Getting The Most From Your Pressure Cooker

Those of you who have read some of the pressure cooker reviews out there will know that these incredible time-saving machines come in a variety of different styles and sizes. And all of them have their own features that make them worth buying. However, I bet that many of you don’t know that it isn’t what brand of pressure cooker you buy that matters, but how you take care of it.

Many people don’t seem to understand that it isn’t necessarily what brand of cooker that you own but how you take care of it that matters. If you put little thought in the use and care of these machines, then you aren’t going to get the most out of them. And that is a simple fact. Take care of it and it will give you years of service. It doesn’t matter if you have the cheapest machine on the planet or the best pressure cooker out there. So with that in mind, I would like to give you a few tips that will help you keep your pressure cooker running at peak performance.

Storage

How you store your pressure cooker matters. That is why you should always make sure that you hand wash it after you are done with it, and store it with the lid on the pot upside down.

Before you put it away however, you should do a preliminary check of all of its systems. You should check the safety valves and make sure that nothing is obstructing them and you should check the rubber gasket. Check that this gasket is pliable and not worn out.

Before You Cook

There are a few things that you need to know about using a pressure cooker. Firstly, you should make sure that you always use at least one cup of liquid in it while cooking. However, too much liquid can be bad as well, so be sure to only fill it ½ full of liquid. Secondly, never cram it full of food. You should never fill it up more that 2/3 of the way with food.

Another thing to remember is to always cut up the food you place in it. This is not only so the food cooks evenly, but also that all of the flavors remain constant throughout the entire dish.

Cooking With Your Pressure Cooker

There are a few things you should keep in mind when cooking with a pressure cooker. When you initially start you pressure cooker, you should start it on high heat. After it has reached temperature and pressure, you should then turn it to a lower setting so that it retains its pressure without exceeding it.

You should also remember that the cooking times of your favorite recipe might be approximate. And even if the recipe is designed specifically for the pressure cooker, you need to realize that the time might be understated. So always be sure to set a timer and check it when it is supposed to be done. If it needs additional cooking time, then do so in five minute intervals until it is done.

Follow these tips and you can rest assured that your pressure cooker will not only do the best job possible cooking your food, but will also last as long as possible.