Thanks to four Forum cooks, Marion Rostad of Lynnwood can race right out to the kitchen and fire up her pressure cooker.
For starters, Pat Yocum of Everett writes, “Marion Rostad asked for pressure cooker recipes and conversion charts for regular recipes. I have a nice collection of cookbooks, and I knew just which one to look in.
“I have my mother’s Mirro-Matic, circa late-1940s cookbook, and it includes a section on using the pressure cooker with recipes and conversion charts for meats and vegetables and many other things, including a recipe for hasen pfeffer (sweet-sour rabbit), should anybody need one.
“I have included a pot roast recipe with this letter. The other charts and recipes cover several pages, and I am sure many other cooks will send in recipes, but if Marion wants the rest, I am quite willing to copy them for her.
“It sounds like she has a cooker-canner, which is larger than the ones referenced in the cookbook. As far as I know, it won’t make any difference in making the recipes.”
Winding up, Pat thanks us for “all the great recipes over the years,” and adds, “A request of my own. Since the Shaver Clinic in Everett closed, where the heck can I get my cooker-canner a pressure check and a new gasket?”
If you can suggest a source for this absolute necessity, please write to Judyrae Kruse at the Forum, c/o The Herald, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206. We are always happy to receive your contributions and requests, but please remember that all letters and all e-mail must include a name, complete address with ZIP code and telephone number with area code. No exceptions and sorry, but no response to e-mail by return e-mail; send to kruse@heraldnet.com.
Now, getting back to pressure cooker info, we hear from Gloria Keith.
“I have an ancient recipe book from Presto Cooker. It dates from our wedding in June 1951, and I still use it. There is a ‘time table for meat’ page that includes: beef pot roast, 35 minutes complete, 2 tablespoons water; loin of pork, 15 to 17 minutes per pound, 2 tablespoons water; and 4-pound picnic ham, 30 minutes complete, 1 cup water.
“There are many more cuts of meat mentioned, and I would be glad to share them, if needed.”
Next, Marysville cook Myra Reide sent along a recipe for either a pot roast or pork roast, and mentions it’s taken from her pressure cooker book, circa mid-1960s. She says, “In the table, it also gives times for other sizes of roast: beef pot roast, 8 to 10 minutes per pound; pork loin roast, 12 to 15 minutes per pound. Hope this helps your reader who is looking for how to cook a roast faster.”
Last but not least, Margie Goodwin up there in Darrington says, “Regarding the request from Marion Rostad, who requested pressure cooker times for meat, since cooking time varies for each type of meat, it was not possible for me to list them all. She could check with a bookstore or a library to see if they can obtain a copy of ‘Pressure Cooking is Pleasure Cooking,’ by Patricia Phillips. Or find a store that sells pressure cookers and, from the book that comes with the cooker, get the address for the company and write for a book. I hope this will help.”
Now for the cooking portion of today’s program:
Mirro-Matic pot roast dinner
4pounds beef roast (chuck, rump, top, round or brisket)
2tablespoons fat
2teaspoons salt
1/4teaspoon pepper
1/2cup water
6each medium potatoes, large carrots and medium onions
Brown meat thoroughly on all sides in fat in Mirro-Matic pan; season with salt and pepper and add water. Cover and cook at 10 pounds for 45 minutes after control jiggles. Reduce pressure instantly. Add potatoes and cook at 15 pounds for 7 minutes after control jiggles. Reduce pressure instantly. Add carrots and onions and cook at 15 pounds for 7 minutes after control jiggles. Reduce pressure instantly.
Serves 6.
Mid-1960s pressure cooker beef pot roast
In pressure cooker pan, brown 4-pound roast well on all sides in 1 tablespoon fat. Season with salt, pepper and diced onion to taste; add 1 bay leaf and 1/2 cup water. Close cover, place pressure regulator on vent pipe and cook 35 minutes. Let pressure drop of its own accord. Make gravy from liquid in cooker.
Pork roast: Prepare as for pot roast, but cook 50 to 60 minutes, then let pressure drop of its own accord.
The next Forum will appear in Wednesday’s Food section.
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