New toy: Pressure cooker

Mel Hill’s photos of stock got me wanting to make some and when he admitted he did it in a pressure cooker it was time for me to go get one.

So, I made 1.5 gallons of chicken stock today and it’s really freaking fantastic. All bottled up and in the freezer for future use.

Tomorrow is beef stock (got me marrow too!) and after that who knows what I’ll make.

I turn to you fine folks for some ideas. What should I make next?

Pressure cookers scare me

Why? If you use them properly there should be no fear.

I haven’t used them extensively, but I used to have a dinner buddy who did and I can tell you they are great for artichokes when you don’t have a grill, as well as the occasional one-pot dinner with a chicken or beef roast and root veggies.

Yep, fabulous for artichokes. You’ll have to experiment with times, but start with about 10 minutes with a quick steam release.

brown rice in 14 min
most dry beans ( I don’t like to use the PC for Italian white beans) but Garbanzos headed to the food processor for sure
all kinds of braises

when I make stock I do three pressure cooks

#1 the browned protein and bones with fresh water

#2 the previously cooked protein and bones with new fresh water

#3 stock from #1 and #2 plus the veggies and herbs

defat and reduce till it tastes like it should

the one thing a PC won’t do with stock is keep it clear.
for that you have to do a much longer and lower temp stock prep
like in the oven at 200˚ overnight

I’m with Scott, but then I’ve been witness to an IEPC, Improvised Exploding Pressure Cooker.

I looked in my freezer and didn’t see any??? [wink.gif]

George

Jorge - you can have some for sure.

I need to do a bottle swap. Full ones for empty ones. Have another gallon of beef stock on right now. I need me some containers!!!

Too bad the boys can’t drive - I’d have you send Ben over.

The mortgage business is the Mother of All Pressure Cookers, but you know that already.

I like to chill it and defat the “jelly” or harder… and then bag in medium ziplocs (8 oz portions) and freeze the flattened bags between paper towels so they don’t stick to each other. if making different stocks use a sharpie (prior to filling) to list what stock is in the bag.

Mel I’m thankful that a local board member is a friend and also employed by Nalgene. I’ve got a freezer full of 500 ml containers of stock now.

Total take last 2 days 6500 ml of chicken and 2500 ml of beef.

Today was the beef and I browned 3 pounds of marrow bones and 2 pounds of beef shank with tomato paste.

Into the PC for 1.5 hours. Took that and strained it. Reduced that liquid by half.

Took the remaining bones and beef and recovered with fresh water for another hour and a half.

Blended the two results and put that in the pc with herbs and veg. I figure I’ll let that go for an hour or so and then reduce if necessary.

In your case is that second round with the bones where you extract the additional collagen?

Ok, I’ll bite… why on earth would you bother doing stock in a pressure cooker? It’s the easiest thing in the world to make as long as you have a stockpot.

Speed and attendance.

Eh, I do stock on Sundays when I’m around usually. And I never take attendance. It’s a bit odd to have an audience for your stock, I think.

well, it is Sunday and I’m doing stock - but I’m also cleaning, ran to the store, watching football etc.

And, you’d be amazed how many folks like to watch me cook. I think it’s the chaps I wear while I work that brings 'em in.

To be more specific, it’s more of a simplicity and unattended pot approach coupled with speed.

My range top sucks and I made Keller’s mushroom stock about 2 months ago as prep for some of TFL’s recipes I want to make - and it took my range over 12 hours to get done what other ranges should have done in less time.

I found that frustrating.

No yak stock?

No yak stock victor. It’s like Madien Lane. Unloved, base product too expensive and no clearing price.

Eww…

To be more specific, it’s more of a simplicity and unattended pot approach coupled with speed.

My range top sucks and I made Keller’s mushroom stock about 2 months ago as prep for some of TFL’s recipes I want to make - and it took my range over 12 hours to get done what other ranges should have done in less time.

I found that frustrating.

Yeah, I hear that. I’m actually shopping for a new range. Sadly, there’s no gas main near my house so I need to do electric [swearing.gif] Here’s a protip though - turn the burner up. :slight_smile:

Typically, Chicago high-rise apartments have electric, not gas, stoves. Terrible for cooking. For that reason, I sold my 52nd-floor penthouse in the Near North district.