PressureCooker
Pressure Cooker for Energy Efficient Cooking
AAmpere (amp), SI unit of electrical current pressure cooker (retort) is very efficient, cooking food three-four times faster for a given energy input. A pressure cooker cooks food at a higher temperature, up to 120°Cdegree Celsius, SI unit of temperature. This reduces cooking time and saves energy.
Pressure cookers keep steam from escaping, thus increasing the air pressure inside. As air pressure is increased, the boiling point of water increases in temperature, too. This means that under pressure, food can be cooked at a higher temperature, i.e., faster, without boiling. For every 5 to 10 degrees Celsius that the water temperature increases in a pressure cooker, food will cook twice as fast.[1]
You can pressure cook a wide variety of meals this way: whole chicken, roast beef/pork, stew, baked yams, risotto, roasted/boiled potatoes, black beans, fish fillet, gravy/jus, braised oxtail, jam roly poly and more (see Cooking Recipes).
A pressure cooker can be used with a gas or electric stovetop, or you can get an electric model. Electric models have lower pressure, so cooking takes slightly longer.
Pressure cookers come in 4-10 quart sizes. Some have more than one basket inside so you can cook two dishes together. Look for a pressure cooker with multiple safety valves and an interlock or a safety bar across the top.
Electric pressure cookers consume 0.9 kWhKiloWatt hour. (See ElectricalCapacityAC).
