Pressure cookers are amazing cooking appliances to have for any house.
Very much like everything else in life, there are some disadvantages of a pressure cooker also and you need to bear with it.
The first variation of the pressure cooker was introduced to the world by Denis Papin in 1679. At that time it was known as the “steam digester“, but the principle was the same.
Today, a pressure cooker is far from what it was then; the pressure cookers of our generation come with sophisticated features and safety measures that were, in my opinion, much needed.
Disadvantages of Pressure Cooker
1. The sealing ring/gasket needs maintenance
The sealing ring must be in good condition to ensure that the container can seal properly and build pressure inside the pot.
It is very important to clean the gasket after each cooking cycle to ensure that there is food stuck to it, preventing it from sealing.
It is recommended to replace the sealing ring within the first two years of using the pressure cooker, preferably once a year to be safe.
2. It requires timing.
The pressure inside a pressure cooker locks the unit in place. That pressure should be released to open the lid safely.
That means that a person cannot check the status of their food because if they lose pressure, they have to start over.
Cooking, therefore, depends on time more than anything else.
3. Overcooking is easy
Under such pressure, it is much easier to overcook food. It only takes a couple of minutes for the food to overcook.
People who recently purchased their pressure cooker often complain that their food is overcooked.
By following a cookbook or recipes that are available online, it’s easy to avoid overcooking items.
4. You can’t check on food or tweak the taste throughout the process
The ability to build up pressure within the container is both a gift and a curse at the same time; it prevents the user from opening the lid to check food or add ingredients.
Doing so would depressurize the pot completely and the user would have to pressurize it again.
Cooking in a pressure cooker is mostly a matter of time.
5. There’s a learning curve to it
Using a pressure cooker is different than boiling and recipes may need to be modified slightly to fit the pressure cooker’s methods.
At first, it can be difficult to choose the right time. Fortunately, there are guidelines and recipes that are available online that will help.
These are some pressure cooking disadvantages that you should be aware of before buying it…
Wrap Up
The advantages and disadvantages of pressure cooking are an introduction to this cooking method.
It can be a pleasant experience, but you have to factor in the downsides to bring up the benefits.
FAQ
You can use any type of oil or butter in a pressure cooker and if you need to fry off your ingredients before they cook under pressure, this is perfectly safe and acceptable.
No, You can’t fry in a pressure cooker. However, there are some tricks that but are not recommended.
Cooking in an “instant pot” or pressure cooker is a great method of preparing your food on many levels.