In article .com>,
"aem" > wrote:

> zxcvbob wrote:
> > [snip]
> > Let's see... The beans were raw when they went in, and cooked when
> > they came out. Cooking is a process, so I don't know why you think
> > this distiction is important.
>
> We've never had a pressure cooker, and I've never understood why they
> are used for cooking, since they seem to require extra care to avoid
> kitchen disasters. I'm curious to knw if there is any advantage to
> them other than saving time?
>
> -aem
>

Pressure cookers are not as risky as one would think as long as you use
them right! Mom taught me to use one and she used it more than I ever
have.

The ONLY accident she ever had was once when she was cooking Lengua in
there. She had put in two of them and one curled up against the lid and
covered up the center pressure outlet blocking it!

Pressure cookers do have an additional little rubber pressure indicator
in the lid. That little rubber plug blew out and the sudden release of
pressure sprayed Lengua juice everywhere. ;-)

She was careful to never overload a pressure cooker again!

I've been using one now since I first started learning to cook from her
at 4 years of age and I'm 42 now and have never, ever had an accident or
problem! They are not as difficult to use as one might think and they,
at least in my opinion, seem to lock in flavor and texture for certain
foods and yes, save a LOT of time for some foods!

They are fantastic for making chicken or beef bone stock, and if cooked
long enough, the bones go very soft and can be crushed ane ether
composted or fed to the chickens.

They are a neat tool. :-)

Sorry about the overcooking I recommended for beans! Like I said, beans
are one thing I've never cooked in a pressure cooker! I've cooked splits
and lentils and liked to long, slow cook those to get the ham bone
flavor to really work itself into the mix.

Once the cooker comes up to pressure, rather than letting it continue on
high or medium, I turn it all the way down to low and just let it go. It
sort of acts as a slow cooker that way, but still cooks in a fraction of
the time it would have taken to use a crock pot.

--
K.

Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

There is no need to change the world. All we have to do is toilet train the world and we'll never have to change it again. -- Swami Beyondanada

>,,<Cat's Haven Hobby Farm>,,<Katraatcenturyteldotnet>,,<

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra