Petersen - Cooking with Chef Brad-Favorite Pressure Cooker Recipes

Y our electric pressure cooker will be a great asset to you in your kitchen. I believe it will improve your quality of life by saving you time while youre eating more healthful, tastier food. The electric pressure cooker is so easy to use. It frees up stovetop space, travels well and is a very versatile piece of kitchen equipment.

High pressure is used for meats, grains, beans and hard vegetables. Low pressure is used for lighter foods, like fish, vegetables and pastas. A trivet is used when you want to keep things off the bottom of the cooker, like while you steam vegetables or make bread pudding.

To get started, turn up the heat, place your food in the pressure cooker and stir to prevent scorching. Once the liquid is simmering, place the lid on and let the pressure cooker come up to pressure. If youre using an electric pressure cooker, the lid will lock and the countdown will begin. If youre using a stovetop pressure cooker, set the heat to maintain pressure and set your timer to remind you to turn off the pressure cooker when the food is cooked. If youre using an electric pressure cooker, dont worry about these thingsthe pressure cooker will do it on its own. Keep in mind that temperatures can be subject to changes in altitude.

There are two methods for releasing the pressure once the food is cooked:

Natural Release: When using a stovetop pressure cooker, turn heat off and let pressure release naturally. For an electric pressure cooker, allow the unit to remain on warm; the temperature will gradually begin to drop.

Quick Release: For a stovetop pressure cooker, remove pressure cooker from stove, place it in the sink and run cool running water over it. For an electric pressure cooker, open the release valve and release pressure quickly.

Remember that while the pressure is up, the food is cooking. The natural release method is used when extra cooking time is required. For example, you can place potatoes in the cooker, bring it up to high pressure and turn off the cooker. By the time the pressure is down, the potatoes are done. The quick release method is great for adding ingredients and continuing the cooking process. For example, cook a pot roast for forty-five minutes, add the potatoes and carrots and replace the lid to cook for the remaining time.

Enjoy your pressure cooker and remember that it can reduce the cooking time as much as seventy-five percent. It is easy to convert recipes from stovetop to pressure cooking, or from crock pot to pressure cooker. You will be amazed at how much better your food tastes and how quickly the foods you love can be prepared.