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pazzaglia

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Everything posted by pazzaglia

  1. You are right, the liquids are boiling VERY vigorously. In pressure cooking "boiling" as we know it is separated into two parts that work independently. When something boils normally, the liquid has reached its maximum temperature and bubbles boil to the surface. In pressure cooking, when the liquid has reached the maximum temperature the pressure STOPS the bubbles from breaking the surface - this is why pressure cooker stocks are so incredibly clear (no actual movement during cooking). Bubbles break to the surface only when the pressure cooker is reaching or loosing pressure. The faster it looses pressure the more violent the boil. You can "see" this yourself by laying your hand on the handle of the pressure cooker and feel the vibrations inside while it's reaching pressure - and no vibrations while it's maintaining pressure. All that being said, I don't recommend a cold-water quick release, or even normal release for stocks. To acheive the most clarity (by moving the ingredients the least amount possible) and flavor (by condensing the vapor in the cooker) natural release is best. Ciao, L
  2. Cuisinart replacement gasket... http://www.cuisinart...es/cpc-600.html Ciao, L
  3. Someone's already done it for you.. http://blog.ideasinf...x-in-a-jar.html Ideas in Food achieved caramelized roux with a Cuisinart electric pressure cooker (that tops-off at about 10 or 11 PSI). So the same results could likely be achieved in a stove-top (15psi) in less than 90 minutes. I'll guesstimate 60 minutes with natural release. Ciao, L P.S. Don't forget to use a canning jar, steaming basket and water to steam.
  4. Pressure cookers should be filled no more than 1/2 for legumes, grains and food that expand and 2/3 for everything else (this includes the cooking liquid). Ciao, L
  5. If you bothered to click the link, you would have seen the can is pressure cooked in a steamer basket to avoid direct contact with the base of the cooker. Ciao, L
  6. Heidih, I checked the topics you linked to, none of the covered making dulce e leche with a pressure cooker. Ciao, L
  7. Maybe you are referring to this? http://www.hippressu...ensed-milk.html My recipe only calls for the can to be at pressure for 20 minutes. It is actually safer than boiling a can in an open pan, as a pressure cooker is designed to hold high pressures. So, if the can were ever to go, it would be in a very safe place for it to do that. I have never heard of an actual exploding can. I have heard of people trying to open a hot can and the contents spray out (in an explosive manner because of the pressure difference). There are a couple of other safety points worked into my recipe that many others lack: - Do not pressure cook a dented or warped can (the damage will affect the can's resistance to pressure) - Do not jostle a can under pressure - Immerse the can in water fully (to avoid quick temperature/pressure changes) - Let it cool overnight (to ensure the contents are fully cooled) It is also important to note. That canned foods are "canned" because they have already been pressure cooked in an industrial pressure cooker to sterilize the contents and delay spoilage - so they have already resisted what is likely higher pressure before. The results are shelf-stable, so if you know someone with a pressure cooker, you can ask them to pressure cook a couple of cans for you so that you have the dulce handy for when you need it. Tell me more about your theory that a can can hold pressure for up to an hour? Ciao, L
  8. The convenience of an un-perforated insert is that it has a handle and it's the perfect size for your pressure cooker. Some manufacturers make ones that are quite nice, others are badly designed negating the whole point of having an un-perforated insert - with the hole for the handle going more than half-way down the height of the insert.. Other than the convenience of the handle, there is nothing that you can't make with this insert, that you can't make with any heat-proof dish (stainless steel, pyrex, ceramic or silicone) and a foil sling. The uses include making desserts "bain marie", steam juicing, and steaming delicate foods like fish. Ciao, L
  9. Linda, how disappointing not to get that "porky" flavor. I wonder if it could be the cut of meat that you're using? Try using a piece of meat with the bone - the thigh has some nice tough skin and a huge bone going through it. Another way to get more porky-ness, is to save the fat from the de-fatting and use THAT, instead of oil, to fry-up the shredded pork. There's a reason why pork loin and chops are called "the other white meat" - once cooked they're kinda unidentifiably tasteless. ; ) Ciao, L
  10. I've got no idea what "Vitavit Premium Solar" is supposed to be, as I didn't find any evidence of such a line on the web. Fissler Germany only has three current lines of pressure cookers (the Blue Point has been discontinued a few years ago): Vitavit, Vitavit Premium, and Vitavit Edition. All have the new style knob control of the intended pressure setting. The plain Vitavit only has two settings, corresponding to the old-style one or two bars. The Vitavit Premium and Vitavit Edition have a third setting for pressure-less steaming, NOT a third pressure level. Here are the Fissler Solars... http://www.fissler.c...en.asp?indx=140 Also the new Vitavit for the Korean market has three pressure settings http://www.fissler.c...0&page=2&s_str= I visited the Fissler factory in Germany a couple of years ago and saw the lid assembly area. They still have the machinery to build lids with three pressure levels (not counting the steam or release levels). That part wasn't in use while I was there, they were assembling Vitavits for Europe they had not been introduced in the US, yet. They decided to introduce the Vitaquick to the US, instead, which is not being sold in Europe. The headquarters got some bad information that Americans wouldn't know what to do with thepressure selection twist dial. Of course, I informed them that Fagor has been selling twist-dials in the US successfully for years and highly recommended they do more research on the subject before deciding which model to release in the US. Just as well.. both the Vitavit and Vitaquick models they sent me fell apart, anyway. Some sooner than others. Loved all their features to death while they lasted. Ciao, L
  11. I don't know if this bit of knowledge will help or confuse you. But I've found the more dense the food the more time it needs. Veggies, risottos, ect. will probably need very little time adjustments while legumes slightly larger. I've pressure cooked a risotto that is nearly identical at 9, 11, 13 and 15PSI with the exact same cooking time. Whereas chickpeas need twenty minutes at 9 psi and just thirteen at 15. So, if this helps focus your adjustments on the densest foods (tough meats, legumes, whole grains, ect.) The rule of thumb is 1/2 full for foods that expand or foam (legumes, grains, fruits) and 2/3 full for everything else. The reasons are three-fold. The first, of course, is to give enough room for foods that expand. The second is to ensure that the food does not make it's way up to the lid while it's boiling in the cooker and interfere with the valves. The third is to give the steam enough room to build pressure - technically the cooker probably needs less room than 1/3 - but since the other two reasons can have more serious consequences I don't recommend trying to see how full you can get a cooker until it can't build pressure. Ciao, L
  12. You don't have to have a pressure cooker that meets the cooking times stated for pressure cookers operated at sea-level. You only need to slightly extend the cooking times to achieve the same results. I have not had personal experience with cooking at high altitudes (I am literally at the sea, at sea level), but a reader of mine lives at 5,000 and works at 7,000 feet and she tells me that it's only a few extra minutes of cooking time for most recipes. In the time that you've had your current pressure cookers, have you experienced any undercooked food? If so, what recipes/main ingredients? Ciao, L P.S. I always write my cooking times in ranges to accommodate both stove-top and electric pressure cookers, the longer time may also work for stove tops operating at high altitudes.
  13. That is one of the FEW hard-to-find negative dings I gave to Kuhn Rikons during my review. They need and exact amount of heat that is difficult for someone using a gas range and eye.balling the flame to learn. I have used many spring-valve models and let me assure you that its not the rule. Other brands have a less-sensitive sweet-spot, unfortunately, they also require more heat. I just typed an answer to this question in another website's forums.. I don't think anyone will mind if I quote myself "...an extra-large pressure cooker can affect a pressure cooker recipe two ways: The first difference of using a larger versus a smaller cooker is the higher the minimum liquid requirement. For example, a 2.5L Kuhn Rikon may only need half a cup of liquid (125ml) to reach pressure, while a 6L needs a little less than a cup (200ml) and an 8L a little more (300ml). European manufacturers don't make pressure cookers any bigger than 10L for the home use but for comparative purposes an AllAmrican Pressure Cooker Canner with the equivalent capacity of 20L states in it's instructions that it needs at least 6 cups (or 2,500ml) of liquid to build pressure. The minimum liquid requirement is a non-issue if you only plan to boil and steam food in the pressure cooker. But it can make a notable difference if the goal is to braise and roast. The second difference of using a larger versus smaller cooker is the extra stainless steel that needs to be heated. More stainless steel equals more time to pressure. I measured the time to pressure between the 2.5L and 5L Kuhn Rikon on a gas burner – each with their minimum amount of liquid. On average, the larger pressure cooker took 1 1/2 minutes longer to reach pressure. As the cooker size grows, so will the time needed to reach pressure. This is "growing" difference between pressure cooker sizes is a non-issue for long-cooking foods, roasts, legumes, ect. But remember, the food is already cooking WHILE the pressure cooker is reaching pressure. So for vegetables or any short-cooking food the extra time to pressure could throw off the timing. I hope this answers your question about the technical differences between cooking with a smaller vs. larger pressure cooker." Ciao, L
  14. The Veggie Queen says 5 minutes with natural release and that's what I use. Here's her veggie stock video.. It only takes about 5 minutes at high pressure to burst the cells of most vegetables to release their juices into the liquid. Don't see why you would need an extra 30 on top of that unless you have some exotic vegetable in your stock that is particularly dense. You could always open, reserve some liquid and make the rest go for 30 more and see if the difference is worthwhile. I do 35 minutes for chicken, and 60 for beef, veal, or pork stock. Just cover the ingredients of any stock with water for a 2x concentrate. Ciao, L P.S. I add yellow onions with their brown skin (without the roots) and toss in a tomato for a little acidity. It will be the darkest most luscious vegetable stock you've ever made!!
  15. Splice, and anyone else that is interested, I consulted the original source of this information (MC book 2, page 87) as well as my local (hey, Switzerland is not THAT far from me) pressure cooker thermodynamics engineer. It appears that those of use who pressure cook on induction have already experienced Dalton's law. Pressure cookers on induction reach pressure so quickly that they trap the most air (shorter time to pressure less venting time) than cooker being brought to pressure on gas or electric cooktops. In addition to all of the stainless steel not being heated, and not having any of that "cooking while at pressure" this extra air keeps the pressure cooker from reaching maximum temperature even though the second ring on the bar indicating high pressure (in the case of Kuhns, for example) is being displayed. The results are often under- cooked, if no adjustment is made to the cooking time. I suspect as induction becomes more common, pressure cooker manufacturers will be pressed to design a more sophisticated valve that actually reacts to temperature instead of pressure. While I had the engineers' ear, I also asked if it was possible to eliminate 100% of the oxygen from a spring-valve cooker to ensure maximum internal temperature and pressure is reached for the purposes of sterilization or canning. My source said that the way to do this is to let the cooker go into over-pressure by not turning down the heat to the usual low-heat setting when the cooker reaches pressure, but instead reducing it just slightly and let the cooker vent this way for 5-20 seconds. This will ensure 100% of the air is pushed out of the cooker. Then, you would turn down the heat, as you normally would, for the pressure cooking time. Ciao, L
  16. It looks like it could work. When pressure cooking multiple jars, ensure that they do not touch the base or sides of the pressure cooker since they will be extra-hot and can shock and shatter the glass (you can wrap a wet kitchen towel around them to ensure this). Also, again to avoid shocking the glass, always use natural release. And remember: the contents of the jar will initially be pressurized so don't hurry to open those pressure cooked jars until they have fully cooled. Have fun! I have both the Kuhn Rikon 5L with the long handle (part of the duo set) and the Kuhn Rikon Braiser 5L (shallow and wide) with two short handles - they both have the blue safety nubs. I have not sawed them in half to check. : ) But I'm sure they are using the same mechanism. They both have the blue safety nubs. Actually, the short-handled braiser has two short nubs: one under each short handle. Since it is a wider pressure cooker the lid needs to resist more pressure all around so it's got more of everything. The gasket looks like it could replace a bicycle wheel and the lid feels like it could survive any catastrophe. Ciao, L
  17. Rotuts, glad it worked out! Can't wait to see them. I'm quoting myself here because I have more information- thanks to an email from a participant and a little more research. When steam is super-heated (which means above 100°C, like in pressure cooking) it no longer contains any liquid. It is then called vapor and considered a gas. Although I am a pressure cooking expert, I am not a Thermodynamics expert which is why I defer to one before drawing any final conclusions as in this situation. I shot off an email to an Engineer and will gladly share the results with anyone who is interested! Ciao, L
  18. There no substantial benefit to the long handle. Some cookers call the long handle "helper handle". It's designed to give the cook better leverage when twisting off the lid, and more distance when carrying around the pressure cooker - in newer German pressure cooker models the handle houses some of the functionality and pressure selection mechanisms. I spend all of my time ensuring that the long handle doesn't stick out from the cook-top, or over an open flame, so to me they are more of a bother than a help! Ciao, L
  19. I don't have the latest book, so I cannot confirm whether a single pressure will cover all of the recipes there. Maybe someone here with the time, inclination, and book can answer. The only problem with your math is not calculating for the height of a trivet/rack for keeping the jar from touching the bottom of the pressure cooker. The height of those varies between manufacturers and models. I think the link to a specific model was unintentional. I have not seen "top", yet. But from Kuhn's description it seems to solve one of the FEW peeves I have about the Kuhn - which is standing there for two minutes holding the button down to release pressure. Instead, you get to twist something and WALK AWAY to do something else for those two minutes. The "twist to release" feature is something I already use and appreciate with the Fagor Futuro and Magefesa Ideal So, I don't see any drawbacks to it from what I've heard and read. Ciao, L
  20. Splice, your quote from the book has been bothering me ever since I read it. Then I did a little research. It appears that Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures is used to measure the equalized pressure of GASSES. The only problem is... that steam is a LIQUID. When I next get to speak to a Manufacturer's engineer, I will ask bout this. But on the surface, what was written does not appear to actually apply to pressure cooking. I don't have the latest Modernist Cuisine book (@ Home), but I was sent a scan of one pressure cooker recipe. It instructs the cook to just "wait a little" before opening a jar who's contents have been pressurized. I don't think I need to explain to anyone here the dangers of accidentally opening a pressurized vessel. I really feel they should have consulted with an expert to review both the technical and safety information before the book was published. It's never too late, they have a lengthy errata page and active content sharing on their website. Ciao, L
  21. From what I understand from what I've read, the Kuhn Rikon pressure spring valve models do not let out a lot of steam, and they lock and stop letting out steam when the pressure is achieved, meaning that some of the original air could be trapped inside. This is why I am asking the question. It depends on the pressure cooker model, most household pressure cookers expel about 95% of the air before locking the valve to commence pressure cooking. All that "vapor" you see coming out of the valve before the pressure cooking is oxygen being pushed out. 100% air-free pressure cooking environment is only a concern for surgical sterilization and canning with the purpose of long-term shelf-stable storage (i.e. no refrigeration). Great question! Yes, it does. Because air is insulating and could prevent the contents of the whole vessel from reaching the same temperature. Ciao, L
  22. hahaha! I'm not worried, I'm past the expiration date for stalking... for stock making, stalk away! ; )
  23. I think we're at the "and beyond" stage of this topic now! I wanted to share a recoding of last week's interview on Martha Stewart radio. Lots of information and tips on pressure cooking including: safety features all modern pressure cookers MUST have, tips on pressure cooking meats, why pressure cooker pasta works - and a carnitas recipe! https://www.youtube....0&feature=g-upl (in case you're at work, the audio starts as soon as the page loads ; ) So what has everyone been pressure cooking, this summer? Ciao, L P.S. Forgot to mention, I'm the one being interviewed!
  24. Chris, et. al. Any chance of posting exclusive e-gullet previews of Modernist Cuisine @ Home, like you did for the first tome? I'm particularly looking forward to the pressure cooker recipes.. an article promised many! Ciao, L
  25. Brooks, I forgot to comment on this... yes, you can fit more ramekins (yaay!) but just because you can fit bigger bundt molds and standard-size spring-from pans it does not mean they will pressure cook well. I have noticed that once you get to a certain width or thickness it begins to take much longer to get the center cooked - you will still have wonderfully pressure steamed food though there may not be any actual time savings from doing it in the oven (energy, yes of course!!) Ah.. OK! Then I say go for it! As you already guessed a 12L cooker is probably going to weigh quite a bit, empty, but it will also take longer to reach pressure (lots of metal and more contents to heat-up) and also the minimum liquid requirement will be a little higher. I'm just preparing you for the adjustments you may have to make to your go-to recipes when making them for a crowd in the 12L vs. 5L (less pressure cooking time - to compensate for the longer time to pressure- and a little more liquid). For cooking 2lbs of beans let's figure out the minimum size of the pressure cooker you need. I just ran to my kitchen to weigh 1 cup of dry Borlotti which is 150g (5.3 oz) so two pounds of beans would be a tad over 6 cups in volume. To cook them from dry you would need at least 3x the water (18 cups of water) and to cook them from soaked only 2x the water (12 cups). So the volume of un-soaked beans and their water is 24 cups (6L) and the volume of soaked beans and their water is 18 cups (4.25L). Remember, beans and their liquid should be 1/2 capacity or less. So the answer is: you will need a 12L cooker to pressure cook 2lbs of DRY beans - it's a bit of a squeeze but if you keep the total water under the 1/2 capacity mark you could do 2lbs of soaked beans in an 8L. Thanks!! Glad to he be of help. I'm not personally familiar with Scanpan, but if you're happy go with it! The main difference I have seen between Kuhn Rikon and other pressure cookers is that the whole pressure control mechanism is metal - unlike Fagor, Fissler or any other cooker I've seen so far. Due to use and accidental abuse (which I hope you won't do with a $150 pressure cooker) I have caught a pressure signal on fire (never pressure cook ANY amout of liquor - even a splash) and run one without water both of which have been fatal to the cookers, their valves and various bakelite and silicone parts. So, I recommend to look carefully at the pressure valve and housing of Scanpan and decide from there. When I reviewed the Kuhn Rikon I was struck by it's minimalist elegance not just in the esthetics but the construction and use of least amount of "moving parts" to achieve the same effect. While many cookers have complicated and sophisticated handle-locking mechanisms with buttons levers and switches the Kuhn capitalizes the force of the internal pressure and uses the gasket to lock the lid closed while the contents are under pressure. That's just one example of the thought and detail that went into making their cookers - and one less thing that can break, too. However, a cheap aluminum $30 pressure cooker and a fancy $300 will both get you the same result: pressure cooked food. The difference is only in the little details (even distribution of heat, features ect.) and durability. It's OK if your budget dictates a mid-range cooker. You will still get great results! Ciao, L
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