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You've probably got one sitting in the back corner of your cupboard. Or maybe it's out in the garage on a shelf. You know it's supposed to be used in the kitchen. You remember your Mom or an aunt using it during your childhood. Or maybe you vaguely remember using it, but don't know why you're still keeping it around.
Yes, I know that may apply to many kitchen tools and appliances. This one in particular is your pressure saucepan, or what some call a pressure cooker. This is not to be confused with a pressure canner. The canner is used to process low-acid foods in jars.
The pressure cooker or saucepan is that kettle with the lid that has a gasket that you twist to lock on, has a safety valve and a weight that fits on one of the knobs on the lid.
Now, it's all coming back. Pressure saucepans are ideal to cook foods in a hurry. When the liquid inside boils, it's trapped and builds up pressure, creating a higher cooking temperature and shorter cooking time. The safety valve that will automatically release pressure if it builds too high and the safety lids are impossible to open until the pressure has reduced.
You'll find foods cook up to 70 percent faster under pressure. You can cook a 4-pound chicken in about 20 minutes. It allows you to cook lower-cost cuts of meat into tender pieces that fall off the bone. It's ideal for soups and stews, and many people like to use it to significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to cook dried beans.
Because food that is pressure-cooked gets done so quickly, you will notice increased flavor and better texture. Because food is cooked in less liquid for a shorter amount of time, more vitamins and minerals are retained than in traditional or slow cooking. Once you start using your cooker and find out all its advantages, you'll be wondering how you ever lived without one and why you've been hiding it in the cupboard for so long.
So dust it off, clean it up and make sure you have all of the parts and that they are working well. For safety reasons, this is very important. Check the manufacturer's Web site to get the user manual for your particular model if that is missing. Also, consider replacing the rubber ring or gasket. Start off using recipes designed specifically for pressure cookers until you get the hang of it. Soon, you'll feel confident adapting traditional recipes. Watch for classes offered by the Master Food Preservers to learn more ways to use your pressure saucepan.
Now is the time to be thinking about applying to be a Master Food Preserver. Classes will be from April through June. Check the Douglas County Extension Web page, http://extension.oregonstate.edu/douglas/food, for the application and more information.
Susan Busler is the Family Community Development Extension Agent for OSU Extension Service of Douglas County. She can be reached by e-mail at susan.busler@oregonstate.edu or by phone at 541-672-4461.
Yes, I know that may apply to many kitchen tools and appliances. This one in particular is your pressure saucepan, or what some call a pressure cooker. This is not to be confused with a pressure canner. The canner is used to process low-acid foods in jars.
The pressure cooker or saucepan is that kettle with the lid that has a gasket that you twist to lock on, has a safety valve and a weight that fits on one of the knobs on the lid.
Now, it's all coming back. Pressure saucepans are ideal to cook foods in a hurry. When the liquid inside boils, it's trapped and builds up pressure, creating a higher cooking temperature and shorter cooking time. The safety valve that will automatically release pressure if it builds too high and the safety lids are impossible to open until the pressure has reduced.
You'll find foods cook up to 70 percent faster under pressure. You can cook a 4-pound chicken in about 20 minutes. It allows you to cook lower-cost cuts of meat into tender pieces that fall off the bone. It's ideal for soups and stews, and many people like to use it to significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to cook dried beans.
Because food that is pressure-cooked gets done so quickly, you will notice increased flavor and better texture. Because food is cooked in less liquid for a shorter amount of time, more vitamins and minerals are retained than in traditional or slow cooking. Once you start using your cooker and find out all its advantages, you'll be wondering how you ever lived without one and why you've been hiding it in the cupboard for so long.
So dust it off, clean it up and make sure you have all of the parts and that they are working well. For safety reasons, this is very important. Check the manufacturer's Web site to get the user manual for your particular model if that is missing. Also, consider replacing the rubber ring or gasket. Start off using recipes designed specifically for pressure cookers until you get the hang of it. Soon, you'll feel confident adapting traditional recipes. Watch for classes offered by the Master Food Preservers to learn more ways to use your pressure saucepan.
Now is the time to be thinking about applying to be a Master Food Preserver. Classes will be from April through June. Check the Douglas County Extension Web page, http://extension.oregonstate.edu/douglas/food, for the application and more information.
Susan Busler is the Family Community Development Extension Agent for OSU Extension Service of Douglas County. She can be reached by e-mail at susan.busler@oregonstate.edu or by phone at 541-672-4461.
