Use and Care Manual

11
TIPS AND HINTS
• Many family favorites can be easily
adapted for preparation in your Cuisinart
®
Electric Pressure Cooker – soups, stews,
side dishes and more.
• The amount of liquid needed is much less
than for traditional cooking methods.
• Never exceed the Maximum Fill amount
of the pressure cooker.
• Make sure the lid is on firmly and tightly,
and moved as far counterclockwise as
it will go to allow proper locking.
• Hot foods/liquids will come to pressure
more quickly than cold foods/liquids.
• When pressure cooking is completed,
follow recipe instructions for releasing
pressure. For Quick Pressure Release, it is
important to begin immediately upon
completion of pressure cooking; otherwise
foods will continue to cook, and may
overcook.
• Do not store pressure cooker with
lid on tightly. This saves on gasket wear
and tear.
• More nutrients are preserved during
pressure cooking than with traditional
cooking methods, as less liquid is used
and thus fewer nutrients are lost to
evaporation.
• To adapt your own recipes, find a similar
one in our recipe booklet and use it as a
guide. In general, cooking time will be
at least one-third to one-half of the
traditional cooking time. Reduce your
cooking liquid by at least half – you may
need to “play” with your recipe to get it
right. You may wish to add vegetables at
the end of cooking to avoid overcooking.
You can also use the cooking charts
provided as a guide.
• If something is almost cooked, use
Simmer to complete cooking.
COOKING TIME
CHARTS:
Poultry and Meats ......................................12
Vegetables .................................................. 13
Rice and Grains ..........................................14
Dried Beans ................................................15
Recipes .......................................................16
Pressure Heat-Up Times
When pressure cooking, remember that
it will take approximately 5 to 40 minutes
(depending on the recipe) for pressure to
build and pressure cooking to begin.
Suggested Cooking Times for Poultry
and Meats
Be sure to add at least 1 cup of liquid when
pressure cooking meats for 45 minutes or
less, and 1½ cups if cooking for longer
amounts of time. Be sure to add vegetables
such as chopped onions, carrots, and
celery, and aromatic herbs such as garlic,
parsley, thyme, etc., for added flavor.
Most items are cooked on High Pressure
unless otherwise indicated. For best results
and flavor, most poultry and meats benefit
from browning first. Cooking times will vary
slightly due to individual size of pieces and
starting temperatures.