10
Pressure Cooking
Pressure Cooking is an ideal way to create
quick, flavoursome and delicious meals.
Pressure Cooking is a method of cooking food
in liquid (water, stock, wine etc) in a sealed
cooking pan. The sealed unit retains steam
and builds pressure raising the temperature
of the liquid inside the pan above boiling
point. The increased temperature of the
liquid and the steam results in reduced
cooking times. It also causes the fibres in
food to break down more quickly, resulting
in tender, flavoursome meats. Vitamins and
minerals are retained, natural flavours and
colours are intensified and less seasoning
can be required. As the meats cooked in
a pressure cooker tend to be more tender;
tougher and mostly cheaper yet flavour filled
cuts of meats can be used such as chuck
steak.
HIGH Pressure Setting is 70kpa. It is
suitable for a wide range of foods.
LOW Pressure Setting is 30kpa. It is more
suited to delicate foods like chicken fillet,
fish and some vegetables.
KEEP WARM Setting. When cooking time is
completed, the Pressure Cooker automatically
switches to the Keep Warm setting to prevent
overcooking and to keep your cooked food
warm until serving - perfect for busy families,
those on the run and those who need flexible
meal times. This setting is not hot enough to
cook, and should only be used to keep hot,
cooked food warm for serving.
Ideal Meals to Pressure Cook.
Soups, stocks, casseroles, sauces (e.g. pasta
sauces), meat, dried beans (not split peas),
rice, firm vegetables (beetroot, potatoes) and
desserts (such as pudding, crème caramel).
Capacity. When the unit is used on the
Pressure Cook menu, the maximum capacity
to use is the MAX PC marking on the inside
of the cooking pan. The unit can not gain
pressure and therefore can not work without
liquid. Using without liquid can severely
damage the machine.
Note: The unit can not work without liquid.
Ensure a minimum of 250ml of liquid is used
inside the removable cooking pan.
Releasing Pressure at the End of Cooking
1. Natural Release Method. The unit is left to
cool gradually until the pressure releases
on its own. The lid is then able to be
removed. Depending on the volume of
food, this can take 5 – 20 minutes.
2. Quick Release Method. Using an oven mitt
flick the tab on the pressure and steam
release valve to the ‘RELEASE’ setting.
Do not place any part of your hand or body
over the steam outlet on the top of the
valve as steam is very hot and may scald.
Never use this method when cooking liquid
ingredients such as casseroles, stocks and
soups. The pressure is released when steam
is no longer escaping from the valve and
the lid opens freely with no force. Only
then is it safe to remove the lid and serve
food.
Note: During cooking, steam will build up in
the unit, so when lifting the lid use a kitchen
glove or mitt to protect your hand.
Cooking Menus Overview