Guest Peter James Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Just bought a Pressure Cooker and found it excellent for cooking in the van. Just boil the spuds, rice pasta etc until it starts to hiss, turn the gas off and leave it 5 minutes to stand and continue cooking - perfect. Virtually no steam or condensation. Saves time and gas. Can't go wrong steaming fresh fish. Reheats ready meals. Put the top back on and save the hot water for washing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Agreed - it does cook well - but before you say no condensation try it in a closed van on a cold wet day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Must admit I haven't tried that yet. But otherwise found much less steam than using an ordinary pan! Got some fresh sea bass to eat when parked by a Cornish Harbour last week (bought from the local Asda and farmed in Turkey *-) I remember a cooking programme on the TV where they were deriding somebody who had allegedly said 'you can't overcook fish' I think they must have missed something off the quote like 'providing you keep it moist' Even I can't go wrong steaming fish because its always kept moist. Cooked the rice in the water beneath and the fish on the tray above. It was marvellous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuevoboy Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Just remember to actually turn the gas off. Can still picture my wife's elderly grandmother's kitchen ceiling.... ..beautifully stippled with pea soup. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 nuevoboy - 2011-05-13 6:32 PM Just remember to actually turn the gas off. LOL, I used to work in old fashioned hardware store and can still remember the manager flattening the bottoms of pressure cookers after customers had boiled them dry. He used to take them out to the storeroom and beat the c*** out of them with a piece of wood and a 2lb lump hammer and then charge the customers for the privilege :D :D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 OK for you folks with big "gin palaces," but where do you keep a pressure cooker in a SWB Trannie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 You simply replace your big stock pot Tony! You can actually remove the handles to make them smaller as they don't take much time to put back on again. You can also get small versions which would be ideal for a motorhoming couple. We used to have the ordinary type where, to get the pressure down quickly, we used to put it under a running cold tap. So if you do get one, make sure it's the aluminium one as it's lighter, and has a quick steam release valve - that way you can stick it outside the door and open the valve, leaving the van steam free. I've used pressure cookers since I was a kid and wouldn't be without one at home. I have taken one with us in the van too at times, but usually in winter when we want more hot meals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuevoboy Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Tony Jones - 2011-05-13 10:11 PM OK for you folks with big "gin palaces," but where do you keep a pressure cooker in a SWB Trannie? Remove the lid, then stick the upturned pan on top of the 'van, Drive very slowly and people'll think you've got the new, coolest silver satellite dome. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkc Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 I use mine all the time brilliant. Tip, buy a couple of stainless steel cocktail shakers from your local pound shop, put carrots in boiling water in one, Peas in cold water in the other shaker, spuds go in the pan with hot water, 10 minutes later pour out water through the holes in the cocktail shaker tops, three veg one gas ring, simples. You don't need the cup shaped sealing tops of the shakers, unless you like cocktails Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Tony Jones - 2011-05-13 10:11 PM OK for you folks with big "gin palaces," but where do you keep a pressure cooker in a SWB Trannie? Could you make use of the space inside it to store something soft, maybe a carrier bag of clothes? After all, its going to sterilize itself every time you use it. I wouldn't want to be without mine now. The bigger base collects more of the heat from the gas ring. And means I can get those ready meal trays inside it, which would otherwise need an oven to heat them up, and then not be as good because the oven dries the food out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Reminds me of when I was brewing some stout boiling the hops & malt, took the weights of the top before it had cooled down enough. Result was explosive fountain of hot dark brown liquid, house smelt like a brewery for weeks and the kitchen ceiling changed to "malt brown". Don't try it in the van. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Well I am going to upset all of you who have posted on this subject. I haven't used a Pressure Cooker for years so can only go off old experiences. The food that is cooked in them tasted bland. A Friend of ours uses one all the time and there is no taste in anything she cooks in it. When we were in Portugal last Winter there was a French motorhomer next door-but-one and their Pressure Cooker was on everyday. Maybe in recent years they have improved, mine was a Prestige with the weights on the top. Sylvia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 I guess we have got used to stronger flavours in processed foods, chemicals, fats, sugar, salt etc etc that when we go back to natural food on its own it doesn't taste of anything much. Plain veg and fish on its own, without junk to flavour it, only tastes good if its the best veg and fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Peter James - 2011-05-14 2:37 PM I guess we have got used to stronger flavours in processed foods, chemicals, fats, sugar, salt etc etc that when we go back to natural food on its own it doesn't taste of anything much. Plain veg and fish on its own, without junk to flavour it, only tastes good if its the best veg and fish. I agree totally tht is why we don't buy processed food here, everything is fresh or frozen by us. Except, of course, Magnum Minis. Just bought some new potatoes from Ile de Re nearest we can get to Jersey Royals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Randonneur - 2011-05-14 12:26 PM I haven't used a Pressure Cooker for years so can only go off old experiences. The food that is cooked in them tasted bland. A Friend of ours uses one all the time and there is no taste in anything she cooks in it. Sylvia I've used a pressure cooker since before we got married and have the opposite view, they keep the flavour in rather than have it all disappearing. I can tell the difference of vegetables cooked in a pan, and in a pressure cooker, the pressure cookers ones are much nicer. However some people overcook the food as they think they have to do it for a long time in a pressure cooker, and religiously stick to the timings in the book ... I do my veg for a minute or two less and it comes out lovely. As for a nice home made stew - with dumplings - can't be beaten! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I have two old Prestige ones purchased in the 60's. Both have three internal containers/dividers and a shallow trivet at the bottom. Agree with MelB that it easy to over cook food and if you do the food will taste bland. The nice thing is that you can still get spair seals etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 I use my pressure cooker to boil sausages. They look a bit pale, but I think it cooks them better, faster - and safer because you know they have been heated right through without burning or drying them out. - even when you cook them straight from frozen in a few minutes :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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