I have found that not all pressure cookers are equal, and you have to be careful not to make mistakes. Our pressure cooker does not go above 9-10psi no matter how high our gas stove is. Where a friend of mine has no problem going higher and has to be watched very closely and finding the perfect temperature is key. Which I believe is how pressure cookers are supposed to work. For some reason, ours does not work as it should in that way. For now, we have been processing foods that 9-10psi is the correct temperature it works.
After using both ours and a friend’s we have learned that ours isn’t going to work for anything that needs a higher psi. It is very important to make sure you are following all the directions given for pressure cooking food, one resource is using the Ball Mason Jars Pressure Cooking book. See below to see a different book shown below:
https://www.ballmasonjars.com/pressure-canning.html
We are researching what other pressure cooker options are available to purchase. My husband is leaning towards an All-American Pressure Cooker. This is different than some pressure cookers because it has nobs that twist, see the middle picture below.
Honestly, we would like two anyway that way we have more food processing at one time. Certain foods can take quite a long time to process properly.
Mistakes
Some of the biggest mistakes with pressure cooking include:
- Overfilling the pot
- Not using enough liquid
- Ignoring the need to adjust cooking times for different ingredients
- Failing to properly seal the lid
- Neglecting to allow for natural pressure release when necessary
- Not following specific guidelines for high-starch foods or legumes can lead to uneven cooking or safety hazards
- Using the Wrong Cooking Time
Life Lessons
If you’re a beginner or an experienced cook, pressure cooking can be a valuable addition to your culinary skills. God has given us the ability to learn and grow our brains all throughout our lives. We can all be lifelong learners, just taking the time is key.