Celebrating cooking under pressure

I have two stove top pressure cookers/canners which I use as others have reported for roasts, beans , etc, but I use mine also for pressure canning tomatoes, salsas, beef and chicken (bone) broth, green beans and so much more. I've canned chickens, salmon and elk meat for quick and easy luncheon meats. I also have an Instapot electric pressure cooker for smaller one pot meals.

I love my instant pot but nothing could ever take my All American canner from me! I love my stainless steel pressure cookers and I’m hoping that no one here is cooking in aluminum pots but I did for years before I learned better. I have been trying to remember where or how I got started with a pressure cooker as none of my forebears have ever used one and my mom was seriously afraid of them but, alas, my TBI likes to take things out of my memory storage just to mess with my mind. I do know that I’ve been using them for almost 30 years but I have never learned to cook pasta in the sauce, anyone care to teach me?

Lexie Smith wrote:I love my instant pot but nothing could ever take my All American canner from me! I love my stainless steel pressure cookers and I’m hoping that no one here is cooking in aluminum pots but I did for years before I learned better. I have been trying to remember where or how I got started with a pressure cooker as none of my forebears have ever used one and my mom was seriously afraid of them but, alas, my TBI likes to take things out of my memory storage just to mess with my mind. I do know that I’ve been using them for almost 30 years but I have never learned to cook pasta in the sauce, anyone care to teach me?

Same here! I think a friend gave me my first pressure cooker. Mom never used nor mentioned them...same with Eggplant (discovered when I tried Baba Ganoush for the first time!). Lol

Also, love Hip Pressure, and have found Amy + Jacky 's website interesting... they do a lot of testing and explain how they come up with best recipes - their cheesecake is famous

You can make amazing apple butter by precooking the apples in the instant pot. Once they are mashably soft, keep cooking on the stovetop with the spices till it tastes right. No sugar needed. I never had trouble with the apples expanding, maybe because the instant pot doesn’t release steam during cooking like a regular pressure cooker does.
I also do scrap stock - carrot ends, apple cores, onion ends, pepper cores, and herb stems go in the freezer. When I have enough, it goes in for 30 min. Much more flavorful than the stovetop.

Lina Joana wrote:You can make amazing apple butter by precooking the apples in the instant pot. Once they are mashably soft, keep cooking on the stovetop with the spices till it tastes right. No sugar needed. I never had trouble with the apples expanding, maybe because the instant pot doesn’t release steam during cooking like a regular pressure cooker does.
I also do scrap stock - carrot ends, apple cores, onion ends, pepper cores, and herb stems go in the freezer. When I have enough, it goes in for 30 min. Much more flavorful than the stovetop.

What do you do with "scrap stock"? Do you mean you make a broth? That sounds delightful! Also, I didn't know you could make Apple Butter in the instant pot! I LOVE Apple Butter! Thank you so much for my next "experiment".

Tina Wolf wrote:
What do you do with "scrap stock"? Do you mean you make a broth?

Yes - we used to call it “soup stock” growing up, to use as the base for soups and stews.

Wow! Thank you so much! I never thought to create vegetable stock like that! I've just been either using them to propogate another plant or composting them. I learn so much here!

Tina Wolf wrote:Wow! Thank you so much! I never thought to create vegetable stock like that! I've just been either using them to propogate another plant or composting them. I learn so much here!

You are so welcome! It is good to experiment, but I usually avoid cabbage family scraps to avoid the overcooked cabbage flavor. Potato peels will make it starchy, and any potato sprouts/green peels should be avoided. Sweet potato peels and squash innards are excellent, as are leek tops. Throwing a bay leaf and clove in adds depth.

Lina Joana wrote: You are so welcome! It is good to experiment, but I usually avoid cabbage family scraps to avoid the overcooked cabbage flavor. Potato peels will make it starchy, and any potato sprouts/green peels should be avoided. Sweet potato peels and squash innards are excellent, as are leek tops. Throwing a bay leaf and clove in adds depth.

I've never tried sweet potato peels. I'll have to start saving those for our next batch!

I usually will also toss in celery tops, a couple peppercorns, and whatever herbs need trimming (basil, oregano, sage, etc.).