Just bought a 9in1 IP AFer, always scared of using PCer, how dumb proof is it?
Have some Ox tail and 1/2 bottle of red, any pointer on how to use that thing for stew? I read about PC for 45min then 15 of natural release, mean just turn it off and let it sit?
So back in the day, pressure cookers were pretty good, then post-WWII, they cheaped out on the design & materials and they got a reputation for shooting their lids to the ceilings, which was scary! The new ones have a ton of safety features, including a bank vault-style locking lid.
A pressure cooker works by using a special type of steam called "saturated steam", which is different from steaming food. Basically, it uses an induction heater to vaporize a cup of water inside the locked pot, and because it can't go anywhere due to the locked lid, it increases the PSI internally, which boosts the boiling point from 212F to 242F (11.6 PSI in the Instant Pot). The result is that it can cook food 4 times faster than normal on average, although it varies from dish to dish (can be 2x, can be 10x). It also doesn't require babysitting, so you can go nef on ATOT instead of having to watch the stove lol.
Braising in particular is really great in the IP because of the time reduction & hands-free cooking aspects. Like, a normal recipe for ox tail would call for at least 3 hours:
Don’t be scared off by oxtail just because you may never have cooked it before It’s as meaty and rich as short ribs, and just as straightforward to prepare In this hearty braise, the meat is simmered in wine with carrots and celeriac
cooking.nytimes.com
Whereas you can do it in half the time with the IP:
Super easy to make fall-off-the-bone tender & juicy Instant Pot Oxtails! Delicious buttery rich beefy flavors infused with gelatin-rich satisfaction!
www.pressurecookrecipes.com
Another version:
If cooking oxtails is your thing, then you must try this easy Instant Pot oxtail recipe. Tender fall-off-the-bone meat, flavorful, and easy!
littlesunnykitchen.com
One note: all pressure-cooker recipes lie. The cooking time is only one portion of the time; there are actually 3 parts:
1. Preheat (pressurization)
2. Cooking time (pressure cooking)
3. Pressure release (instant or slow)
Like an oven, a pressure cooker has to preheat by vaporizing the liquid into saturated steam, which is why you need at least a cup of liquid in the pot. Then it does the pressure-cooking job at 242F in a standard Instant Pot. Then you have 3 choices:
1. Turn the knob (don't put your hand over the top of it - watch a video on Youtube for how it's done) to manually release the steam. This can take one to five minutes, depending on how much liquid is in there. Like, if you're making soup with 6 quarts of mostly liquid, it will take longer to steam-release. Once the pressure drops, the float valve will drop, and the lid can be removed. This is called "quick pressure release" or QPR.
2. Let the IP naturally come down to room temperature with the heat either off or set to warming mode. This can take between a few minutes to 45 minutes, depending on what's in the pot. This is called "natural pressure release" or NPR.
3. Some recipes also call for a hybrid NPR/QPR release, where you'll let it sit for say 10 minutes, then release the rest of the steam manually.
So like, for corn on the cob, I do 4 minutes with a quick release (fresh or frozen, in the husk or out of it). Doing a natural release makes the kernels all soggy! But I do Jasmine rice with a 10-minute natural release, followed by a quick release, which lets the rice get nice & fluffy:
No more mushy, hard or burnt rice! Try this easy foolproof method to make perfect rice. Fragrant and fluffy white rice ready in 15 minutes.
www.pressurecookrecipes.com
I currently have 3 Instant Pots going back like 7 years. I still find new stuff to make in them all the time!