So My Pressure Cooker Just Came ...

[Rakuflames]

Looks kinda big for one person!

BUT ...

I have a bunch of racks from my two round convection ovens. Any reason I couldn't use two levels and cook two meals at once???

Anyone who has small recipes for pressure cookers, I'd love to see them. I can deal with one day of leftovers, but I use ice, not electricity, and there's a limit to how well I can handle leftovers.

[GordMay]

The Pressure Cooking Guru, Miss Vickie, recommends that you:
“... buy a large size, remember you can only utilize 2/3 of the actual volume of the pot, or 1/2 in the case of cooking dried beans. Five quarts is the minimal useful size, even for singles and couples if you intend to get the most out of your cooker. An 8 quart model if the most useful, giving you the option to cook large roasts, whole chickens, beef ribs, turkey breasts, etc ...”

See Miss Vickie's Guide To Modern Pressure Cookery
➥ Pressure Cooker Recipes

[bobconnie]

Just cus it looks big, you only have to put in what ya need !better to have more room then ya need cus then if you have a gueast or two you can use it all !The wife and I have been useing a 5 qt stainless made in canada for 20+years aboard, and have a BIG one we can fish with,Stays stored up forward mostly. but the 5 qt gets used 3 or 4 times a week by now we could not live with out it LOL use's less fuel, makes less heat inside cus it cooks faster, and makes great pot roast with GOOD Gravey LOL Bob and Connie

[janice142]

Frankly I think if yours is that big you might be better off swapping it for a smaller unit that will take less room and be more useful... mine is 3 liters and could be a tiny bit taller to fit the small mouth 1/2 pint (why can't they call 'em cups?!!!) jars.

Mine fits 4 wide-mouth cup jars per batch or 7 of the 1/2 cup jelly jars. Though the small ones read like "not enough" it truly is because I generally can just meat, adding the fillers from less expensive canned goods from the grocery store.

Before I scored on the shrimp this afternoon I'd intended to open on jar of sausage and hamburger, adding a small can of tomato puree, some water and a diced pearl onion... voila: a decent spaghetti sauce. The puree cans are 44 cents each so a truly scrumptious dinner for less than $1.

And yes, I'm living the less than $500 per month -- gosh, it would be WONDERFUL to have that much to spend!!
As to your question... I'd get rid of the monster unit and find one that fits the pint size jars. You're not going to be canning quarts (too many leftovers for a single-ton) so get what you can use now.

Smaller pan also equals less to clean up and when water is at a premium.......

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by GordMay

The Pressure Cooking Guru, Miss Vickie, recommends that you:
“... buy a large size, remember you can only utilize 2/3 of the actual volume of the pot, or 1/2 in the case of cooking dried beans. Five quarts is the minimal useful size, even for singles and couples if you intend to get the most out of your cooker. An 8 quart model if the most useful, giving you the option to cook large roasts, whole chickens, beef ribs, turkey breasts, etc ...”

See Miss Vickie's Guide To Modern Pressure Cookery
➥ Pressure Cooker Recipes

Thank you, Gord. Stay warm up there! We're supposed to go down to 27 here tonight. That's really extreme for us!

[Rakuflames]

But back to my original question:

Can I put a standing rack in there and cook two dishes at the same time?

[raisin56]

The way thing boil in a PC I doubt two different meals can be cooked together. Thew upper pot would spill over into the dish below as well and the flavors transferred by the steam inside.

Maybe I'll catch you out on the Bay.

Dan
s/v Blue Moon

[captainKJ]

only one at a time,,, MAKE sure you clean around the rubber gasket good everytime you use it or it will go BANG one day while you are using it, not a pretty site, ask me how I know

[mjwarner]

I've cooked rice in a round metal mixing bowl while cooking chicken around and below it. I have toyed with the idea of making a raised metal rack to support pork ribs so they won't get wet and think that would work fine. If I ever get around to actually making it up and trying it out, I'll pass along the results.

[mjwarner]

Captain KJ, You are right that the seal should be kept clean (to insure a good seal) but today's newer designs in PC's incorporate pressure relief gaskets, so no one need worry about explosions of yesteryear's pressure cookers. They are considered quite safe today, however I would never leave anything on the stove unattended, including a pressure cooker under pressure.

[Gently]

Happy new Year to all cruisers. We are sitting in the gippsland lakes Victoria Australia.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by raisin56

The way thing boil in a PC I doubt two different meals can be cooked together. Thew upper pot would spill over into the dish below as well and the flavors transferred by the steam inside.

Maybe I'll catch you out on the Bay.

Dan
s/v Blue Moon

That's what I needed to know, and it makes sense. Thanks.

You're unlikely to see me on the bay as I live on the Gulf side but I bet we both need to bundle up tonight!

[senormechanico]

We returned from the ABC islands with a pressure cooker.
The inspectors at the USA airport border asked us what was inside.
We said,
"Dirty clothes and a new seashell collection".
They didn't open it.
That was in 1987.
It might be a little different today. (sigh)

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Gently.

You might introduce, and tell us a little about, yourself at "Meets and Greets"