Maintenance & Restoration

Rosemary Burrows · 09-09-2006, 07:38 PM

Does anyone else use a pressure cooker for camping meals? It makes a nice change from fired and bbq'd meals and you can make some great meals in a short time (saving on propane). I have done meat loaves, spare ribs, pot roasts, stews, chicken and dumplings etc. etc. Especially when camping at this time of year, the more substantial meals are awfully nice. The longest cooking time I have come across so far is about 35 minutes for a pot roast. If you haven't tried one it is worth considering -- one pot filling meals. It can be hard to find recipes -- I have actually found 2 pressure cooker cookbooks in the library discard sales, so I guess they are not trendy right now. I have made a convert of my neighbour and am keeping an eye out in thrift shops for one for her.

Just a thought for those who like to cook (and eat).

Rosemary

**Mary F** · 09-09-2006, 10:06 PM

Interesting topic, Rosemary. I think we had a discussion long ago, now lost to last November's hacking.

The subject did come up again in this What's in your pantry? topic. Raunie mentions something about baking in a pressure cooker. That's particularly intriguing.

Admittedly all I know about P.C.'s is I remember my grandmother using one for canning, when I was younger.

I too wonder how many Fiberglass-RVers take their pressure cooker along.

Byron Kinnaman · 09-09-2006, 10:31 PM

Pressure cooking has been used by campers for a long time. Many high altitude hikers and climber use a small pressure cooker to improve efficiency of their small stoves and small amount of fuel they can carry. Here's what most carry. Sometime I might get one, I sure don't need any bigger than this one is.

Rosemary Burrows · 09-10-2006, 12:36 AM

That has to be the cutest pressure cooker I have ever seen Byron. Mine is just an old Presto one, now I covet that little one.

Tom Trostel · 09-11-2006, 05:55 AM

Rosemary,
Allrecipes.com only lists 3 recipes for pressure cookers, but they all look good. This one might be too complex for camping, but it sound intriguing.

http://chicken.allrecipes.com/az/Prs...nwithDckSc.asp

Tom Trostel

Rosemary Burrows · 09-11-2006, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Rosemary,
Allrecipes.com only lists 3 recipes for pressure cookers, but they all look good. This one might be too complex for camping, but it sound intriguing.

http://chicken.allrecipes.com/az/Prs...nwithDckSc.asp

Tom Trostel

Yum, that recipe looks delicious -- I will try it at home before giving it the ultimate test in the trailer with 2 Brittany Spaniels wrestling at my feet. Thanks for the link.

Rosemary

Bill MacDermod · 09-11-2006, 03:39 PM

I remember back during the 40's & 50's my mother had 2 of them 1 big that she used for canning and a small one she made meals with and that was about the time when more and more women started to work outside the home, she claimed it cooked a much faster meal. I know my wife had one and when we were first married she cooked a lot with it same reason. I have to admit though that I think I always liked the taste of conventional cooking better for some reason. The funny thing is I love things cooked in the crock pot especially a pot roast with all the fixins cooked together. that dutch oven stuff ain't bad either

.... hmmm wonder whats for dinner tonite

Darwin Maring · 09-11-2006, 05:40 PM

We use one at home for roast beef. There is nothing like it for tenderness and flavor.

**Frederick L. Simson** · 09-11-2006, 07:16 PM

We have a Nordic Ware Microwave Pressure Cooker.

Byron Kinnaman · 09-11-2006, 08:50 PM

Quote:

We have a Nordic Ware [b]Microwave Pressure Cooker.

There's that [b]microwave again. I keep wondering where that current bush is.

**Frederick L. Simson** · 09-11-2006, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Pressure cooking has been used by campers for a long time. Many high altitude hikers and climber use a small pressure cooker to improve efficiency of their small stoves and small amount of fuel they can carry. Here's what most carry. [b]Sometime I might get one, I sure don't need any bigger than this one is.

I'm looking into getting one of those too. No wonder my trailer is getting heavy; I have to have 2 of everything... One for electricity and one for propane...

Byron Kinnaman · 09-11-2006, 10:16 PM

Quote:

I'm looking into getting one of those too. No wonder my trailer is getting heavy; I have to have 2 of everything... [b]One for electricity and one for propane...

Do camping and electricity mix, other than 12 volt electricity?

CarolnJim · 09-11-2006, 11:27 PM

Just wondering Byron.... do you ever use electricity? Do you use electricity at home?

Even though we camp, we still love the up to date electric items.. that makes it easier for us to enjoy camping. We still boondock and love it too....

We think everyone should camp whatever way is best for them. Propane, electric, dutch oven, or just over an open fire.. just love what you do.

Microwave, TV, video, vaccuum cleaners.. if it's what you want to do... enjoy!

Nick · 09-12-2006, 06:02 AM

Camping with electricity in a fiberglass camper?

Camping is done in a tent. Cooking is over an open fire with one pot. Electricity is a flashlight.

Camped all over the country from the back of a motorcycle. Bivvy sack, sleeping bag, and flashlight. The I started adding equipment got a camp stove and a tent.

Now I drag a small air conditioned house around behind a pickup with a generator and solar panel in the bed and its still camping.

Started camping with the Cub Scouts and have continued into my retirement. Equipment has changed and so have I.

The only thing constant is change.

Bill MacDermod · 09-12-2006, 08:34 AM

Mark Twain said it best, "only one who likes change is a wet baby"

Byron Kinnaman · 09-12-2006, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Just wondering Byron.... do you ever use electricity? Do you use electricity at home?

Even though we camp, we still love the up to date electric items.. that makes it easier for us to enjoy camping. We still boondock and love it too....

We think[b] everyone should camp whatever way is best for them. Propane, electric, dutch oven, or just over an open fire.. just love what you do.

Microwave, TV, video, vaccuum cleaners.. if it's what you want to do... enjoy!

I really do agree with you that everybody should camp in a manner that's best for them.
Do I use electricity at home? Not very much. My house runs on natural gas where ever possible.

Use electricity camping? I used a woodburning pen once while camping and plugged in, does that count?

Nancy in Oregon · 09-12-2006, 09:15 AM

Hi Rosemary,

I have to admit, I'm scared of pressure cookers - I think my mother drilled this fear of exploding pressure cookers into me. I need to get over it and get mine out. I bet the seal is all dried out and I should replace it before I try to use it.

I recently purchased a cookbook software called Cook'n. I really, really like the organizer for this software and all the recipes I've tried have been good. (One can add many different cookbooks of recipes to this software.) I noticed that for $19.95, they have a cookbook called

Cook'n Under Pressure

Side Note: Their website is a bit confusing (I think). It looks like one has to buy additional software to run this cookbook but that is only for those purchasing a download. If you buy the CD, the organizational software is included.

Nancy

Gina D. · 09-12-2006, 10:07 AM

Quote:

I used a woodburning pen once while camping

I hope you had a kevlar glove! Ouch!

I worked at a steam powered radio station once.

Rosemary Burrows · 09-12-2006, 12:48 PM

Quote:

I have to admit, I'm scared of pressure cookers - I think my mother drilled this fear of exploding pressure cookers into me. I need to get over it and get mine out. I bet the seal is all dried out and I should replace it before I try to use it."

I do hear that often when I talk about my pressure cooker to people who don't use one. Seems mothers of a generation ago must have had some experiences because people often mention food on the ceiling after an explosion. I have never had a problem so perhaps designs have changed. I used to use mine a lot when I was working and had kids at home who needed dinner on the table, then got out of the habit. I have recently started using it again and we really like how it cooks cheaper cuts of meat and fried chicken done in it is sooooo tender it falls off the bone. I tried spareribs as well and they don't need the pre-simmer that a lot of recipes call for -- the pressure cooker really makes them tender. Anyway, enough food talk, it's making me hungry. But I will ask for that little camping one for Christmas -- Mountain Equipment Co-op here in Canada has it in their catalogue. I hope I have encouraged you to get yours out again Nancy and thanks for the link.

Rosemary