| can someone recommend a pressure cooker and smoker ?
Posted: 10/22/2009 2:39:27 PM | i watch a lot of qvc and hsn but cannot decide on the right pressure cooker. i cooked some beans last week for almost an hour even after soaking overnite, they were still hard. qvc had a man on the other day demonstrating a new kind of smoker that has about 4 trays for $99.00 (new and improved from last year). i need a pressure cooker that i can see through and its easy to take the handle off /remove to check food.
thanks | |
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| can someone recommend a pressure cooker and smoker ?
Posted: 10/22/2009 3:43:31 PM | Unless they were magic beans, i dont think most beans will cook in a 90 minutes...
pressure cookers arent designed for "peekers".
QVC electric smoker- $199.00
Old Smokey smoker 14 inch - $40.00 | |
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| can someone recommend a pressure cooker and smoker ?
Posted: 10/22/2009 4:06:14 PM | I bought a Presto Pressure Canner/Cooker about a year ago, mostly to use for canning (I haven't cooked anything in it); it was around $65, if I remember right. I just called the Presto people and ordered it from them (they didn't charge shipping or tax). I recently saw the same one at WalMart and it was $70. You can't see through it, though.
I don't think that you can take the cover off of a pressure cooker to check the food, as you have to wait for the pressure to go down, etc. before you open it. (The booklet says that most beans cook in just a few minutes, depending on the type of bean; the booklet lists the times). If you were cooking your beans in a regular pan on top of the stove, an hour isn't all that long . . . depending on the type of bean and how old they are, it might take another hour.
As far as beans go, I've had success soaking them overnight and then cooking them in the crockpot.
I used to have a Brinkman charcoal smoker, which I loved (I mostly bought it because it had a high dome and I wanted to make Beer-Can Chicken). If I remember right, I think it was under $50; I'm sure you can check online. I may have gotten it at Home Depot. I had to give it away because of the rules at this apt. complex, so now I'm using my George Foreman indoor/outdoor grill. You can use a charcoal grill and add wet wood chips to the charcoal or buy a smoker box to use in a gas or electric grill.
Good Luck!
Rx | |
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| can someone recommend a pressure cooker and smoker ?
Posted: 10/22/2009 4:58:57 PM | here goes
names rick 6o+
pressure cooker, huh?
no problemo girl its just a thick sided kettle with a lockin top!!!!!!!
cooks with 10 -15 lbs of steam pressure !!!!!!!!
for instance due to liabilities all manufactured pressue cookers are tried and tested
the cookbook that comes with them is your bible as a guide.
gas , electric, glass top electric it does make a difference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and don't let anyone tell you different!!!!!
glass top electric! you must have the most highest quality construction
unit with an as perfectly flat bottom to the pot, why you ask?
glass is flat ,the element is under the glass in a dish so to say,
in order to get the temp to be equal in a timely manner
recommend stainless steel construction with cast stainless bottom
then the heat transfer will be equal, critical to maintaning pressure during
the cooking prossess
regular electric , both will work the burners are usually fairly flat across
but some are slightly warped due to heat and cool cylce repitition
so just take a straight edge lay it on the burner and see for yourself
how many elements will contact the pot, the one thats the flattest
will be the one you use the most, ? heat distribution!!!!!!!!!!!!
gas , what a gas !!!!!!!!!
iron or ceramic on iron,!!!!!!!!!!burners you have the flame out of the
burner hat wraps the kettle, you could use the lowest price unit due to the fact that the
contact point of the heat doesn' rely on contact with the heat surface.
the flames contact the kettle and spread out evenly!!
i have been cooking for 40 yrs or more
my dear mother used a pressure cooker like a good friend, makes you a food god!!
growing up in the depression, as a young girl was taught to prepare
food for eight and then work the ketttle to can meat and veggies for the winter!
i watched her ,as a little kid , just whip up the best tasting suppers i ever ate!!!
kinda magic???????
yes, it's all in the use of the kettle!!!!!!! lowest price or the highest price
they all work, mirro, is a good brand that has been around since i started
wearever makes a reasonable 8 qt. that is quite nice and reasonable
you can go to the puff puff stores and get the ferrari of p cookers, but why?
ask some questions, and listen!
critical hint, add just a touch more water, and a touch more time
leave the heat where it should be.
when to check on the progress of the meal, turn off the burner,
slide the kettle off the heat get the look seers out of the room , protect your secret
take it to the sink, gently put into the sink, leaving the cooking statis quo as is
run cold tap water over the top of the kettle till it settles!!!!!!!!!!!!
you will hear the steam subside, on the new units theres little
pressure button that will pop down when pressure subsides then pop it open
check the progress and decide!!!!!!!!!!!
hey babe , thats all i've got to say
have fun feed your freinds earn your post in the cooking kingdom over come the
fear, heck i was a goofy 15 yr old cooking for a familly of six regularly ,
pork chops, roast beef, chicken, pork roasts, ribs, simple foods
culinary memories? and it's in the kettle!!!!!
good luck
be careful
you won't believe the flavors
good old rick | |
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| can someone recommend a pressure cooker and smoker ?
Posted: 10/22/2009 6:32:29 PM | Well, rick's pretty much nailed it on the pressure cookers, and as said before- DON"T PEEK. Besides, almost any dry beans will take 2-3 hours to cook until soft. You want fast, get them in cans.
Smokers- I just got a Brinkman wood smoker. Not a bad little unit, about 12" square and maybe 3' tall. @ cooking racks, a fire bowl for the coals, and a water-liquids bowl to add steam and catch greasy drips.
You can also smoke on a regular grill as long as it has a cover that doesn't leak too much. In a large square of foil place a couple of good handfuls of soaked wood chips. Wrap and seal the bag, then poke a bunch of holes in one side. Pile your coals all to one side of the grill, gas grills use only ONE burner. Place the foil pak of chips directly ON your coals or for a gas-fired grill, on the rack just above the burner. Meat or other to-be-smoked food goes on the other side for INDIRECT HEAT. Cover the grill and let it work. While its cooking, prepare a couple more chip paks and more charcoal if needed. DO NOT ADD FRESH UNLIT CHARCOAL TO GRILL. When the smoke stops, it's time to add more coals and chips.
Unless you wanted an in-oven smoker. Can't help you there with names, but look for one that has a THICK flat bottom, heavy cooking tray elevated at least 1" off the bottom, and a tight fitting never-leak lid. Then make sure you have a good smoke detector in the kitchen the first few times you use it just in case the lid isn't as tight or doesn't lock as well as the sales droid tells you it will. | |
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| can someone recommend a pressure cooker and smoker ?
Posted: 10/22/2009 6:48:34 PM | | pressure cookers i cant help you with....but i do know a bit about smokers.....the brinkman charcoal smokers are nice...for fish.jerkey.......small chunks of meat..they are great.....BUT.you do need to "tend the fire"..........however....the brinkman.[and other brands of similar designs] electric OR gas smokers are incredible...........you set the temp and pretty much forget about them.......they are fantastic for whole chickens[roaster size] turkeys and hams.[if you want really good ham....take a store bought "smoked" ham and let it slowly smoke and cook all day long.....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm].........the gas and electric smokers do cost more.....but are definately worth it...........right now..walmart is selling them cheap | |
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| can someone recommend a pressure cooker and smoker ?
Posted: 10/23/2009 12:36:51 AM | I would definitely recommend a GAS smoker. I've used several designs starting with wood and trying electric. I finally bought a cabinet style gas smoker. Here it is:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=274668-53719-GS-2001&lpage=none
Chrome wire 14" by 14" racks; 784 sq. in. of cooking area
400 degree thermometer with bottle opener
Porcelain enameled steel smoker box and water bowl
Easy lock door and handle
I can fit the biggest turkey, hang sausage from the hooks, make jerky, and smoke anything I can fit in the box.
The best part is it's easy to maintain the temperature, which is Always a problem with wood smokers. Your heat will always fluctuate. With gas, you just run it up to your target temp and your set.
It was about $160, constructed very well and will last me forever. It might be pricey to some, but it's worth every penny.
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| can someone recommend a pressure cooker and smoker ?
Posted: 10/23/2009 7:23:57 PM | You don't take the lid off and check your food in a pressure cooker.
Presto is kind of the standard.
Beans take hours (I mean like 3 - 8 hours depending on the type of bean) to cook in a regular pot. Slow cookers are good for beans, too - cook 'em overnight or put 'em on when you leave in the morning and they're done when you come home from work. | |
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| can someone recommend a pressure cooker and smoker ?
Posted: 10/24/2009 11:51:23 AM | Bradley makes good smokers if that's your thing. They can replace your BBQ and you can buy different "flavoured" wood pellets.
Pressure cookers are great for things like dried beans. Do you're research and I can't say I've seen one you can see through. They're common in Brasil | |
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| can someone recommend a pressure cooker and smoker ?
Posted: 10/27/2009 6:51:04 PM | I have a digital pressure cooker that is just AWESOME! I got it as a Christmas gift last year and I love it! It's made by Cooks and I believe my friend got it at jcpenney.com
It has settings for different types of foods so all you do is press the button to select it then press start. As soon as the pressure builds up it goes into timer mode. That way there is no guessing on it.
I'll be honest when I first got it, I had to play with it a bit to make sure things were cooked thoroughly. Now it is great! I've made a whole chicken in there in about 25 minutes. | |
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| can someone recommend a pressure cooker and smoker ?
Posted: 11/2/2009 5:15:57 PM | | i bought one today for 64.99 with tax at Macy, they would not let me use my 20 percent off coupon. the brand is fagor (4 qt) which suppose to be a good brand. will cook my beans and hammocks tomorrow. | |
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| can someone recommend a pressure cooker and smoker ?
Posted: 11/3/2009 10:19:28 PM | The best smoker is made by Bradley. They sell models with up to 6 trays, digitally controlled temperature and smoke amount. I have used one for over 6 years, and can't imagine smoking fish without one. The most important thing to do when smoking meats is to get some aluminum foil pans that just fit in the smoker, then take bamboo shish ka bob sticks and put them through the pan near the top, about 1 inch apart, to create sort of a portable grill pan. Put your meat or fish on this pan, on top of the sticks, and then when you are done smoking your meats, you won't have to clean out the smoker, NOTHING TO CLEAN!!!!!!!! Just toss the aluminum foil pans, and you are done. The worst thing is to smoke some fish, with the drippings ending up on the bottom the unit, and having to clean it up, or in a few days, you will wish you had cleaned it up............
Bradley smokers are a little pricey, but once you use one, you will never be sorry. You do have to buy wood "chips" made of different wood from them, but I did figure out a different way.. You can manually put small pieces of wood on the burner, and then keep an eye on it, and as it gets consumed, replace it. I use only mesquite wood for beef, and apple wood for fish and poultry. You can remove some of the shelves, and smoke a whole turkey.....................
Paul K | |
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