Question About Pressure Cookers

[albus87]

I'm going to a free pressure cooker demonstration at Sur la Table tomorrow. I've been thinking about buying a pressure cooker for some time now (I love kitchen stuff!) but before I fork out the bucks, I have a few questions. Are they really as convenient as the boxes say? I've heard they are great for risotto and beans, but what else can they be used for? Also, what should I look for in a pressure cooker? Should I buy an expensive European brand (which, of course, are the ones being demo'd at Sur la Table) or the less expensive Presto brand from Walmart? Six quart or four quart? Any guidance you can offer will be appreciated!

[SusanT]

Pressure cookers can be used for any food that needs a long simmer or braise - pot roast, pasta sauce, soup, etc.

They really are great - I have two a 6 qt and a 4qt Fagor. Fagor is better constructed than a Presto but not as $$$ as the Kuhn Ronin. I like to think of it as the Toyota Camry of pressure cookers - not fancy but incredibly reliable. I boght mine at Bed Bath and Beyond. You can only use about 1/2 to 2/3 of the interior space for food (the cooker needs empty space to build up pressure) so a 6 qt would be a good size to have. You might want to consider a larger one if you want to do stocks. I use my 4 qt for risotto and other small side dishes.

You might want to do a search for "pressure cookers". They've been discussed several times here and there's lots of info in old threads about the various brands.

Hope this helps.

[albus87]

Great info. Thanks!

[wish]

I have a Fagor that I'm really happy with. I think it was around $70.00 for the 6 quart model. It's pretty heavy duty, with a thick bottom, so there's less chance of scorching.

Pressure cookers are great for braising meat- pot roasts come out very tender in a short period of time. They're also great for making soups.

[Curleytop]

I, too, have 2 fagor pc 4 & 6 qt. For 50 years I used Presto, but would not buy them again. I have had the fagors for about 4 years, and LOVE THEM. I do vegetables in them (gr beans 4 min.)
potatoes, 7 min. whole baby carrots 4 min. and on and on. When I had only one pressure cooker, I would cook one veggy and then empty the pot and do the next.
It is great for soups, stews, corned beef, don't get me started, especially artichokes which cook in 10 min. I gave my old Prestos to my son, who uses them all the time too.
Of all kitchen appliances, you will use this one more than anything else! GO FOR IT!

[albus87]

Thanks for all this info - it's great! I just got a Macy's sale flyer yesterday... They are selling a "special purchase" Fagor pressure cooker set... a 7qt and a 4qt in the same box (only one pressure cooker lid tho) for only $79.99. I think I'll have to stop by Macy's next week and add to my kitchen gadget collection!

[browneye]

aLBUS-

You will love having a pressure cooker. Do a search on "pressure cooker" on this BB- there are lots of recipes, tips, and just great ideas from other PC enthusiasts. They ARE as good as the boxes state. I'd like to attend that demonstration myself just to learn something new...

[Curleytop]

My suggestion is NOT to buy the 2 Fagors with only one lid.
If you are like me, you will want to use 2 pots at the same time. Actually, you will usually use the smaller size more often. The large pot is great for huge roasts, stews, and soups. These pots
are very heavy, and filled, really weigh a ton! They do have 2 handles, (which the older prestos etc) don't have. But, filled, these pots are heavy! Check it out before you buy!

[Anne]

Hi Albus87. I'm not familiar with all the brand names but I would recommend buying stainless steel pressure cookers. The aluminum ones just don't work for acidic foods like tomatoe sauce and the stainless ones are breeze to clean. For foods that 'create bubbles' when cooked and therefore jam the pressure release valve try pressure steaming them with a stainless steamer insert. Good luck and enjoy how fast they work.