[jyl]

I got a pressure cooker last week. Kuhn-Rikon 7 qt. I'm loving it. Still in the steep part of the learning curve, though. Have made oxtail and pork shoulder so far.

I deboned the oxtail (I'm trying to get the kids to eat it), then roasted the bones, put them in the cooker with mirepoix plus garlic and cooked for 2 hour on high (15 psi). To get stock, you see. Meanwhile the boned oxtail was marinating in red wine. I dried and floured it, browned in butter, then added onions, carrots in big chunks, garlic, bay leaf, 2 cups red wine, 3 cups stock, rosemary, salt, and pepper. And the bones. Cooked 45 min on high. Finally I removed all the solids, reduced the liquid by 2/3 in the cooker, and put everything back together. It was good, but the veggies were way overcooked.

Next I tried the pork shoulder. Cut it two pieces. Dried, floured, browned in the cooker. Left-over oxtail stock and some white wine, peppercorns, butter, and garlic. Cooked for 15 min on high. Then released pressure, opened cooker, added the carrots, onions, potatoes. Resumed cooking for 30 min on high. Removed all the solids, whisked flour into the liquid, submerged the meat, slow boil to reduce and thicken, then all the parts got reunited in a serving piece with lots of gravy. Yummy, the pork comes apart with a fork. But my veg is still overcooked. I should have done 30 min-open-15 min instead of the other way.

Anyone use a pressure cooker? Tips and tricks? How do you deal w/ the veg overcooking?