Stove top pressure cookers

[MattR]

I've been using a stove top (traditional type) pressure cooker recently to cook soups, stews etc. We have just cooked a whole chicken in it and it took approx. 35 mins - 5 mins to give it a bit of browning, 20 mins to cook (but this would be reduced to 17 next time) and 10 mins to naturally pressure release. It was really tasty (with lemon, paprika, garlic, caynne pepper, chicken stock, salt and lots of black pepper). It seems like an ideal way to cook a chicken while saving energy. Has anyone else done this?

 

[Jim]

I use a really old one to 'boil' ham, 40 minutes, then brush it with honey and pop in the oven for 15 minutes. A two hour job in less than an hour. Siân doesn't use it, she thinks its a bomb and doesn't trust it.

 

[MattR]

I use a really old one to 'boil' ham, 40 minutes, then brush it with honey and pop in the oven for 15 minutes. A two hour job in less than an hour. Siân doesn't use it, she thinks its a bomb and doesn't trust it.

I am staggered by how useful they are. I was eyeing up InstaPots & Ninjas etc. but decided to start with a basic one that goes on a hob. It has been really useful and drastically reduced the amount of energy and time required to cook food.

 

[denisejoe]

I've got 3 different sizes of pressure cooker - 3l, 6l & 7l but can only use one at a time as they all use the same lid but means I can use the best sized one for what I want to cook. Always take the 3l one away in the MH with us when we go away, particularly in the colder weather.

At home I mainly use it to cook pulses and stews.

I've got a small Pressure King Pro but not that impressed with it - glad I bought it second hand and didn't pay full price for it! Much prefer my hob ones.

 

[Lenny HB]

We have a 5 Lt one in the Motorhome use it for stews etc & rice pudding. Use a Ninja Foodie at home.

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[Shrimp]

My mum used a Pressure cooker, she blew it up there was Duck remains (she was making Duck soup) all over the kitchen and the safety valve was embedded in the ceiling!
I hate the things, did try to convince myself and got a very modern one, used it about 3 times then sold it!

 

[Lenny HB]

My mum used a Pressure cooker, she blew it up there was Duck remains (she was making Duck soup) all over the kitchen and the safety valve was embedded in the ceiling!
I hate the things, did try to convince myself and got a very modern one, used it about 3 times then sold it!

Our first pressure cooker was one of the Prestige ones with weights on the top.
I was boiling up some hops & malt to make stout, when it was cooling down I took the weights off too soon. We had beautiful fountain of malt liquid hitting the ceiling & showering down on us, too hot to get near or stop.
House smelt like a brewery for months.

 

[L' Hobo]

My mum used a Pressure cooker, she blew it up there was Duck remains (she was making Duck soup) all over the kitchen and the safety valve was embedded in the ceiling!
I hate the things, did try to convince myself and got a very modern one, used it about 3 times then sold it!

I have never understood how one blows up a Pressure Cooker, the VERY old ones, Yes, but nothing reputable bought over the past 30yrs?

Mine is 25yr+ old, big enough to cook a full chicken and has a 122g weight (I've just weighed it ) which has a graduated pressure centre.

IF I were to let it over pressurise while still containing liquid, it would blow this weight off but the pressure cooker body would stay intact BUT before it did this, I would have had to ignore the weight centre rising, steam blowing out fiercely for a number of minutes and the weight rattling like a ..........Steam Express?
(I did it only once, when I was called away for a few minutes, in an emergency, and forget to turn the gas off, it scared the hell out of me!! )

IF I let it run dry (it would take a very long time?) there is a soft metal plug in the top that would melt, thus releasing the pressure BUT the pressure cooker would still stay intact???

I think all of the tales about pressure cookers exploding are stories from way back that have been perpetuated in the modern era?

 

[L' Hobo]

Our first pressure cooker was one of the Prestige ones with weights on the top.
I was boiling up some hops & malt to make stout, when it was cooling down I took the weights off too soon. We had beautiful fountain of malt liquid hitting the ceiling & showering down on us, too hot to get near or stop.
House smelt like a brewery for months.

A jug of cold water poured over the lid reduces the pressure instantly! Better still, wait for the pressure to drop

 

[Lenny HB]

A jug of cold water poured over the lid reduces the pressure instantly! Better still, wait for the pressure to drop

If you had seen it you wouldn't have wanted to get near it, still remember it well and it was1976.

I'm good at brewing accidents another one I was syphoning the beer from the brewing bucket into the pressure barrel in the spare bedroom. We were sitting in the lounge wondering what was running down the walls, I'd left the tap open on the barrel. I had to get the jigsaw out and rip up the floorboards late at night, there was over an inch of beer on the ceiling between the joists.

Wife is very pleased I gave up home brewing over 30 years ago.

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[the1andonly]

This place smells like a brewery!
But my love.
It is a brewery.

 

[the1andonly]

In the van we use a Hawkins 3l.
very compact does the job a treat.
Old prestige at home

 

[L' Hobo]

In the van we use a Hawkins 3l.
very compact does the job a treat.
Old prestige at home

I must confess I have never heard of a Hawkins but I have just had a look on Amazon and although my old one is a Prestige,(I think) and a lot bigger (it must be 6+ltrs?) it looks a lot like the one with the detachable weight.

I must keep my eye out for Hawkins next time I go shopping, thankyou!

 

[jockaneezer]

We bought a big stainless steel Khun Rikon one after we wore out our old Prestige aluminium one. It's great for big hams and makes a lovely curry.

 

[donkey]

If you had seen it you wouldn't have wanted to get near it, still remember it well and it was1976.

I'm good at brewing accidents another one I was syphoning the beer from the brewing bucket into the pressure barrel in the spare bedroom. We were sitting in the lounge wondering what was running down the walls, I'd left the tap open on the barrel. I had to get the jigsaw out and rip up the floorboards late at night, there was over an inch of beer on the ceiling between the joists.

Wife is very pleased I gave up home brewing over 30 years ago.

So, beer is dripping down into the lounge and your response was to get a jigsaw out, was it The Flying Scotsman, I like doing that one.

On the subject of pressure cookers, I have a Crock-Pot, it is one of the modern ones with various touch buttons for different pressures etc. It does the most amazing liver & bacon stew.

Geoff

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[DuxDeluxe]

My mum used a Pressure cooker, she blew it up there was Duck remains (she was making Duck soup) all over the kitchen and the safety valve was embedded in the ceiling!
I hate the things, did try to convince myself and got a very modern one, used it about 3 times then sold it!

You have no idea how much it hurt……….

 

[the1andonly]

I must confess I have never heard of a Hawkins but I have just had a look on Amazon and although my old one is a Prestige,(I think) and a lot bigger (it must be 6+ltrs?) it looks a lot like the one with the detachable weight.

I must keep my eye out for Hawkins next time I go shopping, thankyou!

Classic model bought online, made in India. Lightwt and Perfect size for 2. Fits in top cupboard.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I've been using a stove top (traditional type) pressure cooker recently to cook soups, stews etc. We have just cooked a whole chicken in it and it took approx. 35 mins - 5 mins to give it a bit of browning, 20 mins to cook (but this would be reduced to 17 next time) and 10 mins to naturally pressure release. It was really tasty (with lemon, paprika, garlic, caynne pepper, chicken stock, salt and lots of black pepper). It seems like an ideal way to cook a chicken while saving energy. Has anyone else done this?

We use the small 4.7 litre Ninja both at home and in the van. Fortunate enough to have the storage capacity under one of the side benches. Excellent pressure cooker as well as the other bits

 

[Mixyblob]

We were given ours for Xmas one year. Its German and we've lost the instructions. We can't find any info online and it sits on the stove, hissing, spitting and farting at us but so far no mishaps.
The scariest thing about it is, I've just loaded it in the van to take to Spain with us

 

[L' Hobo]

We were given ours for Xmas one year. Its German and we've lost the instructions. We can't find any info online and it sits on the stove, hissing, spitting and farting at us but so far no mishaps.
The scariest thing about it is, I've just loaded it in the van to take to Spain with us

That's okay then, there's a lot of 'hissing, spitting and farting' in Spain when certain Funsters get there

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[jockaneezer]

My Mam's old pressure cooker (Tower or Prestige ?) had a 3 piece weight set with it and it wouldn't have looked out of place at the Rainhill Trials. Our 1985 (wedding present) was a bit more civilised, but the Khun Rikon one we have now hardly makes a sound and certainly doesn't steam up the kitchen like hers did ?

 

[L' Hobo]

My Mam's old pressure cooker (Tower or Prestige ?) had a 3 piece weight set with it and it wouldn't have looked out of place at the Rainhill Trials. Our 1985 (wedding present) was a bit more civilised, but the Khun Rikon one we have now hardly makes a sound and certainly doesn't steam up the kitchen like hers did ?

This is what I tried to tell people on another thread a few days ago.

More steam is emitted from my kettle making coffee than comes from my pressure cooker.

The very old ones, emitted steam constantly but mine, and it's 25+yrs, let very little steam escape. (Is that not one of the main benefits, very little goodness escapes??)

 

[MattR]

This is what I tried to tell people on another thread a few days ago.

More steam is emitted from my kettle making coffee than comes from my pressure cooker.

The very old ones, emitted steam constantly but mine, and it's 25+yrs, let very little steam escape. (Is that not one of the main benefits, very little goodness escapes??)

Same for me. Very little steam even when cooking the chicken on high for 20 mins.

I must update my post to say that I cooked some black turtle beans in the pressure cooker for around 30 mins after the chicken. They were cooked in everything left in the cooker after the chicken was removed. They are absolutely delicious IMHO - the lemon flavour used in the chicken comes through very well.

 

[L' Hobo]

Same for me. Very little steam even when cooking the chicken on high for 20 mins.

I must update my post to say that I cooked some black turtle beans in the pressure cooker for around 30 mins after the chicken. They were cooked in everything left in the cooker after the chicken was removed. They are absolutely delicious IMHO - the lemon flavour used in the chicken comes through very well.

30mins seems a very long time, was that after pre-soaking them and why not put them in with the chicken?
(I have never cooked turtle beans?)

 

[MattR]

30mins seems a very long time, was that after pre-soaking them and why not put them in with the chicken?
(I have never cooked turtle beans?)

Only 1 hr presoak (in salty water) and very low heat. Technically I did it for 20 mins plus 5 mins cool and they were too firm so did them for another 10 mins. They kept their shape but are soft and creamy.

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[scotzsue]

Have never used a pressure cooker, although teacher demonstrated one at school , i think.
Son swears by his, he is vegan and uses it for his dried pulses, curries, soup. We are limited to space in the motorhome too wont be on my wish list any time soon. But might be worth thinking about for winter and on gas only, something else to be used once and shoved in the back of a cupboard perhaps.
Editted to add just looked at the Kuhn Rikon. HOW MUCH? think i will be giving it a miss, that is an awful lot of wine or quite a few meals out

 

[reckless]

Have never used a pressure cooker, although teacher demonstrated one at school , i think.
Son swears by his, he is vegan and uses it for his dried pulses, curries, soup. We are limited to space in the motorhome too wont be on my wish list any time soon. But might be worth thinking about for winter and on gas only, something else to be used once and shoved in the back of a cupboard perhaps.

Perhaps we could have a syndicate to share all these gadgets that are hiding in kitchen cupboards. Or a try before you buy scheme of some sort.
I'm now considering a pressure cooker but really I know it would get little use
Gadgets I use, Remoska, soup maker, slow cooker. Gadgets that have been and gone, can't remember them all!

 

[scotzsue]

Perhaps we could have a syndicate to share all these gadgets that are hiding in kitchen cupboards. Or a try before you buy scheme of some sort.
I'm now considering a pressure cooker but really I know it would get little use
Gadgets I use, Remoska, soup maker, slow cooker. Gadgets that have been and gone, can't remember them all!

that's a good idea, gadgets I use Remoska (now have 3)
deep in the back of a cupboard is a juicer loved it till I realised how many calories i was having without a thought.

 

[MattR]

Perhaps we could have a syndicate to share all these gadgets that are hiding in kitchen cupboards. Or a try before you buy scheme of some sort.
I'm now considering a pressure cooker but really I know it would get little use
Gadgets I use, Remoska, soup maker, slow cooker. Gadgets that have been and gone, can't remember them all!

This is like the one I have. I use it far more than I had expected. Soups are so easy and stews tasty and whole chickens...

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[MattR]

30mins seems a very long time, was that after pre-soaking them and why not put them in with the chicken?
(I have never cooked turtle beans?)

I didn't put them together this time as it was a first attempt at both. I'll try doing both together, possibly starting the beans for 8 mins first and adding the chicken soup they finish at the same time.

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