Buying a pressure cooker: This is what you should know about pressure cookers

With a pressure cooker you can prepare entire meals gently, quickly and in an energy-saving manner. Here you can find out everything you need to know about the practical steam pressure cookers.

This is what happens in the pressure cooker

food in one pressure cooker Preparing it isn’t rocket science. Basically, the process can be broken down into a few steps. First you prepare all the ingredients. Then meat, vegetables and co. can be put into the pot together with a minimum amount of liquid, which is usually specified in the recipe or the instructions for use of your pressure cooker. Unlike conventional pots, the pressure cooker is now sealed airtight with a lid.

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During heating, pressure builds up – hence the name – raising the boiling point of the liquid. The higher cooking temperature can reduce the time it takes to enjoy your ready-made meal by up to 70 percent. But beware: The pressure that has built up in the pressure cooker during cooking must first escape by cooling down or via the valve integrated in the lid before you can safely open the pot!

Buy pressure cooker: There are these variants

There are generally two different types of pressure cookers. On the one hand there is the electric pressure cooker and on the other hand the stove top pressure cooker. While the former works on electricity alone, independent of your stove, you actually have to place the latter on a hot stovetop for the pot to do its work. Both versions have their advantages and disadvantages.

Here’s how you can get an electric one pressure cooker almost completely left to themselves. In addition to a desired start time, you can use the integrated control panel to select various other settings, such as the desired cooking temperature and even warming functions. The cooker then controls the heat, pressure and all other settings automatically.

A conventional pressure cooker for the stovetop, on the other hand, requires manual monitoring. You have to keep checking the heat and pressure during cooking and adjust them if necessary. On the other hand, these pots can get hotter and build up more pressure than the automatic representatives, which not only shortens the cooking time, but also ensures more intense flavors. It is therefore important to weigh up which advantages are more important to you personally if you want to buy one of the two pressure cookers.

Why buy a pressure cooker?

In addition to the speed of the cooking process, there are various other reasons that speak for buying a pressure cooker. In this way, the vitamins and minerals in the ingredients are largely retained during preparation in the pressure cooker (around 90 percent of vitamins C and B1 and 96 to 100 percent of the minerals).

You also need significantly less energy because your pressure cooker uses it much more efficiently. And: You can actually prepare almost any dish in your pressure cooker. From real chicken broth and creamy soups to pot roasts, risotto and porridge to fluffy cheesecake.

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The portion size you can prepare in your pressure cooker depends on two factors: the size of your pot and the volume of the ingredients. In general, the pot can be filled two-thirds or less. However, beans, rice and grains are a special case because they produce a lot of starchy foam. You should fill in a little less here in order to be able to use your pressure cooker safely. However, the associated recipes and instructions usually also provide information on the maximum filling quantity.

summary

• Pressure cookers generate overpressure inside, which ensures that the ingredients inside are cooked faster.
• The cooking time is reduced by up to 70 percent.
• Electronic pressure cookers work completely automatically and come with various additional functions such as an adjustable start time and warming level.
• Stovetop pressure cookers need to be monitored during cooking and the heat adjusted manually if necessary, but they can cook even faster.
• The lid may only be opened when the pot has cooled down or the pressure has been released manually.
• Preparation in the pressure cooker preserves most of the vitamins and minerals in the ingredients and saves energy.