# Looking for the perfect home pressure cooker



## mrsk (Aug 12, 2008)

Hi,

Has anyone used any of the All-American Quart Pressure cookers? they looks very well made, and although your not suppose to cook oil inthem ( i.e.KFC style chicken) I wonder if its possible with this model. Anyone knows?


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

no. not recommended.

there are one or two models intended for pressure cooking with oil - small amounts of oil - these models have a metal strongback/bar across the lid to make them stronger.


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## norma (Jun 4, 2006)

I recently bought a FAGOR RAPIDA pressure cooker, all stainless stell, made in Spain. It's excellent! Love It! :roll:
It was bought at Linens & Things using a 20% discount coupon.


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## theveggiequeen (Mar 24, 2008)

The Fagor cookers are the best value stainless cookers that you can buy in my opinion, and I teach pressure cooking classes. I would NOT use only oil in them, for safety reasons. Most cooker manufacturers caution against it.

Jill


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## jerry i h (Aug 11, 2008)

OOOPS: safety alert.
Back 3 decades ago, there were pressure cookers specifically designed for oil cooking, as in the 'Broasted' or 'Kentucky Fried' chicken; these are deep fried chicken, but also in a pressure cooker specifically designed for deep frying in oil.
There are no currently available pressure cookers (or ones I have ever seen for at least 2 decades) that are safe for pressure-oil-deep-frying.
Sorry.


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## amazingrace (Jul 28, 2006)

There is some company that promotes a special "pressure fryer" at state fairs and other such venues. They are similar to the professional pressure fryers used in commercial kitchens. But these are very different from home pressure cookers, and much more costly too. 

Pressure cookers are not intended for use as pressure fryers. Pressure cookers depend on liquids that produce steam to cook the food, and the internal temperature of a pressure cooker will reach a maximum of 250 degrees F. Oil does not produce steam, however the temperature of oil will increase til it reaches the temperature of the heat source. Not only are pressure cookers not designed to be used as pressure fryers, it is also extremely dangerous to attempt to do so. When you remove the lid, and the cooler outside air colides with the super-heated oil, the immediate result will be an explosion of hot oil and food. You must not blame the pressure cooker or the manufacturer for the results if you override the warnings and try this. 

Additionally, the gaskets and seals of home pressure cookers must withstand the normal temperatures and useage for which they are designed, but they may not stand up to the excessive temperatures of being subjected to super-heated oil. 

If you try this anyway, don't say you weren't warned.

As an aside: I wouldn't recommend any pressure cooker as small as one quart (do they even really make one that small?). Because of the need to leave room for steam to build, the actual maximum food capacity of such a small cooker would be limited to less than 3 cups, and for some foods, even less. Don't waste your money on anything that little.

Now, for my personal preferrence: I have three Presto stainless steel pressure cookers. 4, 6 & 8 quart. I use them all, and have no problems with them. They cost less than the 'new generation' type cookers that have the spring-loaded weight instead of the jiggler, but the results are the same. I also had a 4qt Fagor Splendid (made in Spain) until recently. That is a fine brand, and I would recommend it as well. I gave it to my brother. He needed it, and I didn't. Presto is regarded in some snobbish circles as "cheap and inferior", but they are neither. They are just less expensive. Their parts are readily and easily available, and their customer service is good. Oh, yes...they are now outsourced to China, but it is still 18/10 stainless, produced to Presto's American standard, and in compliance with the USDA guidelines for pressure cooker safety.

If you are looking for a pressure cooker cookbook, I recommend Miss Vickie's Big Book. Not only good recipes, but valuable information and time charts.


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