primitives discuss pressure cookers

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x78909

Oh my.

Dover  (1000+ posts)      Sun Jul-11-10 01:42 AM
Original message
 
Meat cooked fast in pressure cooker vs. slowly in a slow cooker?

I've heard t.v. chefs complain that slow cooked meat is too mushy and lacks flavor. But I've never heard any celebrity chef talk about pressure cooked meats. I don't really need convincing one way or the other because I'm very happy with my pressure cooked meals and though I've never used a slow cooker I can understand the advantages and I'm betting the meat tastes just fine to most folks.

But has anyone here compared the two methods for flavor, texture,etc. of meat? And why don't celebrity chefs ever discuss pressure cooking?

I made a Turkish Lamb Stew the other day in the pressure cooker. But unlike my usual routine of browning the meat first and then throwing it and the veggies/broth in all at once, this time I did it differently. After browning the meat I rubbed it down with spices and let it sit while I sauted the veggies WITH the Turkish herbs and spices in the juices leftover from the browned lamb (and added a little broth) and THEN tossed it all in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes.

Holy Cow! Or should I say holy lamb! It was very noticably better - richer, darker broth and flavors. OMG - to die for. I wouldn't have guessed it could taste any better than the usual, but it CAN.

So I wonder if that same preparation would be helpful in the slow cooker as well?

Warpy  (1000+ posts)        Sun Jul-11-10 12:12 PM
THE DEFROCKED WARPED PRIMITIVE, #09 TOP PRIMITIVE OF 2009
Response to Original message

1. Because the pressure cooker is largely a closed system with very little steam inside the pot being released even with a rocker valve arrangement, most of the flavor is kept in the pot instead of released out into the room.

I've found pressure cooked meat fall apart tender but intensely flavorful. A tough old stewing hen is a particular taste revelation in a pressure cooker.

About all I use a slow cooker for is beans.

Dover  (1000+ posts)      Sun Jul-11-10 06:57 PM
Response to Reply #1
 
4. Yes that makes sense. I suppose the steam escapes a bit with the crock pot.

Yep, fall off the bone. I've 'tenderized' many a tough cut of meat that way.

My beans always get cooked in my cast iron enamel dutch oven for 2 or more hours on low.

Warpy  (1000+ posts)        Mon Jul-12-10 01:30 PM
THE DEFROCKED WARPED PRIMITIVE, #09 TOP PRIMITIVE OF 2009
Response to Reply #4

7. I live at 6000 feet so 2 hours on top of the stove doesn't do it. 16 hours in a crock pot does.

Tesha  (1000+ posts)      Sun Jul-11-10 01:02 PM
Response to Original message
 
2. Artichokes are super-flavorful in the pressure cooker drizzled with italian dressing, and so is corn on the cob that gets sprinkled with Old Bay before the top gets fastened.

You can "cook in" flavors like no other method.

The empressof all   (1000+ posts)        Sun Jul-11-10 01:12 PM
THE IMPERIOUS PRIMITIVE
Response to Original message

3. I prefer the pressure cooker for stews and stocks

I have an old Nesco Oven that has a slow cook setting. I do sometimes make large pieces of brisket in it. If I'm making barbecue beef I sear it on the grill, apply a rub, wrap in double heavy duty aluminum and add a cup of liquid...seal well and let it cook all day. If I'm just doing the pot roast I don't even bother with the sear and just add the Lipton Onion Soup and the wine to the fail packet.

I put the standard size crock pot in the pantry last year and haven't had a reason to bring it out. The six quart electric pressure cooker gets a work out several times a week and sits next to the coffee pot.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Pressure cookers are great for dealing with squirrels, which otherwise can be like chewing rubber springs.  My Mom could cook them slowly in a frying pan and get them to turn out well, but I just pressure cook them and make 'Squirrel and dumplings' once the meat is cooked and tender. 

[zeitgeist]

Still using mother's old MirroMatic Pressure Cooker (but parts are getting harder to find).  What's not to like, I think it predates the atomic  bomb, heck it even looks like the atomic bomb.  Great for stew, bbq pork, pot roast, or any other cheap cut of meat.  

This is the type cooker you include in your will.

[JohnnyReb]

Just trying to be funny, I typed this out.....

For the "Go Green" DUmmies....conserve energy, lock down the pressure relief valve, don't waste steam, that's pollution/global warming escaping energy, put stove eye on highest setting and stand by the pressure cooker.....you will soon decrease your energy consumption by a critcal amount.

...but you know something, the idiots might just try it. They are the all knowing, educated elite with no commonsense afterall.

[IassaFTots]

I want a pressure cooker.  But for canning.  I have no problems with my slow cooker.  I cooked a roast in it last weekend.

[JohnnyReb]

I want a pressure cooker.  But for canning.  I have no problems with my slow cooker.  I cooked a roast in it last weekend.

You need a special pressure cooker for canning....it's so you don't get botulism in your high acid canned fruits and vegetables.

Can't remember the exact term for them but make sure it's certified for canning.

[thundley4]

You need a special pressure cooker for canning....it's so you don't get botulism in your high acid canned fruits and vegetables.

Can't remember the exact term for them but make sure it's certified for canning.

This one is similar to what my dad used when I was younger.  The one we had was cast iron and much darker in color.

[IassaFTots]

Yeah, I have been looking at them, the ones for Canning.  They are a little pricey, and my garden is not having a good yield anyway, so it isn't really a necessity at the moment. 

[JohnnyReb]

One other thing....It is recommended that you get your pressure gauge for the canning pressure cooker checked every year. The Clemcon University extension agent used to do that here.

[debk]

I've always been afraid of pressure cookers....can't give a reason, just have been.

I have never cooked with one, though I know on Iron Chef, they use them all the time.

Might have to check them out. I'm sure they are much safer these days.

[franksolich]

I've always been afraid of pressure cookers....can't give a reason, just have been.

I have never cooked with one, though I know on Iron Chef, they use them all the time.

Might have to check them out. I'm sure they are much safer these days.

Pressure cookers can explode.

[zeitgeist]

Pressure cookers can explode.

Heck Frank lots of things can explode.  Some times things you wouldn't normally think about like a little piece of dry ice in a polly bottle.   

(The type they use to use for Radcon samples were real heavy duty and worked the best if you used plenty of tape so I am told)

But pressure cookers use to have a lead blow out seal to minimize the damage.  At least mine does.
 

[IassaFTots]

Heck Frank lots of things can explode.  Some times things you wouldn't normally think about like a little piece of dry ice in a polly bottle.    (The type they use to use for Radcon samples were real heavy duty and worked the best if you used plenty of tape so I am told)

But pressure cookers use to have a lead blow out seal to minimize the damage.  At least mine does.
 

Or an MRE igniter in a plastic bottle?

[debk]

Pressure cookers can explode.

I think there must have been an exploding pressure cooker in my childhood...because I have always been to afraid of them exploding to use one.

[delilahmused]

You need a special pressure cooker for canning....it's so you don't get botulism in your high acid canned fruits and vegetables.

Can't remember the exact term for them but make sure it's certified for canning.

No you don't. All you need is to boil them in a water bath for X amount of time (depending on the fruit). That's why a lot of canning recipes have you add something acidic like lemon juice. When doing something like jam having a bit of under ripe fruit works the same way. Tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa, fruit, jams, syrups, apple pie mix, pickled products are fine in a water bath. Meats and beans need a pressure cooker. I can all of the above almost every year (just made an apple pie last week with apples canned 2 years ago) and I don't even own a pressure cooker.

Cindie

[franksolich]

I think there must have been an exploding pressure cooker in my childhood...because I have always been to afraid of them exploding to use one.

There's going to be a pressure cooker involved in my sex novel about Mrs. Alfred Packer, the "hippywife" primitive.

[debk]

There's going to be a pressure cooker involved in my sex novel about Mrs. Alfred Packer, the "hippywife" primitive.

Oh. my.

 

[JohnnyReb]

There's going to be a pressure cooker involved in my sex novel about Mrs. Alfred Packer, the "hippywife" primitive.

Damn Frank...you just ruined any thoughts I may have had of obtaining a pressure cooker.


Seriously....One thing they are good for...cooking boney white suckers.

In late winter/early spring while it's still cold, you go down to the creek late one night after the game wardens have gone home. You string your illegal gill net across the creek to catch some illegal spawning "White Suckers". You build a fire on the creek bank, start heating that pressure cooker up, you heat up the frying pan, throw in a big chunk of fatback, melt it down, get your flour, salt, pepper, onions, etc, out and get ready for a feast. Pull the illegal gill net outta the creek, clean the illegal gotten white suckers, throw them in the pressure cooker for 15/20 minutes. They are cooked when they come out but you throw them over into the skillet after you run them through the flour/frying mix.....brown and serve....eat bones and all because those 10,000 bones is why you cooked first in the pressure cooker....it melts the bones.....invite young ambitious game warden to have some....no use letting good fish go to waste....tell him how you consider it your last meal.  

[debk]

Damn Frank...you just ruined any thoughts I may have had of obtaining a pressure cooker.


Seriously....One thing they are good for...cooking boney white suckers.

In late winter/early spring while it's still cold, you go down to the creek late one night after the game wardens have gone home. You string your illegal gill net across the creek to catch some illegal spawning "White Suckers". You build a fire on the creek bank, start heating that pressure cooker up, you heat up the frying pan, throw in a big chunk of fatback, melt it down, get your flour, salt, pepper, onions, etc, out and get ready for a feast. Pull the illegal gill net outta the creek, clean the illegal gotten white suckers, throw them in the pressure cooker for 15/20 minutes. They are cooked when they come out but you throw them over into the skillet after you run them through the flour/frying mix.....brown and serve....eat bones and all because those 10,000 bones is why you cooked first in the pressure cooker....it melts the bones.....invite young ambitious game warden to have some....no use letting good fish go to waste....tell him how you consider it your last meal.  

I won't even begin to try to explain where my mind went when I saw this.....

[thundley4]

Damn Frank...you just ruined any thoughts I may have had of obtaining a pressure cooker.


Seriously....One thing they are good for...cooking boney white suckers.

In late winter/early spring while it's still cold, you go down to the creek late one night after the game wardens have gone home. You string your illegal gill net across the creek to catch some illegal spawning "White Suckers". You build a fire on the creek bank, start heating that pressure cooker up, you heat up the frying pan, throw in a big chunk of fatback, melt it down, get your flour, salt, pepper, onions, etc, out and get ready for a feast. Pull the illegal gill net outta the creek, clean the illegal gotten white suckers, throw them in the pressure cooker for 15/20 minutes. They are cooked when they come out but you throw them over into the skillet after you run them through the flour/frying mix.....brown and serve....eat bones and all because those 10,000 bones is why you cooked first in the pressure cooker....it melts the bones.....invite young ambitious game warden to have some....no use letting good fish go to waste....tell him how you consider it your last meal.  

I've heard of people using pressure cookers to cook carp for the same reason. Me I just throw them back.

[JohnnyReb]

I won't even begin to try to explain where my mind went when I saw this.....

You been hanging around with to many guilty liberal white racist.

[Ballygrl]

I bought a pressure cooker a few years ago on QVC, only used it a few times, no idea why I didn't get into a routine using it.

[debk]

You been hanging around with to many guilty liberal white racist.

Haven't been "hanging" around any....don't even know any.

I will admit that picture of Sen Byrd in his KKK outfit flashed into my head....