| |
Care
for Pressure Cookers |
| |
-
Remove the
rubber ring (gasket) and wash by hand.
-
Some pressure
cooker bases are dishwasher safe. Check before you buy.
-
Never put the
lid in the dishwasher as it can damage the valves.
-
Never store
the cooker with the lid locked as it can damage the rubber
seal. Also, if there’s any moisture in the pot, it will
create a vacuum seal that’s almost impossible to open.
-
Store the
cooker with the lid placed upside down.
Are Pressure Cookers
Dangerous?
A pressure cooker is perfectly safe to use, as long as
common sense safety practices used with any cooking
method are followed. Early models of these cookers were
generally not equipped with safety features such as
valves to let excess pressure escape.
|
| |
How do Pressure Cookers
Work?
Pressure cookers use the chemical properties of
water to help food cook more quickly. At sea level,
water can only heat up to 100° C (212° F) before it
boils, transforming into steam.
However, if the water is under
pressure, the temperature needed to make it boil
increases. Pressure cookers work by cranking up the
pressure on water so that it can become hotter, and cook
food more quickly
|
| |
|
See more guides… |
|
|
|
|
| |
Rapid Cooking |
| |
|
Modern pressure
cookers are usually set to 15 pounds per square inch,
which allows water to reach about 125°C (257°F). The
results can be dramatic. Rice or raw potatoes, which
take about half an hour to boil in regular
cookware,
can be fully cooked in five minutes. Furthermore, the
shorter cooking time of pressure cookers also helps food
retain its flavor, reducing the need for salt, butter,
and other additives.
Buying
Pressure Cookers
When buying this piece of cookware for your home, you’ll
first need to decide what kind of material you prefer.
There are two standard materials used in modern-day
pressure cookers: aluminum and
stainless steel.
Aluminum cookers are less expensive and conduct heat
well, but there is the risk of food sticking to the
surface.
Stainless steel cookers are more expensive, but tend to
endure better over time. They keep a lustrous shine
throughout the years, and feel heavier and more solid.
However, as stainless steel does not conduct heat well,
ensure that you check that the pressure cooker you are
considering purchasing has a solid layer of aluminum or
copper on the bottom.
Furthermore, make sure that the pressure cookers that
you are considering buying are made by a well-known
brand and verified by an independent testing
laboratory. Safety features like a pressure release
valve should be present.
|
|
See more articles… |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|