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Pressure cookers |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Pressure cookers
I have an unused (new) one that's been in my cupboard for quite a few years.
About 40 years ago my wife and I used one regularly, then they became less "fashionable" and we lost the habit. It's the only cooking appliance I'm now unfamiliar with. I'm fairly adept at all other techniques/appliances. Does anyone use one regularly and what for mostly? |
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#2 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Sat at computer with heatin on
Posts: 45,573
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yes, i have PC and use it for making chicken soup..its delicious
quick and easy
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,231
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I like a nice fatty bacon hock done in the pressure cooker.
Lovely on crusty bread.
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 11,481
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I bought one this year as I don't find slow cookers fit into my timetable.
Not used it much as frankly it scares the bejesus out of me and the instruction manual reads like you have a live bomb in the kitchen when you use it ![]() However I agree with RJ2 about bacon hock and also bacon joints - works very well. I've also cooked curry successfully too. I've also cooked lambs heart as a sort of stew - chopped them up with the veg. One thing I have noticed is that veg can get overcooked - I tend to now use the PC to cook the meat and do things like carrots seperately as I like them to have a 'bite'. But be aware that although the pressure part of cooking may only take, say, 15mins you also have to bring it up to pressure and let it cool enough to open it up - so actual cooking time could easily be doubled. |
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 10,699
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I have a 'high-dome' pressure cooker, used it for years, changing the rubber gasket every few years.
It's never 'blown-up' or anything like that, you simply have to be sensible. If I'm making a stew, I put the meat, onions and garlic in and pressure cook those. Divide into freezer portions, then add potatoes, other root veg etc when I take a freezer portion out. When I have a fridge full of veg that I'm not going to use, I bung them all into the cooker and make the most divine stew. Chicken carcase and onion, celery and carrot - voila - perfect chicken stock in half an hour. |
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#6 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Quote:
I have a 'high-dome' pressure cooker, used it for years, changing the rubber gasket every few years.
It's never 'blown-up' or anything like that, you simply have to be sensible. If I'm making a stew, I put the meat, onions and garlic in and pressure cook those. Divide into freezer portions, then add potatoes, other root veg etc when I take a freezer portion out. When I have a fridge full of veg that I'm not going to use, I bung them all into the cooker and make the most divine stew. Chicken carcase and onion, celery and carrot - voila - perfect chicken stock in half an hour. I always use every scrap of a chicken carcass to make stock but I simply use a large pan and leave it a few hours. I must get around to trying the PC. Orangemaid - what's the chicken soup recipe in a PC? |
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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Sat at computer with heatin on
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Quote:
Thanks for the replies everyone.
I always use every scrap of a chicken carcass to make stock but I simply use a large pan and leave it a few hours. I must get around to trying the PC. Orangemaid - what's the chicken soup recipe in a PC? )I use chicken thighs and pressure them with an onion and cook them with water, not too much, just so there covered put onion in the basket, for flavour bring to pressure and time after for about 20 mins take out once cooked, and cut chicken off bones( it just falls off bones) add the chopped carrots and chopped potatoes( to the stock), and the onion (in basket) and a chicken stockpot..i use Knorr bring to pressure again for around 15 mins or so add cooked peas, and bit of salt then just add the cut chicken to the PC and stir soup..Lovely with hot buttered toast dipped in
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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 81
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I have a wonderful electric pressure cooker. I use it to cook joints of meat, soups and stews. It also doubles up as a slow cooker. Clever thing it is. 😊
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#9 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Quote:
aww its lovely ( mum's recipe
)I use chicken thighs and pressure them with an onion and cook them with water, not too much, just so there covered put onion in the basket, for flavour bring to pressure and time after for about 20 mins take out once cooked, and cut chicken off bones( it just falls off bones) add the chopped carrots and chopped potatoes( to the stock), and the onion (in basket) and a chicken stockpot..i use Knorr bring to pressure again for around 15 mins or so add cooked peas, and bit of salt then just add the cut chicken to the PC and stir soup..Lovely with hot buttered toast dipped in ![]() And Mum.
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#10 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Quote:
I have a wonderful electric pressure cooker. I use it to cook joints of meat, soups and stews. It also doubles up as a slow cooker. Clever thing it is. 😊
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#11 |
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Sat at computer with heatin on
Posts: 45,573
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i just made some soup now..it's delicious
Have some tomorrow, i like to freeze it as well..comes in handy then
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#12 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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Quote:
i just made some soup now..it's delicious
Have some tomorrow, i like to freeze it as well..comes in handy then"Spicy" roast parsnip and butternut squash. About eight portions - so it'll get frozen. The "spicy" is just a teaspoon of paprika and a dash more curry powder - enough to get a mild but warming aftertaste. As I reached for my casserole saucepan I contemplated using the PC but chickened out as I need to practice on something first
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#13 |
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Sat at computer with heatin on
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Quote:
I also made some today.
"Spicy" roast parsnip and butternut squash. About eight portions - so it'll get frozen. The "spicy" is just a teaspoon of paprika and a dash more curry powder - enough to get a mild but warming aftertaste. As I reached for my casserole saucepan I contemplated using the PC but chickened out as I need to practice on something first ![]()
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#14 |
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,005
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The Instapot Duo is going to be my next electric pressure cooker - on sale at beginning of Nov in UK via Amazon. Brilliant machine that even makes yogurt, is a slow cooker and steamer as well.
If you want some veggie pc recipes have a look at Jill Nussinow site - just bought her excellent Fast Food PC cookbook - cooked garlic ang ginger aubergine in 3 mins and risotto in the same time - both were delicious. |
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#15 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Quote:
The Instapot Duo is going to be my next electric pressure cooker - on sale at beginning of Nov in UK via Amazon. Brilliant machine that even makes yogurt, is a slow cooker and steamer as well.
If you want some veggie pc recipes have a look at Jill Nussinow site - just bought her excellent Fast Food PC cookbook - cooked garlic ang ginger aubergine in 3 mins and risotto in the same time - both were delicious. Cruel
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#16 |
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 81
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Quote:
And what's the name of that little beast?
![]() http://www.qvcuk.com/Cook%27s-Essent...N-_-1-_-802308
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#17 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Quote:
Wow - Half the price of the Instantpot Duo and seems to do the same jobs?
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#18 |
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Lost
Posts: 12,640
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Do make sure you've let the pressure down completely. I once just removed the weight after cooking a stew. Did you know that gravy can hit the ceiling
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#19 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 11,481
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Quote:
Wow - Half the price of the Instantpot Duo and seems to do the same jobs?
The devil is probably in the detail - my beef with the slow cooker I have is I cant say to it "start cooking in three hours so you're just finishing as I get home". My beef with the rice cooker was that I couldn't adjust the time for different rices/grains. Its all a learning process, but it can prove expensive when you buy clever stuff thats just not quite suiting your needs.
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#20 |
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Scotland
Posts: 5,947
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I'm feart of them so I just use the mahoosive pot to make soup so I always have some for the freezer.
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#21 |
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
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Quote:
The instantpot does more things - like youghurt and rice.Theres also a difference is in size, the cooks essentials is 4 ltr whilst the Instapot is 6 quarts - about a litre larger.
The devil is probably in the detail - my beef with the slow cooker I have is I cant say to it "start cooking in three hours so you're just finishing as I get home". My beef with the rice cooker was that I couldn't adjust the time for different rices/grains. Its all a learning process, but it can prove expensive when you buy clever stuff thats just not quite suiting your needs. |
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#22 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,227
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Quote:
The instantpot does more things - like youghurt and rice.Theres also a difference is in size, the cooks essentials is 4 ltr whilst the Instapot is 6 quarts - about a litre larger.
The devil is probably in the detail - my beef with the slow cooker I have is I cant say to it "start cooking in three hours so you're just finishing as I get home". My beef with the rice cooker was that I couldn't adjust the time for different rices/grains. Its all a learning process, but it can prove expensive when you buy clever stuff thats just not quite suiting your needs.4litre is more than adequate. Put a slow cooker on low and you don't need a timer to start three hours before you get home. I have a very inexpensive and effective yogurt maker. £55 as opposed to £109. Other than that I totally agree. |
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#23 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 11,481
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Quote:
Why not just buy a timer plug?
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#24 |
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
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Quote:
My slow cooker needs to be powered on to set the timer so thats not a solution for me
![]() Is it one of those that is too complicated for it's own good. Mine has 4 settings. Off, Low Auto High. Turn to auto and switch it on and it'll be happy for 8-10 hours. If I only wanted 4 hours i'd use the timer plug. |
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 11,481
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Quote:
But why would you need to set the timer on the slow cooker?
Is it one of those that is too complicated for it's own good. Mine has 4 settings. Off, Low Auto High. Turn to auto and switch it on and it'll be happy for 8-10 hours. If I only wanted 4 hours i'd use the timer plug. But I'm out from 8 til 6ish so thats 10 hours - too long for most of the recipes I'd want. Plus it has a 20 mins warm up time and for low heat you're supposed to preheat the food. So I can't get it to switch on using a timer as it won't know what its supposed to be doing ![]() In my ideal world I'd prep the cooker the night before and it'd wake up say mid morning and get on with it without preheating etc. As it goes, since there's only me, its not too much of a drag to bulk cook stew/curry etc on the hob and freeze portions for nuking when I want them. |
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quick and easy

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Have some tomorrow, i like to freeze it as well..comes in handy then