Craftsy Pressure Cooker Class For New Pressure Cooker Owners

Dredger

Man, I hate to post two OT threads on the same day, but this just hit my email. http://www.craftsy.com/lecture/pressure-cooker-basics/13482.html   I know a lot of you got pressure cookers recently and have lots of questions. I have watched a couple of the lessons to see how good it was or wasn't and so far, I like it. I've used a pressure cooker for longer than I care to mention (decades), but this should really help newbies get their heads wrapped around all of the possibilities. It's on sale for $19.99 now. Good deal IMHO. Hope it helps.

SGH

Dredger said:

Man, I hate to post two OT threads on the same day, 

Nonsense sister, post anything and any amount that you like. OT or otherwise. Thank you for sharing the link. Of all the types of cooking out there, there is less info on PC cooking than any other method. Why? The inherit danger that came with the pre 80's pressure cookers. Many of these are still being used to this day. However with the advent of the new electrics, more and more info and recipes are starting to show up. 

Dredger

Thanks @SGH, that makes me feel better. I hope the link worked. Craftsy site is a bit different in that once you are enrolled, your lesson loads up even if you click on the listing, so it doesn't take you to the blurb info, but directly to the class. The title is Pressure Cooker Basics if my link doesn't work. A lot of people don't know that you can cook in pan inside of the PC. I even have a dessert insert to make flan and cheesecakes in the PC.

YukonRon

Are you kidding? The stupid stuff I post on here, trust me, you bring intel, people like me soak up. Keep posting. 

SGH

Dredger said:

A lot of people don't know that you can cook in pan inside of the PC. I even have a dessert insert to make flan and cheesecakes in the PC.

This is true sister. I have a metal coffee can that I use for the "pot in pot" method inside my pressure cooker. As of late, I have been playing around with a bread recipe using the coffee can in the PC. It's pretty darn good and done in less than 6 minutes. 

Dredger

Thanks @YukonRon. I know I appreciate when someone shares info too. @SGH, I would love to see your bread recipe. The insert I have makes really small desserts, but maybe that's a good thing, lol. I'll get a pic of it tomorrow. Gotta report for kitchen duty right now.

HeavyG

I make oatmeal via the "pot in a pot" method.

Interesting making bread in a PC. never thought about that. Had to look it up: http://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cooker-bread-less-energy-less-time-real-bread/

SGH

HeavyG said:

Interesting making bread in a PC. never thought about that. Had to look it up: 

Here is another unique one that I do in the PC. However Google probably won't yield any results for it though. Hog Head Cheese and Shoulder Cheese. Been doing it for over 40 years. 

northGAcock

Other than boiling peanuts (on the quick)....I didn't know there were other uses. Who new?

SGH

northGAcock said:

Other than boiling peanuts (on the quick)....I didn't know there were other uses. Who new?

Brother there are many great things that can be done in the PC. The biggest hang up I think that most folks have is that they remember their grandmother cooking chicken feet, coon or whatever with water only. This is basically boiled/ steamed meat. And I concur, it's not real appealing when done this way.
 However with just a little ingenuity, these same meats can be a real delicacy. Rather than use water, use beer, wine, Coke, soy sauce, mustard sauce, bbq sauce, white/brown gravy, roux, etc, etc. The list is near endless.
About the only thing that I use water for is soups, stews or steaming. And even then the water is heavily medicated with something. Usually liquid crab boil at a minimum.
 I'm certainly not saying that the PC is the ultimate cooking device. But just like a smoker or deep fryer, it's opens up a whole new door of opportunities. I will say this, for tough lean cuts, the PC has no equal when it comes to tenderizing them. You can literally reduce the meat to pulp if you so chose. Nothing even comes close.
Another beauty of the PC is speed and consistency. No matter how heavy you load it, it all cooks at the same rate due to the pressure. There is no dead or cool zones as there is with other methods. Have you ever overloaded a steamer pot with shrimp or crab? If so, you know the end result. Some will be overcooked and some will be undercooked. This is not the case when cooked under pressure.
 Another thing is that just about anything that you do in a crockpot or slow cooker can be done in the PC. The main difference being time. The PC will do it in minutes instead of hours. I think another thing that turns folks away from the PC is just not giving it a chance and learning timing. Like your grill or smoker, the food is done when it's done. However with the pressure cooker, only a few minutes can make the difference in perfectly cooked food and a pot of mush. But with a little practice and research this is easily avoidable.
I'm not trying to sell or sway folks into buying a PC. Just pointing out that they have far more uses than cooking coon and chicken feet. When used to their full potential, they are one of the most useful cooking apparatuses that a person can on. Especially for cooking wild game. When used incorrectly, they are a nightmare to say the least. But I assure you my friend that their use extends far beyond making peanuts. 
However for both the record and clarity, they really shine at making peanuts as well. 

Edit:
Above I listed a few things that can be used in lieu of water. A few that I use often but didn't include above are; cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, chicken broth/stock and beef stock/broth. All area much better than water in the PC.
Also the PC excels at cooking frozen meat. It will come out the same no matter if it's frozen or thawed. Simply add 2-3 minutes of time under pressure for frozen meat. 

northGAcock

@SGH  I am not worthy. I hand over the PC to you and others to perfect and enjoy. I actually have one and seldom if ever use it. Sometimes with a pot of greens.

Like the egg, generally I'm in no hurry to get things cooked in a short period of time. I actually prefer my peanuts cooked on the slow as well. I in no way intended to be negative towards the cooking method. More pressure to you and all. 

SGH

@northGAcock
For clarity, I did not take anything that you said as negative my friend. Not at all. I was just trying to clarify that the PC actually has many uses. It's no longer a dedicated chicken foot cooker. My apologies if my wording led you to believe that I took your response as negative. Because that is certainly not the case my friend. No harm no foul what so ever.