Pressure Cooker Tips

By Food & Wine
Updated April 25, 2017
Photo © Antonis Achilleos
A handy guide to making the most of your pressure cooker.
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Nathan Myhrvold's Pressure Cooker Tips

Credit: Photo © The Cooking Lab, LLC
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Nathan Myhrvold has a high-tech kitchen lab, but the device he calls magical is a basic pressure cooker.

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Getting Started

Credit: Photo © Antonis Achilleos
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Fifteen pounds per square inch (PSI) is the most common setting for pressure cookers. Products vary, however, so be sure to consult the owner's manual.

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Problem-Solving

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Steam coming out of the cooker's valve indicates pressure is too high; reduce it by lowering the heat.

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Depressurizing

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Never try to force the lid open; to depressurize quickly, run the lid (but not the valve) under cold water.

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Smart Ways to Use a Pressure Cooker: Caramelized Carrot Soup

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To caramelize carrots in a pressure cooker, Nathan Myhrvold adds a bit of baking soda: It increases the pH, which speeds up the Maillard (browning) reaction.

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