Home › Home & Kitchen › Kitchen & Dining › Cookware › Pressure Cookers How to Use a Pressure Cooker Published: July 8, 2026 · Updated: July 8, 2026
Add at least the minimum liquid, never fill past two-thirds, lock the lid, and bring it up to pressure — then start timing only once it's at pressure and drop the heat to low. Release the pressure fully before you open it, and it cooks beans, stews, and tough meat in a fraction of the usual time.
Recommended Enough liquid, never over two-thirds full, time from when it reaches pressure on low heat, and release fully before opening — A pressure cooker cooks fast because trapped steam raises the boiling point, so the rules are all about that sealed steam. Always add at least the minimum liquid the manual specifies — steam needs water to form, usually a cup or two — and never fill past two-thirds, or half for foods that foam and expand like beans, rice, and pulses. Lock the lid, bring it up to pressure over high heat until the valve rises or hisses steadily, then drop to low, just enough to hold pressure, and only now start your timer, because that is when real cooking begins. When the time is up, release the pressure: natural release (let it cool and drop on its own) for meats and beans, or quick release (open the valve) for vegetables you don't want overcooked — and never force the lid until the pressure indicator has fully dropped. Keep the valve and gasket clean so they seal, and electric multicookers follow the same logic on a button.
