# Why the hell did I not get a pressure cooker sooner? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 18, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508 "2010-10-18T01:50:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/1 "2010-10-18T01:50:34Z")
Saw an electric Cuisinart pressure cooker at Costco today, and bought it on a whim. Also bought some boneless short ribs. I love making short ribs but they take almost 4 hours on the stovetop. In an hour and a half, I had the best short ribs I’ve ever eaten–uniformly tender, rich and meaty, taking on all the flavors from the broth. Even the baby inhaled them. Holy God. I am a pressure cooker convert. Would love any recipes from you guys–paleo-friendly especially (no white carbs or beans). If it’s specifically designed for an electric cooker, even better. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/2 "2010-10-18T03:03:35Z")
Me too! Same deal at Costco, same reaction. Love it. Made stew, made chicken and dumplings. Tastes so good and in many ways better than my crock pot. I’m thrilled. ---
**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 18, 2010, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/3 "2010-10-18T03:08:45Z")
I finally got one earlier this year. Just a cheap little $20 stovetop model. It’s fantastic. You don’t even need an hour and half for stews, more like 45 minutes to an hour max. They’re also great for making stocks, and a godsend for beans. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/4 "2010-10-18T03:11:06Z")
I got a nice stovetop model not long ago, but I think the gasket isn’t fitting right lately or I need to mineral-oil it better or something - I get a lot of steam leakage around the handle. I have to check the instructions. Otherwise I absolutely love it. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/5 "2010-10-18T21:31:48Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > I got a nice stovetop model not long ago, but I think the gasket isn’t fitting right lately or I need to mineral-oil it better or something - I get a lot of steam leakage around the handle. I have to check the instructions. Otherwise I absolutely love it. I have had two that I really liked. In both cases the gasket went bad. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/6 "2010-10-18T21:58:54Z")
Good tip. Maybe I’ll buy one when the kitchen is remodeled and I have room for more stuff. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/7 "2010-10-18T22:07:21Z")
great device for cooking in volume. short time to do lots of spuds, carrots, squash; any long cooking veggie. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/8 "2010-10-18T22:07:54Z")
**Drain Bead** , the one time I tried short ribs I was … underwhelmed. Frankly, it was like a pot roast with bones - might as well just have pot roast. They gave off so much grease! Do you refrigerate overnight and then break off the hardened fat? If you served them the day you made them, how’d you deal with that aspect? ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/9 "2010-10-18T22:25:34Z")
Because you were afraid of having a bomb in your kitchen. I hide in another room every time my husband uses ours. ---
**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 18, 2010, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/10 "2010-10-18T22:42:31Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > Because you were afraid of having a bomb in your kitchen. > > I hide in another room every time my husband uses ours. I was a bit worried about that at first, but the model I have has three pressure relief valves (a rocking little regulator that is the main release of pressure, and two safety valves.) It seems perfectly safe to me–you can even pull on the the regulator or safety valves to see whether it releases steam (working properly) or doesn’t (somehow gunked up.) ---
**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 18, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/11 "2010-10-18T22:46:03Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > **Drain Bead** , the one time I tried short ribs I was … underwhelmed. Frankly, it was like a pot roast with bones - might as well just have pot roast. They gave off so much grease! Do you refrigerate overnight and then break off the hardened fat? If you served them the day you made them, how’d you deal with that aspect? There are similarities between the cuts, but I find short ribs a good bit beefier in flavor. In fact, I’ve gone to using boneless short ribs in all beef stewing applications in preference to chuck (the usual for pot roast) and bone-in short ribs, shank, or oxtail if I’m in the mood for a braise. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/12 "2010-10-18T22:58:06Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I was a bit worried about that at first, but the model I have has three pressure relief valves (a rocking little regulator that is the main release of pressure, and two safety valves.) It seems perfectly safe to me–you can even pull on the the regulator or safety valves to see whether it releases steam (working properly) or doesn’t (somehow gunked up.) Yeah, they’re not the models from the 1970s or so any longer. No more food on the ceiling. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/13 "2010-10-19T00:03:07Z")
Hee, I remember vividly the disaster with ours when I was a tiny little kid. Food all over. And horror stories of having important body parts blown off. I may try a pressure cooker eventually… \>.\> ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/14 "2010-10-19T01:05:01Z")
I walked in my house tonight at 5:40 and by 7:00 pm I was putting homemade chicken and matzah ball soup on the table. Very yum. I love my electric Cuisinart PC. ---
**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 19, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/15 "2010-10-19T01:21:33Z")
With most pressure cookers you can buy replacement gaskets. my sister is the pressure cooker queen. I’ll ask her for some recipes. Can you eat lentils? She makes great recipes with left over Costco rotisserie chickens. StG ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/16 "2010-10-19T01:25:09Z")
It’s also easy to make custard in the pressure cooker. It’s really fast and tastes so good. ---
**Author:** ![Enuma\_Elish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5e9695/32.png) [@Enuma\_Elish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enuma_Elish)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/17 "2010-10-19T01:29:41Z")
I finally bought a crock-pot last year, but was underwhelmed by the waiting time. I might try this pressure-cooker deal! I have to go to Fleet Farm and price them first! ---
**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 19, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/18 "2010-10-19T02:59:34Z")
> [@Enuma\_Elish](#): > > I finally bought a crock-pot last year, but was underwhelmed by the waiting time. I might try this pressure-cooker deal! > > I have to go to Fleet Farm and price them first! I don’t use a crock pot much at all (except to render lard or tallow). What a crock pot is good for is if you want to set something to cook and are going to be away from the house for 6 to 12 hours and don’t want to stress about your house burning down. Otherwise, a Dutch oven works just as well. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/19 "2010-10-19T03:09:48Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > With most pressure cookers you can buy replacement gaskets. Yeah, I saw my cooker’s gaskets on Amazon - you should really replace it after a year’s use or so anyway, so I could buy one now and see if it helps. Maybe I had a pot sold to me that had been sitting around for a while. I got two cookbooks off of Amazon as well: [The Pressure Cooker Cookbook Revised](http://www.amazon.com/Pressure-Cooker-Cookbook-Revised/dp/155788482X/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1287457465&sr=8-6) - wide variety of recipes, interesting food ideas. Fairly simple but this allows you to get an idea of cooking time and then use these recipes to build off of. [Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure](http://www.amazon.com/Great-Vegetarian-Cooking-Under-Pressure/dp/0688123260/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1287457465&sr=8-8) - great basics, again, for vegetarians, including lots on bean/grain cooking times and ways to use them. Don’t expect much in the way of vegetarian “meat substitutes”; I think there was only one tofu recipe. Also, it’s mostly vegan, rather than vegetarian. Finally, I found some of the recipes underseasoned (and I’m not a salt fan), but sometimes just using a vegetable broth rather than plain water is all that is needed to really punch up the flavor. ---
**Author:** ![Enuma\_Elish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5e9695/32.png) [@Enuma\_Elish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enuma_Elish)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508/20 "2010-10-19T03:42:55Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I don’t use a crock pot much at all (except to render lard or tallow). What a crock pot is good for is if you want to set something to cook and are going to be away from the house for 6 to 12 hours and don’t want to stress about your house burning down. Otherwise, a Dutch oven works just as well. Speaking as a single male sandwich-eater - does Dutch oven = pressure cooker? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-did-i-not-get-a-pressure-cooker-sooner/557508.md?page=2)