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There are many benefits of using a pressure cooker that make it so popular. They cook faster, consume less energy and most recipes are easier in a pressure cooker once you are familiar with their cooking duration, amount of water required, etc. Let us take an in-depth look into these, and more advantages of a pressure cooker.

The advantages of a pressure cooker

Cooking times are greatly reduced:

A pressure cooker cooks by creating steam pressure by boiling water in a sealed pot so food can cook faster and easier. Once the steam pressure reaches a certain level, the excessive steam releases through a vent in the lid. It is ideal for short work of slow cook dishes, like tenderizing cheaper cuts of meat. They may take hours in an ordinary pot but are done in a matter of minutes in a pressure cooker.

Consume less energy:

Pressure cookers consume a lot less energy than ordinary pots because of reduced cooking time. The same recipes take about 1/3rd of the cooking time they take in an ordinary pot, at the same heat setting.

Food turns out moist and well cooked:

Because of steam pressure, the moisture penetrates better in foods, and they cook moist and tender. This moisture is retained in your dishes after they are done. This is great for cooking curries when you do not want them to thicken too much.

Cooking is easier and convenient:

Once you are aware of the amount of water you must add and the cooking duration of a recipe, it becomes easy to cook in a pressure cooker. Just put in all the ingredients, add proportionate amount of water, close the lid, and let cook for the duration of your recipe. Though, it works only when all your ingredients take about the same time to cook.

Besides these advantages, there are certain limitations and disadvantages as well. Keep reading to learn about these.

The disadvantages and limitations of a pressure cooker

There is no way to check your food in the middle of cooking:

A huge limitation of a pressure cooker is – once you cover the lid, there is little you can do with your food. There is no way to check if your food is cooking as expected, so it is possible to find something undercooked or overcooked when you open the lid after cooking. And if you forget to add a certain ingredient, you cannot do it in the middle of cooking without releasing all the steam and putting a stop to the whole process.

The effect on nutrients:

Though some say that food cooks more nutritious in a pressure cooker than during boiling or stir-frying in an ordinary pot or cooking in a microwave, but it does not mean all the nutrients are preserved.

The food cooks with harsh near infrared heat from the pot which destroys the delicate nutrients like complex carbs, phytonutrients, and flavonoids. Also, the pot is typically made from metal and all metals are innately reactive. This means the pot can leach toxic ions that react to food’s nutrients and form toxic compounds. This can reduce the nutritional value and contaminate your food.

Moreover, all the steam is released before you can open the lid. Steam is essentially water-soluble nutrients, and they are all lost when cooking in a pressure cooker.

Not all foods can cook in a pressure cooker:

Because there is no way to add ingredients later during cooking, you can only cook foods with the same cooking time in a pressure cooker. This means it can never be your primary cookware and you will always need to have alternatives.

Difficult to clean properly/Unhygienic:

The design of a pressure cooker is complicated which makes it difficult to clean. There are so many corners and grooves where you just cannot reach during routine cleaning. This may cause bacteria lurking close to where your food cooks. Thus, a pressure cooker is not the most hygienic piece of cookware.

Safety issues:

Although these issues are rare, they do pose a safety risk regardless. The pressure cooker can explode if the steam vent chokes for some reason. There is a risk of electric shock with an electric pressure cooker because it handles liquids and moisture so close to the electrical assembly.

These issues make this cookware not the best choice for every kitchen. Is there a pressure cooker that comes with all the benefits and yet overcomes all these issues? Luckily, there is. Keep reading to learn about it.

MEC’s best pressure cooker – cooks healthy without issues

Miriams Earthen Cookware (MEC) is a US based company that makes pots and pans from lab tested primary clay. Their cookware is free from toxic additives, glazes, or enamels, and is naturally non-toxic. The ergonomically designed and individually handcrafted pot and lid make a great pressure cooker and can cook all your foods better and healthier than in a conventional pressure cooker or an instant pot.

Cooks healthy and nutritiously:

MEC cookware is 100% non-toxic so it does not leach and cooks without contaminating food. Its pure clay walls radiate unique far infrared heat that cooks gently by penetrating deep into food. Food cooks evenly and thoroughly as this heat spreads throughout the pot at the lowest setting, taking much less time. Also, this gentle heat keeps even the most delicate nutrients intact.

Food turns out moist and tender:

The semi-porous walls of these pots ensure sufficient supply of oxygen during cooking. And the ergonomically designed pot and lid make sure all the steam stays in the pot by condensing naturally on the inside of lid. As a result, food cooks moist and tender, and retains its natural flavor. More importantly, the water-soluble nutrients are preserved.

Feel free to check your food anytime during cooking:

You may keep checking your food for doneness during cooking and see how it tastes. You are also free to add more ingredients or spices in the middle of cooking. This means you can also cook foods with different cooking times together in one pot. Thus, MEC pot is flexible enough to become your primary cookware.

Safe and easy to clean:

MEC adopts the simplest possible design for their cookware – keeping its primary purpose in mind – cooking healthy. Unnecessary designs and indentations may make a cooking pot look like a show piece but invite the risk of breeding bacteria here and there. This straightforward design also makes it easy to clean and maintain – without any toxic soaps. You may clean any MEC pot using just water and some baking soda. And there is no safety issue like a pot exploding or an electric shock.

All these features make MEC pots the best pressure cooker for cooking your food healthier and more nutritiously. Interested in pressure cooking with all the benefits and no limitations? Head over to our online store and order a pressure-cooking pot today. And try these recipes in your brand new MEC pot:

• Healthy, Hearty and Easy Garbanzo Chili (Chana Masala)
• Light and Easy Lentil – Mixed Grains Pilaf
• Aromatic Chicken, Vegetables & Rice Recipe (Biriyani)
• Healthy and Easy One-pot Spaghetti Primavera
• Rice with lentils, vegetables and spices (AKA Khichari in some parts of the world) – A quick & easy one pot wholesome meal