"Braising" beef in a pressure cooker is the worst idea right?

[KatyCooks]

I'm the last person to give advise on pressure cookers, but.... I think you are not giving it a chance to do its magic.
I'm sure someone will help here! Lots of people have them and must be able to chime in.
Braising under pressure is the whole purpose of the cooker, no? speed things up and tenderirze at the same time.

I agree DL and and I have not given up at all on my PC - if nothing else it is producing the most perfect Baked potatoes you ever ate! So I know it does its job well. I need to grow my confidence and understanding of how it works.

The reason I bought this Pressure Cooker is to save time and money, and those are still my goals. The best thing I can do is to get good ideas here. It sort of feels like it is becoming a bit of a lost art.

My questions for seasoned PC users are:

1. Does size of chunk matter? (We will assume they are of more or less equal size)
2. Does the liquid matter? (We will assume it is a mass of stock, onions, seasonings as usual) and in the ratio that is equivalent (and safe) to the pot.
3. What is the magic third ingredient that you need to know when cooking food in a pressure cooker?

 

[msmofet]

I would pressure cook browned beef chunks for 35 minutes with a 10 minute natural release time.

 

[KatyCooks]

35 minutes! I was too scared to try that! Do you think that will work on even the worst quality beef msmofet?

 

[KatyCooks]

Have to go, even though only just exciting for everyone else.

 

[msmofet]

35 minutes! I was too scared to try that! Do you think that will work on even the worst quality beef msmofet?

I always do 35 minutes for cubes of beef. Always comes out tender.

 

[jennyema]

You need to cook tough beef for more like 45 minutes

 

[Badjak]

Cooking time depends on your pressure as well.
Small pieces get done a little quicker than huge chunks.
I generally go on the short side for cooking, naturally release pressure and then boil without pressure to reduce the liquid. Somehow I always got a bit too much liquid to my liking and i don't really like binding with flour or maizena

 

[KatyCooks]

It seems that I have a lot of learning to do with my pressure cooker!

I am not daunted however. I think that once I learn to "fly" it, it is going to be a brilliant bit of kit! Beef chunks are going to be my measure. If I can get Sainsburys beef chunks tender - I have won!

Thank you for the guidance and suggestions. I really appreciate it.

 

[taxlady]

It seems that I have a lot of learning to do with my pressure cooker!

I am not daunted however. I think that once I learn to "fly" it, it is going to be a brilliant bit of kit! Beef chunks are going to be my measure. If I can get Sainsburys beef chunks tender - I have won!

Thank you for the guidance and suggestions. I really appreciate it.

Please keep us up to date on your pressure cooking adventures.

 

[Bama-Rick]

To cook larger chunks of meat in the pressure cooker, cook on high pressure for 35-45 minutes and use the natural release method. Natural release just means turn off the cooker and let it cool down on its own for 10-20 minutes. If you are adding vegetables to the mix, add them after the natural release, fire up the pressure cooker again and cook them with the meat still in the pot for 4-5 minutes tops and do a quick release.

Your meat will be tender and vegetables cooked. A very large chunk of meat, say a 4 lb/2 Kg roast may take up to an hour in the PC but still use the natural release method.

How long, and how, do you cook baked potatoes in the PC to soften them up? I normally do 10 minutes in the microwave then bake them in the oven for 15 minutes or so, but your PC method sounds interesting and worth a try.

 

[SEEING-TO-BELIEVE]

thanks and love from israel..
i think it depends on the size of the potato and its variety..........

better cook more than less when it comes to potatoes in pressure cooker