5 Reasons to NOT Use a Slow Cooker

Creamy, perfect risotto in fifteen minutes is just one of the reasons I don’t use a slow cooker. I know lots of people who love their slow cookers, but I am not a fan. My problem with them is that you have to be really organized to have everything ready to start a slow cooker meal at 7 am before heading out the door. I am the kind of person who likes to figure out on a day to day basis what I feel like eating; I’ve been this way ever since I had some major food aversions during my pregnancies.

For me, the best solution is a pressure cooker. You may have grown up hearing stories of exploding pressure cookers, but times have changed. The new generation of pressure cookers weigh less, have better seals, and have redundant safety measures and easy to use pressure release valves. They’re pretty much foolproof.

Here are the five reasons you should choose a pressure cooker over a slow cooker:

1. Pressure cookers save a ton of time; most things cook in 1/3 the time of conventional methods. Pot roast? Ready in 40 minutes. Lentil Soup? 15 minutes. Fall-off-the-bone ribs? 30 minutes. Risotto? 15 minutes including prep time – see the recipe below!
    
2. By using less time to cook, you’re also saving energy.
    
3. They work in an almost magical way: by increasing the pressure inside the pot, it increases the boiling point, which is why foods cook faster. Plus, they cook at these ultra-high temperatures without drying out your food.
    
4. Not only do pressure cookers save time, they preserve vitamins, minerals and flavour. They also improve the digestibility of grains, beans and legumes. In fact, I’m cooking more inexpensive food like dried beans and pulses from scratch now, because it’s so convenient.
    
5. For many dishes, they’re a one-pot wonder. You can quickly brown meat and soften onions and other vegetables before adding liquid, putting the lid on and turning up the heat.

5 tips for pressure cooking:

1. Don't overfill the pot: Two-thirds full is good for many foods; half full for things like beans that need room to expand. In an overfull pressure cooker, things won’t cook properly. Note that you’ll use less liquid than with conventional cooking, since there’s little evaporation.
    
2. Prep properly: Make sure dense cooking ingredients are cut into smaller pieces than quick cooking ones. Most pressure cooker recipes will specify a size to cut – follow the instructions!
    
3. Add ingredients in stages: Because you can quickly reduce pressure thanks to the release valve, you can cook your meat first then add in potatoes or other vegetables.
    
4. Timing is key: Most pressure cooker recipes (there are loads online as well as dedicated cookbooks) give timing instructions. Follow them. Use a timer. When you’re cooking at high heat, even a minute or two extra can be a problem.
    
5. Finishing touches: Add dairy ingredients (butter, milk, cream or cheese) at the very end as they can curdle under pressure. Ditto for fresh herbs, to preserve their flavour.

Fifteen Minute Pressure Cooker Risotto

Ingredients

3 1/2 – 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup Arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup each chopped mushrooms and asparagus (optional)
3 tbsp butter, divided
1 cup grated parmesan, divided
Fresh thyme or parsley, divided

Directions

  Get all your ingredients prepped, measured, and ready to go.

  Add the olive oil, onion and salt to the pressure cooker. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and continue to stir another minute, or until the rice is just slightly toasted.

  Add the wine to the pot and stir for 1 minute.

  Add 3 1/2 cups of the stock, secure the lid on your pressure cooker, and bring up to high pressure over high heat.

  Reduce heat to medium (make sure the pot maintains its pressure) and set a timer to let it cook for 6 minutes.

  If adding vegetables, while the rice cooks, sauté the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of butter until softened. Add asparagus and sauté for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.

  After 6 minutes, release the pressure using the quick-release valve. Carefully remove the lid to avoid the steam and return the cooker to the stove.

  Test risotto and if needs another minute or two, cook on the stovetop, adding more stock, a few tablespoons at a time, if needed to keep it from drying out. While the risotto is still a bit wet, add the butter and half the parmesan. Stir, then taste and add salt if needed. Remove from heat and stir in sautéed vegetables, if using, and most of the thyme or parsley.

    Serve the risotto in shallow soup bowls, topping each with remaining herbs and a little more grated parmesan.

Serves 3 – 4.

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