Fagor Duo. Though this was the brand NOT used for pressure cooking recently, this is not the same model.
Fagor makes a unique model that is only sold at Macy's.

When used for cooking, Fagor pressure cookers are perfectly safe.

Ciao,

L

Yes, there is a good quality cooker that makes noise and I'm reviewing it now - will post it online in about 3 weeks (the reviews are vetted by the manufacturers for accuracy so it takes time), but I can give the short version:

WMF has a pressure cooker that makes a sound when it has reached high pressure. It starts out as a soft delicate, harmonic sound and then builds up to a very loud toot (think oncoming train). It really makes you want to jump into action! At that point, you can release a little pressure (if the tooting annoys you) and then lower the heat. Figuring out how much heat is EASY because if it is too high it starts to sound again. It will take a few times to figure out (even for this expert) - with lots of tooting- but once you've figure out the right heat setting it will stay there, cooking quietly.

Oh, and you can remove the handle with one button and stick the lid and base in the dishwasher (love!)

The WMF it is not a "15psi" cooker but.. guess what?!? All "15 psi" cookers are actually 14.5 psi (1 bar) their pressure is rounded up! The WMF is actually 13.8psi - so very little TRUE difference between them and, best of all, NO TIME ADJUSTMENTS!!

BUT, you will have to "lock" the lid. : (

Now back to getting your Fagor working. Forget what customer service said. Looking for steam is only confusing you since its difficult to explain HOW MUCH steam is TOO much and how much is just right. The pin is the true indicator of building and maintaining pressure.

If the yellow pin remains up and stiff (not springy) at 5 minutes on setting 2 try it 2 cups of water 10 or 15 minutes. 5 minutes is not really long enough to see if the cooker is truly maintaining pressure so you may see the pin starting to get "springy again" - if that is the case your cooker may actually need 2.5 or 3 to maintain pressure.

Just come back to the cooker during the test and tap on the yellow signal to make sure everything is where it should be and you've got it!

Fagor has a new model - The Chef - that according to the manual should solve ALL of those pin and knowing when its at pressure problems. Since I haven't used it myself I cannot confirm if it actually works as written.

Ciao,

L

Sandi, I'm sorry to have missed your question - there were so many replies to this topic I stopped following it. I have answered you privately though facebook DM, but will post that bit here-- in case anyone else is having a similar problem with their cooker gets this far!!

"When the cooker reaches pressure (the yellow button feels firm) turn down the heat to low or very low. While the Duo is at pressure there should be a very light wisp of vapor (so light maybe you can't see it across the kitchen but you can see if you look hard) and a soft "ssssss" sound . If there is a wide, visible stream of vapor and a forceful "SHHHHHHHHH!" sound the heat is too high.

I recommend practicing with 4 cups of water in the cooker until you get the hang of it so there is less stress to get dinner on the table - and no more disappointments of burned dinner!"

Let me know if there is anything more that I can do to help you get started with pressure cooking.

Ciao,

L

Sandi, I'm a pressure cooker expert and what your are experiencing is not unusual.

First, let's talk about how you could cook things in your lower pressure cooker to cook a the same times written for high pressure. Most foods (like rice, grains and vegetables) need very few time adjustments. Meats and legumes, which are very dense will differ greatly. For example soaked chickpeas at 9psi (your old Lagostina) take about 20 minutes to be tender but at 15 psi (your new Fagor) they only need 13.

Now let's talk about Fagor's tricky pressure signal that is driving you nuts. The signal on the Duo (and Futuro has the same signal) has a tendency to give a "false positive". That means that the little yellow button will rise when the cooker is STARTING to reach pressure not when it has REACHED it. Turning down the heat at this point, as you've seen will make it difficult for the cooker to maintain the little pressure it has achieved.

There is a very simple way to know for sure.

While bringing the cooker up to pressure simply touch the yellow signal. If it falls down or feels "springy" the cooker has not yet reached full pressure. If, instead, it feels solid you can safely turn down the heat.

If you don't turn down the heat the cooker will go into over-pressure. That means it will release lots of steam and in the meanwhile cook the food at 17 or even 18 psi. It's not a good idea to run a pressure cooker this way since the over-pressure release is one of the safety features and running this way could risk food getting stuck in the valve - which as you know can be a very dangerous situation.

Finally use the cooking times in the pressure cooker manual, or a trusty online source (wink), so you can get used to this much more powerful pressure cooker!

Ciao,

L

The best way to translate Indian pressure cooker whistles is to not do it.

What you should do, instead, is look-up the cooking time of the main ingredient in the manual for YOUR pressure cooker.

According to my online pressure cooking time table, pressure cooked goat in a modern non-whistling pressure just needs just 15 to 20 minutes at high pressure with natural release.

Ciao,

L

Stove-top pressure cookers should have an average of 3% evaporation in 10 minutes. It's easier if you weigh the cooker on a scale and pour in 10oz of water.

Pressure cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. When finished pressure cooking, release pressure using the lever and pour the contents of the pressure cooker, and shake the condensation from the lid in a bowl on the scale. You should have lost less than an ounce.

The math will be a lot easier that way!!

I'm in Italy and test cookers for reviews using the metric system (1000 grams).

Ciao,

L

P.S. Remember to follow the advice I left for you in another topic. Do not start counting pressure cooking time until the pressure signal is firm.

Mike, I read your other messages and it looks like your cooker is not going fully up to pressure - which would explain why doing the "Normal Release" is so fast for you. Here are the pressure cooker releases and the time they usually take.

Normal Release - twisting the knob or pushing the button, about 2 minutes.

Natural Release - do nothing and wait, usually 10 to 20 minutes depending on how full the cooker is.

Cold-water Quick Release - cooling the lid with water in the sink, about 20 seconds.

Great job reading the manual!!

Ciao,

L

Mike, the benefits of your pressure cooker are not only speed. The nice thing about having such a high-quality thick pot is to also be able to use the residual heat trapped in the steel to continue cooking the food without using any energy at all.

Although there are exceptions, you'll find the pressure cooker cuts cooking time to 1/3 - usually 10 minutes of natural release time in addition to the pressure cooking time is STILL going to get you to cooked food faster than if you were cooking it conventionally.

For desserts, meats and legumes. I almost always recommend natural pressure release.

Ciao,

L

Mike, Fagor pressure cookers tend to give a "false positive" when indicating pressure with the yellow button. It will rise and "stick" up even when the cooker has not fully reached pressure.

Next time, and you can do this now with a water test, touch the yellow indicator lightly. Does it feel "springy" or does it fall back down? The cooker has not reached full pressure.

Does it feel solid as a rock? Perfect. You can turn down the heat now.

Ciao,

L

As a pressure cooker expert, I can confirm that pressure cooker stock is clear because of the reduced "motion" of the stock.

Contents in a pressure cooker only "boil" - that is the contents move around and bubbles break to the surface- when the cooker is reaching and loosing pressure (about 10 minutes each). During the whole cooking time under pressure the contents of a cooker are eerily still, though the pressure and temperature are squeezing the juice out of the solids.

Ciao,

L

You're confused because manufacturers, like Magefesa, are still making and selling those pressure cookers. However, the manufacturers no longer market these cookers as pressure fryers because of the liability.

Here's one: http://amzn.to/Zx0tvb

Good luck on your hunt!

Ciao,

L

P.S. Both Magefesa and Fagor are brands of Groupe SEB.

Generally it is not a good idea to ask the same question in different places at the same time.

I answered your question here, because I saw it here first.

You don't have to wait a year to make a cake in the pressure cooker... experiment! That is how all great recipes are made.

Happy New Year!!

L

FalafelBoy,

If you look carefully at instruction manuals and pressure cooker cookbooks, you will see the same recipes written over, and over again with one or two ingredients changed. A whole slew of pressure cooker cookbooks have been published this year and for the most part they come from authors who have written slow cooker, bread maker and toaster oven cookbooks. They don't really know the medium and don't bother experimenting with different recipes and techniques.

Usually the authors are under a deadline to get another "appliance" book out so they just recycle recipes by changing a few ingredients - they don't have to test over, and over, and over again. That's why you see so few flour-based cake recipes in the pressure cooker. If one isn't already published and popular, you won't see any copies of it.

There is no need to wait for cakes to "rise" they are made with chemical levners (baking soda or powder, not yeast) - which are activated by acid, liquid and heat.

Though I can't share any here, I will definitely ask the publisher if we can share a pressure cooker cake recipe in the promotion of the cookbook (it'll be out in 2014 - snapping the photos for it now). I think, especially you, will really enjoy it. The chapter heads explain the WHY's and not just the HOW's of pressure cooking. It will have recipes, of course, but also explain all of the little adjustments and caveats so a cook can improvise and adapt with success.

I have not tried making a low-fat cheesecake but I recommend you find an established recipe and then adapt it as I mentioned, above, to the pressure cooker.

Ciao,

L

Pressure cook one cup white vinegar and one cup water for 20 minutes, natural overnight release.

Rinse everything out in the morning.

That should take care of it.

Ciao,

L

Never run your pressure cooker without water - unless you want to ruin it.

You can absolutely make flour-based cakes in the pressure cooker. I'm writing my second cookbook on pressure cooking and the dessert chapter will include several conventional cake recipes.

For pressure cooker cheesecake, just use a basic cheesecake recipe and halve it (or more) to fit the form that you will be pressure cooking. If it sets in conventional cooking, it will set in pressure cooking, too.

To the pressure cooker add 2 cups water, steamer basket, and un-covered form containing cheesecake.

Pressure cook at high pressure for 20 minutes with natural release.

Let cool, chill, and enjoy!

L

It depends on the model, but according to my measurements the Fisslers are so thick they can take anywhere from 14 to 17 minutes to reach pressure!

Put it on maximum heat, and wait!

Ciao,

L

Why are you peeling and cubing the eggplant before pressure cooking?

You just need to halve it (or cut it into chunks small enough to fit in the pressure cooker) and steam it with one cup of water for about 5 minutes - then you can tease out the pulp. For extra-mushy, 10 minutes should be enough, then just scoop the pulp out with a spoon.

Ciao,

L

Yes, there is a "rule of thumb" but there are always exceptions!

Usually things at high pressure (13-15psi) cook three times faster - calculate the basic cooking time in minutes by 0.3. And things cooked at low pressure (6-8psi) cook in half the time - calculate the cooking time in minutes by 0.5.

The thing is, that the rules aren't always cut and dry. Chickpeas, for example, cook 90% faster in the pressure cooker (13 minutes instead of 2-3 hours). Your chicken stock, only 30-45 minutes at high pressure!

These "rules" should be a starting point for figuring out the cooking time.

Your main resource should be your own cooker's manual. It should include a good list of cooking times as they relate to your pressure cooker. The online chart that smtucker linked to is culled from pressure cooker manufacturer instructions books. There are other, more reliable versions online that have been updated with first-hand experience.

For example, the chart in the link lists asparagus thick and thin pressure cooking time as the same - actually, you should ONLY pressure cook thick asparagus lest your expensive purchase of thin asparagus turn into soggy mush - a reputable timing chart will make this distinction.

I hope this helps!

Ciao,

L

In pressure cookery, "cooking time" or "pressure cooking time" is counted when the pressure cooker has reached pressure. For Fagor pressure cookers, the little signal in the handle needs to pop up, and thin wisp of vapor needs to exit the valve. Fagor's pressure signals tend to give a false positive, so you may want to touch it lightly to see if it falls back down. Then, as Sunshine mentioned, once you are assured the pressure cooker has reached pressure you lower the heat to the minimum the pressure cooker needs to maintain pressure and start the timer.

Although starting from a "cold cooker" it can take up to 10 minutes to reach pressure, if you're already sauteing ingredients and the pressure cooker is pre-heated it will only take 5 minutes or less for it to reach pressure.

I don't know what kind of dal your are making - each legume has its own cooking time. For example a Chana Dal would need to boil for about 40 minutes until tender - while in the pressure cooker it only needs about 10 minutes pressure cooking time (if you were staring with a cold cooker that would be 20 minutes total) - so I would say that 50% faster is a significant time savings!

Either way, you should refer to your pressure cooker manual. I haven't seen Fagor manuals from 10 years ago, but the recent ones are quite detailed and very helpful.

You can find them here, in the Fagor Folder:
http://bitly.com/hip-manuals

Ciao,

L

Have you considered the Fagor Futuro? It's pear-shaped with an opening of 8.8" and 9.25" at it's widest point. I have one and love it. I also reviewed it in detail on my website.

Otherwise, look into any 10L Fagor, which are the wider ones!

Ciao!

L

Paulj, you link lead me to this topic. Thank you!

Ciao,

L

If you are concerned, pressure cook them for 5 minutes, normal release this time. That'll kll anything that might have taken residence and grown in there.

Dear Slowcooking, congratulations on your new pressure cooker! Many people start with wanting to convert recipes but there are many things to keep in mind besides cooking time - as you are discovering.

The best way to "start" converting recipes is to find similar ones already written for the pressure cooker and adapt them to the ingredients you want to use.

It looks to me like Nigel's recipe is similar to this:

http://www.hippressurecooking.com/201...
(I've made this both with and without skin

Note in the step-by-step pictures how a little liquid became alot! The food also releases alot of liquid so you need just a tad, the minimum amount as suggested by sueatmo, to get thiings started.

Have fun!

Well, this links to a pressure cooker chicken stock recipe, but the first half of the page is filled with tips and hints for pressure cooker stocks:

http://www.hippressurecooking.com/201...

BTW, you can use any stovetop pressure cooker recipe in your WFP Electric Pressure cooker, just don't follow the directions for cold-water quick release (for obvious reasons)!

I've heard good things about the Insta-pot, because the insert is stainless steel (as opposed to non-stick, which is the norm for electrics):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00479OWFO/vi

I have a stovetop, so I cannot personally recommend it.

There is a series to teach pressrue cooking, and the littel "quirks" to using an electic are pointed out (http://www.hippressurecooking.com/201...). They are not much of a problem if you don't steam vegetables often! Off the top of my head, the quirks to using an electric vs. stovetop pressure cooker:

-You cannot open the pressure cooker and stop cooking using the quick cold water release method (which takes 20 seconds) - you need to use the valve and that takes about 2 minutes during which your veggies could quickly become overcooked.

-The pressure is lower in electrics than most stovetops which means it will not cook as fast, though it will still be cooking faster than the traditional method

-It is tricky (not impossible) to cook with wine, milk, beans and other forthy foods because they can clog-up the valves when you open the pressure cooker by releasing the valve (as opposed to the water method).

-Obvious limitations of having a non-stick interior, in that it needs special care, implements and attention .

I can't remember if there are more at the moment. The obvious advantage of using an electric is that it regulates the pressure automatically. When the pressure cooker reaches pressure, you usually need to turn down the heat for the rest of the cooking time (the first few times it's tricky while you learn how "low" you can go with your new pan) while an electric pressure cooker will do all of this and start a cooking timer automatically.

As you mentioned, some electric pressure cookers have a timer that can start cooking at a certain time - though depending on how many hours you are away from home, you cannot plan for a meal with meat to be sitting in a pressure cooker at room temperaturer 7-9 hours. That, in my mind, is the ONLY advantage of a crock-pot.

To give you the most cooking options I recommend a stovetop pressure cooker. To give you the most planning options I recommend an electric MULTI-cooker (pressure and rice cooker plus crock-pot in one).

Happy Shopping!

L

I think the problem is in adjusting your recipes for the pressure cooker, you also need to keep in mind to reduce the quantity of broth. There is no need to add and reduce as in a regular soup recipe, just add, cook and eat! I would not skip the initial browning, though.

Here is a great article with specific tips for pressure cooker soups:

5 Amazing Pressure Cooker Soup Tips & Tricks
http://www.hippressurecooking.com/201...

There is also a series to teach newby's right now.

Your lentils are a mystery. I pressure cook mine for 10 minutes and they're nice and plump and aldente, 10 minutes more and they are creamy.

40 minutes under pressure and still not edible?!?!? That's as long as it takes to make it without a pressure cooker! I would check that your pressure cooker is actually reaching pressure!

Did you get a pressure cooker for the Holidays? Let us know the size, model and what you plan to cook in it!

Ciao,

L

Thank you all for your suggestions so far! I was thinking about doing a goulash, too but with the addition of peppers!

Meat & Veggie Soups are a great idea, and I can always add pastina at the end.

What do you guys think of doing a Tangine in the pressure cooker and during the last few minutes cook cous cous, or even rice, with the steam in a parchment packet?

I'm looking for recipes that can make a one pot meal in the pressure cooker. I would like a meal with a starch, a vegetable, and a protein... tomato sauce doesn't count as a vegetable.

I've found countless stew recipes referred to as "one pot" but then they say to serve rice on the side, or a salad so I don't feel that those really count as one pot!

Thanks!

L

I don't think you are soaking them long enough. Italians always soak for 24 hours. Change the water mid-way and rinse well before cooking!