Pressure Cooker, a Favorite Wedding Registry Item
Of the many items that we received from our wedding registry, I have to say the pressure cooker has been one of the most beloved new additions to our kitchen. We got a medium-sized Fagor Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker that has been awesome for making some great weekend meals in less than half the time. Because it's so quick I use it pretty regularly. It is a good quick alternative to a crock pot although the crock pot's "set it and forget it" method is handy. Pressure cooking requires vigilance on the part of the cook.
Whereas making oxtail soup -- one of my favorites to make at home -- used to take 3-4 hours to get nice tender tails the pressure cooker achieves equal fork-tender meat in about 45 minutes. The only difference is that pressure-cooked vegetables seem to have a different texture. The design of the Fagor cooker can be precarious because when you release the pressure valve it blasts steam which certainly is a burn risk. Definitely not something you want kids to be handling.