The Cuisinart electric pressure cooker arrived today. I knew it was coming so I had planned to fix dinner in it. I was making Mongolian Beef with a few minor changes. I wanted to cook carrots and broccoli in with the sauce so I added them after the meat was cooked for 12 minutes and cooked it on low pressure for 2 minutes. I think 1 minute would have been better. It wasn’t mushy but it wasn’t firm at all.
Mongolian Beef
Also, the recipe called for flank steak, which our local Kroger doesn’t carry and there was no way I was going to Walmart, who does usually have flank steak. I’ll go to Walmart again after about January 10 so until then, if Kroger doesn’t have it, we do without. What Kroger did have was a package of stew meat with a “sell by” date of tomorrow (this was yesterday so today was the sell by date . . not that it really matters) so it was marked way down so I figured . . what better way to test the cooker than by throwing stew meat in there!
Ingredients
The ingredients were assembled. The meat was cut into very thin slices. I was somewhat apprehensive about how well the cooker would brown things. I’m happy to say that it did an excellent job!
Browned Meat
At this point, I tasted a piece of the meat. It had not been pressure cooked . . only browned, and I feared I had ruined our dinner because it was tough as could be. I thought about cooking it with high pressure for 14 minutes instead of 12 minutes but forgot so it cooked for 12 minutes and it was totally fork tender! I followed the directions to quick release but then I added the broccoli and carrots and did low pressure for 2 minutes. Then, I did another quick release, removed the meat/broccoli/carrots, leaving the juice in the pot, added the cornstarch/water mixture, simmered til the sauce thickened, then added the meat/broccoli/carrots back in and did the “Keep Warm” feature til time to eat.
Removable Pot
The insert is completely removable. I squirted it out with steaming water and it was pretty clean so then I swished around a hot, soapy rag, rinsed it out and that’s all it took to clean it.
The Cuisinart electric pressure cooker is amazingly easy to operate, quiet, quick and not scary at all! I can’t believe I was so opposed to getting one all these years.
Tomorrow Vince has a lunch meeting so he’ll have a big yummy lunch and I’ll have leftover Mongolian Beef (which I’ll enjoy way more than what he’ll be having!). So, tomorrow night we won’t have a huge meal. I’m fixing Pumpkin Chicken Corn Chowder (in the pressure cooker of course!) and since she shows focaccia bread in the picture, I’ll fix that too!
Teresa says
I am making up reasons for using mine! I put in hamburger, browned it, then added taco seasoning and a bit of water. Then put it on pressure for 12 minutes. It was delicious. Of course I could have done it all in a fry pan and simmered the spices, but this is “push the button and forget it” easy!
Joan says
It’s the best investment I’ve ever made. We love cooking up fresh pinto beans for our Mexican meals. It’s never been so fast and easy! Sure beats the hours on end they used to have to cook!
Julie in WA says
Wow! That was a quick review! Easy and quiet are the key words for me to consider a purchase. Thanks, Judy!
Pat says
Thanks for your reviews. I appreciate the time you take to keep us informed. Sometimes I am not sure of the reviewers on Amazon. You are the first place I go in the mornings.
FrancesB says
Yes, thanks for the reviews, Judy. Very useful. I have never used nor do I have a pressure cooker. If you could have only ONE pressure cooker (and assume money is not an object), which would you choose? The Kuhn RIkon? This Cuisinart?…?? Thanks again. I appreciate your input.
Dana Pellerin says
yummy! your food looks so good. I can add some rice and Jim might eat it. I have a finiky Cajun husband but usually if it has rice it is good. Where did you buy it? Do I have to order it online ?I love all your stories and the way you present your dishes for us to see it makes me want to have lunch with you.LOL guess that’s all you need a few hundred of your fans coming to lunch.
Dana Pellerin says
my guild made your pattern that you gave me permission to use. There were several colors but they all turnd out very pretty. I took some pictures so I could send them to you and I will get my friend to send them as I don’t know how to. I told everyone you were the designer and that they can go on your site and see what you are all about. They all loved the pattern and said thank you. Dana
Dana Pellerin says
we did the Indigo pattern.
Diane Wagner says
I love my electric pressure cooker that I bought a couple of years ago. I make stews, slow cooker meals, rice and, best of all, fresh chicken soup. Glad you finally tried it.
Judy H says
OK, I just broke down and ordered mine! I got it from Bed Bath and Beyond with a 20% off coupon, and since I had a $50 gift card, my cost was only $36.59. I couldn’t resist that!! I can hardly wait to play with my new toy! (ahem…I mean appliance….)
Of course I had to check out the pressure cooker cookbooks on Amazon, and wound up ordering three of those! LOL