Modern pressure cookers are one of the best tools to help retain nutrition in the foods you cook while shaving cooking time by as much as 2/3rds. And if you're worried about--KERBLAM!--an exploding pressure cooker, forget it. It's a myth. Today's models are full of safety valves and other features that don't allow them to over pressurize.
How they work
A little science: Heated water reaches boiling temperature at about 212 degrees, and there it stays with water steaming away, unless you put it in a sealed pressure cooker, trapping that escaping steam. With no place to for the steam to go, heat builds up, and under about 15 pounds of pressure, water temperature reaches 257 degrees, cooking food all the faster. A pot roast that might take 3 hours emerges scrumptious and fork-tender in about 1 hour. Soups and stews take a fraction of the time. Rice and beans cooks faster and vegetables take only minutes.
Why is nutritional value increased?
Let's say you decide to cook some carrots in boiling water. Many of the vitamins are volatile, meaning they escape with the steam when water boils. However, since very little steam escapes a pressure cooker, those vitamins and nutrients stay in the food. Up goes the nutritional value in every bite. So if you want to get more from your vegetables, grains, legumes, and meat and save time, start cooking under pressure
What kind should I get?
It really depends on the size of your family and how many options you want. Pressure cookers come in capacities as small as 4 quarts on up to 21 quart monsters used for cooking and canning. There are stovetop and electric versions.
If you are just entering the world of pressure cooking, a simple stainless stovetop cooker is a dependable choice. Stainless stovetop versions usually have thick bottoms that spread the heat quite evenly and are dishwasher safe. Electric versions offer a wider selection of features. To help sort out some of this confusion, Good Houskeeping Magazine tested 19 pressure cookers both stovetop and electric and chose five models they considered best. Remember, no matter what model you choose, all pressure cookers help retain vitamins and speed up your cooking.
Many conventional recipes convert to pressure cooking
But what about your trove of favorite recipes? Once you get familiar with your pressure cooker and its faster cooking times, you'll be able to convert many of your dishes. In some cases they'll even come out more tender, juicy flavorful.
Turn up the pressure and raise the nutrition
Today's pressure cookers are safe, dependable and easy to use. Get the most out of the food you cook in the least amount of time. Just turn on the heat and turn up the pressure.
Mark Friedman - Mark Friedman is a freelance copywriter and creative director working out of Woodstock, NY.
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