Pressure Cookers, Friend Or Foe

Pressure cookers have this terrible reputation of being very dangerous. In the past they have been known to burst and trigger a fire in the kitchen or leave burns all over the cook. It is not like that with newer models and they are very safe to use. Food is mixed with a little water inside the pan. The lid is different in that it clamps and locks shut once this is done the cooker is placed on a burner of a stove. The heat gets hotter and starts to create steam which, in turn, creates a pressure inside the cooker because it cannot get out. Pressure will keep rising until it can't anymore for the area inside the pot and then a little valve on the cooker or a weight that is attached to the cooker will start to release this excess steam preventing an explosion. Food is cooked at a much higher temperature without any danger of being burned. It also cooks 70% quicker than if you used the oven or a regular set of pots and pans.

When the correct heat and pressure has been reached you can take the cooker away from the heat. It should sit a little while for the steam to stop being produced. There is a regulator on the outside of the cooker that needs to be opened. When it is you will see pressurized steam come pouring out in a big whistle or hiss. Once the steam stops, it is time to take off the lid.

The food inside the cooker will still be cooking once it is removed from the heat because the steam is still present. Many people will put the cooker in the sink and run the cold water on the cooker instead of waiting until it is safe to release the steam to stop the food from cooking. The valve still has to be released even if the cold water method is used.

Advantages of cooking with a pressure cooker are many. You use a high temperature so if the food is affected with bacteria or germs it will kill them and they will not bother you. Foods will keep their lovely colors in a pressure cooker. If you put green beans in green beans will come out instead of limp gray beans. You can put the toughest piece of meat in a cooker and let it go with some liquid and it will come out tender and tasty. If you have a hard time getting the lid off it usually means there is still pressure in the pot that could harm you. Just wait a little or run cold water and try until it comes off easily. When you remove the lid hold it away from you to prevent any burn from steam or food that might not want to stay in the pot. This does not happen very often with all the safety features of the new models.

Several manufacturers make some wonderful new pressure cookers. One such company is T-Fal Wearever Mirro that produces four, six, eight, and twelve quart cookers that range in price from USD $35 to $65. All are polished aluminum on the outside and natural aluminum on the inside and the four, six and eight quart have one long handle that locks the lid shot while the twelve quart has two on either side. The sealing gasket makes for a tight seal and can be replaced if it gets old and the pressure valve provides safety from burns. The larger twelve quart model can also be used to can vegetables and other foods. Just put these cookers in the dishwasher to get them clean because they are rust proof. The lids cannot be opened until it is safe to do so. The gauges can be read easily and included is a 10 year warranty.

Another company, Megafesa USA, makes an eight quart Super Fast Cooker that will cost upwards to USD $90. It cooks three times faster than a regular pressure cooker mostly because of the materials that are included in the base of the pot. You can choose from three different cooking speeds from 6 psi all the way up to 15 psi. The lid cannot be opened until all steam is released from the cooker. This cooker has a safety valve, a valve that will release over pressure and the lid contains a window that has a safety edge. The cooker is made from aluminum but also with steel. Because of this it is advised that the cooker only be hand washed.

Do not be afraid of pressure cookers because today they are just as safe as using a microwave. They do not use as much energy because cooking takes so much less time. Do not worry about getting a nasty burn because you cannot open a pressure cooker lid until all the pressure is gone. This is truly a way to produce a healthy meal for the family.

Article Source: http://www.everyonesarticles.com

peter gitundu has been continuously writing on multiple kitchen ware like the pressure cooke and stock pots for this website that offers the intending buyers with a host of options with wide varieties of colored cookware sets, crock pots, frying plans, skillets and such other items.

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