This document provides recipes and instructions for using a pressure cooker. It highlights how a pressure cooker can halve cooking times for beans and reduce tamale steaming from 2 hours to just 20 minutes. The document includes recipes for cannellini bean, chorizo and kale soup, cheese and green chili tamales, lemon dill chicken noodle soup, and short ribs with mashed potatoes and parsley relish. It also answers frequently asked questions about pressure cookers, describing their advantages over slow cookers and benefits for cooking meats quickly.

1. cannellini,chorizo,and
kale soup
(recipe, page 142.)
here’s your
chance
to try dried
beans.
A pressure
cooker halves
their soaking
and cooking
time. More
flavor—and
cheaper than
canned.

2. Tamales
normally
steam for 2
hours. In
a pressure
cooker?
just 20
minutes.
cheeseandgreenchili
tamales
(recipe, page 142.)
What’s the one kitchen
tool you don’t have—
but should? A pressure cooker.
Allow us to do the
(delicious) convincing.
Recipes by Charlyne Mattox and
Anna Shillinglaw Hampton
Photographs by Christopher Testani
Food Styling by Alison Attenborough
Set Design by Jeffrey W. Miller
THINK
FAST
MARCH 2015 139 realsimple.com

3. lemondillchicken
noodle soup
Lemon dill chicken
noodle soup
Hands-on time 10 minutes
Total time 50 minutes
Serves 6
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 31/2- to 4-pound chicken
Kosher salt and
black pepper
4 ounces wide egg noodles
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1. Place the onion, carrots, celery, Wor­
cestershire, 6 cups water, and chicken
(breast-side up) in a 6- to 8- quart pres-
sure cooker. Season with 1 teaspoon salt
and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. Secure the lid and bring to high pres-
sure over medium­-high heat. Reduce
temperature and cook over medium-low
heat for about 30 minutes. Release the
pressure and remove the lid. The chicken
should be cooked through.
3. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and
let cool. When the chicken is cool enough
to handle, shred the meat (discard the
bones and skin).
4. Meanwhile, skim any excess fat from
the soup. Add 2 cups water to the pot
and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and
cook until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in
the reserved chicken, peas, dill, and
lemon juice. Simmer until warmed
through, 2 to 4 minutes.
Short ribs with
mashedpotatoesand
parsley relish
Hands-on time 35 minutes
Total time 1 hour, 25 minutes
Serves 4
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 bone-in short ribs (4 pounds total),
cut into 2-inch pieces
Kosher salt and
black pepper
1 onion, chopped
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry red wine
11/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 large Yukon gold potatoes
(1 pound total)
1/2 cup whole milk, warmed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter,
cut into pieces
1/2 cup packed parsley leaves
Zest of 1 lemon
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 6- to 8-
quart pressure cooker over medium-high
heat. Season the ribs with 3/4 teaspoon
salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, in
batches, until brown on all sides, 14 to 16
minutes. Transfer to a plate. Pour off all
but 1 tablespoon of the fat.
2. Add the onion and thyme to the pres-
sure cooker. Cook, stirring occasionally,
until the onions begin to soften, 3 to 4
minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook,
stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the flour and
cook, stirring, for 15 seconds. Add the
wine and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 min-
utes. Whisk in the broth.
3. Nestle the ribs in the cooking liquid.
Top with the potatoes. Secure the lid and
bring to high pressure over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for
45 to 50 minutes. Release the pressure
and remove the lid. The ribs and potatoes
should be tender.
4. Transfer the potatoes to a medium
bowl. Add the milk, butter, and 1/2 tea-
spoon each salt and pepper to the bowl
and mash. Meanwhile, toss together the
parsley, lemon zest, and the remaining
oil. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve the potatoes warm, topped with
the ribs and parsley relish.
A whole
chicken
cooks
in 30
minutes.
Just
shred,
stir, and
serve.
MARCH 2015 140 realsimple.com

4. pressedPressed
fortime?
why you
should try
apressure
cooker.
Whatisit,exactly?
A typical stovetop pres-
sure cooker sits directly on
the burner, like a regular
pot, but has a very tight-
fitting lid that traps steam
while the food is cooking.
The food cooks at a higher
temperature and much
more quickly than in an
ordinary pot.
soit'sdifferentfrom
myslowcooker?
It’s the opposite of a slow
cooker, actually. Pressure
cookers use a similar wet-
heat method (trapped
steam drips off the lid and
keeps food moist), so you
get similar results. But it’s
about eight times faster,
cooking food quickly over
super-high heat instead of
slowly over low heat.
Is it safe?
Yes. Today’s models are
easy to use and very
secure. (No need to fear
an exploding lid!)
WhatCanitDo?
Quick-cook substantial
pieces of meat, like whole
chickens, and tenderize
tough cuts, like brisket
and ribs, without having
the oven on all day.
WhatCan'titdo?
Because the pressure
cooker employs steam, it’s
not great for creating a
crusty sear on meats. And
skip it for most fish; the
heat is too powerful.
Willallthefoodturn
outbrownandmushy?
No. Think of it as a braise,
only faster. You'll get dis-
tinct flavors, textures, and
colors. Add something
fresh and bright, like herbs,
at the end.
howdoIworkit?
Read your manual. Care-
fully. Every model is differ-
ent, and you need to know
how to seal the lid safely
and release the powerful
steam before removing the
lid at the end. As with a
regular pot, you can first
brown meat or onions in it
before putting on the lid.
whatkindshouldIbuy?
A 6- or 8-quart stockpot-
style stovetop pressure
cooker will hold 2 to 8 serv-
ings. Look for one with at
least two pressure settings
(either high and low or a
range in numbers) that you
can adjust during cooking.
A quick-release setting will
also shave off time, by
releasing steam in a flash.
A good cooker runs from
about $60 to $140. Look
for models by Fagor, T-fal,
and Tramontina.
short ribs with
mashedpotatoesand
parsley relish
Fall-apart
short ribs in
about an
hour—without
ever turning
on the oven.

5. Beefbrisketsandwich
Hands-on time 15 minutes
Total time 1 hour, 45 minutes
Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 21/2-pound beef brisket,
trimmed and cut into 2 pieces
Kosher salt and
black pepper
1 onion, chopped
11/2 cups ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
4 teaspoons dill pickle juice,
plus sliced pickles, for serving
1/2 head napa cabbage, shredded
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 carrots, shredded
8 slices thick bread (such as
Texas toast), toasted
1. Heat the oil in a 6- to 8- quart pressure
cooker over medium-high heat. Season
the beef with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and
pepper. Cook, in batches, until brown, 6
to 8 minutes. (Reduce heat if pan
becomes too dark.) Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the onion to the pressure cooker.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4
to 6 minutes. Add the ketchup, Worces-
tershire, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the
vinegar, and 1 cup water. Nestle the bris-
ket in the liquid.
3. Secure the lid and bring to high pres-
sure over high heat. Reduce temperature
and cook over medium-low heat for
about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Release the
pressure and remove the lid. The brisket
should be very tender. Transfer the bris-
ket to a bowl and shred using 2 forks.
Reserve the sauce in the pressure cooker.
Cook the sauce over medium heat until
slightly thickened, 6 to 10 minutes. Pour
over the brisket and stir to combine.
4. Meanwhile, combine the yogurt,
pickle juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons
of vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt
and pepper in a large bowl. Add the cab-
bage, scallions, and carrots and toss to
combine.
5. Serve the brisket and pickles on the
toast, with the coleslaw alongside.
under
Pressure
For more tips
and tricks, go to
realsimple.com/
pressurecooker.
Cannellini, chorizo,
and kale soup
Hands-on time 15 minutes
Total time 11
⁄2 hours
(includes soaking time)
Serves 6
1/4 pound dried cannellini beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound fresh chorizo sausage,
casings removed
1 onion, chopped
Kosher salt and
black pepper
2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, cut into 11/2-inch pieces
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 small bunch kale, stems discarded
and leaves torn (about 7 cups)
1. Soak the beans: Cover the beans
with water, bring to a boil, and turn off
the heat. Set aside for 1 hour. Rinse
and drain.
2. Heat the oil in a 6- to 8- quart pressure
cooker over medium-high heat. Add the
sausage and cook, breaking it up into
large pieces with a spoon until golden
brown but still pink in the middle, 4 to 6
minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add the onion, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and
1/4 teaspoon pepper to the pressure
cooker. Cook, stirring occasionally, until
the onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 min-
utes. Add the celery, carrots, broth, bay
leaf, beans, and reserved sausage.
Secure the lid and bring to high pressure
over high heat. Reduce temperature to
medium-low. Cook for 15 minutes.
Release the pressure and remove the lid.
The beans should be tender.
4. Stir in the kale and let sit until wilted,
1 to 2 minutes. Serve warm.
Cheese and green
chili tamales
Hands-on time 1 hour
Total time 1 hour, 20 minutes
(includes soaking time)
Serves 4 to 6
16 dried corn husks (found in the inter­-
national aisle of the supermarket)
2 cups instant corn masa
(found in the international aisle)
1 teaspoon baking powder
Kosher salt
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
4 ounces sharp white Cheddar, grated
(about 1 cup)
1 4.5-ounce can chopped green chilies,
drained
Salsa, pickled jalapeños, and lime
wedges, for serving (optional)
1. Soak the corn husks in water until soft
and pliable, 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, stir together the masa,
baking powder, 11/2 teaspoons salt, and
11/2 cups water in a bowl to combine.
Beat the shortening in a separate bowl
with an electric mixer on medium-high
until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add
the masa mixture in 2 additions, beating
between each, until light and fluffy,
about 2 minutes. Refrigerate until firm,
about 20 minutes or up to overnight.
3. DRAIN the corn husks and pat dry.
Place 1/4 cup of the masa mixture in the
center of one of the corn husks. Spread
the mixture into a rectangle, using the
back of a spoon, leaving a 1-inch border
on both sides of the husk and a 2-inch
border on the top and bottom. Sprinkle 1
tablespoon of the cheese down the cen-
ter; top with 1 teaspoon of the chilies.
Tightly wrap the tamale in the corn husk;
fold one of the long sides over the other.
Fold over the 2 ends and secure with
kitchen twine. Repeat until all the tama-
les are filled.
4. Place 3 cups of water in the bottom of
a 6- to 8- quart pressure cooker and fit
with a steamer basket. Add the tamales,
seam-side up, to the basket. Secure the
lid and bring to high pressure over high
heat. Reduce temperature and cook over
medium-low heat for about 20 minutes.
Release the pressure and remove
the lid. When ready, the filling should no
longer stick to the husks. Serve warm
with salsa, pickled jalapeños, and lime
wedges, if desired.
MARCH 2015 142 realsimple.com

6. beefbrisketsandwich
No, brisket
doesn't have
to take all
day. This one
is ready in just
over an hour.
(Detecting a
theme here?)