Gadgets come and go but there’s one that will never fade into culinary history: the pressure cooker. Even for vegetarians like me, RV cooking with a pressure cooker is always easy as pie.

Invented in 1679 by a French physicist, there’s a reason why pressure cookers haven’t disappeared from kitchens. They’re:

• Sturdy and can take a lot of abuse
• Versatile enough for all types of cooking
• Safer than ever before.

This appliance has received a bad rap through the ages because of people who didn’t use them with care. The good news is that pressure cooker explosions are a thing of the past. Manufacturers put safety mechanisms in place that make them almost impossible to blow up. Use a pressure cooker as you would any other potentially dangerous kitchen appliance and you’ll never need to call 911.

Unlike some other RV appliances that have learning curves, such as convection ovens, getting the knack of this handy device is practically effortless. Check out these six reasons why you need to try RV cooking with a pressure cooker.

Pressure cookers aren’t just for meat eaters

If you think pressure cookers are just like crock pots, think again. Pressure cookers do so much more than cook meat and make stews. Once I received mine I tried pressure cooking recipes for everything from pasta to steamed veggies, beans to fish and even hard boiling eggs. If you can think of a food you want to make in a pressure cooker, odds are good that someone has already tried it and posted the recipe online.

You’ll save space in your RV kitchen

My six quart pressure cooker is ideal for my 27′ fifth wheel’s galley. It’s large enough to make popcorn but not so big that won’t fit in my cramped cupboards. Most come with steamer baskets, so you can ditch your old steamer and colander. Eventually you’ll discover that it’s the only large pot you need to carry.

Pressure cookers are a boondocker’s best friend

Do you love to dry camp? If so, you’ll be amazed at how little water is necessary for RV cooking with a pressure cooker. Before I got my mine, I wouldn’t dare make water-intensive dishes like pasta or cook dry beans. But after learning how to cook with a pressure cooker, I discovered that foods hardly need any water at all to cook inside the pressurized environment.

You’ll have less humidity in your RV

Speaking of boiling water: since all of the cooking is done inside a pressurized environment, your rig won’t turn into a sauna when you use this appliance. The only time it releases steam into the RV is when cooking time ends and you open the release valve. To minimize RV humidity during this process, just open your door and aim the valve opening outside.

High altitude cooking is effortless

If you enjoy high altitude RV camping in the mountains like I do, you’ll love how the pressure cooker enables you to cook your favorite foods wherever your rig is parked. As a vegetarian I eat a lot of legumes and now I no longer carry heavy cans of beans on the road. My pressure cooker allows me to cook unsoaked dry beans in as few as 35 minutes and soaked ones in about 15.

Pressure cookers save fuel

I use a traditional pressure cooker, which I feel is more compact and space-efficient than the “As Seen On TV” electric ones that are popping up at RV shows around the country. But no matter which one you choose, you’ll save on utility costs because both can cook meals in a fraction of the time it takes conventional pots and pans.

I was full-timing for eight years before my mother gave me a pressure cooker for Christmas and now I don’t know how I ever lived without it. I hope that my experience inspires you to try one in your own travels, so you won’t have to wait nearly as long to discover the magic of RV cooking with a pressure cooker.

About the Author:

Rene Agredano, a Coach-Net member since 2015, is a self-employed full-time RVer who enjoys writing, jewelry design and animal advocacy. Her adventures with a three-legged dog and husband Jim are chronicled at LiveWorkDream.com

 

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