Do you have to use water in a Pressure Cooker to cook?

Question

Can we just drop in some meat and tighten down the lid and heat it up? Or does it need water in the Pot?

Answer 1

Yeah it needs the water to create steam pressure. I have a six quart pressure cooker. I have used as little water as 1-1 1/2 cups to get a pot roast done with potatoes, carrots and onions, all at once.

Edit: A bit of warning too, if you have not used one before.

Do not attempt to take the cover off untill the steam pressure is gone. Attempting to remove the cover before it cools down can result in serious injury.

My grandmother had one blow the cover right up through kitchen ceiling once, because she didn't get the cover on completely secure. It almost took her head off as it went by.

You can quick cool the outside of the pan by sitting it into the sink and running cold water over the surface. Do this before you remove the pressure bell. If you have an older pressure cooker with a pressure gauge, wait till it registers Zero pressure. The cold water will relax the steam pressure inside faster.

Answer 2

Yes, the water is needed for creating the pressure (steam). Have you used the pressure cooker before? Do you have the instruction manual? Frankly, I didn't care for meat done in the pressure cooker. I would prefer to do a stew or pot roast the old fashioned way. The pressure cooker over-cooked it and it was stringy and watery. I no longer use the pressure cooking for cooking -- it is a pot for utensils now. But good luck, and if you have a booklet, follow the steps, or use Yahoo to search for recipes with the instructions.

Answer 3

Yes, you need to add water, or else you are probably going to end up with an awful mess to clean up. You are going to want to add a least 2 inches of water.

Boiling water is what causes the pressure, as water expands to about 2700 times its original volume when it turns into steam. But as you increase the pressure, it takes more energy to force the water to become steam, so the boiling temperature goes up. That means you can actually heat the food about a dozen or so degrees hotter than you normally could and thus cook it faster and more thoroughly.

The meat probably has enough moisture to create adequate steam. But as it boils, it will leave behind a bunch of sticky dried meat juice, which will burn and get baked onto the bottom of the pot because of the increased temperature and pressure. Ewww...

Enjoy your food....
~Donkey Hotei

Answer 4

Steam makes the pressure.Start with a little water,boil it ,put meat in and close pot.That way the meat doesn't burn before pressure builds up,then it makes it's own juice.

Answer 5

If you don't add some water the meat will stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.