Got a new pressure cooker from my boys this Christmas. What can I cook in it? I need some good recipes. I tried baked beans, but the beans stayed hard. I guess you have to soak them overnight. I quick soaked them by letting them sit in boiled water for one hour. Thanks for the help. Mary

-- Mary Fraley (kmfraley@orwell.net), December 29, 2000

Answers

Brown chuck roast in skillet salt and pepper if you want...Put roast in cooker with 2c water...cook under pressure for 35 min for two pound roast...let pressure down...if roast is done like you want it, take it out...put carrots, cabbage hunks, potatoes and onion quarters in water left from roast...cook under pressure 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Soak dry beans at least 8 hours...drain...put in cooker add 2 1/2 times water than beans, I use the rack with the beans...add an onion, hot pepper, salt, pepper...cook 30-40 minutes depending on what type of beans...enjoy! Anasasi, great northern, navy beans and black beans cook quicker. Garbanzo, yellow eye and limas take longer. You can add other veggies if you want.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), December 29, 2000.

If you have a pressure cooker you can prepare a piping hot family meal of meat and veggies on just one stove burner.

Put spuds (sorry, potatoes), carrots etc in the pressure cooker with just a little water, maybe 1 inch deep. Heat until steam comes from the pressure valve. Put the cooker aside but do not release the steam pressure.

Now cook the meat dish. Release the steam pressure and serve up. We do this on a sailboat for a daily hot meal (up to six men). The galley has a single pressure burner type stove.

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), January 01, 2001.

Just a thought about the hard beans. Be sure all dried vegetables, especially beans, are completely rehydrated and somewhat tender before you add any salt, sugar or tomato product. Theses things will prevent the further absorption of water and you can cook them until the cows come home and they won't get tender.

I've done a quick soak too but I put the beans in cold water, bring them to a boil and allow to boil about 5 minutes, then cover and set aside for an hour. They are almost tender by that time. I usually do this when I can dry beans and add salt when I fill the jars. Complete cooking takes place in the canner and they are just as good as commercially canned beans but cheaper if you already have the tools and equipment for pressure canning.

I've had an aluminum cooker for years but just recently treated myself to a new stainless steel one. I was somewhat perturbed by the fact that I'd paid extra for SS only to find that the rack was still aluminum. I found a substitute that I already had.

There are some books at my local library on pressure cooking that I've requested. I bet you can find some at yours as well. I don't have any particular recipes that weren't in my owners' manual. I do know that I can't make a decent pot roast without my cooker!

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), January 02, 2001.

Beef Stew: Salt & pepper 2# of stew meat, then coat well in flour. Heat your pressure cooker with 4 tablespoons corn oil in the bottom. When hot, brown the floured stew meat on all sides; stir often. Add peeled, large chunks of potato and carrots (1 1/2 cups each). Quarter a medium onion & add to the pot. Add hot water till pot is 2/3 full. Add more salt & pepper (or your favorite stew seasonings) to taste. Secure top to the bottom of cooker and heat on med/high heat till steam vents from the top. Place the cock weight on and reduce heat to med/low. You want it to hiss and rock the weight every 3 to 4 seconds. Start your timing & cook for 15 mins. The floured meat will make it's own 'gravy' to serve with your homemade biscuits! Don't forget to set out the citron preserves to go on those hot buttered biscuits! Isa. 55:2

-- Eve (owenall@lwol.com), January 03, 2001.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have made pot roast and a chicken dinner that was quite good. Mary

-- Mary Fraley (kmfraley@orwell.net), January 04, 2001.

I just got a new pressure cooker for Christmas myself. I didn't see anywhere on the box or pot itself that told whether it was stainless steel {like I'm hoping} or aluminum. How would I tell? I know that my hubby paid around $50 for it {I saw the reciept!} , so I'm guessing it would be ss. Anyway, I was also, like Mary, looking for additional recipes, and wondering just how i would modify my usual recipes. I cooked some venison stew in it last night, and it came out great. However, I guess I cooled it down too much while trying to reduce the pressure --cooled down 5mins on the stove, then ran cold water over it in the sink until there was no visible steam coming from it- so the stew needed to be reheated in the microwave! What did I do wrong?? If anybody has an idea where to find some good meat and potatoes type of recipes for one of these things, I know I would, and am sure Mary would appreciate it! Let us know how you make out Mary- I'm going to try a roast in mine tonight......I'll let you know if we have to reheat it~LOL!!!

-- Nancy (heartsathome45@hotmail.com), January 01, 2002.

Try looking through this website, they have so much information on pressure cookers and hundreds of recipes: http://missvickie.com

-- linda pearl carl (lpmwc@mail.com), February 10, 2002.