[Sara Noel]

There aren't many topics on the forums about pressure cooking, but I thought I'd start this forum for folks that might be interested in learning more or sharing what they know.

 

[Spirit Deer]

Thanks, Sara!

I need to find out where I can get the gauge tested on my pressure canner.

 

[pinetree]

Thanks, I'm not sure how to use one except for canning.

 

[rainbowgc]

You can get your gauge checked at your county extension office. Look it up under county government services.

 

[ArmyOfFive4God]

Awesome! I just started about a year & a half ago!

 

[Spirit Deer]

I think our extension office is 110 miles away. Or it could be 50 miles. Either way, I wonder if they'd check it by mail.

My small pressure cooker has no gauge and I can use that for small batches of things, so that will work for lots of things.

 

[Spirit Deer]

I think our extension office is 110 miles away. Or it could be 50 miles. Either way, I wonder if they'd check it by mail.

My small pressure cooker has no gauge and I can use that for small batches of things, so that will work for lots of things.

 

[familyof3]

Great! Now can someone teach me how to use mine? I swear it's never been touched. It scares me a little...

 

[ArmyOfFive4God]

Great! Now can someone teach me how to use mine? I swear it's never been touched. It scares me a little...

Mine sat on the counter out of the box, washed & ready to go for weeks before I got the cajones to actually take her out on a maiden voyage. Once you go canner, you never go back, LOL

 

[mauimagic]

pressure cookers - great topic!!

familyof3 - I agree - pressure cookers scare me too. My parents used to used one and I remember the top blowing off - I am posiitive that they have come a long way since then.

Husband, who is a much better cook than I, has mentioned wanting one. Since I would like to learn to can things too, think I will get him one for his bday in April.

Now, would someone please suggest a size or type of pressure cooker that they prefer?

:hug2:

 

[StaceyS]

I've only used mine for canning, too. I've seen a recipe where you put like beans in the bottom and then a bowl for rice and cook them together - can't remember where I saw it though.

 

[ArmyOfFive4God]

Now, would someone please suggest a size or type of pressure cooker that they prefer?

:hug2:

IMHO I'd go for a pressure canner. You can cook AND can in a canner but you cannot can in a cooker.

That being said, I have a 16-qt pressure CANNER, but I really want a larger one. I use mine for both though, so I desire the larger for canning more queart jars.

 

[Spirit Deer]

I have several.

If you want one for cooking, I'd recommend an electronic one. I like mine because it's set it and forget it. It has a bunch of fail-safes on it to keep it from blowing the lid off, although I'm sure if it popped the valve off it would still make quite a mess.

I also have a pressure canner that will hold 7 or 8 quart jars, I forget which. That one has a gauge that needs to be checked for accuracy periodically.

Then I have a couple of smaller stove-top models. The one I have in the house will hold pint jars and also smaller sizes, so I'll be able to use it for smaller batches of stuff when I start canning again. It's also small enough to use for cooking. That one, and the smaller one in the motor home, both have weights on the cover that regulate the pressure by releasing small bursts of steam that's forced through a small hole in the lid where the weight sits.

I have a vintage book called Pressure Cooking is Pleasure Cooking. If you can find it, it's a good one IMO.

It's very easy to overcook things in a pressure cooker because they will cook things fast due to the increased pressure.

I haven't used any of my PCs in a while, so now I need to drag them out and cook something.