Modern Pressure Cookery

[Franci]

I do not use pressure cooker for meat that I want to cook rare. I rather use it for second- third choice cuts of meat (the ones that requires long cooking) see a lamb shank, ossobuco or, if I don't have time, for a quick chicken stock or even a stew. It just halve or reduce to 1/3 the cooking time.

Edited February 14, 2007 by Franci (log)

[Forest]

Thanks Franci - that pretty much confirms my suspicion that the answer is to stop trying to cook medium roasts in there!

[maxmillan]

What size pc does everyone here use? I'd like to get a consensus as to what you found most useful.

I read here somewhere that pc's are filled only up to 2/3 of it's volume.

If so, I will have take that into consideration if I want to make meat dishes.

[maxmillan]

I read that the Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker needs to be heated with a gas stove. Unfortunately, I have a coil stove.

Does anyone here use their pc on a coil stove? If so, what are the results?

I notice that Ashton Green is having a sale and they have several sizes of Kuhn Rikon on sale. With the shipping/handling and GST the 7 1/4 quart size totals to $280.90 . Not the best price but I was told that there are no retailers licensed to sell Kuhn Rikon in BC (and I believe, all of Canada.) But it looks like maybe Ashton Green may be the first and are offering them on sale.

I think I will check out the states because the rate is 1.14% right now and I can save a substantial amount getting it myself.

[helenjp]

Ooh! There's a sale on Fissler pressure cookers and I want one - lots of people in Japan use the 2.5 liter (tad over 2 quart) size, but you can also get a 4.5 liter size (about 4 quarts) - anybody care to tell me what size they find useful? (We don't get huge hunks of meat here, but I would definitely cook up to 1kg (2 lb) of meat in pieces, or beans.

[torakris]

Ooh! There's a sale on Fissler pressure cookers and I want one - lots of people in Japan use the 2.5 liter (tad over 2 quart) size, but you can also get a 4.5 liter size (about 4 quarts) - anybody care to tell me what size they find useful? (We don't get huge hunks of meat here, but I would definitely cook up to 1kg (2 lb) of meat in pieces, or beans.

←

Helen,

I just bought a 6L one here a couple months ago and find it is perfect for my family. I doubt you can get anything bigger here without a serious search. I make mostly stew type meals or use it for poaching and I have more than enough room in the pan. It you plan on making large amounts of stock or such you might want even bigger. Then of course where would you store it?

[beccaboo]

I have a 3.5 liter Kuhn Rikon and a 7 liter Magafesa--I use the smaller one more, but if I had to only have one I'd pick the Magafesa as you can make a little food in it as well as a lot.

The Kuhn Rikon works fine on an electric coil stove. I just take it off the burner for a little bit when I'm reducing the heat, since the burners take longer to cool down than gas burners do. That would be the case with any brand of pressure cooker, though, I'd think.

[helenjp]

I think 6L is the biggest I've seen in Japan too. Hmm...I think I'm going shopping. I'm glad to know you can use the bigger one to make small amounts too, because I just realized that the bigger size has been discounted so far that it's cheaper than the smaller one .

As for where to store it - other people have kennels in front of their houses, perhaps I can have one for my pots and pans?

Edit: Actually, I'm planning to use the pressure cooker as a both a regular pot and a pressure cooker, to replace (wipes away tear) the pot my grandmother gave me 30 years ago when I left school - the composite handle is starting to come off.

Edited February 27, 2007 by helenjp (log)

[helenjp]

I got a 4.5L Fissler Vitaquick and christened it today. Yes! It was worth it! I had some Australian rump steak to cook, and 20 minutes after I stepped in the door, a tender but still juicy beef stew with tomatoes and new onions was on the table. I

associate my mother's pressure cooker with fragments of dry, flayed meat - this was a better texture than I would have produced in twice the time (considering the haste I would have been cooking in).

The 2.5L would have been too small - this is a good size.

[DerekW]

...the Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker needs to be heated with a gas stove....Does anyone here use their pc on a coil stove?  If so, what are the results?

As beccaboo noted, coil stove won't be a problem. There's no suggestion [that I recall] in the user manual or other literature that came with the pan suggesting gas-only. It's a heavy gauge SS pan with a substantial aluminum bottom disk. I've mostly used mine on coil electric.

I was told that there are no retailers licensed to sell Kuhn Rikon in BC (and I believe, all of Canada.)

CityChef have carried them for years, that's where I got mine. Vancouver based, $255 for the seven litre, free shipping

By the sound of things, someone is feeding you suspect information

cheers

Derek

[maxmillan]

...the Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker needs to be heated with a gas stove....Does anyone here use their pc on a coil stove?  If so, what are the results?

As beccaboo noted, coil stove won't be a problem. There's no suggestion [that I recall] in the user manual or other literature that came with the pan suggesting gas-only. It's a heavy gauge SS pan with a substantial aluminum bottom disk. I've mostly used mine on coil electric.

I was told that there are no retailers licensed to sell Kuhn Rikon in BC (and I believe, all of Canada.)

CityChef have carried them for years, that's where I got mine. Vancouver based, $255 for the seven litre, free shipping

By the sound of things, someone is feeding you suspect information

cheers

Derek

←

Thanks for the lead. I'm going to check it out.

My friend did a demo on her Lagostina pc. We made a whole chicken and filled the rest of the pot with vegetables. After 25 minutes it was still not done and we threw everything in a roasting dish and cooked another 10 minutes. I was not very impressed with the flavor. But we prepare the meal within 10 minutes by adding lemon, juice salt, pepper,and chicken spice.

[maxmillan]

I'm considering getting the Kuhn Rikon 8L Duromatic Hotel pressure cooker model.

It was a toss up between the 7L Duromatic and the above.

I'm hoping to have something that will last a long time and have a lot of versatility (ie. cooking chicken, roast, etc.)

I know they both will do the same job. However, I like the double handle and the squatter shape on the hotel model. Also, this one has a thicker metal wall.

Before I make my purchase, can anyone offer any advice as to whether or not I should spend the extra $184 for the hotel model? If I'm only using it at home, does it make any difference which model I use?

Thanks.

Edited March 11, 2007 by maxmillan (log)

[dividend]

I love my pressure cooker! I grew up with my mom and my grandmother using their's, so I always found it strange that so many people are afraid of them. I got one for Christmas a couple of years ago, and I'm happy as a clam. The one that I have is a new Presto, but it's the old fashioned rocking top design.

Some things I use it for are:

- Plain boneless skinless chicken breasts. I think this is a comfort food thing. They're perfect after 9 minutes, either to eat plain, or to use in salads.

- Rice. You'll have to fiddle to get the ratio/timing right, but it's so quick and easy.

- Round steak, potatoes, and baby carrots. Just chuck it all in and cook it until the meat is done. The carrots and potatoes are wonderfully soft and mushy.

- Beans from dried, particularly chickpeas. Lentils cook to quickly to bother pressure cooking, but all the others cook up quickly.

- Fresh green beans. Cook in a splash of broth with some sauteed onion and bacon.

A book I really like is Pressure Cooker Gourmet. Nice take on some classic recipes, good basic timing information. My old roommate says that the recipe for peanut butter cheesecake in a mini springform pan is to die for. I haven't tried it yet though.