foodies, do you rate pressure cooking?

[Rooobs]

I hate my slow cooker as it manages to remove all the texture from meat whilst leaving the sauce watery.

But should I give pressure cooking a try? Does it affect the meat texture of say mince or stewing lamb/beef? And what does it do to the saucy bit of the stew or whatever.

And final question, I usually cook a bolognese for at least 1 hour 30, 2 hours is better for the flavour development. How would that translate to a pressure cooker, time wise?

TIA

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

I resisted getting a pressure cooker for years after being traumatised by my DM's old one that used to rattle and hiss like crazy! Then I found one by WMF which has no scary wobby weights & now I use it quite a lot.

The main thing to remember is that a short cooking time and a sealed unit means zero evaporation so, if you are cooking a casserole for example, start with much less liquid than you would on the hob or in the oven. Bolognese cooks in about 15 minutes once pressure has been reached and I always leave it another 10 minutes to cool down and depressurise naturally which means it carries on cooking a little longer. I go through the usual process of browning onions and beef first and the texture seems fine once it's all cooked. The flavour is particularly good because it's all sealed in rather than wafting round your kitchen.

I used it yesterday to make stock from an old chicken carcass and some root veg. Gave it about 20 minutes once it reached pressure.

[Rooobs]

thanks Cogito. I'm quite tempted.

SOD IT.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

What sold me in the end was an article by Heston Blumenthal of all people. I mean, if the Blum-ster raves about a bit of kitchen equipment, you've got to give it a whirl, haven't you? :)

[Rooobs]

well of course!

Have ordered.

And tbh, I think I was just in the mood to treat myself to something, anything!

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Ooh!! Which one did you get?

[Rooobs]

Jamie O (Amazon 40 quid cheaper than JL!)

I chose that because it looks easier to store and was a lot cheaper than the WMF.

So what shall I cook first?

[Rooobs]

And, I've made bolognese this afternoon which was a pain in the arse to keep having to break off from MN studying to stir it!

[GoingGoingGoth]

I've had a pressure cooker for years, love it. Only risk is over cooking vegetables, but I don't claim to be a great cook, and the family don't complain

Also it's great for rice pudding, but you have to be careful, as a teenager I coated my mum's kitchen ceiling once with sweet milky rice!

[Rooobs]

oh crikey, I'm terrified of that happening! (the ceiling pud, not the over cooked veg )

I'm taking reassurance from lots of people who are saying that the modern ones are much easier to use and safer!

I can't wait now.

[GoingGoingGoth]

I was only 19 at the time (a long time ago now) thought I'd got it all cleaned up, so Mum didn't find out....forgot about the grill, all you could smell was burnt milk, the first time she used it
No problems since then. Did a casserole in ours today, came out lovely.

[AngelDog]

Loads of recipe ideas here.

Meat is lovely and tender.

[dishwashervodkaanddietirnbru]

we use ours more often than the slow cooker. Its good for bolognese, chilli and even curry if you are short of time

[bickie]

I love my JO pressure cooker. Worth getting a few recipe books. The Australian Women's Weekly one is great. Your first lamb shanks done in pressure cooker will convince you you flexed that Visa card wisely.

[Rooobs]

ooh, brilliant, thanks! Glad I'm having my impulse buying approved

[bickie]

One piece of advice I would give - but I am a food obsessive - so ignore if you're not too fussed. The secret to slow cooking - and perhaps why you were unhappy with slow cooker meals is often down to the meat. The meat you get in supermarkets already cut up and labeled 'stewing meat' is usually not marbled with enough fat. You are much better off going to a butcher and buying a slab of skirt or shoulder (the cheap stuff!) - and checking there is plenty of marbling of fat through the meat. This melts in a slow cook or under pressure, and gives stew a tender moist result. Hope that helps!

[Rooobs]

oh crikey, I so AM fussed!

The thing that bothered me most about slow cooking was how mince just disappears to mush. eurgh.

I like pork shoulder done in the slow cooker, but the wateriness still bothers me.

[bickie]

I was the same re slow cooking - and so did lots of research as I was determined to crack it - I was tired of eating crisps and a bottle of wine for dinner when too tired to cook after work then the bath time, homework, bedtime nightmare. So - here's what I found out - type of meat, as I said and then much less liquid in slow cookers than you thought. It will make it's own liquid, timing - you sort of need to let the meat rest as it will have that wooly mush effect straight after 8 hours of simmering - so I started timing it to be finished when home from work - then sit while I deal with bedtime etc. that definitely improves the flavour and texture. I find the bigger the pieces of meat the better - another reason to cut your own, and instead of mince I did meatballs and that seems to give a better result. The another annoying but unavoidable thing for good flavour and texture - is you really do need to brown most stuff first. The dream i had of just chucking everything in does produce mushy tasteless results. Which first thing in the morning is bit difficult - and why I hope you'll love the pressure cooker - I brown off meat as soon as I get home - plonk in liquid, set timer (usually 20 mins) them let sit to come down to natural pressure and good dinner awaits! Did Beef and Guinness pie mixture last night - and result was delicious! Good luck!

[Rooobs]

thanks for that bickie!

I think you're right about having to be a bit thoughtful about how to get the best results, kind of working with what you've got.

I'm really looking forward to the pressure cooker arriving now - wish it would hurry up!