Pressure Cookers: Tasty, Quick, and Frugal Meals

I’ve been using mine for about 12 years. A coworker had a pressure cooker in an unopened package and offered it to me when I happened to mention I would like to try one. I used to use it for bean soups, but I use the pot for meat and I like to serve those soups with dairy meals. Now I mostly use it for chicken soup. It’s amazing that you can make a pot of chicken soup for Shabbos dinner in 45 minutes from start to finish.

tesyaa added these pithy words on Jul 06 09 at 5:07 AM

My sister-in-law got 2 pressure cookers as gifts when she got married, and gave one to us. I wasn’t sure how much I’d use it, but it turns out that I really like it- especially for beans. So quick and easy!

Lori added these pithy words on Jul 07 09 at 12:03 PM

I haven’t tried it but a quick search on the web yielded many pressure cooker recipes for pickles and jams.

Hannah added these pithy words on Aug 17 09 at 6:53 AM

what size cooker would you recommend? how about brand? Thanks

David added these pithy words on Aug 27 09 at 9:46 PM

Hi David,
Look for my answer for this Sunday.

Hannah added these pithy words on Sep 02 09 at 12:42 PM

Ita, have fun!

Hannah added these pithy words on Oct 15 09 at 4:27 PM

I have 2 pressure cookers, one is from 1948 and is my fav. It you inherit an older model, I have found they work differently than the newer ones. You do not start with the high heat. You start at say 3 or 4 on an electric range and turn it down after the pressure is reached.

njb added these pithy words on Dec 07 09 at 2:38 AM

It would be best to google the exact cooker of course, which is how I found out it was made in 1948.

I had tried the high heat method till it comes up to pressure but it never would get the pressure, it just steamed. Then I remembered my mother telling me a decade ago I had the heat too high. Worked like a charm.

I really love pressure cookers, they save so much time and energy.

njb added these pithy words on Dec 08 09 at 1:56 AM

You know since it takes such a low heat to come up to pressure, it takes longer, but this particular model has the 5/1015 pound setting–my newer one only has the 10 pound setting–so, for instance, lentils or mashed potatos, by the time it comes up to 5 pounds, I just turn it off. By the time the pressure goes down and I remove the valve, its done.

I’m guessing the cooking time at pressure might be shorter because the pressure was slowly building all along. I can’t remember ever having to cook anything longer that 15 mins to get a huge head start. Probably why its my favorite.

njb added these pithy words on Dec 08 09 at 7:59 AM