Pressure cooker (1 Viewer)

Shrimp

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Can I have people's thoughts on Pressure cookers please.
I have a Remoska and a Slow pot, both are fantastic in the van but ideally need to have elec.
At the mo we are trolling around France using the Aires, and I'm wondering if in this sort of instance a Pressure cooker would be a good idea. In spite of the fact that when I was a kid mother had her's blow up covering the kitchen in whatever was inside it!
 

Snowbird

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We have a small one bought in Morocco several years ago. It is of the type with 2 small handles instead of one big one. This makes for easier storage. We find it invaluable for making soups and stews as it saves the use of a lot of gas. If you spend long periods off hookup then I can definitely recommend one. Don't forget you can also use the base without the lid as a normal pan,so it does 2 jobs.
 

Geo

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Great bit of kit and wifey uses it with confidence for Stew
All my pressure vessels at work get an annual inspection and certification(y)
the pressure cooker (Vessel) has not been checked once in 25 years:eek:
Im an engineer and wont go near it without a riot sheild
G

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Tootles

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Can I have people's thoughts on Pressure cookers please.
I have a Remoska and a Slow pot, both are fantastic in the van but ideally need to have elec.
At the mo we are trolling around France using the Aires, and I'm wondering if in this sort of instance a Pressure cooker would be a good idea. In spite of the fact that when I was a kid mother had her's blow up covering the kitchen in whatever was inside it!
Aldi are selling the latest Prestige model for under 40 quid at the moment.....They make great home made soups. (y)(y)
 

Wombles

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I used to be terrified of our old hissing pressure cooker when growing up in case tea ended up on the ceiling :eek: but newer models have loads of added safety features so quiet & not scary at all :) Use two at home most days & now have a smaller one for the motorhome too - quicker & use much less gas. As Snowbird said it can be used as a normal pan too with a lid if required so just replaced one of the pans with a pressure cooker. The Tefal Secure 5 (6 litre) can be bought at around £40 on Amazon Warehouse or £46 new so a good quality mid range option
upload_2016-3-26_10-58-27.jpeg

& the Kuhn Rikon version is a luxury option with smaller neat handles but expensive!
upload_2016-3-26_10-59-3.jpeg

Again it can be bought much cheaper sometimes in AW or eBay.
 
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Armytwowheels

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Wouldn't be without mine. It sounds like I have a similar one to Snowbird. Very easy to stow without the big single handle.

I steam veg, do stews, chillies, currys, whole chickens, part cook spuds to then crisp them off I the double skillet for supurb roasties. It does cheaper cuts of meat really well, just as a slow cooker would be in a fractions of the time and of course no electric hook up needed.

If the weathers good and we are staying put for a day or two I usually cook outside with the pressure cooker on the Cadac or my trusty Moroccan gas hob.

image.jpeg

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Mar 16, 2010
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We have a small one bought in Morocco several years ago. It is of the type with 2 small handles instead of one big one. This makes for easier storage. We find it invaluable for making soups and stews as it saves the use of a lot of gas. If you spend long periods off hookup then I can definitely recommend one. Don't forget you can also use the base without the lid as a normal pan,so it does 2 jobs.
We bought the same sort in a Moroccan shop in Cartagena In Spain
Had it for years takes up hardly any room with having the two small handles on the side instead of one long one.
Wish I could find another one to save transporting it backwards and forwards from motorhome to house.

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Scattycat

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It might be worth looking at a 'Mr D's thermal cooker' before you commit to a pressure cooker.
It can be more versatile than a pressure cooker and only needs to have heat applied for 10 or 15 minutes
 

Wombles

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Mr D's is well regarded if planning in advance & slow cooking but we aren't that organised most of the time! We use the pressure for healthy fast food - potatoes & veg in bottom & fish on top then 6-8 minutes later speedy one pot meal.
Another slow cook option is the Wonderbag (bulky but doubles up as a cushion) Broken Link Removed
images


which combined with a silicone or cork heat mat in the bottom then sealed pressure cooker inside is a super charged version of a thermal cooker.

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MattR

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Mr D's is well regarded if planning in advance & slow cooking but we aren't that organised most of the time! We use the pressure for healthy fast food - potatoes & veg in bottom & fish on top then 6-8 minutes later speedy one pot meal.
Another slow cook option is the Wonderbag (bulky but doubles up as a cushion) Broken Link Removed
images


which combined with a silicone or cork heat mat in the bottom then sealed pressure cooker inside is a super charged version of a thermal cooker.

We use one too - so far only at home as our MH isn't big enough to accommodate it for the frequency of use. We make stews by heating the saucepan up on a stove and, once boiling, transfer the saucepan to the wonderbag and leave to continue cooking as it cools down over 8 hours or so. If necessary, I'll give the saucepan a little blast of heat again if it looks as though it is cooling down too much but product is delicious and it saves fuel by not requiring a constant heat source.
 
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Shrimp

Shrimp

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Thank you all for the info.
The 'Wonderbag' looks good, if I cooked a joint-say flat rib beef on the bone-would that be done in 8 hrs?

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Clive

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I have a small two handled one from Lakeland, best thing I've ever bought. Use it at home and in the van as much as possible. I was really shocked just how many things you can cook in it (y)
 

Minxy

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I've used pressure cookers since I was a kid and too can remember the ceiling being 'remodelled' by the contents from one of my Mum's!

I wouldn't be without ours - we have several - at Christmas they come into their own to get all the veg etc done on time and in the camper simply cannot be beaten for ease of use and speed, and of couse that all the veg can go in one pan whilst you cook the meat (eg sausages, chops etc) in another pan. My Mum has 2 - a large one for bulk cooking -and a smaller one for normal use which is ideal for her as it comes up to pressure much quicker as there's less space to 'pressurise', so don't get a really big one for the motorhome as it will just use more gas than is necessary. For storage its very easy to remove from and re-attached the long handle to the base if needs be - that's waht I've done in the past but fortunately I can now store it without doing so. Being a deep pan it's ideal for chips as there's no risk of the oil bubbling over either. You can do puddings in them too, not just savory stuff ... if you like spotted dick, sponge puddings etc ... even Christmas puds they're ideal.

If you go to a local market you'll often find the smaller 5L/6L ones for about £15 brand new and they perform just as well as the more 'well known' brands.

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at Christmas they come into their own to get all the veg etc done on time
Does that mean you can leave putting the sprouts on until after the beginning of December?

(Ok, someone had to ask) :rolleyes::unsure:
 

MattR

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Thank you all for the info.
The 'Wonderbag' looks good, if I cooked a joint-say flat rib beef on the bone-would that be done in 8 hrs?

Probably; I cooked two beef stews the other day and they were superb and have lamp prepared for tomorrow evening's meal. I'll start it at 8:00am when I'm getting ready for a bike ride and may give it a blast of heat mid afternoon when I'm back - it will cook slowly and won't burn. It would normally take around 6 hours but won't overcook - the meat should fall off the bone :)

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MattR

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If you want to trial the idea, make up a stew or casserole in a stockpot or similar ensuring that the contents almost fill it. Bring it to the boil for a few mins and the place the container into a box lined with the best insulation material you have - an old duvet, a couple of cushions etc and tuck it in so that the heat is retained. Check after 2 hours and, if necessary, put it back on the hob to boil again. Depending on the meal, it could be ready after a couple of hours ot take 6 hours or more. It won't burn. Our wonder bag keeps our meals hot for 5 hours or more and I've taken a large stockpot full of food to work to share at lunch time with colleagues.
 

Malcolm Bolt

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It might be worth looking at a 'Mr D's thermal cooker' before you commit to a pressure cooker.
It can be more versatile than a pressure cooker and only needs to have heat applied for 10 or 15 minutes


Yes Mr D's is a great bit of kit.Got one and use it. I think the pressure cooker is a bit quicker though.
 
Aug 18, 2014
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We got ours from Morocco last year. If I had known you wanted one @davanne, before we left a couple of weeks ago, I would have bought you one back.

That's very kind of you:)...we may get over to Spain this Autumn but if we don't and you are going to,Morroco next year I may ask you if you could get us one.(y)

You can buy them in any ferreteria or chinese shop here. + new seals as well , which is the normal unobtainable bit.

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Scattycat

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Yes Mr D's is a great bit of kit.Got one and use it. I think the pressure cooker is a bit quicker though.
Oh I agree, a pressure cooker is much quicker, but the MrD's uses far less gas to cook a meal.
I suppose it depends on what you want, speed or fuel efficiency.
Having also cooked using pressurer cookers and crockpot/slow cookers, for me, taste wise I prefer the results from MrD's
 
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[QUOTE="Minxy Girl, post: 1800883, member: 149]

If you go to a local market you'll often find the smaller 5L/6L ones for about £15 brand new and they perform just as well as the more 'well known' brands.[/QUOTE]

@Minxy Girl

Having no experience of pressure cookers, do you think a 4L would be big enough for 2 of us. We don't really do large joints or big batches of cooking etc

Karen
 

Minxy

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Having no experience of pressure cookers, do you think a 4L would be big enough for 2 of us. We don't really do large joints or big batches of cooking etc

Karen
4L is the smallest I'd go, most tend to be 5 or 6 litres anyway.

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Minxy

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Oh I agree, a pressure cooker is much quicker, but the MrD's uses far less gas to cook a meal.
I suppose it depends on what you want, speed or fuel efficiency.
Having also cooked using pressurer cookers and crockpot/slow cookers, for me, taste wise I prefer the results from MrD's
I don't really think that the pressure cooker actually uses that much gas, with the Mr D you still have to part-cook the contents to get them up to temperature I believe, for up to 15 mins, so this won't be any less than a pressure cooker - once the pressure is up you just have it on very, very low, enough to keep it making a bit of a hissing noise and if you get it right you can take it off the heat before the 'due' time (between 2 to 10 mins early depending on what you are cooking) and leave it to reduce the pressure slowly, this allows it to continue the cooking process so can save even more gas - useful if you need to use the hob for other bits and bobs afterwards to go with the pressure cooker contents.
 

Minxy

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It might be worth looking at a 'Mr D's thermal cooker' before you commit to a pressure cooker.
It can be more versatile than a pressure cooker and only needs to have heat applied for 10 or 15 minutes
A pressure cooker can need even less time on the heat that that and at a much lower flame too.
 

Minxy

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Mr D's is well regarded if planning in advance & slow cooking but we aren't that organised most of the time! We use the pressure for healthy fast food - potatoes & veg in bottom & fish on top then 6-8 minutes later speedy one pot meal.
Another slow cook option is the Wonderbag (bulky but doubles up as a cushion) Broken Link Removed
images


which combined with a silicone or cork heat mat in the bottom then sealed pressure cooker inside is a super charged version of a thermal cooker.
Thanks for that (y) - its something I was wanting to have a go at myself - I'm gonna make a wonderbag out of an old duvet and see how I get on! :)

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