Thursday, March 11, 2010

The Pressures of Pressure Cooking

Several years ago I lived in New York City. One of the things I still crave, from my time spent there, is a good corned beef sandwich. If you live there, or if you are an occasional visitor, you know I’m talking about the kind of corned beef sandwiches they serve at Katz's Delicatessen on the lower east side. But let’s face it, who has time to pull out the slow cooker and wait 8 hours just to eat a sandwich? When I want it, my craving demands immediate satisfaction. That is why I finally decided to invest in a pressure cooker.


Corned beef brisket has been my only success to date using my new toy. So far, I have made three mistakes. Mistake number one, buying the pressure cooker and letting it sit on a shelf for several months before using it. I guess I was a bit intimidated. I still have flashbacks, from my childhood, of the older models ‘malfunctioning.’ Mistake number two, not thoroughly reading the instructions that came with the unit - especially the part about reducing the cooktop temperature once the cooker reaches the desired “pressure level.” This mistake resulted in a very burned beef stew. And mistake number three, believing everything I did take the time to read - like I could cook a cheesecake in it. Big mistake!!! These things aside, my pressure cooker seems to be the perfect addition to my cache of culinary equipment. That is once I get all of the “pressure cooking stars” aligned.


Happy St. Patrick’s Day!



Corned Beef Brisket - a la Pressure Cooker

Ingredients:

Corned beef brisket with seasoning packet

20 black peppercorns

10 whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 bottle beer (Guinness Stout, Bass Ale or your choice)

Beef broth, enough to cover brisket


Preparation:

Thoroughly rinse brisket until free of brine. Place in bottom of cooker, fat side up.

Add all remaining ingredients.

Add lid, lock and bring to pressure - 15 psi - over high heat.

*Reduce to low heat and cook for 1 hour.

*Remove from heat and use natural release method to open - approximately 10-15 minutes.

Check for doneness - should be at least 160 degrees and fork tender.

Let rest 15 minutes before slicing.


*Check individual manufacturers recommendations.