Pressure cooker

[eccentric_emma]

Hooray for freecycle! Today I got a wonderful pressure cooker and now I'm all excited about things to do in it. Has anyone got any beginners recipes/ideas/helpful hints to give me? I've seen loads of meaty stuff but I'm vegan so that's not really suitable for me. I mainly got it for cooking beans and pulses quickly but now I've seen the instruction leaflet I realise that it would be silly to limit myself to that!

[pumpy]

Hi Emma,.......isn't Freecycle brilliant! Does your pressure cooker have the old-fashioned weights,or is it more up-to-date,with a timer? Either way,the only true way to use it, is to experiment.However,take a tip from me, & DO NOT make a rice pudding in it (don't ask).

[marshlander]

Try this thread - loads here!

[ina]

Does your pressure cooker have the old-fashioned weights,or is it more up-to-date,with a timer? (don't ask).

I'm puzzled - my pressure cooker had neither weights nor a timer... What on earth are they good for?

[eccentric_emma]

Mine is old - it has weights, no timer. Its a Prestige Hi Dome something or other.

Marshlander - your link didnt post!

[Mrs Moustoir]

SOUP! Perhaps not for this hot weather but I suppose you could make some then chill them.

Found this linky for you. Vegan pressure cooker soups.

http://www.fatfreevegan.com/pressure/index.shtml

Bon appetit!

[marshlander]

The wonders of technology or I pressed the wrong button!
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/ ... ure+cooker

[ina]

Mine is old - it has weights, no timer. Its a Prestige Hi Dome something or other.

But what do the weights do??? I really don't know! My pressure cooker just has a seal round the top, and a valve.

[eccentric_emma]

Oh I'm not sure then. I thought that the weights caused the pressure inside the cooker? BUt if yours doesnt have weights then clearly I'm wrong. Unless different models work in different ways?

Thanks for the links guys I will study them in detail when I get home from work this afternoon!

[ina]

The pressure is caused by the heat, and no steam being able to escape because of the seal. The valve prevents it from blowing up... Strange. Have to look at some other models. maybe.

[Ellendra]

Some models the entire lid is the weight, so as soon as its closed the pressure builds up. But, this means it only has one setting.

Some models the lid has a little "chimney" sticking out, with little weights that sit on it. You can close the lid first and let it heat up, then put the weight on the chimney in order to get pressure to build. They often come with different weights (5 pound, 10 pound, etc) so they are more versatile to cook with. Also useful for higher altitudes, because you can increase the pressure setting to compensate.

Some models just come with a little dial that tells you what the inside pressure is relative to the outside. This means you can customize the pressure, and these models tend to be more accurate, but you also have to watch them carefully and adjust the heat in order to change the pressure.

[ina]

Ah, thanks. My valve has colour markings on it - depending on what colour shows, the pressure is at a certain level. But there are no weights - the lid itself is not particularly heavy, it's just the sealing of it that keeps it on.

Saying that, since the seal is gone, I don't use it as a pressure cooker anymore anyway! I really need to get myself a new one... Has anybody seen small ones around - about 3 ltrs?

[marshlander]

Saying that, since the seal is gone, I don't use it as a pressure cooker anymore anyway! I really need to get myself a new one... Has anybody seen small ones around - about 3 ltrs?

They've got all sorts on a well know auction site.

[yugogypsy]

Pressure cookers are great for softening up big old tough looking beets or turnips!

I'm a little leery of them myself, Mum gave me a horror story of the vent on hers plugging up when she was canning stew and ended up with stew all over the kitchen.!

Lois

[mrsflibble]

my gran stopped using hers 'cos of the same thing as that, Lois.

I'd love one. an african house mate of mine at uni used to cook pig's trotters in hers. I know Emma wouldn't be interested in that, but just thought I'd share lol!