I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

I came on here to post cause I am scared I am going to blow something up!!! Imagine that I found we have an entire forum devoted to pressure cooking!!!! Oh my gosh. I hope this goes well. The thingeee mijingeeee FINALLLY started jingling. Oh my gosh. I thought the pan was going to go flying into the ceiling!!!! I even put my safety glasses on. I was SO SCARED........I am laughing so hard writing this out...........

Any pressure cooker experts out there???????????????????

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

I just used a pressure cooker/canner for the first time last night to can tomatoes. I was so scared of the thing I acted like I couldn't understand the directions and made dh do it all. :shifty

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

Someone saw my thread!!! :giggle

I COMPLETELY understand about wanting DH to do it. I would have did the same thing except my dh was not home yet!!!

The roast was good, but I overcooked it. Sounds funny that I overcooked a roast when I only cooked it a half hour!!!

Michelle3802 - at least we know what to expect now....:cool

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

My mom gave me a pressure cooker several years ago as a gift. Once I worked up the courage to try it I loved it. :heart
Now I am craving a pressure cooked roast. :yum Maybe I'll dig mine out soon.

They do make some jingling noises don't they. After a couple of years I'm still not use to the noise. When I cook with mine, I make the family stay away from the kitchen area. :giggle

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

A roast in half an hour! Dh needs to make veg beef soup and that's way better than cooking it all night. I'll have to have him try it.

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

Remember, I was wearing my safety goggles and the kids were not allowed in the kitchen.......When I told my husband later, he smiled and told me I am so cute!!!! :giggle

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

I LOVE my pressure cooker. My favorite is dried beans. All it takes is 45 mins. No soaking. :thumbsup

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

ooooooohhhh

So, how would I do bean soup. We love bean soup. But what a pain in the behind! Soak the beans the night before. Cook them for HOURS during the day. Blah. Is there a better way???

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

I hid in the living room the first time I used mine :)

That was 15 years ago - I love love love it. Fantastic soups in minutes. Bean done to perfection. Mmmmm. For bean soup, I soak the beans in the pressure cooker overnight, rinse, put in the water and the rest of the ingredients, get up to pressure, and cook. Soybeans are the longest at 45 minutes, black beans 30 minutes or so, chickpeas the same... I have a chart somewhere.

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

I was researching pressure cooking and someone theKitchn.com shared this link. http://www.food.com/recipe-finder/pr...ressure-cooker 352 pressure cooking recipes

I've got a 4 quart pressure cooker, but I can't stand the noise it makes cooking. It makes our 800 sq ft apartment unlivable for that 30 min. Any recipes that are worth that payoff?

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

I love my pressure cooker and use it several times a week. Pasta cooks in less than ten minutes, potatoes for mashing or whole for potato salad. I made short ribs over the weekend, tender in 45 minutes instead of hours in the oven. Beans, no soaking, done in around 45 minutes. My only mishap was the time I wanted to release pressure quickly and thought that I would just remove the valve- I don't remember what I was cooking but it came spouting through the top in no time...I don't do that anymore.

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

I so want to try a pressure cooker because I use a lot of dried beans. I am very afraid of it exploding though :shifty Especially considering the ones I have considered buying are at thrift stores. Is that a foolish idea? :shifty

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

I asked for a pressure cooker two years ago for Christmas and it sits here mocking me daily cause I'm too scared to use the thing. :giggle

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

Can you use a pressure cooker on a flat top stove?

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

I bought mine at an estate sale, it is old. That said, I have used it a few times a week for over a year without any problems.

After you use it a couple of times and realize it will not explode the fear will go away.

My mom has a flat stove top and uses one.

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

I am still so scared of pressure canning on the stove after 2 years of trying to work up my courage I gave up and asked dh for an electric pressure cooker for Christmas this year. I am getting it for chicken and ribs, but tell me more about this soup processing you speak of?

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

and share the dry beans too. Pretty please??????

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

To cook beans from dry, I rinse the beans and put them in the cooker and then add water (1 cup dry beans = 3 cups water, sometimes I make a double batch) and a little salt. Put on the lid and wait for a steady stream of steam to come out of the top then put on my weight (does it have a real name?). As soon as it builds up pressure and begins to rock I turn the heat down (on my stove medium low maintains pressure) and set my timer for 45 minutes. Pull it off the stove and let it cool until it loses pressure (usually takes 15 minutes or so depending on the temp of the kitchen) Smaller beans take a little less time and larger beans take a little more time. I'll be honest....I am not as pleased when I cook them this way as I am when I allow them to soak or even quick soak them first. They seem to cook a little more unevenly with some beans a little softer and other more firm- I don't know why that is. To quick soak the beans, I start them the same but as soon as they come to a boil I turn off the stove and let them sit there for an hour. After they have sat, I just turn the heat back to high and cook the same as above for less time, around 20 min give or take.

I love making refried beans in the cooker, I make as above but add a few cloves of garlic and sometimes some chopped onion and then let it cook a few minutes longer to make the beans a little softer then mix it together using an immersion blender. With homemade tortillas- yum!

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

I'm SO glad to know I'm not the only one who's scared of it! My mom made delicious roasts in hers, so she gave me one about 10 years ago and I've never used it. Maybe you all will inspire me.

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

:shiftyI have yet to:nails lose my:eek:startled:eek terror of the :bag:paranoid:bag:paranoid:bagdarn things....Its that sound that they make! It sends me:nails running out of the:nails kitchen, :shiftyfast.:hiding

Re: I'm scared - using pressure cooker for 1st time!
 

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