Pressure cookers

[Captain Smollett]

There is some advice not to have a smaller pressure cooker because when cooking foods that foam need the extra space to foam.  No experience on my part. Any thoughts?

In the same article it said that it takes smaller meals take less time to heat up than bigger meals in the same big pot.

My p-cooker kit came with a 4 qt and a 6 qt.  In the literature that came with the set, the only reference to the foaming "issue" is to not fill the pot above a certain level - whichever pot you use.  So, the result is you use smaller quantities with the smaller pot.

A 4 qt p-cooker is still quite a pot, quite suitable for many things.  But we've mostly used the 6 qt. - pot roast, large salmon steaks, bread, etc.  Again, we are cooking for four, so as usual YMMV.

That said, when I cooked my bread, a "normal" one-yeast-packet recipe took two rounds with the 6 qt pot.  You'd have to do 3 rounds with the smaller pot if you use a full packet of yeast.  Not being a yeast expert (by any stretch), I have no idea if the yeast has any kind of shelf life after the packet is open, so I don't know if you can reduce the recipe to only make a loaf suitable for a 4 qt pot (which would not be much bread anyway).

[Mr. Fixit]

I recently purchased a set of Kuhn Ricon pressure cookers,--1-2.5 liter, 1-5 liter. Expensive but one of the best buys I have ever made. They are very well made and user freindly, not like the 1st generation pressure cookers. They use very little energy compared to conventional cooking. I enjoy tender ribs-previously it woul take 2 hours or more of brazing in a conventional oven to get them tender. This weekend in a Kuhn it took 20 min.. Once they come up to pressure they do not release steam, so they use less energy than the 1st generation cookers.The one thing that takes getting familiar with is the need to reduce heat as you cook. My ribs were on high for 5 min. then I had to turn off heat for several min. Then alternating between low and off for the remainder of the time. Where propane containers has to be carried to the boat, this feature alone is worth the price. They also come with a conventional glass lid.(at least the models I bought did.

[AdriftAtSea]

Where'd you get them??

[Lynx]

I got mine off the web. Just follow there buy now link to Amazon.

http://www.kuhnrikon.com/products/pressure_cookers/pressure.php3?id=17

[Mr. Fixit]

Purchased mine from Pleasant Hill Grain, Contact thru internet--I did not find much price difference between dealers for Ricon however maybe I didnt try hard enough--One of the features that I like is the ease the lid goes on and off--after releasing pressure.

[AdriftAtSea]

Thanks guys... have a fagor pressure cooker, but would like to get a set.

[Johnnie]

Hi All

If you can read the make to your pressure you can get parts online. 
Even grandma's old one from the 40's. The pressure relief is a 1/4 inch push in plug on the lid.  The best device ever for cooking dry beans soft.  15 minutes at 15 lbs pressure and good

[Phantom Jim]

Today i found a bag of Goya pinto beans that had been vacuum stored in 2006 in a Food Saver bag.  I did a 5 minute boil and a 1 hour soak and cooked the beans with chicken bouillon at 15 pounds of pressure for 15 minutes.  The beans were tasty, tender and creamy.  Just perfect.  I had heard that beans stored for many years lost their ability to be able to be cooked to tenderness.  After 11 years these beans cooked just like they just came from the store.

For those who live on boats and cook dried beans the vacuum storage may come in handy.  Moisture impervious and very long lasting.  Glass ball jars would even be better if you tolerated glass onboard.

Nothing beats a bowl of beans and corn bread.

[jotruk]

I enjoy a good bowl of beans and corn bread, at the house i slow cook them on the stove and when in a hurry pressure cook them. Always good

[w00dy]

Wow. That is an impressively aged bowl of beans! Grog