Pressure Cooker Class: What Do You Want to Learn?

Hi All,

We're working on development for a Pressure Cooker class that will debut in the fall. Does anyone have specific ideas about the kind of information you'd like to see in that class? What do you want to learn? What would be most valuable to you?

Tell us everything!

Thanks!

Karen

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Mitchell_Kehoe_71478

There's a "pressure smoker" available online that appears to just be a regular pressure cooker plus a few accessories... I'd like to know if I can smoke things in my kuhn rikon using wood chips in a little bowl or something or if I'm going to wreck the valves somehow.

nasv

- Pressure cooking vs. a traditional braise. When/why would one option be better than another, or perhaps, how would the protein in question be affected?

nasv

What is a pressure cooker actually better at versus just faster at cooking.

Brian_Kinney_23146

Can you do pressure frying (broasting)?

Jason_32083

I've mentioned this before on the forum, so I apologize if this is redundant. What I'd like to see most are some guidelines as to how to convert the liquid ratios of other recipes, like those that would usually employ a Dutch oven, so as to make them compatible for pressure cooking. I understand that not every recipe is the same and there may have to be some trial and error on my part. But just some general information so that I know where to get started.

Second, I'd like to see some less conventional uses of the pressure cooker. This is ChefSteps, so maybe that's to be expected. Still, I just want to put it out there.

Third, I'd like to see some ideas/recipes for using the pressure cooker to make sauces. I noticed a few recipes in Volt Ink that do this. Perhaps this is something that's common practice in professional kitchens, but I've yet to see another cookbook that has these kinds of recipes. I'd like to see what kind of sauces the ChefSteps team would come up with or maybe just a base sauce recipe that can be used as the starter for further exploration.

Tim_McLoone_80828

Would love to see some "best bets" for pressure cooking...i.e. cooking times for a certain cuts of meat.

cschweda_28333

seasoning under pressure. I've noticed that the pressure cooker makes seasoning a bit tricky.

Matthew_Snyder_68770

This is going to sound like a real weenie thing to say, but I'm sort of terrified of pressure cookers. I would like the safety aspect covered.

Also..... pressure frying is a thing. Can it be done at home?

gatoratty

I would like to be able to figure out how much time to cook different proteins at high pressure without having to resort to recipes.

Kevin__55609

How about touching on just how many things across the whole spectrum you can do with a pressure cooker?

crerar_22454

It would like to see instructions for using an induction cooktop. They heat to pressure much quicker than conventional cooktops and I would like to know how to make allowances for that. I use a WMF pressure cooker and like using it but I am never sure if I am heating it correctly. Others with induction cooktops might like to see this addressed as well.

sconelady2000

Is a pressure cooker the same as a pressure canner, or are they two totally different beasts?

Ian_13949

I would love to see baked bean recipes using a pressure cooker- especially if they could have a taste and texture similar to old fashioned "Libby's" beans, I notice the Heinz brand is close but much runnier and not quite the same.

Michael_60037

There is a recipe on the site. Just search baked beans

Shelly_35446

I seem to have a lot of trouble with too much liquid in my pressure cooker after I'm done, particularly with bean dishes (both quick soak and overnight soak). I keep reducing the water and it doesn't seem to help; not sure how dry I can really go.

Michael_60037

I would love a pressure cooker fried chicken recipe that uses less fat. Maybe a regular recipe and alternative?

ERROL_JOHNSON_35531

I have liquid and time issues. I seem to just swing and sometimes I hit the ball and sometimes I miss. I wish for great go to recipes for pressure cookers and a formula to put the right amount of liquid and the right time.

Brendan_Lee_56950

Weenie! They're perfectly safe. I have the cheapest pressure cooker you could ever imagine buying these days and I run it full tilt all the time.

Andy_35163

There are interesting food like Spanish spicy sardines that are pressure cooked in bottles. This is in addition to doing pressure fried buttermilk chicken and other pressure frying techniques as well as pressure cooking in place of braising techniques for dishes like fabada, cassoulet, callos and others.

luke_hudnall_89529

What foods/dishes can be improved by using pressure canning?

dave

Times required for many different foods including chicken stock and beans.

dave

I got one of these Emson Pressure Cooker combination smoker. It can do a cold or hot smoke, steam and pressure cook. It works real well. I've even smoked salt in it. Go to

Tim_Sutherland_52834

How to pressure cook things to finish later (think risotto) to make holding dinner parties easier - i.e. par cook the rice, toss on a frozen sheet tray, chill. For service toss in a pot, stir, season, plate.

Also using the PC as a one pot wonder and drop items in during the cook (like the CS baked beans recipe).

JasonWirth_68226

As Jason mentioned some key things below, so +1.

Debunk the myths and tell us how to think about pressure cooking. I just got the BBQ class and the best part talked about the myth of the "stall." Most people think the meat stalls at that temperature because the meat is breaking down, but you state that's not the case at all. The meat is in fact cooling by evaporating liquid. Another common cooking myth is that "searing seals in the juices". Pressure cookers are not all that common and many people are scared of them, so I think there are tons Grandmother logic (sounds true but is wrong) and myths about pressure cookers that could be set straight.

Teach me "how to think" about pressure cooking. Cooking times are important but we need more than a simple table of times, I'd to learn about "how to think about times". Things can be cooked at different times and different pressures, so I would like to know the difference between them. If someone says, "cook this at high pressure for 20 minutes" how do know if it's correct? What's your mental model, your thought process?

For example, America's Test Kitchen put out a pressure cooker book a while back and it's a bit of a bust in my opinion. Ever recipe has a straight copy-paste directions, the only difference being the time: "Cook on high-pressure for {time} minutes...." Why high, and why {x} minutes? What happens if I cook it on low? How does the time scale? Linear, non-linear? How do you know?

I would also really like to know more about the science of what happens. For example, the Modernist Cuisine at Home book has a recipe for carrot soup where they add some sodium carbonate. Apparently it reacts with the carrots under the higher temperature inside the pressure cooker to create a flavor that you can't get with normal boiling.

On the theme of converting traditional recipes to a pressure cooker spices are a good topic. How would you adjust it--scale up, scale down, fresh, dried, etc.

Should one use a quick release (either the button, or the cold water on the top method) or a natural release? Perhaps there is some science between them. I'm making this up, but what if using a quick release when cooking meat causes a slight vacuum in the muscle fibres which results in a more tender, juicier cut of meat, while the natural release method causes more juice to run out?

Using canning jars to cook food in a pressure cooker is another more unique topic to cover.

You can bake in a pressure cooker--cheesecakes are quite popular. I think that topic could be explored in greater depth.

Jason_32083

There are a lot of great ideas here. Maybe ChefSteps is going to have to do more than one pressure cooking class just to fit it all in!

lfmichaud

Or a big class!

lockgavin

I'd like to see things like grains. Oatmeal, grits/polenta, risotto, etc. I've done some successfully, some quite unsuccessfully. When to cook in a secondary container (bowl/mason jar) when not to, ratios for certain things to get then right. Also things that are outside the (what I think is the typical use) protein aspect of cooking pressure cooking that a lot of folks seem to gravitate towards (stocks for example.

ttpoker

Consumes. Grains. Pressure canning (I admit canning and preserving is a MASSIVE topic that may be too complex for this course). How to avoid burning (use a metal bowl inside the pressure cooker). I'd say 90% of my pressure cooker work is vegetables, sauces and beans, the only protein I have ever made in a pressure cooker is carnitas - so include some protein dishes please!

grant

Pressure canners are sometimes slightly more strong in their ability to generate pressure, up to 2.5 bar. Pressure cookers are usually anodized or stainless so foods can be in direct contact, whereas canners are raw aluminum usually.

Karen_Taylor_Quinn_36329

Oooh, I totally agree about grains. They're tricky, and it feels like they shouldn't be.

Karen_Taylor_Quinn_36329

Proteins will be in there, we can pretty much guarantee that much!

Karen_Taylor_Quinn_36329

We sure do love anything that involves doing steps ahead of time to make service easier. Great suggestions --thanks Tim!

Karen_Taylor_Quinn_36329

http://www.chefsteps.com/activities/baked-beans Get started with this, and stay tuned for lots more pressure cooker stuff in the coming months!

Larry_Barry_63657

Pressure cooked stock; especially ones that require emulsifying fat like ramen and lacks the agitation from a boil.

Shelly_35446

There is a pretty good recipe in the user guide for the old Wear-Ever pressure cookers. My husband is always asking me to make it. But there's too much liquid in in...hence my earlier post!

Ian_13949

I have made it it is good but not quite right for the Libby's taste I like. Thanks though

Ian_13949

Thanks, I don't have that guide, would you be able to send me that recipe? thanks

Ian_13949

I have made that recipe and it is good but not quite like the old Libby's beans. I will be watching for more pressure cooker stuff. I love my Kuhn Rikon!!!

ethanunick

It would be so cool to hybridize the class to become a class in canning (boiling and pressure)/preservation. Not sure if that content would be too far reaching but I still don't know of a single topic which is more avoided unconsciously by chefs, surely because of food safety and technical concerns. It would be great to see at this time of year. You'd be responsible for saving tons (maybe literally) of product that may otherwise go bad. Thanks so much.

Shelly_35446

For a 4qt cooker; double for 6-8qt cooker. Originally from Wear-Ever Speed Cooker instruction book, my variations noted)

1lb Dried navy or Great Northern beans

2.5 C Water (4.5C for 6-8 qt pan)

3 slices Bacon or salt pork in 2" pcs (I mince this and saute before adding)

2 T Onion, minced (I double the onion)

1/4 C Molasses (I use about 3/8 C)

3 T Brown sugar

1 t Dry mustard

1 t Salt

dash Pepper

(Sometimes I add a heavy dash of cayenne)

- Heat beans and water in cooker to boil, boil two minutes, remove from heat, cover and let stand one hour. (I add salt to this water to brine the beans). Or soak beans overnight

- Drain beans, reserving liquid (I discard salted water).

- Add liquid (or water) to equal 2 cups to beans. Stir in remaining ingredients.

- Cook 25 minutes at 15 lbs pressure

- If there is too much liquid I simmer the beans until the sauce is thickened.

Stanislav_Barashev_38162

I'd like maybe a few traditional stew recipes adjusted for the pressure cooker. Beef Bourguignon for example maybe?

elviswasjesus

Some really good points by JasonWirth about teaching people how to think about using pressure cookers.

I know that when shopping for a pressure cooker recently I was surprised that there was a bit of variation in actual operating pressure between brands and models (the European vs. USA models of Fissler's ATK-approved Vitaquick being an example on forums elsewhere).

Advice on when/where this matters, and if necessary, scaling cooking times for those who find their cooker doesn't reach the standard 15psi, may be helpful.

Patrik_Racz_19800

they have a couple of pressure cooked stock recipes, just have a look at the recipes section or search for it

nick.pmallon

Electric vs Stove Top. How to scale a recipe that just says "High" and assumes you can hit 15psi, but if you have an Electric Pressure Cooker than you'd reach only 10psi max right? So how to adjust for that sort of instance.