Quote:
Originally Posted by rhood
Seems like pressure cookers are the latest and greatest? Do you have one and how often do you use it?
|
I use mine about once or twice a month. Far more often in the cooler months to make soups.
First of all, I would not buy a 4 qt model because-IF YOU READ THE DIRECTIONS-they say do not fill more than half full.
So obviously a 4 qt is only 2 qt usable.
A stainless steel model is about twice the price of an aluminum one but it is far easier to clean and depending on what your read you may not want to eat the aluminum that does desolve into your food.
I would buy a brand name as you will have it a long time and you will need parts-gaskets-and I've broken handles.
If, you have an electric stove, you want to get one with a flat bottom so as to insure better heat transfer and you want one that will fit your burner-you do not want a pot that is too small to cover the entire red hot area.
You need to follow instructions. It cooks roughly 3x faster than normal and you are cooking in a closed pot; so you are not as aware of what is happening.
Far as the electric wiz bang ones, I have no experience with them. I'm sure you can find reviews on them via the internet. I don't think they are made large enough to make large quantities ie canning. I often make corned beef in a pressure cooker. The meat moves as it cooks. I would not do it in less than a 9qt pressure cooker. I have done two at once in a 9 qt but that is really pushing it. I've never blown mine but it is an awful and dangerous mess. Two corn beefs in a 9 qt pressure cooker puts the meat too close to the vent pipe for my view.
As to latest and greatest? I have a large presto canning pressure cooker that belonged to my grandmother. I still have the cookbook that came with it and it is dated 1945. You can still get parts for it