Assassin or miracle machine, culinary bomb or the best friend of beans: the pressure cooker generates heated debates among judges, detractors, enthusiasts, and converts to its use. This metallic bowl with a steampunk touch has something that identifies it: a hermetic system that releases steam from its interior through a release valve. It is the Spanish scientist José Alix Martínez to whom we owe the invention and patent in the year 1919.
Since then, the pressure cooker has shortened cooking times and, in turn, lengthened moments at the table. Through its physics, chemistry, and biodynamics, cooking can be done at 250 kilometers per hour. However, not everything is smooth sailing. The new generations consider it the boogeyman in the cupboard due to the serious accidents it could cause.
Chefs love it, just like their processors, sous vide machines, and kitchen robots. Mariano Welner, chef of the Italian-Argentine restaurant Mamma Gaucha, states that, “it is extremely relevant because of the time it saves, but that does not mean it is indispensable in the kitchen.” For him, it is dangerous if not used properly, especially, “if the necessary precautions are not taken when closing it and checking that the seals are well placed: it is important to check if they are worn or broken from use.” He recommends making a myriad of preparations inside it, including cakes and
desserts.
Yamilette González, coordinator of chefs at kiwilimón, considers its use to be like love itself: “at first, it’s scary, but once you understand how it works, everything flows,” she tells me.
For kiwilimón chef Mayte Rueda, the best thing about pressure cookers lies in the textures they achieve: they are used for foods that tend to be tough, such as meats, grains, legumes, and even bones. “The pressure helps to soften and achieve an ideal texture. Additionally, since everything stays inside the pot, flavors concentrate,” she concludes.
Have you ever thought about what Mexican cuisine would be like today without pressure cookers? Brenda Villagómez, another of our home cooks, actually states that, “you can’t think of a pressure cooker without including beans in its name, an essential food of the Mesoamerican food triad (beans, chili, and corn). Its relevance has been significant since the 1950s and as part of our childhood memories.” And there is no memory of home without the hissing of a nervously moving valve on the stove, without the smell of chicken broth slowly cooking.
For detractors, like myself, a ceiling full of beans is the least of our fears. However, it is true that the latest generation pressure cookers have greater technology to reduce risks for users.
The best thing is to follow the usage instructions to the letter: “To use it, you must ensure that the seals are well sealed, that it has the pressure plug, and that it seals perfectly; respect the cooking times for each food, and that the liquid-solid ratio is appropriate. This depends on what you are going to cook. It is also important to let it cool down and that the pressure has been released before opening it,” concludes Mayte.
And nothing happens: if despite all the instructions, initiation on YouTube, and watching kiwilimón videos, the detractors still feel fear, this type of cooking can be replaced with slow cookers, steamers, or the wonderful instant pot.
The recommendations from our home chefs for using your pressure cooker are:
- Consider the textures of the ingredients to know how long to put them in the pressure cooker. Cooking beans is not the same as cooking chayotes, or chicken compared to beef.
- Dare to make more than just beans: prepare cochinita, carnitas, desserts like flans, impossible cake: “what you can take 90 minutes in the oven will be done in 30 minutes in the pressure cooker, but don’t forget to add water!” says Brenda Villagómez.
- Use it to prepare tough or fibrous meats: “Personally, I like to use it to make homemade barbacoa or to cook very tough meats like beef tongue or even cacahuazintle corn. In the pressure cooker, suadero is done in just 1 hour,” says Yamilette.
- Do it like the experts: cover the pot first with aluminum foil, so that the heat bounces and concentrates the flavor. Then, cover it according to the instructions for use.
- To avoid clogging the valve, do not fill the pot with food or liquids to its maximum capacity. Remember not to exceed two-thirds of its capacity.
- Do not substitute the parts of the pressure cooker with other brands. Instead, dedicate time to maintain the equipment, especially the rubber seals.
- Do not expose your pressure cooker to sudden temperature changes.
- And finally, enjoy the delicious act of having a mole de olla in just a few minutes with caution and not fear!