Cooking Under Pressure
In a rush to fix dinner? Cooking under pressure can be a thing of the past with a pressure cooker. Pressure cookers offer an ideal alternative to slow cookers. Like cooking in a crock pot, I can fix it and forget it with a pressure cooker. However, meals will be finished much faster in a pressure cooker. It not only saves me time, but it also saves me money. The money saved is not just from reduced cooking time, which saves on energy, but also from buying cheaper cuts of meat that are less tender. These cuts of meat fall apart after cooking in the pressure cooker. Most importantly, though, I can serve my family a nutritious meal with little time or effort.
Not Your Grandmother’s Pressure Cooker
Pressure cookers today are not your grandmother’s or even your mother’s pressure cooker. I remember my mother’s pressure cooker. I was terrified of this contraption. In addition to cooking food, it was used for canning and for sterilizing bottles, jars, etc. The weight valve (pressure regulator) which was placed on top of the vent pipe would shake and wobble once the contents started steaming. The weight valve posed a terrible risk – if the pressure was not properly released, it could potentially go through the ceiling. Old school pressure cookers were dangerous. Newer, electric pressure cookers aren’t without risk, but they’re much safer and easier to use. Some models can also be used for canning, and some also function as slow cookers, eliminating the need for two separate appliances.
A Multi-Purpose Cooker
Today’s pressure cookers do a lot more than pressure cookers of days past. When properly used, they’re safe. I absolutely love mine!
The contents cook under pressure with steam, so they retain most of their nutrients. More importantly, foods don’t dry out, but become moist and tender because of the steam. Since it cooks faster, it conserves energy and can potentially reduce your power bill. Also, meats that are frozen can be cooked quickly, making it handy for those days I forget to thaw something. Sauteing or browning in it allows for one pot cooking. I can brown ground beef, drain, and add the remaining ingredients to make chili. Most pressure cookers are multi-purpose and have settings for cooking different dishes such as rice, beans, vegetables, poultry and more.
Want baked potatoes? Use the pressure cooker. Did you know I can even make cakes and cheesecakes in it? Another added perk, it’s not just for lunch and dinner. I can boil eggs, cook bacon, hash browns, oatmeal, or even grits for breakfast. Talk about versatile! Lazy-Girls want to be efficient with their time and money and recommend multipurpose cookers such as Instant Pot® ($96 for the 6-qt)or Crock Pot® ($60 for the 6-qt) brands. Various manufacturers now offer their equivalent, and they offer different sizes and a variety of accessories.
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