Cooking under high pressure can be a scary thought. Yet pressure is one of foods best friends. Pressure cookers cook under extremely high heat as well as high pressure. The hotter the foods cook the faster they cook. In favor a pressure cooker can cut your cooking time by over 70 percent. Can you imagine all that free time. Let’s find out what the pros and cons of pressure cooking can be.

Don’t Stress the Pressure

I’m sure some of you remember that awful noise grandma’s pressure cooker made. That ear popping rattling sound was anything but appetizing. Then Grandma ended up throwing her hands up when the food was popping up on the ceiling. Those days are long gone. Pressure cookers are designed today to create delicious meals in a short amount time with out all those hassles. It is now effective and user friendly.

Pressure cookers cook at temperatures that are higher than the boiling point. The heat is always quickly and evenly scattered throughout the food. This type of cooking eliminates the chances of bacteria and that awful food poisoning.

Time is of the essence with a pressure cooker. Slow cookers take hours to cook. Ovens take at least an hour and sometimes two or three hours. Pressure cookers can cook those same meals in a matter of minutes.  The unique design allows you to cut cooking time in more than half. Everybody can appreciate a little less stress and timelines in the kitchen. With a pressure cooker, cooking on short notice is a breeze.

There is no submerging the foods in water with a pressure cooker. All you need is just enough water to create steam. Less water means more vitamins and nutrients stay in the food and aren’t cooked away.  Because all of the foods are cooked in one area all the juices and flavors flow and melt together into one savory meal.

The Downfalls of Pressure

With pressure cooking there is a major risk of over cooking your food. Foods cook very fast in a pressure cooker. Knowing the recipe and the ins and outs of your cooker will help to avoid those overcooked meals.

Another fault the pressure cooker has is the possibility of a pressure explosion. Today’s versions are much safer because they are fitted with a release valve. This allows the steaming to escape when the pressure reaches a desired point. This in turn helps to release the pressure instead of having a build up which can lead to an explosion.

To help keep your pressure cooking safe make sure the pressure cooker has at least two pressure release devices making for double the protection against the possibility of explosions. Also a safety lock lid will keep the lid from being opened once the pressure reaches a certain level. One last tip, be sure the pressure cooker has a quick pressure release valve that allows for manual control the pressure within the pot.

These are just a few things that make pressure cooking a good idea. Pressure cookers aren’t a scary way of cooking any more. They are economical and save time and money which is always a plus. Try pressure cooking and see just how great that fast cooked meal can taste.