ISO help w/spaghetti sauce in pressure cooker
- Thread starter ruffus
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Personally, I wouldn't cook spaghetti sauce, or any other sauce, in a pressure cooker. The original intent of a pressure cooker is to decrease cooking time and make tender tough cuts of meat. High altitude cooking (braising, for instance), almost demands the use of a pressure cooker for select meats (usually roasts) and stews.
In my experience, homemade spaghetti sauce benefits from simple long time simmering on a very low heat with occasional stirring. I don't think using a pressure cooker would gain you anything flavor-wise, but that's just my opinion.
In my experience, homemade spaghetti sauce benefits from simple long time simmering on a very low heat with occasional stirring. I don't think using a pressure cooker would gain you anything flavor-wise, but that's just my opinion.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
I agree with Selkie.
Plus sauce benefits from reduction and concentration of flavors.
Plus sauce benefits from reduction and concentration of flavors.
What Selkie said. I could see using the pressure cooker to can your sauce, but not to make it.
You definitely get the concentration of flavors in a PC. I made spaghetti sauce in mine before and in 20 minutes I had sauce that tasted like it had been simmering for hours. I do prefer to make my sauce stovetop though. Probably because I like to fiddle with it while it cooks. I think it was 20 minutes... I know it wasn't longer.
justplainbill
Executive Chef
Would imagine that a PC doesn't help thicken the sauce.
Is your PC made out of aluminum?
Is your PC made out of aluminum?
Josie1945
Head Chef
Ruffus, Welcome to Dc.
I would not cook Pasta sauce in a pressure cooker.
Josie
I would not cook Pasta sauce in a pressure cooker.
Josie
Here's the recipe I loosely followed
Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Sauce Recipe - Pressure Cooker Sausage Pasta Sauces Recipes
Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Sauce Recipe - Pressure Cooker Sausage Pasta Sauces Recipes
Sir_Loin_of_Beef
Chef Extraordinaire
If I made Grandma Lovulo's sauce in a pressure cooker, she'd be spinning in her grave, and my mother would again be haunting my dreams. She might even make the top of the pressure cooker blow off.
I simmer my meatballs and Italian sausage in my sauce, and I don't think 20 minutes in the pressure cooker could extract and meld the flavours that 2 hours on the stove top will.
I simmer my meatballs and Italian sausage in my sauce, and I don't think 20 minutes in the pressure cooker could extract and meld the flavours that 2 hours on the stove top will.
Last edited:
>>sausage pasta sauce
that was my first thought - perhaps it's the meat portion of a recipe that's driving the idea....
there is one trick to achieving lower heat that your burner puts out on the lowest setting - a "flame tamer"
these can be high temp ceramic or metal - I've seen metal wires formed into various patterns that _might_ work with electric burners (but not so much with gas)
you put the plate between the burner and the pot . . .
in the slow simmer method the occasional stir is most helpful in keeping the sauce from 'settling out' - gets thick on the bottom... not sure how that goes in a pressure cooker.
that was my first thought - perhaps it's the meat portion of a recipe that's driving the idea....
there is one trick to achieving lower heat that your burner puts out on the lowest setting - a "flame tamer"
these can be high temp ceramic or metal - I've seen metal wires formed into various patterns that _might_ work with electric burners (but not so much with gas)
you put the plate between the burner and the pot . . .
in the slow simmer method the occasional stir is most helpful in keeping the sauce from 'settling out' - gets thick on the bottom... not sure how that goes in a pressure cooker.
justplainbill
Executive Chef
The acidity of tomatoes and aluminum can be an undesirable combination.
AmandaN80
Cook
I wouldnt use a PC for sauce. When I make mine, I start it the night before I want to have it done and cook low all night and til dinner time 
Usually its kind of thick and more so if I add any meats at the end.
Usually its kind of thick and more so if I add any meats at the end.ranleemil
Assistant Cook
I think Simple is Best!
While I have enjoyed many long, slow, simmered spaghetti sauces over the years, I find that simple sauces made in 45 minute or less are still my favorite. Marcella Hazan's recipe with 5T butter, 28 oz San Marzano Tomatoes, broken up by hand, and an onion cut in half through the root end to keep both halves intact, simmered for about 40-45 minutes, then seasoned, is hard to beat. Also simple EVOO, minced garlic, salt, pepper, 28 oz San Marzano Tomatoes simmed about 40-45 minutes, adding lots of fresh basil chiffonade at the end, is also hard to beat!
While I have enjoyed many long, slow, simmered spaghetti sauces over the years, I find that simple sauces made in 45 minute or less are still my favorite. Marcella Hazan's recipe with 5T butter, 28 oz San Marzano Tomatoes, broken up by hand, and an onion cut in half through the root end to keep both halves intact, simmered for about 40-45 minutes, then seasoned, is hard to beat. Also simple EVOO, minced garlic, salt, pepper, 28 oz San Marzano Tomatoes simmed about 40-45 minutes, adding lots of fresh basil chiffonade at the end, is also hard to beat!
justplainbill
Executive Chef
Fresh whole tomatoes and sauces with chicken, pork, sausages, and meatballs can take longer.
Last edited:
ranleemil
Assistant Cook
I Agree!
I agree, and as I said, I have had some wonderful sauces that have even taken days to prepare. A real Bolognese is the perfect example, but my own personal preference is to be more traditional and have a pasta course and a meat course later in the meal. I once took a cooking class with Arthur Schwartz and he taught me to make the best Neapolitan meatballs with raisins and pine nuts. That is one of my preferred meat courses!
justplainbill
Executive Chef
Schwartz is pretty good. I use one of his recipes to make a nice chocolate and chestnut desert. Many Americans are not familiar with the primo e segundo piatti concept.
Last edited:
Oh, yes... you can make pasta sauce in the pressure cooker!!!
I can't believe some of the responses you got! You can absolutely make sauce in the pressure cooker - from fancy to easy.
Sausage is a good starter, but plain tomato and any classic Italian pasta sauce can be done under pressure.
20 minutes is entirely too long to cook a pasta sauce under pressure (unless you are doing the classic bolognese) and could explain the scorching problems some people are talking about.
The most important points are:
1. Use chopped or whole tomatoes so that the pan can reach pressure quickly.
2. Do not overcook the sauce.
3. If your pressure cooker is larger than 6L, add a couple extra tablespoons of water (your pressure cooker needs it).
4. Cook pasta one minute less than you usually would - pressure cooked pasta sauce can be pretty hot and it will keep cooking the pasta once you stir them together.
You can also cook the pasta directly in the sauce - but I'm still working on perfecting the "secret formula" for the right pasta shape, and quantity of liquid so that the results can be predictably al-dente!
happy pressure cooking, and let us know about your results!
Ciao,
Laura
hip pressure cooking
I can't believe some of the responses you got! You can absolutely make sauce in the pressure cooker - from fancy to easy.
Sausage is a good starter, but plain tomato and any classic Italian pasta sauce can be done under pressure.
20 minutes is entirely too long to cook a pasta sauce under pressure (unless you are doing the classic bolognese) and could explain the scorching problems some people are talking about.
The most important points are:
1. Use chopped or whole tomatoes so that the pan can reach pressure quickly.
2. Do not overcook the sauce.
3. If your pressure cooker is larger than 6L, add a couple extra tablespoons of water (your pressure cooker needs it).
4. Cook pasta one minute less than you usually would - pressure cooked pasta sauce can be pretty hot and it will keep cooking the pasta once you stir them together.
You can also cook the pasta directly in the sauce - but I'm still working on perfecting the "secret formula" for the right pasta shape, and quantity of liquid so that the results can be predictably al-dente!
happy pressure cooking, and let us know about your results!
Ciao,
Laura
hip pressure cooking
Last edited:
Thank you for your answers to my question, yesterday I cooked my spaghetti sauce in a pressure cooker, it was excellent!!! but you have to control the heat if you do not want to burn it. I added a little bit more beef stock. If anybody had good recipes for pressure cookers could you please post them. Thanks again
