Presto 8-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker

Quick steam release. Stainless steel steamer basket. Tenderizes leaner cuts of beef and pork. Chicken, fish, vegetables and more cook to perfection in minutes. Cooks lighter meals, healthier, fast and easy. 3 to 10 times faster than ordinary methods - faster than a microwave.

Presto's 8-quart pressure cooker is a multi-purpose pot that can stand in as a conventional soup pot as well as perform the kitchen magic that pressure cookers are famous for. Tenderize lean cuts of beef or pork; or cook chicken, fish, or vegetables faster than you can in a microwave, and without losing moisture.

Nonabrasive cleansers are best for cleaning this stainless steel pressure cooker, though occasional use of a fine metal polish will help the exterior keep its shine. And it's easy to cook healthfully with pressure cookers, since the food retains so much more of its nutrients and flavor. Chicken Cacciatore cooks in 8 minutes! This pressure cooker is useful for weeknight dinners or for any meal that needs to come together quickly. An accompanying booklet contains 75 recipes, ranging from basic soup stocks to stews and pot roasts--even desserts like Petite Pumpkin Custards! (The USDA recommends pressure canning as the only safe method for low-acid foods such as vegetables, meats, and poultry.) This professional-quality stainless steel pressure cooker is a handy addition to any well-rounded set of kitchen tools.

The heavy-duty lid locks down during cooking; an inner sealing ring keeps the steam in. Pressure cookers have experienced renewed popularity over the last several years because cooks have rediscovered what some cooks (particularly grandmas) have known for a long time--they're really fast. The vent pipe is simple to keep clean with a small brush or pipe cleaner, and both the air vent/cover lock and the overpressure plug are removable. Presto guarantees this pressure cooker with an extended 12-year warranty. The Presto 8-quart pressure cooker is fully immersible; in addition, the sealing ring should be removed after each use to allow cleaning of the inside rim of the lid. A detailed instruction and recipe booklet is included; special safety issues that pertain to pressure cookers are clearly explained. The pressure cooker measures 10-1/2 inches in diameter (15-1/2 inches including handles) and 8-1/2 inches tall (including lid). --Garland Withers And it's big enough for home canning, too. In addition to a pop-up pressure indicator and a simple steam release mechanism, there is an overpressure plug that will let off steam if it builds up excessively.