I recently bought a 6 qt. stainless steel Presto pressure cooker and it is one of the best items I have ever bought! It sure saves time and I feel food cooked in it is much healthier than a microwave. It's great for cooking roasts but I've also cooked potatoes in it for mashing - 10 minutes, cabbage in wedges - 5 minutes, frozen broccoli - 2 minutes. It is a great timesaver and I would highly recommend one. They are safe and nothing to be afraid of!! They also make a 4 qt. which might be better for small families. I'm thinking I might later get a 4 qt. one also as I can see where I could use two at a time. Oh, I also cooked great northern beans in it and they took a mere 30 minutes!!! Does anyone else have one and what do you cook in it?

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), February 03, 2002

Answers

I have one and love it. Corned beef in an hour, Swiss steak in 15 minutes! I know a lot of people are afraid of pressure cookers because they have heard horror stories of them blowing up; however, those were years ago and today's pressure cookers are made completely differant now. Every one made since the late 1980's have automatic pressure releases (required by law) that keep them from blowing up if they get too much pressure. It pops a valve that lets out the excess steam. So if you have put off getting one because your afraid to use them, don't..they are prefectly safe!

By the way if you are missing or need replacement parts go to Pressure Cooker Oulet. They ship really fast (had my parts within 3 days!). They carry parts for Presto, Mirro, All American, and Maitre's, and are cheaper than any place else I have found. They also have canning equipment, etc.

If you have a Presto pressure cooker first go to this site: Presto Parts Calculator to determine your parts number.

Click here for a tons of Pressure Cooker Recipes - everything from meat, to vegetables, to desserts - even cheesecake...who knew!

-- Karen (mountains_mama@hotmail.com), February 03, 2002.

A pressure cooker is a great way to cook chicken for purpose of making chicken salad, or casseroles. Quick, easy and chicken is soooo tender.

A crockpot works great too.

Marie

-- Marie (prettyhollow@yahoo.com), February 03, 2002.

I usually good soup beans in ours, it's so much faster. Also good for roast and veggies.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), February 03, 2002.

I've been thinking about getting a pressure cooker since last summer (that's when I started to preserve my own fruit & veggies and use the water bath method of canning). I really would like to try new recipes and foods this year that I know I would need a pressure cooker for. What size would you recommend for home cooking use as well as for canning?

-- claudia in NY (cooleyville@aol.com), February 04, 2002.

Claudia, you almost have to have 2 separate pressure cookers for canning and cooking. You need a big pressure canner to can. Mine is a 15 1/2 qt. American canner that I found at a flea market for about $20. I believe they cost over $100 new. It is aluminum. It is too big really to cook in although I suppose you could. Also, I don't like to cook in aluminum. Since the food you are canning is in jars, it is ok to use it for canning. I don't know if they make pressure canners that big out of stainless steel and even if they do, the cost would be prohibitive. That is why I wanted a smaller stainless steel pressure canner. I bought a 6 qt. stainless steel one at WalMart for $69. They also make 4 qt ones which would be big enough for a small family, in fact, that would have really been big enough for us. They certainly are a much underused convenience tool!

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), February 05, 2002.