The FastDay Forum

I have a book called this ( a self help book) but anyway...

I saw the post on Microwaves and the one on Slow Cookers well.. discard both in the bin.. your life will be changed if you get yourself a pressure cooker. I have three and prior to dieting would use them 3 or 4 days a week! A little less so now as its more salads and quick stir fries

and .... importantly


PRESSURE COOKERS ARE SAFE !


I say this cause even yesterday my friend said she didnt trust them

anyway safety aside i can do a great stew, a curry or a dhal in about 1/4 of the time as the general rule is you cut the amount of "cooking time" in the oven/on stove by 1/3. Yesterday i made a beautiful dhal with lentils and potatoes and from start to finish it was 25 minutes.

We make our own chilli sauce it and it's great for sterilising jars

and tonight im making one of my favourite meals in the cooker.. roast chicken.. only about 20 minutes. tonight though i wont cook the potatoes in the pot cause its fast day. Salad instead.

anyhow.. do others here love their pressure cooker. ?

My dad used to swear by his pressure cooker and how fast it was. Just haven't got around yo owning one yet myself

Logically, I know what you say is true, pressure cookers are safe.
But I can't forget the hissing, steaming beast I grew up with, and having to put the weight over the steaming bit (my Mum knew I didn't like it, and thought it would be good for me!) It was scary!
But I have thought a couple of times about getting one, and this is another prod...

Yes I had one when I first got married many many years ago and because I was working found it to be much quicker to provide the evening meal, used it all the time replaced it when necessary so I've never been without one, its still tucked away in the sink unit but now only used few times each year and is now getting near the time to replace.

I was thinking of getting rid because I'd seen a multi cooker in Aldi @£40 that did the same job plus worked as a slow cooker not bought it yet as it is chunky item and all these modern additions have to be stored somewhere along with my 2 items I wouldn't be without my steamer + George grill Sue

That's what I remember most as a teenager the hisssssing
Still dislike the sound and this one drips water around the lid even with new seal and reason I was thinking about the
multicooker maybe Santa will bring me one Sue

Yep, after thorough reserach I bought the most expensive one I could find, and I love my Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker. I even bought one as a birthday present for my sister.

So much more flavour stays in the food, instead of going into the air. Great for making large batches of stews, goulash, soups of all kinds for the freezer, bolognese sauce taste a lot better if you cook it under pressure. Great to make stock from bones and various leftovers. Saves time, work and money.

Used properly there's no hissing, no safety issues.

Logically, I know what you say is true, pressure cookers are safe.
But I can't forget the hissing, steaming beast I grew up with, and having to put the weight over the steaming bit (my Mum knew I didn't like it, and thought it would be good for me!) It was scary!
But I have thought a couple of times about getting one, and this is another prod...

Annurca, that's exactly how I feel about them. I know they're safe, but I was terrified of my mum's. She used hers a lot. I left the kitchen!!

It didn't help when my friend cooked beetroot in hers, and the lid blew off (she obviously hadn't got the hang of using it). Not a pretty sight

The new ones dont rattle as much. or at all. i generally will be "in the kitchen" while the heat is under them though once i didnt and no damage done as it has a safety valve that just releases the pressure.

I estimate in the 5 years ive had it its bought me like 600 hours. not bad for #120 .. i have 3 in 3 different sizes!

You can get them in stores like DJs (dont bother with the self heating ones you plug in as its yet another electric appliance to keep. just get the stovetop ones.

If you are in Australia use this if buying online. http://www.pressurecooker.com.au/ where i got my first two.
my ones are Fagor http://www.pressurecooker.com.au/Shop-B ... re-Cookers

I find with slow cookers it feels unsafe just to have an appliance on continuously for 4 to 8 hours. and i certainly wouldnt leave teh house completely and leave it on. and given the pressure cooker is quick (cooks between 10 minutes and 20 minutes whatever your cooking usually) thats the only time you have the appliance on and need to be around
oh .. and electricity/gas wise. no medals for knowing which consumes more power.. a slow cooker or a pressure cooker

and moreover in my principle against slow cookers. i cant stand that i have to smell and exciting stew for 6 hours before i can touch it!

i have 2 slow cookers in my storage area, all unused and getting dusty

We are so very lucky to have such an amazing choice of gadgets available to cook with, and make life easier. Imagine having to get up at silly o' clock in the morning every day, to clean the stove and light it, for all our heating and cooking (even if it's a thousand degrees outside)

Or indeed, getting up at silly o'clock when it's dark and freezing outside. Couldn't agree more - we really are very lucky!

I've rediscovered pressure cookers and wouldn't be without mine now. I cook dal and soup mostly in mine. So quick and easy.

Didn't know you could roast chicken in a pressure cooker. How do you do that, Juliana?

[Moogie]

I've always been a bit afraid of them too, my mum offered me one years ago and I've always been terrified of them exploding so politely refused. That said, if it cuts cooking time it could well be a good idea given how much energy prices are going up these days - and I do need to plan my Christmas list so this could be an idea candidate. I'm sure they're less scary now than they were when I was a kid...

My husband really wants to get one of these. I share some of the fears expressed here about exploding lids. (Watched too many cooking show disasters. They always start with, "You know, I've never actually cooked with a pressure cooker before...")

I didn't know you could roast a chicken in one! Bolognese I can imagine would be nice as well. Imagine these devices have come a long way since my mother's era. What should one look for in a good pressure cooker these days?

I took another look at the electric multicooker I'd seen in Aldi for £40 which is much cheaper than most P/cookers and although it is bigger than my P/Cooker the reviews say that it is not a slow cooker as well as stated in description I'm still thinking maybe santa Sue.

I've always used a pressure cooker - my Mum did too. I made a beef stew in it the other day because I'd left it too late to do in the oven - 20 minutes and the meat was lovely and tender.
I also cook my Christmas pudding in it.
When I make marmalade I cook the friut in it for about 20 minutes. When it is cool it is easy to cut up the peel then I add the sugar and boil in jam pan till setting point. Much less hassle than the traditional way I used to use.

I use an inherited pressure cooker, it's around 40 years old. Can still buy the replacement seals & valves for it (waving at the pressure cooker centre in WA who do excellent on-line sales & support). Use it at least once a week for various pulses. I make a lot of hummus/white bean dip - so much better than the shop bought stuff & chickpeas take about 15 minutes to cook in the pressure cooker. (blitz cooked chickpeas/garlic/lemon juice & zest, little salt & EV olive oil in food precessor)

In summer pressure cookers are a huge advantage as you don't have the gas on for very long while cooking. So they keep the kitchen cooler.

We are so very lucky to have such an amazing choice of gadgets available to cook with, and make life easier. Imagine having to get up at silly o' clock in the morning every day, to clean the stove and light it, for all our heating and cooking (even if it's a thousand degrees outside)

Or indeed, getting up at silly o'clock when it's dark and freezing outside. Couldn't agree more - we really are very lucky!

I've rediscovered pressure cookers and wouldn't be without mine now. I cook dal and soup mostly in mine. So quick and easy.

Didn't know you could roast chicken in a pressure cooker. How do you do that, Juliana?

I didnt thin so either and given the roast chickens out in the shops these days are revolting, thought id try it. Its now one of those meals i dont look up the recipe anymore.

It comes from my first ever and favourite pressure cooker cookbook by Susanne Fulton (daughter of Margaret Fulton for the Aussies in here)

You get a chicken (I manage 2 small ones in my large cooker) so theres enough legs and breasts to go around

You pat dry the chicken and then rub lemon juice all around. You then season with salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in cooker and brown the chickens on all sides. this is important cause the brown is the roasting part.

then you stuff the chooks with some quartered lemons and about 10 garlic cloves in each chicken. Put in a fresh bouquet garni or just some bay leave, fresh parsley and thyme if you dont have one.

If not fasting at this point you put in the pot about 10 new potatoes or quartered large potatoes. Pan will be hot so very quickly put in a 1/2 cup of water, place cooker on low pressure and when reached, leave for 20 minutes then take off heat and let pressure go down naturally. Chickens will be cooked to perfection.

You can make a gravy with the juices or i just pour some over top or if im on a fasting do, leave off as there will be some fat in the liquid.

Perfect and so quick. say 40 minutes from go to eating. not bad for healthy roast chickens. and i use free range of course. worth the extra few dollars. i like the though of happy chickens especially now that i raise quail.

I've always been a bit afraid of them too, my mum offered me one years ago and I've always been terrified of them exploding so politely refused. That said, if it cuts cooking time it could well be a good idea given how much energy prices are going up these days - and I do need to plan my Christmas list so this could be an idea candidate. I'm sure they're less scary now than they were when I was a kid...

I resisted buying one for same reason for years when S.O. suggested it. Finally succumbed and the joke is now that i ask why he didnt tell me just how good they were

Another advantage for those that are budget conscious is that like yesteryear, it allows you to cook with the cheaper cuts and the meat is so so tender.. its due to the science behind pressure cooking

I find that for this WOL. a pressure cooker is almost essential. Healthy meals prepared quickly and trust me in 2013 they are really safe.

Ask for a Pressure cooker for Christmas. Go for a big one .. if you only can get one, a bigger one is better - For any lucky enough to have one, please report back how you go with it. You will find yourself using it over and over. Our time as women (and men) is important and waiting for a casserole or soup or dhal for an hour to cook is just not a good use of our time. It will revolutionise your life. This together with 5:2 you will be happy chooks

this is a really good random link i found http://missvickie.com/ and in particular
http://missvickie.com/library/whyuseapc.html