Can I reduce Christmas pud steaming time?

[Raera]

I've made the same recipe for years and steaming time is 7 hours.
It's been on 3 hours so far and I'm concerned about the amount of fuel I'm using. How long do others steam for?

Watching....

Not helpful now you've started, but you can cook it in a pressure cooker, which brings the time down to about 2.5 hours

Does that steam after you make it, mean that on the day that you eat it, you can also steam for less time?

Was going to suggest making multiple small puds with your mix but that won't work if you've started. It stays hot and steamy for quite a while after turning off the electricity/gas - could you put it on for 15 minutes at a time then off for 15 minutes and halve the time overall amoujt of fuel needed?

My pressure cooker broke!

It's usually steam for 7 hours after mixing. Another 2 hours on Christmas Day

The on and off suggestion is a good one, that's what a microwave does isn't it?

Too late now but do you have a slow cooker? I always do mine overnight in the slow cooker, about 10hrs on low is perfect. Also use slow cooker to heat it up on Christmas day this saving hob space .

I don't have a slow cooker, but will borrow one for Christmas Day, thanks for the tip. How long to reheat? High or low? Do I put water in?

You can microwave to reheat remember

Xmas puddings need to be thoroughly cooked as they go mouldy otherwise (voice if experience)

I was going to say pressure cooker as well, but not much use as yours broke.
When you say broke- is it repairable? You can get seals, weights and gaskets pretty easily on ebay or companies like e-spares.

Yes, boiling water at the bottom about 2cms and I raise mine up off the base by standing basin on a couple of metal skewers. Half an hour in high and then about 2hrs on low.

@Raera

microwave 10 mins

I also slow cook mine, actually found it tastes nicer too and the added bonus of not needing to babysit it!

I heard you and so have decided to do the 7 hours as usual, how long had you cooked when it went mouldy?
I reckon the cost of gas saving won't compensate for the very expensive ingredients if it went off

I used to have a slow cooker but gave it away when I did early retirement as I wasn't using it.
Guess what is going on my Christmas list for Santa if it is going to save on fuel bills!
Thanks everybody!

Do you have to use a specific recipe to pressure cook or can I just make my pudding as usual in a ceramic basin with a greaseproof paper and foil lid and pressure cook it?

I've always just used a standard recipe (one from my Nan) and yes ceramic basin / greaseproof/foil just as per normal. Just shorter cooking time, my pressure cooker recipe booklet had instructions by size of pud, but I'm sure you could also find guides online.

I stand the basin on the little trivet-thing that came with the cooker

Thanks

Thank you Raera

Another vote for the slow cooker.

It’s very good for anything that needs time. Whole beetroot, oranges for marmalade or oranges and almond cake, quince, Christmas pudding.

I was going to suggest this, I make suet puddings in the SC.

I don't use skewers, I fold up a tea towel and put that underneath.

You just need the bottom of the pudding basin to not be in contact with the SC.

Sorry to hijack..... can I ask how long you steamed it the time it went mouldy? I posted a similar question last week when I had to go out unexpectedly and couldn't finish steaming my pudding. It has had about 4.5 hours and the consensus was it was fine? Do you think that it will still go mouldy? Maybe I should steam it again if it hasn't gone mouldy already!