A pressure cooker, also known as a pressure cooker, has been coming under a lot of attention lately. And this is not without reason, as there are quite a few advantages to using this pressure cooker. It drastically reduces cooking times, uses less energy and preserves more of the nutrients in your food. If you use a pressure cooker, you fill it with a small amount of water, close the lid and set the desired setting with the pressure regulator. This indicates the state during the cooking process.
After cooking, release the pressure and enjoy a delicious and healthy meal. Don’t have any experience using a pressure cooker? Then read the tips & tricks below.
Tip 1: Keep in mind the amount of moisture required
Cooking your food requires less liquid than a regular saucepan, but it is still important to fill the pan with a minimum amount. In most cases this is water, but of course it can also be wine or broth. It is important to note that a pressure cooker should never be filled by more than two-thirds with water or other liquid. If it does, too little space is left for steam to form and the cooker cannot do its job.
Tip 2: Know when the cooking time starts
When you place the pressure cooker and its contents on the heat source, the pressure increases rapidly. Only when the pressure reaches the pre-programmed limit does the cooking process begin. In modern pressure cookers, lines on the valve stem indicate the pressure inside the cooker. Older models show this by pushing steam out of the vents. Only when either of these indicators is present does the actual cooking process begin.
Tip 3: Turn down the heat once the cooking time begins
Has the cooking process begun? Then turn down the heat source, just as you would when preparing food in a regular saucepan. It is important that the pressure remains constant throughout the cooking period. If it does not, the result will be different from your expectation.
Tip 4: Release pressure responsibly
Modern pressure cookers are completely safe to use. However, it is important that you handle the pressure in the cooker properly. If you proceed too hastily, this can lead to the escape of hot steam and thus burns. Depressurizing a pressure cooker can be done in several ways. The instructions for your pressure cooker will tell you the correct way to do this. The three different ways are:
- Allow the pan to cool gently.
- Release steam through the steam valve.
- Let the pressure cooker cool down under gently running water.