If you want to be quick when preparing dishes, then you should use a pressure cooker properly, which our guide will explain. But how does it work in the first place?
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1. Pressure cookers consume less energy
Every smart household has a pressure cooker at home – you might think. But it is no longer to be found in many kitchens. The reason is obvious. Many shy away from the higher costs. Because a pressure cooker costs of course more than a conventional pot. Nevertheless, one should consider perhaps investing the few dollars more. For the simple reason that a pressure cooker consumes less energy than conventional pots and you save a lot of money. The acquisition costs pay off over time and you have done exactly the right thing.
2. New pots keep the heat better
A pressure cooker is especially suitable for dishes that need to cook or cook for more than 20 minutes. There are mainly potatoes, but also many vegetables. Many also have old pressure cookers from earlier times, perhaps from their grandmother or the like. If these pots are still functional, then they can be used confidently. Although new pots keep the heat better or pass it on better, before using any at all, you should use it.
3. Use pressure cooker properly – step by step instructions
- If you want to cook something in a pressure cooker, you must always add some liquid to the pot. Depending on the diameter of the pot, 200 to 300 milliliters are required. The pot must be filled with liquid up to a maximum of 2/3.
- Now you need to close the lid properly. This is usually not so easy the first time. Finally, the lid must snap properly. To close a pressure cooker, turn the lid to the left until you hear a click. Many pressure cookers have a locking indicator that allows you to see exactly whether the lid is properly locked or not.
- A pressure cooker usually has two different cooking stages. The first cooking stage is the gentle level. With a low temperature of about 110 degrees, it is ideal for cooking fish and vegetables, for example. The second cooking level is the quick level. With a slightly higher temperature of about 120 degrees, this is ideal for cooking meat, potatoes and stews, for example.
- A pressure cooker always has a pressure indicator. This signals the temperature curve in the pot. When you reach the desired cooking level, you must reduce the temperature of the stove top.
- Now it’s time to evaporate. A specific symbol for this function is always recorded on the lid. To drain steam, you simply need to open the valve very slowly. But please be careful, because the leaking steam is very hot. Only when the complete steam has been drained you may open the pressure cooker. Then all you need to do is pick the cooked food and enjoy it.
4. Principle of a pressure cooker
So the principle of a pressure cooker is actually quite simple: when the dish is heated, steam forms. First of all, the air is pushed outwards through the valve. After the valve has closed automatically, the pressure increases in the pressure cooker, which increases the boiling temperature to about 120 degrees. When the dish is cooked, all you have to do is let the pressure escape and open the lid. So it’s not even that hard to use such a pot.
5. Benefits of a pressure cooker
The advantages of using a pressure cooker are obvious. You save not only half the time when cooking, but also a lot of energy and therefore money. Besides, you don’t need to cook everything individually. For example, if you want to cook a delicious potato stew, you can quietly put all the ingredients together in one pot. However, you should be aware that you always put food in the pot that has about the same cooking time.
