Re: pressure cookers was Re: Need recommendations on security

DougW wrote:

> Pressure cookers are just an earlier version of the microwave.

The only thing similar about microwaves and pressure cookers is that
they both shorten cooking time and they can both easily overcook food -- 
but the science of the cooking is entirely different as is the nature
and process of the cooking and overcooking.

> Try
> using one to cook chicken or pre-cook it for a short trip to the
> grill. http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1839,146170-238207,00.html

That link is for a cooker prepared lemon herbed chicken, but it doesn't
have any advice about pre-cooking chicken prior to grilling.

There's a lot of bad advice floating around the web about precooking
chicken before grilling -- the worst are those which are designed to
'totally' cook the chicken by boiling prior to grilling.  You can
'parboil' chicken before the grill or you can even 'par-roast' chicken
before the grill, to say nothing of par-marinating, but it shouldn't be
'cooked' before it gets to the grill.

I wouldn't use the cooker on chicken I'm going to grill -- the link you
gave totally can totally cook those chicken pieces in 10 minutes at
pressure.

> Oh.. and the little wibbly thing on top should never be removed by,
> lets say, a small child that thinks it's fun.  Don't think gramps
> ever got that stain off the ceiling. :]

Eek!  I can't imagine a child 'getting away' with removing the 'wibbly'
at pressure without experiencing severe burns.

If there were a full cooker of liquidy food at pressure, the release of
pressure is going to result in all of that 'superheated' water in the
pot to become steam, a lot of it, which is going to be severely burning,
ie cooking the tender flesh attached to the little hand and arm and
perhaps face, neck, and chest of the little wibbly remover.

That risk should be totally circumvented somehow by a responsible
pressure cook.

-- 
Mike Easter
kibitzer, not SC admin