How to adjust recipes for a pressure cooker

Unlike slow cookers, pressure cookers need at least 1 cup of liquid to work properly. The majority of the liquid won't evaporate, and you'll need less than conventional stovetop cooking, but never cut it down past one cup. To ensure you have the right amount of liquid in the final dish add ½ cup more liquid than you want to be left with to account for the small amount of evaporation.

Once you've figured out the liquid you can determine the cooking time by reducing the original cooking time by two-thirds. You may find it needs a little more time, depending on the recipe, but when you're trying out a new recipe this is the best way to ensure it's not overcooked.

Favourite pressure cooker meals

Now that you know how to adjust your recipes for the pressure cooker, try some of these favourites for guaranteed success in the blink of an eye:

Hearty soups

Pressure cookers use steam to cook the food, so you need to ensure there's enough room for the steam to build up and work its magic. Never fill the pot more than two-thirds full of food, or half full of liquids, to ensure it cooks properly.

Stews

Just like in the slow cooker, meat will not brown in a pressure cooker and needs to be browned on the stovetop. Unlike most slow cookers, you can do this in the actual pressure cooker pot. To ensure you get the best final flavour, deglaze the pot with stock, wine or other cooking liquids before proceeding with the recipe.

Beef bourguignon

On a cold winter's day, there are few meals that can beat a beef bourguignon. This is also a great dish for the pressure cooker, just remember to heat the wine on the stovetop before closing the lid. This will burn off the alcohol and will leave you with the sweet taste of the wine, rather than the alcohol.

Savoury mince

For a family-favourite that's kind on the budget, you can't beat savoury mince. For soft veggies, like frozen peas and corn, try adding them at the end, then giving the dish an extra two minutes at pressure to ensure they're perfectly cooked, without turning to mush.

Bolognaise

We all know that the secret to a great bolognaise is time, so why not speed up the process by cooking it in your pressure cooker instead. If, when you open the lid, there's too much liquid, allow it to bubble down and thicken with the lid off to get the rich consistency you're after.

Curries

Aromatic, spicy and guaranteed to add some fire to your winter feasts, curries are the perfect pressure cooker meal. From Indonesia to India, Sri Lanka to Thailand, curry is loved throughout Asia, so try some of these recipes for a flavour packed punch:

Ribs

To achieve perfect ribs, you need moist, tender meat that is falling off the bone. Luckily, with a pressure cooker this is very easy to achieve. Remember to include at least a cup of liquid in the pot, at this is what creates the pressure and allows the ribs to get to their tender-best. If you'd prefer, try placing the ribs on a rack inside the pot to keep them out of the sauce, while allowing it to impart its flavour.

Lamb shanks

In our minds, there's no better dish to cook up in your pressure cooker than shanks. Just remember to get the French-trimmed ones to ensure you can fit plenty in the pot, otherwise it may be hard to secure the lid.