Why pressure cooking is faster
In an open pot, water tops out near 100°C (212°F) at sea level, because it turns to steam and escapes. Seal the lid and the steam stays in, pressure builds, and the water has to get hotter to boil. Tough cuts and dried beans soften in a fraction of the time.
Needs liquid, and doesn't brown
A pressure cooker needs liquid to make steam, so never run it dry. It also won't brown anything, because it's all moist heat. Sear first on the saute setting, then seal and pressure cook.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
Why does food cook faster in a sealed pressure cooker?
Pressure raises the water's boiling point. Hotter liquid and steam cook food faster than 100°C allows.
True or false: Water in an open pot boils at a higher temperature if you turn the burner up.
False. Turning up the burner boils water away faster, but the temperature stays near 100°C (212°F).
What went wrong? You seal the lid with no liquid in the pot. The cooker never reaches pressure.
There was no liquid to turn into steam. Pressure comes from trapped steam, which needs liquid.
Fill the blank: A sealed cooker lets water get hotter than 100°C (212°F) before it ___.
A sealed cooker lets water get hotter than 100°C (212°F) before it boils. Higher pressure raises the temperature at which water boils.
At full pressure, about how hot does water get in a home pressure cooker?
About 118 C. Home cookers reach roughly 115 to 120°C (240 to 250°F) at full pressure.
Why do pressure cookers suit tough cuts so well?
Wet heat turns collagen to gelatin fast. Hot, wet conditions convert collagen to gelatin in far less time.