There are some very compelling reasons to invest in a good stainless steal, 6 to 8 quart pressure cooker. This is big enough to serve four to six with some leftovers.
For those of you who may be looking for a way to cook with less energy usage, this will do the trick. We enjoy beans of all kinds and use propane for our cooking. I have often considered the amount of time it take to cook pinto beans on the stove top pot. Dry beans often take a couple of hours to cook. In a pressure cooker that time can be cut down to 25 minutes or less. This is a significant fuel and energy savings. Potatoes cook in 5 minutes, winter squash in 5 minutes, artichokes in 10 minutes, beets in 10 to 15 minutes, brown rice in 15 minutes, and stew meat in 15 minutes. It is estimated that the savings could be more than $350. per year in energy cost, depending on your energy source. Most pressure cookers will last for 20 years or more.
Many foods benefit from slow cooking, which is what you basically are doing in a pressure cooker, in less time. This type of cooking intensifies the flavors of foods.
All American and Cuisinart make good stainless steal pressure cookers. We have also seen them sold at Macy’s. You can spend from $50 to a couple of hundred dollars on a cooker. Aluminum cookers are also available starting at $30. We prefer stainless steal. There are also electric models available. We haven’t used them so can’t speak to how well they work.
Here are some sites to check out: www.allamericancooker.com, www.cuisinart.com, www.fargoamerica.com, www.mirropressurecookers.com, www.pressurecooker-outlet.com
Once you get used to using a pressure cooker, you won’t want to be without one.
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The Winter Gardening Guide