Pressure cookers can make stews and soups quickly, but there are safety considerations.
Pressure cookers can be valuable tools for the home chef. Because it cooks with pressurized steam, it has the ability to cook food at speeds much faster than traditional cooking appliances. For example, stews, soups, rice and bean dishes can be made in minutes instead of hours. However, there are some limits to its use. Though this is typically not the case with modern machines, there are also some dangers associated with pressure cookers if they are not used properly.
Remove the Lid
Never remove the lid of your pressure cooker before the pressure levels return to zero. One of the biggest dangers involved with pressure cookers in the past has been removing the lid too soon. This would result in a geyser of hot foods and liquids which is not only messy, but potentially dangerous. On contemporary cookers, removing the lid too soon is virtually impossible. This is one of several safety features on modern pressure cookers that take the danger out of pressure cooking.
Overcook
Overcooking foods in the pressure cooker is also a concern. On vintage machines, leaving the cooker unattended could also yield a messy explosion of hot food messes. Overcooking your food in the pressure cooker can also lead to dehydrating the food while in the pot, causing the pot to produce smoke or burn. Aside from causing unpleasant odors and a ruined meal, this could even result in a fire.
Overfill
Another hazard when using a pressure cooker would be overfilling the pot. Fill no more than two-thirds full to avoid and food blocking the venting mechanism during cooking. Overfilling the pot can also cause the contents to not cook evenly and cause added clean up.
Use Malfunctioning Equipment
Perhaps the most important thing to avoid is using an unsafe pressure cooker. If your pressure cooker is malfunctioning in anyway, there is the risk of potentially dangerous pressure build up. If you have a vintage machine, it best to discard or keep as decoration only and switch to a newer machine that features up to four safety functions that prevent the hazards that have plagued pressure cooker users in the past.
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