pressure cooking...

[CrimsonRose]

I have a nice large pressure cooker 22qt and have used it tons for canning...

But I would like to try to make beans tonight for diner and I know pressure cooking decreases the time it takes to cook... SO my question is... since the lid is locked on and you can't stir... do the beans stick to the bottom and scorch in the pot?

I cooked some turkey in it a while back and used one of the canning racks in the bottom so the meat never actually touched the bottom of the pot... it worked great... But with beans I would think they would fall through the holes on the rack?

anyone use their pressure canner to cook with? if so what are your tips or suggestions?

 

[lorihadams]

I have a pressure cooker....not a pressure canner so it may be different.

I have never done beans but I do meat all the time ( I have deer meat in it now to shred up for barbeque tonight) and very rarely have a problem with things sticking. I always put at least a half stick of butter in everything I cook so that may have something to do with it though....

Your instruction manual should have tips for cooking things like beans....mine did....now if I could only find it. :/

 

[CrimsonRose]

hugs thx! yeah I put butter in everything too... and as soon as they are done soaking (I'm doing the quick hour soak) I'm going to give it a go and see how they do... hope I don't burn them because I'm going to cook a ton... hahaha If they do stick or burn I guess the chickens will be in bean heaven for weeks!

as for a manual... mine seriously was lacking in info... they tried to have one universal manual for all their pressure cookers and there is a huge difference in a 4qt pot and the big behemoth I bought... the recipes they gave were for like single servings and it only had like 5 recipes non sounded appetizing so I think I tossed the Manuel...

I'll let you all know how it goes

 

[Denim Deb]

What brand of pressure cooker do you have?

 

[CrimsonRose]

I have a mirro pressure cooker

 

[Denim Deb]

I thought that was what you had, I have the same cooker, and I have the manual! Here's the directions it gives for cooking beans:

Heat beans (not black-eyed peas or lentils) and water (2 cups water for 1 cup beans) to boiling in cooker; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover; let stand for 1 hour. Drain; add necessary water. ADD 1 TABLESPOON VEGETABLE OIL TO PREVENT FROTHING. FOR ALL DRIED VEGETABLES, COOL COOKER NORMALLY FOR 5 MINUTES, THEN PLACE UNDER FAUCET.

Bring up to pressure n medium heat. Cook as directed.

Then it has a table for different types of beans, amount of water needed for either a 4 or 6-8 qt cooker and the length of time to cook at 15 lbs.

It also says to never fill cooker more than 1/2 full of liquid. Always allow 2 1/2 inches space between rim of pan and top of liquid.

So, I don't know if it would work w/the big canner or not.

 

[CrimsonRose]

Thanks so much Deb for the info! I went ahead and tried it so far so good... it takes a while to get it steaming good... I cooked the beans for about 20mins and released the pressure like it said... The beans were done but not soft and mushy like I like... So I just turned them on again for another 20 mins... it's releasing the steam now!

I was afraid of scorched beans so I did put the canning rack in the bottom... so water could circulate under it... I filled the canner with 4lbs of pinto beans (presoaked them and rinsed them first) and added about 8 qts of water... a quart bag of nummy bacon grease and 2 onions and a green pepper... I'm waiting to add seasoning till it's done... most instructions online said to do that...

I also over filled the cornbread pan so I also have a messy oven... oh well looks like it will taste good... I used a new cornbread recipe so I hope it tastes good! hahaha

 

[Denim Deb]

I agree w/you on the manual. It's why I've never really done much canning w/it. I don't have a clue as to how to do most of the stuff I want to do, and can't really find the info that I need. Wish I had found this site years ago, I'd be a pro by now!

 

[CrimsonRose]

well beans were a success! I thought the canning rack in bottom would keep the beans up and away from the heat source... but mushy beans still got down to the bottom... with NO scorching... so next time I'm going to brave it and leave the racks out... I think with the intense bubbling it circulates them enough to prevent burn... I hope anyhow

If you want good really tender beans then leave them in about 40 mins with 10lbs... my beans had excess water and were really soupy instead of thicker like I like... and I had to add a ton of cornstarch to thicken them up... So next time I'm going to do less water... I followed the recipes online for pressure canning beans and I think the water amount was for non soaked beans... I quick soaked mine in boiling water so they had already doubled in size by the time I put them in the cooker...

But it did cook them in about a fourth the amount of time I usually cook them... so that was cool!

Deb that manual doesn't even give good info for canning... The first time I canned anything I thought you had to fill up the canner with water (like in water bath canning) I had no clue that the actual steam is what heated them... So it took nearly 3 hours just to heat up... and I didn't let it vent before putting on the weight either... and I kept it on high heat the whole time! it was seriously blowing steam out the vent holes on the weight (didn't know it was only supposed to jiggle not sound like a freight train!) ROFL It's a wonder I didn't blow it up that first go... I finally found some info online teaching me how to really can! Thanks goodness!

One tip I haven't perfected yet... maybe someone from here will know... I was getting a horrible white film over my jars after they were done... I assume it's the lime in our water cooking out and sticking to the jars... I found a video on youtube where the woman put a tad bit of vinegar in her canning water to prevent that build up... I tried it and it works!!! now I don't have to spend an hour wiping down the jars when they are done...
But here is my problem... with the vinegar... the lid around the steam vent gets a tad bit of rust on it as well as the weight I use... so maybe I'm putting in too much vinegar? either way... now I have to spend several mins polishing the lid of my canner and the weight now each time to remove the rust... so defeats the purpose of putting in the vinegar... anyone have any suggestions to help with this?

 

[Denim Deb]

Go to the store and buy a gallon of distilled water and use that only for when you use the canner. Or, make your own. All the chemicals, etc are supposed to be removed, so you may not have that problem.