What? Pressure Cooker and Snakes?

Hard to believe that the pressure cooker and  snakes have something in common for me.  The two things I was brought up to fear.   From the time I can remember and I'm sure before I can my mom would say...........don't go over there you might see a snake, don't play in the hay snakes live in it,  never touch a snake and don't go in the kitchen Cheryl Ann I'm using the pressure cooker or canner and you don't want it to explode and burn you.  Very lucky for me I toughened up and bit the bullet to  overcome my fear of the cooker.   I never  conquered the fear of snakes.  I don't care if they are the supposedly cute little "Red Belly Racers"  (this is what my husband tells me)  a python, rattlesnake or king cobra, I fear them to the point of a few times almost getting hurt trying to avoid them.   I saw one when using the push mower, let go of it and ran into the road.  It's a good thing the driver was paying attention.  That was an hour lecture from you know who.....that felt like blah, blah, blah!  Last summer on the riding lawn mower I started screaming, SNAKE!  Jim heard me at his house and told Amber, I think your mom saw a snake.  I'm famous for the snake scream.   Dick is there saying run over it, I tried but screamed when thinking the blade might throw it back up on me..........I am actually holding my breath talking about it.  I jumped off the mower, yes it was still going but being that fast track runner from the 1960's Dick was able to get on like it was a runaway horse.  Yahoo!   Maybe this is why I don't mind winter and the cold months!  My eyes and head do not have to be scanning the ground for Mr. and Mrs. No Shoulders!

Sorry but you know me by now and that I wasn't going to jump into how and why  I like using a pressure cooker right away.  Here we go, let's cook a beef roast and then talk about it.

Any cut of beef will do.  The cheaper the better of course even the cheap cuts are now expensive.  I was lucky to find a nice chuck roast at Wegmans for $3.99# yesterday.  Last week I passed up the $8.49 chuck roast at Tops in Olean.  Back to the directions ;)

Salt and pepper the roast, dust with flour.  What ever oil you use is fine, veg, coconut, bacon grease, butter it doesn't matter.  Cover the bottom of the pressure cooker with the oil, heat and add the roast.  Brown well on each side.  This makes your gravy/sauce much richer in flavor and color.  Just don't burn it.  Flour tastes  terrible when burnt.

Ready to brown!

After browning it will have a crusty outside.  That is what you want.  Try not to turn it before it is completely brown, lift an edge and take a peek if it's not brown enough don't turn it. 

Next I cut up onion, carrot, celery and garlic to put on top of the meat, 1 cup of carrots, 1/2 of  onion, same for celery and 2 cloves of garlic.  Add 3-4 cups of water, do not fill above half way in a pressure cooker for safety reasons.  If the roast is too big do half at a time.  It is so fast to do you will still save lots of time from doing it in the oven or crock pot.  That's a promise.  You will have to do the cooking when you have time to hang out near the kitchen and listen to the little dance of the "pressure regulator" it should sound off a couple times a minute.  Keep adjusting the heat and I can tell you it will be low to medium low, never will it be a high heat.  You don't have to stand near just keep listening and a walk by frequently'  Mine is the old pressure type,  the new models are user friendly and much easier with little worry.  I think you will be glad you tried this method.

This is my old faithful.

After 50 minutes in the cooker the roast is done,  tender and moist with beautiful juices for the gravy or sauce.  It was a total of 80 minutes from browning, cutting veggies and completely cooking.   The vegetables are mushy tender.  I put a little of the juice and veggies in my blender or use my little whir stick to make a smooth liquid.  Pour back in with the rest of the juice with salt and pepper to taste and thicken to the consistency you like. You have a meal of hot roast beef sandwiches, roast beef, gravy and what ever sides you like.  I use leftovers for stews and soups.  The meat is fall apart tender. Today I shredded it into medium size pieces.  Just depends what my plans are for supper.  All kinds of meats can be cooked in a pressure canner.  I will try to post when I am using the P.C. for other meals along with the recipe and suggestions.

                               After 50 minutes this is a 2-1/2 # beef roast.

All done and ready for tonight.

             

Sauce before veggies are blended.

Smooth and creamy gravy.

Once the meat is done you can remove it, add vegetables of your choice to the juices and pressure cook them for about 8 minutes.  Pot roast with the trimmings!

I keep a couple extra over pressure plugs and one rubber seal so I don't have to wait for an order.  In the 14 years with my canner the only thing I have replaced is one "overpressure plug".  The cooker has had no replacements.

If you buy a pressure cooker it will come with full instructions and recipe book.  Of course you can always google for more.

Here is a  good site to read about pressure cookers with diagrams of what is what on the structure, why and how they work.  Look it over and again any questions, you know where to find me :)  Cook'n by the Creek
http://www.gopresto.com/recipes/ppc/howtouse.php