Many folks have misconceptions about the good old pressure cooker being dangerous. Thinking the slow cooker might be a safer choice, they reach for that appliance instead. Both machines cook food into moist, mouthwatering, fall-off-the-bone, delicious goodness. Whether using the pressure cooker or slow cooker, both are simple to use by tossing all your ingredients in the pot. However, was that decision correctly based on facts or just myths of the past? We will uncover the underlying truths about both vessels and how to utilize each appliance to their fullest potential properly.

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What is a Pressure Cooker?

The pressure cooker dates back to the late 1600s when Denis Papin, a French physicist, knew steam under controlled pressure could speed cooking times in foods. Then, in 1864, the German, Georg Gutbrod began producing pressure cookers consisting of tinned cast iron. The pressure cooker took off under the patent of Jose Alex Martinez of Spanish origin. Mr. Martinez was a pioneer of pressure cooker recipes, authoring the cookbook 360 Recipes for Cooking with a Pressure Cooker. As you can see, cooking in an airtight vessel has been part of many countries' history in the culinary world.

How do Pressure Cookers Work?

Today's modern pressure cooker is a great, safe, and quick way to cook a family meal in a limited time. Trapping steam inside an airtight pot will increase the boiling point of water or any other liquid from 100℃ to approximately 121℃. Steam is forced back into food at the bottom of the pot by this drastic rise in temperature and pressure. The even distribution of pressure and steam cooks the food swiftly, thoroughly, and evenly.Pressure cookers now have PSI settings as well as automatic pressure release functions to provide you hassle-free cooking experience.

What can you cook in a pressure cooker?

The best thing about pressure cookers in 2020 is that they can do almost any method of cooking! Typically, a pressure cooker is great for those tough cuts of beef or making refried beans for taco night. Nowadays, the pressure cooker is one of the best multitaskers in the kitchen! With a quality, new pressure cooker, you will be able to:

• Steam
• Boil
• Brown
• Braise
• Roast
• Poach

These styles of cooking were never acceptable in a pressure cookeruntil technology advanced. The electric type of pressure cookers on the market, such as the All-Clad Electric Pressure Cooker has eight cooking modes to ensure a great meal in a hurry!

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What Are The Pros and Cons of Using a Pressure Cooker?

All cooking vessels have their pros and cons. Luckily with the advancement of pressure cookers, the disadvantages are few and far between.

The pros of a pressure cooker are now endless! Long ago are the days of worrying about explosions and complicated valves. Being able to cook tough cuts of meat is a time and cost saver alone. Another pro of a pressure cooker is veggies come out full of flavorand nutrients while retaining their integrity. And now, with the electric, programmable models of pressure cookers, you can make a full gourmet dinner in one pot in an hour!

The cons of a pressure cooker come in the model you have now or wish to choose. Pressure cookersfrom the past are fine to use. Just be careful if it is very old, or you are new to pressure cookers. The pressure and steam are intense and can harm someone if opened at the wrong point. Avoid the cons by purchasing a more modernpressure cooker that guarantees a safe, swift, and savory meal upon every use.

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What is a Slow Cooker?

Slow cookers were invented by Mr. Irving Naxon back in 1940 when he patented the Bean Simmer Cooker. The idea of cooking foods slow and low came from his grandma's stew recipe, which took hours to perfect. In 1971, the company Rival took the slow and low concept further by mass-producing the Crock-Pot. The oval metal pot with a glass lid and a stoneware insert has made millions of meals since its conception. This simple cooking concept is excellent for those who want a great dinner with little to no effort performed in the morning hours.

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How do Slow Cookers Work?

Slow cookers are engineered so that nothing goes wrong. An electric heating element is inside the oval metal container, which holds the typically ceramic or stoneware insert. Attach a glass lid with an O-ring, and you have a slow cooker. Of course, the sophistication of the slow cooker has evolved into having pre-programmed functions that will perform a multitude of tasks for each type of protein and vegetable within the pot. The beauty of slow cookers is they work effortlessly on minimal electricity with negligible work involved!

What can you Cook in a Slow Cooker?

Tough cuts of meat are no match for a slow cooker! Placing beef cuts such as shanks, rumps, or chuck roasts are great selections for your slow cooker since they are highly economical and provide excellent flavor once simmered for hours. Soups and stews are terrific options for a slow cooker to work its magic while you are at work. Slow cookers have been a go-to when it comes to dips ever since their invention.With the advancement of slow cooking technology, you can make desserts such as cobblers, brownies, and even cheesecake in the slow cooker!

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What Are The Pros and Cons of Using a Slow Cooker?

Slow cookers, when looking at their pros and cons, have many more attributes than deficits in today's world. Placing all, or most of your ingredients in one pot in the a.m., then leave for 10 hours to come home to the smells and taste of a delightful dinner is never a con!

A massive pro of the slow cooker is their price point. When you purchase a slow cooker, the recipes are endless, and typically very inexpensive. Using a slow cooker during the cold winter months will add ease to your life in many ways. Prep your meal in the morning then throw it in the slow cooker. You are now ready to take the kids to school and yourself to work without worry about tonight's dinner. Slow cookers are inexpensive, use extraordinarily little energy, and are incredibly easy to operate.

When seeking a negative regarding slow cooking, there are few. People might equate some results of their dinner as a con when the chicken skin is rubbery, or the stroganoff curdled a bit. These are not slow cooker issues, just merely a lack of the hacks needed for awesome, slow-cooked meals. Broil your chicken at the end for 2 minutes to crisp up the skin or use skinless chicken. Always add your dairies such as milk, cream, or sour cream at the end of your cooking time.

Is the Pressure Cooker or the Slow Cooker Right for Your Home?

As you can see by now, both the slow cooker and the pressure cooker will add value to your kitchen appliance collection. If you are looking for quick, then the pressure cooker will be your best bet. But, if you enjoy tossing all your ingredients into one pot, and forgetting bout it for half the day, then choosing the slow cooker will make your life simpler. The different functions of the current models of pressure cookers, slow cookers, and the newest version of these cooking vessels, the multicooker cookers (those are for another blog), will all provide you and your family incredible suppers and more with a nominal investment of time or money.

Ready to start cooking? Williams Food Equipment has everything you need.