Pressure cooker

A pressure cooker is a sealed pot that traps steam to raise internal pressure, which pushes the boiling point of water well above 212 degrees F and cooks food much faster than a regular pot. Electric multi-cookers combine this with programmable timers, making it possible to start a batch of beans or a whole chicken and walk away.

For meal prep, pressure cookers are especially useful for foods that would otherwise take hours, like dried beans, tough braising cuts, or bone broth, compressing what could be an afternoon of simmering into well under an hour. Many models also handle sauteing directly in the same pot before pressure cooking, which cuts down on extra dishes during a batch cooking session.

A common mistake is overfilling the pot, especially with foods like grains and beans that expand and foam during cooking, which can clog the pressure release valve. It is also worth learning the difference between quick release and natural release, since using the wrong one for a given recipe can leave food undercooked or overcooked.