I’m on my third one. This one’s all stainless. A Fagor Rapid Express.
Beans are done in minutes. Braised shortribs? Only 15 minutes. Amazing piece of cookware. 
Mine’s the big Presto. Got it intially for canning wort for starters but have started to get into canning veggies and such. Yes, amazing piece of cookware.
I have one and never use it. No real good reason why I don’t use it. I should break it out and use it once in a while.
We have a huge Presto pressure canner that my mom gave to me. Things probably as old (~ 50) as I am or pretty darn close.
If it is really old it may not have a back up relief valve. Be careful. The old ones only have the rattle thing and if it clogs. Klah-bloy.
Pressure cookers are truly amazing. A very underrated kitchen tool. I could never live without my pressure cooker.
On the No Reservations Saudi Arabia episode they cook a whole camel in a giant pressure cooker.
Cap, it does not have a secondary relief valve only the rattle thing on top. Must be careful not to make split pea soup in it. 
…or else ;D
A pressure cooker can speed up decoction or pseudo-decoction, too, although with the ramp-up to temperature and the cool-down period (don’t open the valve or run water on the cooker or you will get boil-up in the grains) may make the time about the same.
But there are other advantages. Because you don’t put the grains directly in the pot (they would scorch; you put them in a smaller pot or bowl) you don’t have to stir to avoid scorching the way you normally would.
The pressure cooking also produces more intense malt flavors (melanoidins). For me, this is the big advantage.
I like to use this method for cereal mashing corn or rice* and for pseudo-decoction, in which about 1/3 of the grain bill is briefly mashed separately, the boiled before being added to the main mash. I have an article in the current Zymurgy with more details about this technique as well as a recipe for a killer Munich Dunkel using it.
Very informative article. Thanks!
Maybe I’ll get one of these someday. Big among Indians, who cook a lot of split lentils. However, lately I just enjoy cooking and the long time it takes dal to cook in a normal pot gives me time to enjoy other things I’m preparing, so I feel no reason to speed the process.
It was funny, I was at the Indian grocer last night and I was hoping to find a nice looking traditional kadhai/karahi (Indian wok) and I asked the proprietor. He points them out to me and they are all extremely normal looking, modern style non-stick pots. I was thinking something cast iron or more, well, Indian looking, I admit. I am shallow. I didn’t buy any of them.
Yeah I have some of those indian woks. I like them more for serving than cooking. The bottom is made to go on top of a small wood fired stove. Or special ring that sits on the stove top. I get tme at my Indian grocer who has a whole isle of cooking stuff. They have the imitation flat bottom non stick ones too.
They have a few of those Indian woks there that look like they are in the 50-100 gallon range. massive.
Lots of pressure cookers there too.
The advantages of using a PC are less fuel, less heat generated withing the house and less time. I can see why they are so popular in India. Their recipe times go by whistles- evidently their PC’s will whistle when certain pressures are reached.
There’s nothing wrong with jiggle-tops as long as there’s a relief valve. Cooking with a jiggle-top PC is a real art form but they cook just as good. I still have an aluminum one that can be pressed into service.
I’ve often wondered about using one to do a decoction. Hmm may have to try as suggested.
I liked your article in the recent issue of Zymurgy, I’m going to try it. ;D I like making starter wort with the PC for the reasons posted by Euge too.
We have a Presto for cooking and had to replace the gasket a few years ago. Not the easiest part to obtain as it turns out.
You really cannot beat and All American for larger chores. Check out this mama jamma http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/941.htm
Mine is a puppy sized compared to that at either 21 or 25 qt, I cannot remember which at the moment. Mine is also old as the hills.