Caring for Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker

Having good care for the pressure cooker will certainly help the cooker last for a lifetime. 

Cleaning the pot.  The methods to clean a stainless steel pressure cooker are similar with cleaning a stainless steel pot or pan.  Like the pot and pan, most pressure cookers are dishwasher safe unless stated otherwise by the manufacturer.  When washing by hand, always use hot water with soap with a washcloth, sponge or a non-scratching pad to remove the stains or food residues.  After each cleaning, rinse the pot thoroughly with hot water and wipe it completely with clean dry towels.

Cleaning the lid.   Most pressure cooker lids should not be washed in the dishwasher or left to soak in water, especially when it is one with the new valve systems in the lid.  Wash the lid separately by hand in hot water and mild wash soap with non-abrasive pad or washcloth.  Do not use any sort of abrasive cleansers to remove the stains.  Remove the gasket from the lid, the pressure weight, and any other removal parts before cleaning.  Wash everything separately, and paying close attentions to the locking flange and the vent pipe if there is one. Use a small brush for cleaning inside the pressure regulator weight.  Remove any bit of food from around the valves and the sealing surface of the lid.  Rinse through hot water completely and dry with towels before storing.

Storing.  Remember to always make sure that the inside of the pressure cooker is completely dry before storing it to the cupboard.  Store the cooker in a dry place.  Always check to make sure that all the attached parts are tightly screwed on, and adjust when necessary.  Check to see that the vent pipe is clean and clear and the valve stem moves up and down freely, before putting the cooker away.

If using the pressure cooker frequently, store it in the cupboard with the lid inverted on top of the cooker bottom.  Place the gasket on the lid, but not in the groove, and then lay the weight on its side. This will help to prevent odors or molds.

For infrequent use, store the cooker in a cool, dry place and avoid excessive, prolonged heat because heat will cause the sealing parts to deteriorate quicker.  Before storing the cooker, place the gasket and pressure weight in a Ziploc bag and add a spoonful of baking soda then place this bag inside the cooker.  Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoon of baking soda inside the pot to absorb moisture and odors. Close the lid and store the cooker in a designated place.  Remember to wash the cooker in warm soap water before the next use.

With all the efforts when cleaning and caring for your pressure cooker certainly help the cooker last.  Most pressure cookers would last to 20 years or more.  Having your favorite cooker to prepare your favorite meals is absolutely worth the troubles going through.  Browse pressure cookers today to look for one.

Choosing Pressure Cooker

Cooking with pressure cooker helps food cooked faster than conventional cooking methods.  Food can be prepared in a shorter period of time and preserved vitamins and minerals.  Having a good pressure cooker would make the cooking process be much easier and convenient.  To choose a good pressure cooker, look for one that has the following options:
 

• Made of high quality durable stainless steel.  Premium quality 18/10 stainless steel is the most sanitary and healthy means of preparing foods because of its scratch and corrosion resistance, non-reaction to acidic or alkaline foods.  Also, stainless steel cookware does not require any special handling or cleaning.

• Has accurate pressure indicator and quick release.  The pressure indicator will clearly indicate when the pressure has been built up to the accepted cooking standard.  Most pressure cookers have a working pressure setting of 15psi (pounds per square inch).  Some pressures cookers have the quick release option built into the pressure regulator.  These types of pressure cookers allow this structure to quickly lower the pressure inside the pot without losing the heat.  With the pressure quickly get steady, this option will allow the addition of other ingredients from the recipe and then allow the cooking to resume with the switch back to pressure cooking.

• Has safe release.  If overpressure occurs, some pressure cookers vent excess steam from a valve stem with an audible "hiss".  If pressure were to continue to rise, the sealing gasket on these pressure cookers would be pushed out through a designed safety hole in the lid safely venting the pressure.  New designed pressure cookers usually have two or three redundant safety valves as well as some additional safety features, such as an interlock lid that prevents the user from opening the lid as long as the internal pressure exceeds atmospheric pressure.  If any of the safety mechanisms are not correctly in place, the pressure cooker will not pressurize the contents.

Depends on the portions you're cooking, select the right size of pressure cooker that would fit your needs, but be sure to always keep in mind that pressure cooker should never be filled to more than 2/3 the interior height with solid food, half full for liquid and foods that foam and froth, and no more than 1/3 full for pulses.  To experiment pressure cooking, browse pressure cookers today to find a good one.
 

Pressure Cooking with Pressure Cooker

Pressure cooker is used for pressure cooking which is a method of cooking in a sealed pot that does not allow air or liquid to escape below a preset pressure. Pressure cooking is often used to simulate the effects of long braising or simmering in shorter periods of time.  As the pressure rises, the boiling point of water increases.  The pressure built up inside the pot lets the liquid to rise to a higher temperature before boiling.  When boiling, the pressure is created inside the closed pressure cooker.  The trapped steam increases the internal pressure and temperature.  This causes wet steam to be forced through the food and results in faster cooking times.  Afterwards, the pressure is slowly released so that the pot can be safely opened. 

Pressure cookers are generally made of aluminum or stainless steel.  High quality stainless steel pressure cookers are made with heavy, tri-ply, or copper-clad bottoms for high heat conduction.  Some pressure cookers have non-stick interior.  In order to prevent the air or steam escaping between the pot and lid, a gasket or sealing ring is in place to form a gas-tight seal.  In some models, it is featured a metal-to-metal seal.  Because of the forces they have to withstand, pressure cookers are usually heavier than normal pots of similar size.

Food is cooked much faster with pressure cooking method.  However, a minimum quantity of liquid is required to create and maintain pressure.  Also, pressure cooker should never be filled to more than 2/3 the interior height with solid food, half full for liquid and foods that foam and froth such as rice, pasta, etc., and no more than 1/3 full for pulses such as lentils.  A tablespoon of cooking oil can be added to minimize the foaming.  Because less water is required when cooking with pressure cooker, vitamins and minerals are not dissolved away by water.  Due to the shorter cooking time, vitamins are preserved relatively well during pressure cooking.

Pressure cooking with pressure cooker helps food cooked faster than conventional cooking methods.  Food can be prepared in a shorter period of time and preserved vitamins and minerals.

Making Stock with Stock Pot

Homemade stock is used to make soups, stews, sauces, or used to add moisture to the cooking dishes as well.  Making stock is a way to get the maximum nutrition from the bones, vegetables, and herbs when simmering in the pot for many hours.  When simmering, the stock will draw the flavor from the bones and the aroma from vegetables and herbs.  To make the stock, you will need a tall stock pot, recommended using 8 qt. and the following ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. meat bones
• 1 bunch of celery cut into large piece
• 1 large onion quartered
• 1 large carrot cut into large piece
• 1 bunch of parsley

Note:  If don't have room to store and cooking just for one or two, you can cut the ingredients into half.

Put all the ingredients in the stock pot.  Fill the pot with cold water until two-third of the pot.

Put the stock pot uncovered on medium to high-medium heat until the foam start forming on the surface.  Reduce the heat to low.  Don't let it boil.

Skim the foam frequently but don't stir the stock to prevent mixing the fat into the stock and making it cloudy.

Simmer the stock in low heat for several hours (at least 5-6 hours).  The longer the stock is simmering, the more flavor from the bones is released to the stock.

When the stock is done, put the pot over the counter uncovered to cool down.

To store, put the stock in a plastic or glass container.  Homemade stock can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days. 

To freeze, put the stock in a container (recommended using plastic container) but only fill about 3/4 to the top.  To divide the stock into small portions, freeze the stock in the ice cube trays.  These small cubes are convenient for tossing into sauce or for adding moisture to any cooking dish.

Homemade stock is easy to make.  Use it to make hot soups on rainy days, when having a cold or during winter time.  Use it to make delicious stews, pasta sauces and many other dishes with your favorite recipes.  Homemade stock is tasty, low in sodium and nutritious.

Don't have a stock pot or looking for a different size, browse stock pot to find the one that fits your liking.

Polishing Stainless Steel Cookware

How often do you polish your stainless steel cookware?

With proper use and care, stainless steel cookware will remain its glossy looking and appear as new as it was first used.  Polishing the pots and pans is one element to maintain its beautiful appearance.  After washing the pots and pans, you can polish the pots and pans by using stainless steel polish found at local stores or online.  However, you can always use baking soda to polish your favorite stainless cookware by following these easy steps.

After cooking, wash the pot or pan to remove all accumulated food at the bottom, on the side and around the handle.  Use soft dish washcloth or non-abrasive sponge with soap and warm water to scrub the food off.  It is best to soak the pot or pan in warm water before scrubbing.  Scrub the pot or pan until food residues are completely gone.

Turn the pot or pan around and look for any remaining stains.   Mix baking soda with water to a paste form and scrub it over the stain areas.  It's not a bad idea to leave the soda paste over the stains for a while before scrubbing.  Continue scrubbing the soda paste over the stains with non-abrasive sponge or soft dish washcloth until the stains are completely gone.  Stubborn stains may be difficult to remove.  Try a few times to make the stains lighter and keep scrubbing until the stains disappear.

When the stains are all gone, wash the pots and pans thoroughly with hot water and wipe the pots and pans completely with a dry clean towel.

It is important to polish stainless steel pots and pans routinely in order to keep its sparkle appearance.  To reduce the presence of stubborn stains, be sure to wash the pots and pans thoroughly after each use.  This will also help the polishing task be completed in a more enjoyable fashion.

How to Choose a Good Stainless Steel Cookware?

Thinking about having a good stainless steel pot or pan?

There are facts to think about when buying stainless steel cookware.  Choosing a good stainless steel pot or pan considered at least the following elements.

Does it have good heat conduction?  Before buying, choose the pot and pan that have good heat conduction.  High quality stainless steel cookware is often coated with aluminium or copper at the bottom to make the heat spread evenly.  This coated layer enhances the cookware's heat conductivity.  The thickness of the bottom also indicates good heat conduction.  For aluminium coated bottom, looking for the pot or pan with 3 mm to 5 mm bottom thickness.  For copper coated bottom, look for the ones with 1 mm to 2 mm disc thickness.

Is it durable?  Because of its corrosion and scratch resistance feature, stainless steel pots and pans are durable.  As a matter of fact, stainless cookware is considered the best choice of cookware because of its durability.

Does it have reaction with food?  Stainless steel pots and pans don't have food reaction especially with acidic or alkaline food such as tomato, cranberry, onion, asparagus, etc. This makes it easy when cooking with acidic or alkaline food.  It provides worry-free feeling that the metal will not be absorbed into what's cooking.

Is it easy to use and maintain?  Because of its durability and scratch resistance, stainless cookware is easy to use and care for.  With proper preparation, use and care, stainless cookware would remain as new as time goes.  It is considered a long term value cookware which worth the investment.

A good stainless steel pot or pan should have all the feature of the above-mentioned elements.  Depending on the budget available, select the best pot and pan for your kitchen cabinet.  Keep in mind that a high quality stainless steel pot or pan has good heat conduction, durable and a long term value cookware.

Is Scratched Stainless Steel Cookware Safe?

Stainless steel cookware is considered good choice of cookware for the kitchen and the most popular cookware in North America.  It is heavy-duty, durable, corrosive resistant and easy for maintenance.  However, it does get scratched if not being used and cared for properly.  Is it safe using scratched stainless steel cookware?

Stainless steel cookware is made of iron, chromium and nickel.  When abrasive material is being used frequently to clean the pot or pan, it will cause the scratch thus release a small amount of iron, chromium and nickel.  Consume a large amount of iron or chromium can be poisonous, but iron or chromium released from cookware provides less than the percentage of total daily intake so it would not be hazardous. Consume small amount of nickel is not poisonous as well.  Cooking with nickel containing stainless cookware will not add significant amounts of nickel to the diet.   However, people who are sensitive to nickel might provoke allergic reaction.  It is recommended that people allergic to nickel should avoid using nickel containing in stainless steel pot and pan.

Because of its poor heat conductivity, high quality stainless steel pot or pan usually has aluminium or copper-coated bottom to enhance heat conduction.  It is important to realize that, if being scoured, the coated copper coating can lose its protective layer.

Furthermore, if the stainless cookware severely damaged with deep scratches, it is recommended the cookware be discarded as it is uncertain of the amount of iron, chromium and nickel be released when cooking.

It is a good practice to only use soft dish washcloth or non-abrasive pad with soap when cleaning to avoid scratching stainless cookware.  Proper use and care certainly will prevent causing damages to the pot or pan and therefore enhance its durability and lifetime.