A pressure cooker is always a nice addition to any kitchen. It can cut down your food preparation in more than half in most occasions, letting you do more with your time and still enjoy excellent homemade meals. However, you’ll need to know a couple of things to make the most out of these kitchen appliances. To do that, a number of electric pressure cooker tips might come in handy.
Top Tips for Using an Electric Pressure Cooker
To help you get started on the right foot with your new electric pressure cooker, here are a few tips and tricks that any first-time user will be glad to know about.
Get acquainted with the terminologies.
If you intend to use your pressure cooker, it’s best to get to know the terminologies used by experts. This will help you follow recipes and instructions easier.
Cooking time depends on the PSI of the high and low settings of your pressure cooker.
It pays to know how much PSI your pressure cooker is capable of producing as it can greatly affect your cooking time. This might take some getting used to at first, so it’s best if you don’t experiment with your own recipes on your initial tries with this kitchen appliance.
Most pressure cookers come with a recipe book or a website filled with such online, so you can practice on those first before trying your own recipes.
Keep in mind the minimum and maximum liquid or food required in your pressure cooker.
Every kitchen appliance has a limited amount of ingredients that it can contain. Make sure to learn about these details so you won’t damage your unit and waste ingredients.
For maximum amounts, most units have a marker that will tell you that you can’t put in more ingredients above the line. For minimum amounts, you might need to check with the manufacturer.
Getting the right size of pressure cooker will also help minimize problems in this area. If you only cook for two or three people at a time, opt for a smaller unit. If you cook for a large household, go for a large unit. As these products come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, you can be sure that you won’t run out of options.
Read the manual.
Want to make sure that you’re doing the right thing and operating your pressure cooker properly? Read the manual. It will tell you all you need about your kitchen appliance and will help you make the most out of it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid when Using an Electric Pressure Cooker
Aside from the tips that you should always remember, there are also a few don’ts that you have to keep in mind.
Never force the lid open, especially while the unit is still in operation.
A quality electric pressure cooker comes with a tightly closing lid to ensure great performance and your safety. It will also have a lot of safety features in place, so prying the lid open forcibly will definitely lead to disasters.
It will damage your unit at the very least and cause major burns and injuries at the worst. Make sure to release all of the pressure inside the appliance before opening it to ensure safety.
Don’t drown your ingredients with water.
There’s always a good ratio of solids to liquids in every recipe. Avoid adding too much water in your dish as it can dilute the flavor and prevent you from enjoying a hearty dish.
Don’t use the pressure cooker for everything.
Sometimes you can get overly enthusiastic about using a new appliance that you’ll be willing to use just about any ingredient with it. Don’t do this as not every ingredient is ideal for your pressure cooker.
Boneless chicken breasts, bean sprouts, and others can be easily cooked by sautéing, so they shouldn’t be the first things you use with a new electric pressure cooker. If you insist, they might turn out to be dry, tough, or mashed, leaving you with some wasted and tasteless food.
Don’t forget to release the flavor of your herbs and aromatics before putting them into your pressure cooker.
For a really tasty dish, don’t forget to saute your onions, garlic, and gingers, as well as rub or crush your herbs. Doing these will help you release their flavors more easily, guaranteeing a delicious dish.
Conclusion
To get the best results out of your pressure cooker, knowing how to use it will always help. These are just a few of the most important electric pressure cooker tips, so make sure to keep them in mind.
Keep yourself safe and your unit in excellent condition by following a few reminders and using your electric pressure cooker properly.