I have found that people either love a pressure cooker or they are scared to death of one. I love mine, but don’t use it as often as I should. Now I am still using the first generation pressure cooker. I have this one made by Mirro. I have had it since the beginning of time and have never even had to replace the gasket. I have been investigating getting a newer one, but do I really want to spend $80 on a new one when there is nothing wrong with the old one? There is even a Third Generation pressure cooker out there now. It is electric and has lots of bells and whistles on it, but it is cumbersome. I really prize my cabinet space. I don’t want to clutter it up with an object that is way too expensive, takes up too much space, maybe won’t even get used that much, and since it’s operation system is a computer chip it could go out at any time. And you know what that means, throw out the appliance because it will cost more to repair than it would to by a new one. So I’m sticking with my First Generation pressure cooker.
I always include a lesson on using the pressure cooker in my class. About a fourth of my students have them at home and are used quite frequently. The other three-fourths should know how to use one. It is safe and easy as with any other appliance if it used properly. I love this beef stew recipe and it has been a hit in my class since day one of teaching foods. So if you have a pressure cooker give this a try. It is a quick way to use a cheap cut of meat and make it really tender in about 45 minutes which includes peeling potatoes and carrots. If you don’t have a pressure cooker and want to learn how to use one there is plenty of information out there on the internet. Check out Gourmet’s how-to video on YouTube. Or you can just sign up to take my class and I’ll teach everything that you need to know about using and buying one. And just forget all those horror stories about using a pressure cooker.
Beef Stew
Yield 4-5 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoons Crisco
- 1 lb. Stew Beef cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 4 small potatoes peeled and quartered
- 4 carrots peeled and cut into 2 inch slices
- 1 14 ounce can tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/4 cup water
- Make sure that you have read thoroughly the directions for using your pressure cooker.
- Have all the ingredients ready to add when needed or you will lose heat. This will increase your cooking time.
- Heat the cooker on medium high heat or until a drop of water dances in the bottom of the pan.
- Add Crisco and quickly add stew beef.
- Stir with a wooden spoon as it browns.
- Quickly add sliced onion, then carrots, potatoes and last tomatoes. I cut potatoes and carrots into much larger pieces for the pressure cooker because if they are cut too small they will disinegrate to nothing when they are cooked.
- Quickly close the pressure cooker and place on high heat.
- When the regulator starts to jiggle set the timer for about 11 minutes.
- Use the quick cool method by placing the pressure cooker in cold water then running water over the top to reduce the pressure quickly. Do not get water in the safety valve.
- Make a slurry with flour and water and pour into the beef stew.
- Stir to mix and break up tomatoes and potatoes.
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The Teacher Cooks 
i think that beff stew is relly good for you and very healthy and it was so goo cant what to make it !
I learned from this that you can lose heat and need to add the ingredients fast before you do.
the beef stew was good im going to make it myself
I learned how to work a pressure cooker.
I learned that when the pressure cooker on high heat pressure when you want to cook beef stew.
Even though my class did not get a chance to taste the stew; I learned how to use a pressure cooker by watching you prepare the dish.
I always thought that beef stew was something that you had to cook in a crock pot all day. I learned that it can be done in a little over and hour using a pressure cooker.
we learned how to use a pressure cooker to mkae this… it was very good.
i learned that the pressure cooker really tenderizes everything and makes it moist and delicious
I learned that you need to have all the ingredients ready to add when needed or you will lose heat in the pressure cooker.
Beef stew has never been a go-to food for me, but it is healthy and filling.
By doing this lab, I learned that the pressure cooker is an easy quick way to cook stews.
i learned how to use a pressure cooker
I learned that making this beef stew requires a lot of preparation and planning because everything you do has to be done quickly so that the beef stew cooks well and tastes good.
i learned that you need to add ingrediants very quickly
i learned this lab is quit fast when usin a pressure cooker
In this lab i learned how to use a pressure cooker
I learned that you have to be extremely careful when using a pressure cooker, so that you do not over cook the meat.
i learned that using a pressure cooker is a “quick way to use a cheap cut of meat and make it really tender.”
I learned how to use a pressure cooker.
i learned how to use a pressure cooker
i learned that you have to be really careful using a pressure cooker.
I learned what not to put in a pressure cooker.
i learned that the pressure cooker tenderizes everything
i learned how to use a pressure cooker
I learned that you a pressure cooker tenderizes everything.
I learned that when making this beef stew you should add Crisco and quickly add the stew beef.
i learned how to use a pressure cooker
i learned that you have to use two tablespoons of crisco.
I learned how to operate the pressure cooker.
I learned that making this beef stew requires a lot of preparation
i learned how to use the pressure cooker
for the best reaults use a pressure cooker!
i learned that you need two tablespoons of crisco
I learned how to use a pressure cooker
I didnt know you can put flour in beef stew.
i learned how to use a pressure cooker.
we learned how to use a pressure cooker and I learned that you can cook it very fast.
I learned that it can be done in a little over and hour using a pressure cooker.
i learned that you should make sure that you have read thoroughly the directions for using your pressure cooker before cooking.
I learned that you have all the ingredients ready to add when needed or you will lose heat.
i learned that it takes longer than an hour to prepare the meal but cooks faster in a pressure cooker and that ingredients need to be added quickly
I learned that you need to have all of the ingridients ready when you need them becasue if you don’t then you will lose some of your heat.
I never knew you could cook beef stew in a pressure cooker . it look faster and easier and it looks good!
I wasnt here for this but i bet it was tasty. Looks like the different flavors blend good.
I didn’t know flour went into stew
I learned how to use pressure cooker and how quickly it cooks!
I have learned that if you don’t have your ingredients ready by the time you are ready to put them in you will lose heat.
I learned that you should break up the tomatoes and potatoes in the end by mixing.
I learned that veggies can not only be healthy but tasty as well.
I learned that you can use a pressure cooker to cook beef stew instead of a crock pot.
I learned that its extremely important to have all your necessary ingredients ready on time so you don’t lose heat and increase your cooking time!
I learned that you use one medium onion sliced and 1/4 cup water.
I learned that pressure cookers can cook your food much faster than other choices.
I learned that you have to have all the ingredients ready to add when needed or you will lose heat, and it will increase your cooking time.
I learned that you can cook beef stew in a pressure cooker. And I don’t really like onions but I found they added a nice flavor.