Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Emilie,

It's what Santa brought. It's this one: http://www.amazon.com/MaxiMatic-EPC-607 ... 003K2OEW0/

It's quite satisfactory, especially if you can get a deal on it, which I think my in-laws did (I suspect CostCo); it cooks well, has a browning function, is easy to clean up, etc. The controls are rather too minimalist for my taste (it's hard to tell if it's on or not, let alone if it's pressurizing), but I dig the "uterus" front panel design.

The electric I conistently see recommended by pressure cooking geeks is the Instant Pot; its about twice the price of the MaxiMatic, but is apparently better in ways I'm not yet equipped to understand. And then there's the electric vs. stovetop argument, which I won't even go into.

CMD,

As an electric, it only goes to 12PSI. This means adjusting recipes for stovetop PCs by +25% or so.

Mary,

I found HipPressureCooking, thanks! They're the site I was thinking of in terms of "gives times, does not give liquid quantities" on the other thread. Some good stuff otherwise. Kuhn Rikon app?

Yes. Gives time and liquid quantities and is a timer. Check their site for a link.

Mary

Josh,

The browning feature of most electric PCs is wimpy. I still brown conventionally, then transfer to PC.

Emilie, when my 8-qt. electric died, I was very sad, as they're hard to find. I ended up buying a 6-qt. Cuisinart, and have been pleased with it. I'm kind of in the opposite position as you. I have a small electric, but want a large stove-top, so I can can. (Wow...never used that word back-to-back in such a way.)

Amy

I have the 6 qt electric Cuisinart and I use it constantly. I made a small batch of turkey stock in it yesterday as a matter of fact. However, I don't find I cook much in it, other than beans or stocks. I also prefer the taste and consistency of things actually braised, and if I have to cook it way down on the stove afterwards it pretty much defeats the purpose for me and I will just use my crockpot for that dish.

I also have a medium sized pressure canner (which is cooling from processing the stock from yesterday) but I am never actually used it to cook in. It's a good sized pot and there are only two of us, after all!

--Lisa

Thanks Amy and Lisa, I'm going to check out that 6 quart Cuisinart. In the meantime, I know there have been a few threads on this before, but as far as your stock, does it come out more clear when you make it in the pressure cooker?

I always cook mine in the pot of my 23 quart canner and make a ton at one time, and then can it. I use at least 4 or 5 rotisserie chicken carcasses I've frozen (that always have some meat left on them), along with a bunch of frozen scraps of carrots/onions/celery (plus whatever fresh I have of those in the fridge that are past their prime). Plus a few fresh herbs and peppercorns. I cook it for at least 4 hours and I try not to let it actively boil (I read somewhere that doing that helps it stay clear).

But still, once it's been canned and cooled, the stock in the top half of the jars is clear but the bottom half has funky looking clouds in it. It's always flavorful but it definitely isn't pretty. (I always shake the jar as soon as I grab it off the shelf to use, otherwise it kind of grosses me out.) So I'd love to hear anyone's ideas/suggestions.

Thanks!

Emilie

Lisa, do you ever cook Cuban food? A lot of Cuban recipe use the pressure cooker (e.g., Cuban pot roast).

Emilie, I also use my 22 qt pc as a pot to do chicken stock. Mine is always a little brown regardless of how I make it, but it works, so I've stopped worrying about it.

I actually am not a fan of PC stock. I find it's a little too brown and slightly cloudy for my taste.

Amy

Hi Emilie,

The Pressure Cooker stock won't be more clear than your regular stock unless you clarify it with an egg raft. I never bother. I used to make my stock exactly as you did, 20 quarts at a time and cooked for 24 hours in the oven at 200, and I still do every once in a while when I find myself with an unexpected amount of bones. I got gelled stock about 75% of the time with that method.

I don't find the slightly more yellow color or slight cloudiness of the pressure cooker stock to be unsightly for home use but YMMV. I always, 100% of the time, get a gelled stock from the pressure cooker without having to cook it down further and it always has great taste once seasoned.

--Lisa

Alina,

I missed your comment earlier - I cook a lot of Cuban food but the person who taught me didn't have a pressure cooker (a friends Mom who came on the Peter Pan flights). So I learned stove top. I'll take any recipes you want to send me!

--Lisa

Mary,

Thanks! I'll check it out once I'm back in a reception area.

Amy,

Ah, you forget that I'm a mostly-veg, though. So all I need the browning function to do is sweat onions, something it's fine for.