Your first week with an electric pressure cooker

Why it is faster

With the lid locked, the steam produced inside cannot escape, so the pressure rises and water boils at well above 100 °C. Food cooks in that hotter, moist heat, which is why a beef stew or a pot of dried chickpeas that would take hours on the hob is ready in a fraction of the time. The same sealed lid is also the reason for every rule below.

Day one: run it with water

Before the first real meal, do a test run with just water, as the manual describes. It shows you that the sealing ring is seated properly, how long the cooker takes to come up to pressure, and what the valve sounds like when it releases steam. Knowing what normal looks like makes the first dinner far less nerve-racking.

Liquid: never cook it dry

Pressure comes from steam, and steam comes from liquid. The manual gives the minimum amount for your cooker; stay above it every time. Count thin liquids such as water, stock or wine. Thick sauces, tomato passata and cream do not produce much steam and can catch on the base, so add them on top of the thinner liquid, or stir them in once cooking has finished.

Fill lines

• Never fill above the maximum mark on the inner pot.
• For beans, lentils, rice and other grains, stop at half full. They foam and swell, and foam can block the valve.
• A generous amount of room above soups is a good habit too.

Count the time properly

The time you set starts only once full pressure is reached, which usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes, longer for a full pot or cold ingredients. A recipe that says “15 minutes” may take half an hour from switching on to serving. Plan for it.

Brown first for more flavour

Pressure cooking does not brown food. For stews, use the sauté function to colour the meat and onions first, then pour in a little liquid and scrape the base clean before locking the lid. Anything left stuck to the bottom can scorch and trip the cooker’s overheat protection.

Letting the pressure out

Natural release

Leave the cooker alone and the pressure falls by itself, usually over 10 to 20 minutes. Use it for meat, beans, soups and anything that foams, since the food keeps cooking gently and nothing sprays from the valve.

Quick release

Turning the valve lets the steam out at once, which stops vegetables and fish from overcooking. Move the valve with a wooden spoon rather than your fingers, keep your face and hands away from the jet, and never cover the valve with a cloth.

Whichever you use, the lid stays locked until the pressure has gone. If it does not turn freely, wait. Never force it.

Programmes, delay start and keep warm

The QuickChef Pro has one-touch settings for rice, cake, chicken, soup and beans or beef, plus a manual mode for setting your own time. Start with the programmes while you learn how the cooker behaves, then switch to manual for recipes that give their own timings.

The 24-hour delay start is ideal for rice or for dried beans soaking in water. It is not suitable for raw meat, fish, eggs or dairy, which should not sit in the pot at room temperature for hours before cooking begins.

Keep warm holds a finished meal hot for serving later, up to 12 hours. It is not a way to store food: once a meal has cooled, move the leftovers into the fridge, ideally within two hours.

Cleaning after use

• Wash the inner pot with a soft sponge, and use wooden or silicone utensils to protect its non-stick coating.
• Take out the silicone sealing ring, wash it and let it dry fully before refitting it. It picks up smells over time, so some cooks keep a second ring for sweet dishes.
• Check that the steam valve and the small shield under the lid are free of food.
• Wipe the outer body with a damp cloth only; never put it in water.

Everything above is general guidance; your cooker’s manual has the final word on liquid, fill levels and release. More safety points are on guarantee and safe use.

Ask about the pressure cooker