Preparing Stocks in the Pressure Cooker

Stocks Pressure Cooker

Stocks are the foundation of my cooking. I try at all times to have chicken, beef, lamb, pork, vegetable, fish and shell fish stocks in my freezer, although I use, by far, more chicken stock than any of the others. I use the stocks in soups, as braising liquid, as building blocks for flavorful yet light sauces, for restorative broths, to help revive and re-heat leftovers, and on and on. I know it takes a very busy kitchen to produce that variety of product, but I want to emphasize how important these flavorful liquids can be and encourage you to stock up. Certainly make chicken stock, whether in the pressure cooker or in a stockpot. I love seafood in soups, stews, and pasta sauces so I also need a supply of crustacean stock in the freezer.

The pressure cooker is at its best making stocks. It is much faster than the traditional stockpot and I think it makes a superior product, with more flavor and clarity. The only limitation is the number of quarts you can produce at one time.

Ingredients for basic stocks in the pressure cooker

Chicken stock
ground thigh meat, chicken wings, yellow onion or leek, carrot, fresh thyme, parsley

Beef stock
Oxtail, ground chuck, tomato paste and/or red wine, onion, bay leaf, fresh thyme, parsley

Shrimp stock
head on shrimp in the shell, lemon grass, green onion, fennel bulb (optional), white wine and/ or tomato paste, parsley, bay leaf

Mushroom stock
crimini mushrooms, shallot, garlic, sherry or chardonnay (optional), fresh thyme, parsley

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