Prestige is the pioneer of pressure cookers with over 80 years of expertise. Some of our loyal customers have had their pressure cookers for over two generations and the products are still going strong. As the rest of our products, to guarantee the best performance and longevity, there are key rules consumers should follow.
Please note, below is for general guidance. For full details on how to care for your pressure cooker, Please refer to your use and care.
Principles of pressure cooking
- Under normal conditions, most foods cook at 100ºC. This is because the water boils at this temperature in normal atmospheric pressure.
- If the temperature of cooking is raised, food cooks much faster. For example, an increase of 20ºC temperature allows food to be cooked four times faster, retaining freshness and nutritional values of food.
- Pressure cookers cook above the atmospheric pressure, therefore the temperature inside the cooker can increase to around 117ºC (depending on the pressure settings of your pressure cooker). Thus, at these higher temperatures food cooks much faster.
How to Use
- Place food into pressure cooker and add liquid.
- Close pressure cooker lid and place on hob.
- Position the regulator/weight depending on the food to be cooked (please refer to the manual that was supplied with your pressure cooker).
- Turn on the heat source, the pressure cooker will come to pressure after 5-7 minutes, followed by a gentle hiss, this indicates that the correct cooking temperature has been reached.
- Reduce the heat setting whilst maintaining a gentle hiss.
- On completion of cooking, turn off the heat source.
- Once any indicator/safety plug/secondary safety device drops back down it is safe to open the lid.
- Certain recipes may require the steam to be released (slowly) in this case turn off the heat and allow the pressure to drop naturally, before removing the lid. NB: This may take several minutes depending on the quantity of food in the cooker.
- Some recipes may require pre-steaming, e.g. Steamed puddings which otherwise would be heavy and closed textured (see recipe guide supplied with your pressure cooker).
- Please check that sufficient water remains in the cooker after pre-steaming to prevent it boiling dry.
Quick start and user tips
- Wash the cooker in hot soapy water, rinse and dry thoroughly.
- Please check all parts are included and if any parts are missing contact our Customer Care Team.
- Any liquids which produce steam when boiled can be used in the cooker e.g. water, stock, wine and milk.
- Never use oil or melted fat as cooking liquid. They may be used in small quantities for browning ingredients.
- There are different maximum fill levels for different foods, as follows:
- Place the food in the cooker with the correct amount of liquid as below.
- Close the lid by aligning the arrows on the lid and bottom handle and position the regulator/weight.
- Turn the heat on high.
- After approx. 5-7 minutes the cooker will reach pressure.
- Turn heat down to approximately a third so that a gentle hiss is heard and commence timing.
- After cooking time turn the heat off.
- Once any indicator/safety plug/secondary safety device drops back down it is safe to open the lid.
Filling your pressure cooker
General rule for liquid quantity is 1/2 pint up to the first 15 minutes and a further 1/4 of a pint for each 15 minutes thereafter.
| CONTENTS | COOKER FILL LEVEL NOT MORE THAN: |
| Cereals, pulses, dried peas, beans, lentils rice, pasta | 1/3 full including liquid |
| Liquid foods, soups, stews | 1/2 full including liquid |
| Solid foods, vegetables, one pot meat joints* | 2/3 full including liquid |
*The maximum joint size which can be cooked for 6L = 2kg (4lbs) and for 5L = 1.5kg (3lbs)
Check out our tutorial video for more information:
We hope you found this article useful and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.