--- title: "Pressure-cook: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "Pressure-cooking cooks food in a sealed pot where trapped steam raises the boiling point to about 120°C (250°F), cutting cooking times by half or more." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pressure-cook" --- # Pressure-cook Pressure-cooking cooks food in a sealed pot where trapped steam raises the boiling point to about 120°C (250°F), cutting cooking times by half or more. Also called Pressure cooking, Pressure-cooked. To pressure-cook is to cook food in a sealed pot, a [pressure cooker](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pressure-cooker), that traps steam. The pressure raises the boiling point of water from 100°C (212°F) to about 115 to 121°C (240 to 250°F). Food cooks much faster at that heat: dried beans in under an hour without soaking, tough cuts of beef in about an hour, and stock in less time than on the stove. Stovetop and electric multi-cookers both work this way. ## How to do it 1. Brown meat or soften aromatics first, using the pot on the stove or the sauté setting. 2. Add at least the minimum liquid your cooker's manual asks for, often 250 ml (1 cup). It needs water to make steam. 3. Never fill more than two thirds full, or half full for beans, grains and other foods that foam. 4. Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and bring it up to pressure. 5. Cook for the time in your recipe, counted from when it reaches pressure. 6. Release the pressure: natural release (wait for the pin to drop, 10 to 30 minutes) for meat, beans and foamy foods; quick release (open the valve) for vegetables and delicate food. 7. Open the lid away from you only when the pressure is fully down. ## How to tell it is done Check the food after releasing. Meat should be [fork-tender](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fork-tender), beans creamy all the way through. If not, lock the lid and cook a few minutes more. ## Why it works Water boils at a higher temperature under pressure, and food cooks faster in hotter water and steam. The sealed pot also loses almost no liquid, so you need less of it than for a [braise](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/braise) on the stove. ## Common mistakes * Too little liquid. The cooker shows a burn warning or scorches the bottom. * Overfilling. Foam can block the valve. * Thickening before cooking. Flour and cornstarch can stick and scorch. Thicken after. * Quick release with beans or soup. Hot liquid can spray out of the valve. * Using it for canning when it is not rated for that. [Pressure canning](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pressure-canning) needs a canner tested to hold a known pressure. ## Recipes that use this technique 103 recipes from the sites we collect. * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Instant-Pot-Not-Fried-Pinto-Beans-Finals-9.jpg)Instant Pot Refried Beanswww.skinnytaste.com · 60 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/refried-beans/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Barbacoa-Beef-2.jpg)Barbacoa Beef (Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot)www.skinnytaste.com · 80 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/barbacoa-beef/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Instant-Pot-Indian-Chicken-Pulao-4-1.jpg)Instant Pot Indian Chicken and Rice Pulaowww.skinnytaste.com · 30 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/instant-pot-indian-chicken-pulao/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Carrot-Ginger-Soup-1.jpg)Carrot Ginger Soupwww.skinnytaste.com · 50 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/skinny-yet-creamy-carrot-ginger-soup/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/beef-potato-quinoa-soup.jpg)Beef, Potato and Quinoa Soupwww.skinnytaste.com · 120 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/beef-potato-and-quinoa-soup/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Madisons-Favorite-Slow-Cooker-Beef-Tacos.jpg)Madison's Favorite Slow Cooker Beef Tacoswww.skinnytaste.com · 40 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/madisons-favorite-slow-cooker-beef-tacos/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/smokedturkeyblackbeansoup.jpg)Instant Pot Turkey Bean Soupwww.skinnytaste.com · 70 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/pressure-cooker-smoked-turkey-black/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/Slow-Cooker-3-Bean-Turkey-Chili.jpg)Slow Cooker 3-Bean Turkey Chiliwww.skinnytaste.com · 35 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/crock-pot-3-bean-turkey-chili-3125-pts/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/instant-pot-bolognese-1-8.jpg)Instant Pot Bolognesewww.skinnytaste.com · 60 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/bolognese-sauce-recipe-instant-pot/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Pumpkin-Puree.jpg)How To Make Pumpkin Puree (Instant Pot or Oven Method)www.skinnytaste.com · 20 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/how-to-make-pumpkin-puree-instant-pot-or-oven-method/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/SLOW-COOKER-TURKEY-PUMPKIN-WHITE-BEAN-CHILI-7.jpg)Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chiliwww.skinnytaste.com · 245 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/crockpot-turkey-white-bean-pumpkin/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Instant-Pot-Mashed-Potatoes-1-5.jpg)Instant Pot Mashed Potatoeswww.skinnytaste.com · 20 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/instant-pot-mashed-potatoes/) ## Related terms * [Pressure cookerA pressure cooker is a sealed pot that traps steam and cooks above boiling point, so beans, stews and stock are done in a fraction of the time.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pressure-cooker) * [BraiseBraising browns meat, then cooks it slowly, covered, in a small amount of liquid until tough cuts turn tender and the liquid becomes a rich sauce.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/braise) * [Slow-cookSlow-cooking simmers food for hours at a low, steady heat, usually in an electric slow cooker or low oven, until tough meat and dried beans turn tender.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/slow-cook) * [SteamSteaming cooks food over, not in, boiling water, using the hot vapor that rises from it. Vegetables, fish and dumplings stay tender, moist and bright.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/steam) * [Pressure canningPressure canning heats sealed jars to about 116°C (240°F) under steam pressure. It is the only safe home method for low-acid foods such as vegetables.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pressure-canning) [More in moist-heat cooking](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/moist-heat-cooking)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)