker? I've thought about one of them. I hear so much good about how fast pressure cookers are and though I like slow cooking things, often I'd prefer to go fast if I could.

Hi sinner,

Whatcha do ...

... you put a reg'lar pressure cooker-pot on top of a stove (electric or gas).

Put on the lid, and when the steam coming out starts hissing and burbling ...

... turn down the heat a bit ...

... while the pot continues to hiss and burble ...

... turn down the heat a bit more.

When the hissing and burbling stops ... turn the heat up a smidgeon.
Cooking takes place in about 1/4 the usual time.

If the burbling and hissing stops ... and examination shows a bit of contents coming out of the relief valve ...

grab the pot, put it into a pot of cold water, and shake ... fast.

If you'd rather not have food scattered over ceiling, walls and any other available surface!

Have a lovely week!

ole joyful

Geez, people! I'm asking about what brand to buy, but only one of you gave me a name: Presto.

I know I can make stew in a pot. I want to make it in a pressure cooker -- in 30 minutes. The meat is so tender and it's...FAST! I never understood the appeal of a SLOW cooker when you can get the same result faster, with less energy (electric and human), and without risk of spoilage --leaving food at low temps for long periods encourages bacterial growth.

Presto or Mirro have been around so long and parts are so available you can't go wrong with either..I have several and couldn't live without my pressure cooker...I've seen the elec and have seen them in use on tv but I'm so used to the regular cookers and already have them. I just ordered new gaskets for two of mine so now I have 4 working pots including my big canner.

Thanks ruthieg_tx and irishdancersgram! Looks like two votes for Presto. How do these modern cookers differ from my old Flex-Seal with the handle and the 'jiggler' weight? Fewer 'eruptions'? I'll look into the electric ones, too.

I think Consumer's Report had a rating on these, but very long ago.

I have been searching for a part to a Vischer Flex Seal pressure cooker model number 407. On the top of the lid there is a "pressure release" part that I am missing from the 407 we have in our home.
My wife believes in the advantages of cooking with a pressure cooker and doesn't want to throw this away.
Please let me know if anyone can help me....

marty, there is a GREAT appliance parts place in Wichita Kansas. I bought from them before. Of course, there could be some online places... but I liked the service I got there.

Alans Appliance Service

316-262-7228

Moni

Mine is a very old Presto!
Kathy G in MI

A pressure cooker is essential to speed up the cooking process. Adding 5 psi pressure (above the ambient 14.7 psi) or 19.7 psia raises the boiling point of water from 212 F to about 227 F. It is this increased temperature that is responsible for most of the increase in cooking speed.

How do these modern cookers differ from my old Flex-Seal with the handle and the 'jiggler' weight?

They don't. And that's a good thing! I use them for canning and have several that I've bought in the last 10 years (Mirro brand I think...without looking). The great thing is that they are the same technology used for generations!

Ruthieg, I've got a brand new Lagostino that I've yet to use. I posted a question about Pressure cookers a couple weeks ago. Mom lent me hers (this one) for me to use then teach her how to use it.

It doesn't have a jiggly thing on top, it has a knob that raises to keep the lid in place to avoid accidentally opening the lid while under pressure. The lid is locked on when it's closed manually, the knob just ensures it doesn't get opened accidentally while under pressure.

I'd love for people to post some of their favourite recipes. I'd like to start using it, but not sure where to start.

My all time favorite is Rouladen (German meat dish).

Rouladen

Thin slices of top of round steak
salt and pepper it, spread with mustard on top side. Add on one end of slice
½ slice bacon (I used ham, since I had some on hand, and no bacon)
1 T diced onion
2 thin slices pickles roll and secure with skewers or thread.
In a bit of hot oil, brown all around. Add a little water or canned beef broth. Cook for 25 minutes in pressure cooker or
simmer for 45 to 60 minutes
or 3 hours in a slow cooker on high
or for 5 hours on low.

Thicken liquid with a little flour and cornstarch to make gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes and red cabbage.

meat all spread out
{{!gwi}}

and rolled
{{!gwi}}

unfortunately my company came, and I forgot to take "finished" pictures.

Moni

I love my Fagor PC. I actually got the Duo set of 2 pans, one 4 qt and one 8 I think, one glass lid and one pressure top. The small one is great for long cooking veggies, i.e. beets, turnips etc the big one for soups etc. I got from the Chef's catalog.