One of the most frustrating kitchen malfunctions is pressure cooker burns. Unlike in other pots/pans, you cannot check on your food when cooking using pressure cookers. How to stop pressure cooker burning on bottom? Is there any way?
Rest assured! You can use a few practical ways to avoid this mishap from frustrating you again.
What are the Best Ways to Stop Pressure Cooker Burning on Bottom?
A pressure cooker will burn on the bottom due to many reasons. One among which will be the culprit why yours did.
You can protect your food and cookers from burns once you know what causes them and what you should do about it.
Let’s find out, shall we?
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Add Enough Water
Pressure cookers function with the help of water.
The water inside the cooker vaporizes into steam and increases the pressure. The created pressure cooks the food inside evenly.
What if there is no sufficient water?
When there is not enough water, it disturbs the cooking process. The food will end up unevenly cooked and leave you with a charred bottom as the food will start burning and binding to the bottom.
Always make sure there is enough water inside the cooker before you set the flames on.
If your recipe does not include water, it is simply not meant for pressure cookers. Avoid trying out such recipes in pressure cookers.
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Check for Leaks
If your pressure cooker has a leak, it is most likely why you always have a burnt bottom.
A leak will allow the steam built up inside the cooker to escape.
Most of the water will be lost, which will give you a burnt bottom.
Examine the silicone ring under the cooker’s lid. The ring is responsible for sealing the pressure inside the cooker. If it is dislocated or damaged, it can leak steam.
However, get your pressure cooker fixed before using it next time if the problem is somewhere else.
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Do Not Overcook
This is a common mistake many people make.
Letting your food sit in the cooker beyond the recommended time can burn your food as well as the bottom of your cooker.
This won’t be an issue if you use a modern cooker. But if yours is a conventional cooker, you need to be aware of this.
Set a timer/ alarm to remind you to turn off the cooker. (Normally, people forget things)
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Do Not Overload
The standard filling capacity of pressure cookers is two-thirds of its full capacity. Do not cross this rule.
When you fill your cooker to its fullest, it will disturb the pressure inside it.
The food may get unevenly cooked too. The bottom of the cooker is likely to end up charred.
Over time, it can affect the functionality of the cooker as well. So be mindful of the quantity of the food you put in.
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Avoid Cooking in High Temperatures
There is a misconception that cooking food in high heat will make it cook faster, which is not true.
Setting the cooker on a high flame will only burn your food. The food will also be half-cooked.
The fire should spread equally under the cooker to slowly cook the food outside and inside.
If it is the opposite, the food’s exterior will quickly get cooked due to high heat and start to burn due to overcooking.
The insides will remain uncooked.
If you are making this mistake, please stop!
If this is the case, you can shove your worry of ending up with a burning cooker bottom.
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Let Water Reach All the Way Down
Sometimes people take care of how the water is set inside the pot.
If you are one of them, let the last time you did it be the last time.
You must ensure the water/ broth you put in the pot reach all the way to its bottom. This will help you cook food evenly and stay away from burnt bottoms.
If the liquid does not reach the bottom properly, the heat after you place it on fire will make it burn.
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Be Aware of Starchy Food
Foods with high starch content, such as rice, pasta, and potatoes, are at high risk of burning when cooked in a pressure cooker.
Why?
These foods release starch as they’re being cooked. This starch can reach the bottom of the cooker and stick to it. With heat, it will burn, causing a charred bottom.
Is There a Way to Avoid This?
Fortunately, this mishap can be avoided.
Add plenty of water when cooking them. Also, put them into the cooker after you pour in the water. Avoid stirring once you put them in.
These simple tricks will save you from a potential burn.
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Opt for a Thick Base
We are talking about the base of the pressure cooker.
If your pressure cooker has a tin base, it should be the reason why you always end up with a burning bottom.
Thin bases fail to regulate heat evenly as needed. They transfer more heat than is needed, which can overcook/ burn the food within.
You will not find this problem in a pressure cooker with a thick base.
Cookers with thick bases regulate the heat evenly and properly.
Not only does the food get cooked at its ideal pace, but it will stay warm for longer compared to a cooker with a thin base.
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Check the Liquid Consistency
To cook food in the pressure cooker, the liquid you use should be runny.
Using thick liquids is likely to cause burning due to heat.
Thick liquids will not vaporize and produce pressure like thin liquids like water.
When there is insufficient pressure, the food will not be cooked properly.
While the heat keeps increasing, the thick liquid will get burned, creating a burned bottom.
Check the liquid consistency before cooking. The liquid should be runny to vaporize and cook the food within.
Conclusion
A pressure cooker with a burning bottom can ruin your meal time which is obviously very frustrating. Hope you adhere to the above-taught methods, say goodbye to charred bottoms, and have a happy meal time every day!
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