If you’ve been following my blog/recipes then you’ve probably noticed that I’ve been posting more and more Pressure Cooker recipes… Now that my cookbooks aren’t requiring so much of my attention; Without Grain is officially released and Fermented Foods at Every Meal is headed to the printer, I’ve finally been able to focus more on creating delicious recipes for all of you.
Recently, Pressure Cooking has made a resurgence in popularity (with many of you begging for more PC recipes) and as someone who’s been using a pressure cooker for all of my cooking-life, I’m more than excited to share my delicious pressure cooker creations.
Click HERE to get my pressure cooker recipes
I know many of you are hesitant to jump on the Pressure Cooking band wagon – but I’m here to say that Pressure Cooking is totally AWESOME and you’ll be hooked.
Here’s 5 Things I LOVE about Pressure Cooking:
Pressure Cooking is FAST…
The pressure cooker is the original ‘fast food’ machine. The fast cooking action of pressure cooker can cut the cooking time to just 1/3 of the cooking time of conventional cooking methods, and that’s time you can spend on other activities. You can do a beef stew in 15 minutes. Imagine a hearty bean soup in less than 10 minutes, that’s faster than you can set the table. Cheaper cuts of meat will be more tender and flavorful, and there is almost no loss of e nutrients.
Pressure Cooking SAVES MONEY…
Save 70% of energy normally used when cooking with a pressure cooker. A good quality pressure cooker pays for itself in energy saved! And your summertime kitchen stays cooler and less humid and that cuts down cooling bills. You can buy inexpensive cuts of meat, beans and legumes that would take hours and hours to cook by ordinary cooking methods, and have dinner on the table in just 15 minutes. Buy food in bulk sizes and take advantage of sales and cook up a weeks worth of main dishes in just a couple of hours with a pressure cooker. Because cooking times are so fast, even the busiest cook can serve a wholesome meal in minutes and avoid the expense of fast food.
Pressure Cooking is HEALTHY…
How foods are cooked can have a big impact on their nutrient content. The best way to destroy vitamins is to cook your food in an open pot of boiling water. To retain the most nutrients possible, most experts recommend that you use as little water as possible and cook foods rapidly because many vitamins are sensitive to water, heat and air exposure (vitamin C, the B vitamins and folate in particular) and water used for cooking can dissolve and wash away water soluble vitamins, while the heat deteriorates them. The longer the cooking time and the higher the temperature, the more nutrition is lost. Pressure cooking under steam is one of the methods best because it minimizes time and requires little water.Pressure cooking retains roughly 90% of nutrients, compared to just 75% steaming, 57% roasting and 40% boiling.
Pressure Cooking is SAFE…
Like many people, you probably assume pressure cookers are scary things our grandmothers (or great-granmothers) used, but think again. If you fear that pressure cookers will explode, take a deep breath and relax. The new, modern pressure cookers have multiple safety features and are 100% safe. New-style pressure cookers, with thick 3-ply bottoms prevent burned foods, and the improved vent systems, and pressure release valves make pressure cooking easier and safer to use than ever.
Pressure Cooking is ECO-FRIENDLY…
A pressure cooker is energy efficient and can save up to 70 % of the fuel used for cooking purposes. A good quality pressure cooker pays for itself in energy savings, which is not only good for the environment but your wallet too. Pressure cookers help cut pollution and minimize the greenhouse gas emissions from your gas stove, and reduce electric power consumption when using electric stoves, and that means electric plants use less energy to generate power. The decreased cooking time required for foods cooked in a pressure cooker results in proportionally reduced consumption of energy.
I think my collection of pressure cookers is definitely classifying me as pressure cooker obsessed, since I have 8 right now! While I started pressure cooking with very old fashioned, hand-me-downs from my grandmother 20 years ago, my current collection includes a wide variety of cookers and canners of various styles.
Predominately I use and recommend THIS 8 in 1 Multi-Cooker (I have both the 6 and 8 quart sizes) Click HERE for more info or on the photo below. While there are other brands/models available, with my testing and experience it’s performed the best overall for me. And it’s the most budget friendly multi-cooker option. However, almost all pressure cookers work the same and recipes are interchangeable with just a few minor adjustments, so don’t panic if we don’t have the same model/brand.
Additionally, a good quality stove-top pressure cooker can be used on ALL heat sources, natural gas, propane, electric, including magnetic, heat induction stoves and even solar, wood or charcoal fires. And not only perfect for cooking, many stove top pressure cookers can also double as pressure-canners, which makes them an essential component of your emergency prep kit!Click HERE or on the photo below for the Stove Top Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker/Canner I recommend.
I adore this and pressure cookers. Oh, adore you.