# What to do with a pressure cooker **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 19, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029 "2016-10-19T15:04:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/21 "2016-10-25T00:05:03Z")
Do you prefer electric ones or stovetop. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/22 "2016-10-25T00:26:08Z")
I prefer electric. Simple and lots of conveniences. I read a little about stovetop and it requires more attention and monitoring to make sure the heat is correct while it’s at pressure. But I think experts like stovetop since they have more control and can get a higher pressure. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/23 "2016-10-25T01:25:28Z")
You can cook _anything_ in a pressure cooker. My grandmother did, and the results were largely deplorable. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/24 "2016-10-25T01:36:58Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > I’m a bit of a nut when it comes to kitchen tools. It drives my wife crazy when I buy something and she doesn’t understand why I would want these things. I have always wanted a pressure cooker but I’m worried that if I buy one it won’t get used very often. > > So for the culinary inclined among you, do you have a pressure cooker? What do you use it for? How often do you use it? Do you regret having it? I had a stovetop pressure cooker for about ten years and now an electric one since about June. I _love_ the damned thing. Love. Love. Love. I cook with it several times a week. It’s perfect for making stocks and broths (which I do several times a week), as well as stews and pot roasts. Any type of cooking where you’re dealing with high collagen cuts that typically take 3-5 hours on the stovetop or in a slow oven, you can shorten the time to about 45 minutes (including the time to get up to pressure and quick release at the end). I hate having more shit in my kitchen, which is why I don’t have a slow cooker, but I absolutely love the pressure cooker. Plus, if I wanted to slow cook in it, I could. You do have to know how to use it, though. If you want everything to turn to mush, then throw all your ingredients in and cook. What I tend to do is just pressure cook the meat with my liquid and herbs/spices and mirepoix or whatnot–anything I don’t mind having the hell cooked out of-- until it’s 75% done and finish it on the stovetop with the veggies and other stuff. So a four hour stew is done in about an hour-fifteen-ish. You can also do the pressure cook in two stages, if you want, but I prefer just cooking the meat until it’s on the verge of being completely soft and finishing as a conventional cook. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/25 "2016-10-25T01:54:07Z")
^Yeah, if you’re making a pot roast don’t put the carrots, potatoes, onion etc. in at the same time. They will be almost disentegrated when it’s finished. I read in a pressure cooker cookbook that chuck roast is one of the best to cook in a pressure cooker so that’s what I usually use. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/26 "2016-10-25T01:59:31Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > ^Yeah, if you’re making a pot roast don’t put the carrots, potatoes, onion etc. in at the same time. They will be almost disentegrated when it’s finished. I read in a pressure cooker cookbook that chuck roast is one of the best to cook in a pressure cooker so that’s what I usually use. Yep. Chuck or shank is what I usually end up using in a pressure cooker. Or beef short ribs. Pork shoulder (Boston butt, picnic ham), too. Anything that has a high collagen content: meat that comes from well exercised parts of the animal. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/27 "2016-10-28T19:47:15Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Pressure cookers are the microwaves of the 1960s, which in turn were the crock pots of the 1970s, which in turn were the Foreman Grills of the 1980s, which were the panini presses of the oughts. Each is a tool that has some very good uses, but tend to be best in a narrow range of dishes despite the ravings of manic enthusiasts who insist they can be used for everything. And now we’ve come back around to the Wonders of Pressure Cooking. > > IMHO, as an experienced and capable cook, the only thing pressure cookers are good for is certain types of canning, and cooking tough cuts of meat quickly and to edible tenderness. Everything else is “microwave turkey” or “crockpot casserole” - yeah, I guess you can do it… but why? After reading this thread and following the links I agree. Pressure cookers are useless. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/28 "2016-10-28T20:18:44Z")
> [@flaming\_yawn](#): > > wait till black friday to get an electric Instant Pot on amazon… find the facebook or pintrest site dedicated to this pot and your life will change. 2 words spaghetti squash in 4 minutes (after it gets to pressure) Oh I made split pea soup in record time once too The Instant Pot is vastly superior to standard pressure cookers. Safer, quieter, and cooks much more evenly. I have never really had luck with a standard pressure cooker, but this Instant Pot thing… they are on to something. Whole frozen chicken cooked to fall-off-the-bone in 1 hour. Another hour to make homemade bone broth. Chicken breasts from frozen in 30 minutes. Frozen pork loin roast with veggies, 30 minutes. Steamed vegetables in 10. Enormous quantities of rice in 30 minutes. 4 pounds dry black beans cooked in 90 minutes. (We store and freeze stuff.) I bought one a few months ago. I want two. ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/29 "2016-10-28T20:21:41Z")
Kenji at Serious Eats thinks they are the balls. > **[\[\] Results from SeriousEats.com](https://www.seriouseats.com/search?term=pressure%2Bcooker)** ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/30 "2016-10-28T21:06:13Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > The Instant Pot is vastly superior to standard pressure cookers. Safer, quieter, and cooks much more evenly. I have never really had luck with a standard pressure cooker, but this Instant Pot thing… they are on to something. I’ve had no issue with standard pressure cookers, but the Instapot is much more versatile and a heck of a lot easier to use. It’s really the best kitchen purchase I’ve made in the last decade, especially, if like me, you like having homemade broth/stock around for soups and stews. I suppose it really depends on how you cook, but I cannot say enough good things about it. I’ve even been converted to making rice in it. I’ve always been a stovetop cook, 20 minutes rice cooking, who needs a rice cooker guy, but since I’ve already basically got a rice cooker along with the Instapot, I’ve found it so nice to use. And it makes my wife happy as it keeps the kitchen more in order when I cook and doesn’t heat it up as much. There’s still plenty of things I will make using my dutch ovens, but the pressure cooker, since I’ve bought it, gets used at least 3 times a week. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/31 "2016-10-28T23:54:33Z")
Beans and rice. Just the beans. No pre-soaking necessary, throw in a bag of dried red or black beans with a couple quarts of water, ready to eat in 30-40 minutes. Done while cooking the rice. Plus, I can use it non-pressurized for anything that requires a really big saucepan. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/32 "2016-10-29T03:33:36Z")
They also make entirely decent polenta and risotto. Bonus: no need for endless stirring. We also make arroz con pollo and other rice-based main dishes a lot. Yesterday was risotto with homemade shrimp stock, with peas and mushrooms and shrimp thrown in at the end. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/33 "2016-10-29T12:30:01Z")
I’ve heard of this food many times, including the nickname, but have never seen it IRL. Not sure of seeing it on diner menus either. I’ve had corned beef hash plenty of times, but never seen it drenched in a cream sauce. I’ve had Beef Wellington with a white creamy kind of gravy, that’s as close as I think I’ve come to having a hot beef dish with cream. 45 years old, NYC born and raised, lived in a few other parts of the US for a few years. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/34 "2016-10-29T12:31:31Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > I’ve heard of this food many times, including the nickname, but have never seen it IRL. Not sure of seeing it on diner menus either. I’ve had corned beef hash plenty of times, but never seen it drenched in a cream sauce. > > I’ve had Beef Wellington with a white creamy kind of gravy, that’s as close as I think I’ve come to having a hot beef dish with cream. > > 45 years old, NYC born and raised, lived in a few other parts of the US for a few years. Sorry, my Tapatalk app hiccuped somehow, I was replying to the Shit on a Shingle thread 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/35 "2016-10-29T17:38:46Z")
What NOT to do with your pressure cooker. [=93250719&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0"][Photobucket | Make your memories fun!](http://s564.photobucket.com/user/Trygolyte/media/Pressure%20Cooking.jpg.html?filters%5Buser%5D=93250719&filters%5Brecent%5D=1&sort=1&o=0)]([Photobucket | Make your memories fun!](http://s564.photobucket.com/user/Trygolyte/media/Pressure%20Cooking.jpg.html?filters)[user) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/36 "2016-10-29T17:55:15Z")
> [@Daylate](#): > > What NOT to do with your pressure cooker. > > [=93250719&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0"][Photo Storage](http://s564.photobucket.com/user/Trygolyte/media/Pressure%20Cooking.jpg.html?filters%5Buser%5D=93250719&filters%5Brecent%5D=1&sort=1&o=0)]([Photo Storage](http://s564.photobucket.com/user/Trygolyte/media/Pressure%20Cooking.jpg.html?filters)[user) Or [here’s a video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3CkOunk8fY). (Doesn’t look like anyone’s injured in the explosion.) Wow. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/37 "2016-10-29T20:32:05Z")
I have 3 stove top pressure cookers, but I’ve still been thinking about getting an InstantPot. Are they really that much better? StG ---
**Author:** ![txtumbleweed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@txtumbleweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txtumbleweed)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029/38 "2016-10-29T23:10:36Z")
You probably shouldn’t make dioxygen diflouride with it, I understand that stuff is somewhat reactive. [what-if.xkcd.com/40/](https://what-if.xkcd.com/40/) [blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2010/02/23/things\_i\_wont\_work\_with\_dioxygen\_difluoride](http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2010/02/23/things_i_wont_work_with_dioxygen_difluoride) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-pressure-cooker/769029.md?page=1)