I'd never used a pressure cooker however, I'd never been hang gliding or cliff diving and isn't a pressure cooker the culinary equal to an extreme sport? It’s got the chance and it's got the chance and as far as I could see little real value. My stock pot, sauté pan and oven were handling things quite nicely, thanks greatly. So I was wary about looking at claims that pressure cookers had changed, that they are safe and also – honestly – deserved an area on my kitchen counter.

Pressure cookers aren’t new – these people were a fixture in British kitchens following your Second World War for your simple believe that they used less fuel. Marguerite Patten demonstrated them at Harrods in a very bid to further improve their popularity however it was challenging get beyond their links to post-war austerity Britain. “I think there were this really strong association of pressure cookers with rationing food, so a lot of of stewed offal and everything being very grey and beige,” says Catherine Phipps, food writer and author on the Pressure Cooker Cookbook. As soon as times improved, people ditched their pressure cookers and didn’t look back.

Whether you've got a stovetop cooker or even an electric stand-alone pressure or multicooker, it functions pretty much the identical. Pressure cookers such as a sealed pot that gathers steam pressure, that enables for faster cooking. The cooker includes a valve which enables control and release the steam pressure. Many devices also contain some form of gauge to assist you determine the quality of pressure you’ve accumulated at the table. This steam pressure is trapped in the pot, and contains nowhere to search but in the meat. Because pressure cooking adds moisture into the food, tougher meats like roasts are more tender after you prepare them in a very pressure cooker.

Releasing the pressure

Tip 1: A natural release might take longer than you imagine it should, according to what and just how much food you have from the cooker. My rule is to allow an all-natural release for quarter-hour. After that, I will release any residual pressure using the quick-release method without negative effects.

Tip 2: If the steam releasing through your pressure cooker in a quick-release actually starts to spit and sputter liquid, close the valve and allow the pressure drop naturally. You can also hold a kitchen towel higher than the pressure release valve to halt any splattering from messing up your cabinets.

Tip 3: Be careful opening the lid from the pressure cooker. Even though the pressure could have dropped, the foodstuff inside it is very hot and steam is going to be released.