Tips For Using Electric Pressure Cooker Safety

Are you intimidated by the prospect of using a pressure cooker? Possibly you have a childhood memory of your grandmother’s pressure to cook spaghetti sauce all over the kitchen ceiling. Or perhaps you’re intimidated by the prospect of the enclosed pot containing such a significant amount of pressure without exploding. 

Nevertheless, there is absolutely nothing to be concerned about. Today’s pressure cookers are built with various safety features that ensure that cooks will not experience the same explosion problems that were common in pressure cooker legends of the past. For example, some lids have locks that must be activated before the pressure inside the container builds up. These locks will not open until the pressure inside the container has been released ultimately. Most cookers are also equipped with valves that release excess pressure. 

However, some things can be done to make cooking with a pressure cooker both safer and more successful in the long run. Take advantage of these suggestions to get perfect results from your pressure cooker–without having to scrape spaghetti sauce off your ceiling! 

How Does An Electric Pressure Cooker work? 

Steam is formed as the heat of the liquid in an electric pressure cooker. This trapped steam builds up inside the pressure cooker, increasing the internal pressure. As the pressure inside the cooker increases, the temperature rises above the boiling point, up to 250 degrees F.  

The higher cooking temperature in a pressure cooker reduces the cooking time. Additionally, the high pressure inside the cooker “pushes” the moisture into the food, resulting in a more flavorful meal that not only cooks faster but also tastes better.  

Cooking meats in an electric pressure cooker result in highly juicy and tender results. Rice can be cooked in five minutes rather than twenty, and pasta can be cooked perfectly in five minutes as well. 

Soups and stews can be prepared quickly but taste as if they’ve been simmering for hours. 

Tips For Using Electric Pressure Cooker Safety 

Check Your Kitchen Equipment Before You Start Cooking 

Always inspect the rubber gasket (the ring of rubber that lines the inside of the cooker’s lid) to ensure that it is not dried out or cracked. Depending on how frequently you use your cooker, some manufacturers recommend replacing the gasket on a year-to-year basis. This is something you should consider ordering in advance to have on hand in case yours gets ripped while you’re in the middle of a recipe. Check to see that there is no dried food on the pot’s rim, as this could cause the seal to break and spill the contents. 

Don’t overfill the pot in the cooker 

If you’re cooking most foods in a pressure cooker, don’t fill it more than two-thirds of the way complete to avoid the possibility of food blocking the vents. It is recommended that foods such as beans and grains, which tend to swell as they cook, only fill about half of the cooker. 

Make Use of Enough Liquid 

A pressure cooker requires liquid to generate the steam used to cook the food. A good recipe will consider this, but if you’re making your own, you’ll need at least 1/2 cup of water or other liquid to make it work properly. If the steam does not appear to be building with this amount, open the cooker (first releasing any remaining steam) and continue to add a little more until you reach the desired level of pressure. 

Cooking Foods That Froth Should Be Done With Care 

The frothing can cause the steam valves and pressure-release vents to become clogged. Pasta, rhubarb, split peas, oatmeal, applesauce, and cranberries are just a few of the foods that froth up. Cooking these foods is not recommended unless you use a trusted recipe and keep the amount of food you are preparing in your pot well below the recommended maximum fill line. 

Don’t Pressure Fry 

Fried foods are prepared in a pressure cooker, such as fried rice and pressure-fried chicken. When some people receive their electric pressure cooker for the first time, they are eager to try these recipes. This is an error!  

While the electric pressure cooker is capable of incredible things, it is a small electric pressure cooker incapable of pressure-frying foods. If you attempt this pressure-cooking method, you will endanger your Pot and yourself.  

On the other hand, pressure frying requires specialized equipment, not pressure cookers. Make sure to check out the different Instant Pot recipes you should never cook. When it comes to frozen food, determine whether frozen meat can be cooked in an electric pressure cooker. 

Keep a Safe Distance from the Steam 

Avoid opening an electric pressure cooker in or near your face. While the steam may smell pleasant, it is extremely hot—often hot enough to cause skin burns. Always open the pot facing away from you (the lid makes this easy on purpose). If you’re performing a quick release, the hot steam may also endanger your hands, so we recommend first pulling on a protective oven mitt or similar glove. 

Release the Pressure in a Safe and Secure Manner 

You can release pressure in three ways: by simply removing the cooker from the heat and allowing it to sit until the pressure decreases (natural release), by running cold water over the lid of the closed pan (cold water release), or by opening the pot’s steam release valve and allowing the steam to escape (pressure release valve) (quick release).  

When you’re handing the cooker, make sure to use potholders to protect your hands, and if you’re using the quick-release method, make sure that your face, hands, and body are away from the steam vent. While cooking, hot steam will continue to escape from the pan when the cooker is opened; therefore, when you open the pan, tip the lid away from you and hold it over the pan to prevent hot condensation from dripping onto you. 

Avoid Leaving an electric pressure cooker Alone When Using High Pressure. 

We already know that one of the electric pressure cooker’s advantages is its relative hands-off nature. However, leaving the Pot unattended when pressure cooking foods is never a good idea. Unexpected accidents or issues can be avoided if you look for warning signs (and possibly clean up the mess). 

Clean the Cooker in a Proper Manner 

Remove the gasket and wash it separately and the lid, and the pot before reassembling. With a wooden toothpick, gently clean the valve, making sure it moves freely and is not obstructed. When not in use, store the cooker with its lid upside down on the pot rather than lock it in place. 

These suggestions will assist you in safely and successfully preparing meals in your pressure cooker.