So you’ve finally purchased an electric pressure cooker – congratulations! We know you’re going to really enjoy it. We have also provided some tips for cooking with electric pressure cookers so you can get the most out of your appliance, resulting in delicious pressure cooked meals.
Obviously, the manual that came with your electric pressure cooker will need to be read through before you start using it. Correct operation is always important when it comes to pressure cooking with a new appliance. Regardless of how many pressure cookers you have owned in your lifetime.
Filling Your Electric Pressure Cooker
When cooking with electric pressure cookers and any pressure cooker for that matter, you want to be careful that you don’t overfill the pot. Just because you have a large pressure cooker doesn’t mean that it should be filled to the brim with food.
Nor should the food be packed tightly inside. Food that doesn’t expand will cook fine with the pot 2/3 full of liquid. Food that does expand will cook best with the pot no more than halfway full. The steam needs to create pressure and if you overfill your pressure cooker it won’t function correctly, resulting in a wasted meal.
Releasing Pressure on Your Electric Cooker
We advise that you follow the instructions that came in the manual for your specific electric cooker model. The pressure cooker recipes you use may call for a release via cold water but you won’t do that with an electric cooker. You might be better off finding recipes that are specific to your electric cooker to avoid frustration or trial and error of your favorite recipes.
Timing and Cooking With Electric Pressure Cookers
The timing is always important when you’re using a pressure cooker of any kind. The time will make or break your meal meaning it will turn out amazing or it will be less than tasty. Always be aware of how much time your meal needs to cook and when the electric cooker has finished.
You can also look online for timing references for different foods when cooking with a pressure cooker. We recommend doing so in order to get the most from your electric pressure cooker meals. You don’t want to over or under cook your food. The upside to cooking with electric pressure cookers is that many have pre-sets for different foods so it takes the guesswork out of cooking your food.
Deglaze Your Electric Cooker if Cooking Certain Vegetables or Meat
Should your recipe include meats or certain vegetables that are better browned first then you’ll need to deglaze the pot before you add any remaining ingredients. This process is simple and can be done with water, broth or wine. Remove the meats and/or vegetables from the pot then add a little bit of wine, broth or water. Then place the food back in the cooker, along with any remaining ingredients and let the electric cooker finish cooking.
Maintaining Your Electric Pressure Cooker
When you’re cooking with electric pressure cookers you want to keep up on the maintenance and use it correctly so it lasts for years to come. And so it continues to perform at optimum efficiency. If you need a part replaced, replace it. Never use your electric cooker if there are any issues with the parts or functions. You don’t want to risk human injury from of a defect that could have been avoided.
Valuable Pressure Cooking Tips
We’ve provided the following tips for cooking with a pressure cooker so you can make delicious and tasty pressure cooker recipes, every single time.
Brown the Ingredients, Especially Meat
When using a pressure cooker you should brown your vegetables and meat before cooking under pressure. Just add some olive oil to the bottom of the pot and brown on all sides. Add a little bit of broth or water to loosen up any stuck particles and then add any remaining ingredients. Now you can start the pressure cooking process. Electric pressure cookers often have a setting for browning.
Pay Close Attention to Water Amounts
Pressure cookers cook food under pressure and therefore don’t require a lot of water as the liquid cannot escape and evaporate. Regardless of the kind of food you’re cooking, low water levels are best; never fill the pot more than halfway.
Pay Close Attention to Food Amounts
Just because you’re using a large pressure cooker doesn’t mean you need to fill it to the brim when cooking with it. Regardless of how big your pressure cooker is you never want to fill it more than 2/3 full. In addition, you should add the ingredients loosely and not pack them tightly. This will ensure your food is cooked properly and your pressure cooker keeps working efficiently.
Pressure Cooking on High Heat then Low Heat
If you have a stovetop pressure cooker you want to start on high heat and once the appropriate pressure is reached turn the heat down to low. Electric pressure cookers don’t require any manual temperature adjustments and automatically takes care of this for you.
Pressure Cooking at High Altitudes
If you live 3000 feet above sea level you have to alter your pressure cooking times. For every 1000 feet you want to increase the cooking time 5%.
Adding Dairy Products when Pressure Cooking
Just as with conventional cooking methods, cooking dairy products under high pressure can cause them to curdle. We recommend adding any dairy at the end of cooking, as well as any herbs to keep their flavor and nutritional value.
Read Your Pressure Cooker Manual
The most important tip you’ll ever receive as the proud owner of a pressure cooker is to read the instruction manual. Not only will you have an understanding of how your device works you may find some inspiration with any included pressure cooker recipes.