30 Foods That Should Never Go In The Pressure Cooker

1. Whole Chicken

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It may seem like a good idea at the time, sticking a whole raw chicken in the pressure cooker.  You're starving for your dinner and there's no way you want to wait an hour and a half whilst it roasts traditionally in the oven.  Well, don't bother as cooking a whole chicken can lead to uneven cooking with some parts being dangerously pink.

2. Pasta

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Dried pasta is a store cupboard essential that can enable you to create a meal in minutes.  Within 7-8 minutes, dried pasta in a large pan of salted water, will be cooked, ready to add your pasta sauce.  Why then would you attempt to cook it in your pressure cooker? You are likely to end up with a starchy mush that's inedible!

3. Large Pieces of Meat with Bones

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With our busy lives, any tips that can go towards speeding up cooking times are always gratefully received.  Pressure cookers are great with tougher cuts of boneless meat such as braising steak and brisket.  Large pieces of red meat, with the bone in, will take much longer and you run the risk of some parts being undercooked.

4. Soft Shellfish

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Some people might want to cook soft shellfish in a pressure cooker for the simple reason that the kitchen area will not smell as fishy as it would  if you were to use an ordinary pan for the process.  It's definitely not advisable as mussels and clams could be chewy and rubbery when you bite into them.

5. Thin Fish Fillets

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Even if you were to cook thin fish fillets, such as sea bass or plaice, for a short time in the pressure cooker, you might be disappointed.  Delicate fish can break apart into flakes or, if it stays in one piece, could have the texture of an old boot!  In a pan, fillets can cook at around 3 minutes for each side so it's quick anyway!

6. Bacon Rashers

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Take our advice and don't attempt to cook some nice salty bacon rashers in the pressure cooker.  It's a pointless task as there is every chance that the bacon will lose its texture and become too crispy and almost burnt.  Use the fool proof method of a frying pan on your cooker hob.

7. Highly Spicy Foods

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It's not recommended to cook overly spicy foods in the pressure cooker unless you like your meal hot, hot, hot!  Cooking this way can intensify the spice levels and leave you downing 3 pints of water to cool your mouth down.  In fact, the exact opposite, slow cooking, is a good way to make it.

8. Rice

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It isn't always easy to cook rice using any method. Unless you have a fool proof way, it can end up gummy or, worse still, rock hard!  You've more chance of getting it right by cooking in a pot with lots of salted water.  The pressure cooker is likely to leave you with one gooey ball, due to it over cooking.

9. Crustaceans with Shells

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There's lots of foods which can benefit from pressure cooking but shelled seafood is not on that list.  The contents are too delicate for this type of cooking and if you go against our advice, it could also be difficult to remove the shells to get to the actual meat.  Give it a miss.

10. Fried Foods

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Stay clear of cooking fried foods in your pressure cooker.  It will cook right through but the breadcrumbs or tempura batter will go soggy and you won't get that nice, crisp outer part that is the best bit!  Instead, cook in your oven on a medium high heat for best results.

11. Very Small or Thin Cuts of Meat

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Meat is a funny one when it comes to pressure cooking.  As already mentioned, thick pieces with the bone in could cook unevenly and thin cuts of meat might leave you disappointed as they are unlikely to be soft and juicy but tough and dry.  Either cook in a pan or in the oven.

12. Raw Cakes or Batters

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There are lots of interesting hacks online regarding baking homemade cakes.  Some people swear by the microwave whereas others will always use the oven.  Whatever you decide, DON'T use your pressure cooker as you may have a crispy top and a raw center.

13. Leafy Greens

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Whatever would possess someone to use a pressure cooker for some leafy greens.  The delicate vegetable only takes a maximum of 3 minutes on the top of the stove so you aren't exactly going to save any time!  The likelihood, if you do, is wilted kale and spinach that has lost its vibrant green color.

14. Cookies

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Pressure cookers were not designed for baking cakes and cookies.  Your instruction booklet will confirm this.  They tend to cook baking products in part and they leave raw areas so you get a nasty taste when you bite into them.  Use your oven for perfect results.

15. Eggs in Shells

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There's only one sure way to cook eggs in their shells and that is in hot, salted water on top of the stove.  Forget any other way, microwave or pressure cooker.  If you want to prove us wrong and you pop them into your cooker, the pressure can cause the eggs to explode in their shells and it's not a pretty sight!

16. Dairy Products

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When you're experimenting in the kitchen and you come up with something that incorporates the ingredients milk or cream, there's no way the dish should be anywhere near a pressure cooker, never mind inside it!  Dairy products can easily curdle under the high pressure.

17. Cakes with Fruit Fillings

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As we've touched on this earlier, you now know it's not recommended to put cakes and cookies in the pressure cooker unless you would be happy with an uneven result.  Cakes with fruit fillings are even worse for undercooking as the fruits react badly with the high pressure.

18. Custards

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When I want custard I use the cheats method and purchase it from the grocery store and heat it up on top of the stove.  If I was making it from fresh, I would be very wary of fishing out my pressure cooker to do the job. Custards can easily become scrambled because of the high temperature.

19. Baking Soda or Baking Powder

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There are safety concerns in using baking powder or baking soda in a pressure cooker.  As we know, pressure cookers are designed to control and contain steam and pressure during the cooking process.  Adding baking soda or powder is likely to interfere with the process, causing a build up of pressure, possibly leading to an accident.

20. Fruits with High Pectin Content

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Fruits that contain a high level of pectin such as apples and pears, shouldn't go within three feet of a pressure cooker. The complex carbohydrates in the fruit can cause foaming because of the high heat and the pressure.  This can also block the pressure release valve.

21. Thick Creamy Sauces

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There are issues if you put thick creamy sauces in your pressure cooker.  Because the sauces may contain milk or cheese, they are prone to scorching and can cause a very unpleasant taste.  The proteins and fats in the sauce could separate and curdle, making a strange texture.

22. Hard Boiled Eggs

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Overcooking hard boiled eggs in a pressure cooker may lead to difficulty in peeling them.  If cooked for too long, the protein in the white of the egg can become tightly bound to the membrane.  This makes the egg stick to the shell and when you peel it, part of the egg white comes away with it which is messy.

23. Canned Foods

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You should definitely avoid pressure cooking canned foods that are sealed in cans. Canned foods have been processed and sealed to preserve the contents without the need to cook them any more.  If you try to do it you risk the can rupturing or exploding in the cooker.

24. Instant or Quick-Cooking Foods

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Putting too much liquid in your instant food and then pressure cooking it runs the risk of it expanding and breaking up.   Even if it stays together, you could end up with a gluey, starchy consistency that doesn't taste good.  The microwave will do a much better job!

25. Cooking Wine

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Alcohol added to your meat stew will have trouble evaporating under pressure so leave it out of the pressure cooker.  The result will be a bitter taste in your mouth and you'll be disappointed.  Instead, put your stew on a simmer setting on the top of the stove to let the alcohol boil off and mix with the met juices.

26. Lobster

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If you cook lobster in a pressure cooker, the strong heat and pressure could cause the meat to overcook and be rubbery.  You won't be able to experience the lovely flavor of this usually delicious shellfish.  Pressure cooking can also cause the shells to either crack or become damaged.

27. Soft Vegetables

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Soft vegetables always taste their best when they keep their crispness and a slight crunch.  If you pop them in the pressure cooker, the cell walls in the veggies breaks down and you are left with a mushy and almost pureed zucchini!  Just steam them and you can achieve the right texture.

28. Layered Dishes

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If you are planning on making a dish that incorporates layers of ingredients, best not to use your pressure cooker or you could be left underwhelmed!  The liquid in the cooker might be distributed unevenly and some parts of your dish could be on the hard side.

29. Caramel or Molten Sugar

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We all know that sugar can burn under pressure and it makes such a mess.  Caramel is created by heating up the sugar until it turns brown. In the pressure cooker caramel can reach a point where it acts like a super-heated liquid which can explode when disturbed.

30. Artichokes

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Many of us are afraid of artichokes as we aren't sure how to prepare them and cook them correctly.  One thing we can say is that they don't cook well in a pressure cooker.  The outer leaves can become overcooked and mushy whilst the inner ones remain tough and undercooked.