Pressure cookers have been unjustly forgotten by many people. But they shouldn't be underestimated – because cooking in a pressure cooker is easy, healthy, and also saves time and energy.
Is a pressure cooker worth it? Yes! Cooking with a pressure cooker offers significant advantages.
This special cooking method is much gentler on delicate vitamins than cooking in a regular pot. For example, up to 90% of vitamin C is retained during pressure cooking. Food also retains its natural color when cooked in a pressure cooker. The reason for this is that during the initial boil, the steam almost completely displaces the air inside the pressure cooker. Once the pressure valve is closed and the cooking process begins, there is hardly any oxygen left inside the pot, which is responsible for the degradation of valuable vitamins and nutrients. Food cooked under pressure is not only delicious but also visually appealing.
The increased temperature in a pressure cooker reduces cooking time by up to 70% compared to conventional cooking. Here's how the temperature increase works: After the lid is locked in place, the initial boil creates pressure inside the pot, raising the boiling point of the water to 110–116°C. With a pressure cooker, cooking is significantly less stressful, and you can use the saved time more effectively.
Thanks to its shorter cooking time, a pressure cooker uses up to 50% less energy than conventional pots while retaining 100% of the flavor. This benefits not only your wallet but also the environment. The option of multi-level cooking and our energy-efficient "Made in Germany" bases further contribute to energy savings.
1. Open the pot
Press the operating button on the lid handle in the direction of the arrow. Turn the lid fully to the right and remove it.
2. Pour in the liquid
For cooking in a pressure cooker, a minimum amount of liquid must always be added. Depending on the recipe, you can, for example, first sauté onions or meat, or simply add liquid (water, broth, wine, etc.). The measuring scale inside the pot indicates the minimum/maximum amount of liquid and must not be exceeded or fallen below. If necessary, place the tripod in the pot and then put the insert on top.
Tip: Use hot liquid to build up pressure faster.
3. Close the pot
Close the pot once all the ingredients are inside, as per the recipe. Place the Fissler lid-sealing aid with the red dot in the designated recess on the pot body and place the lid on top. Turn the handle on the lid to the left to securely close the pot. Fissler pressure cookers will audibly click into place, and the indicator on the handle will change from red to green. Now heat the pot on the stovetop at maximum power.
Set cooking level 4.
The Vitavit® Premium has four cooking levels, including a pressureless steam cooking level. Simply select the desired cooking level according to the recipe:
Cooking level 1 for delicate foods such as fish, broccoli and fine vegetables
Cooking level 2 for robust vegetables such as beetroot and cabbage
Cooking level 3 is for dishes with a longer cooking time, such as meat or stews.
The Vitaquick® indicates the current cooking level using rings: one ring corresponds to the gentle cooking level (vegetables), two rings correspond to the fast cooking level (meat).
5. Control the cooking process
The cooking display with traffic light function guides you safely through the cooking process.
The yellow ring indicates that the correct temperature will soon be reached and you can turn down the heat on the stove.
The green ring indicates that the selected cooking level has been reached. The cooking time now begins.
When the red ring appears, the temperature in the pot is too high and the pressure cooker will automatically begin to release steam. Turn down the heat to return to the green zone.
6. Release the pressure from the pressure cooker
The steam release mechanism varies depending on the model. With all Fissler pressure cookers, you can release steam using the button on the lid handle. The Vitavit® Premium also offers rapid steam release via the cooking valve in the lid.
7. Open the pot
After releasing the steam, open the pot by pressing the operating button on the lid handle and turning the lid to the right.
Tip: Especially with dishes that take longer to cook, you can use the residual heat of the stove until the pot is depressurized and you open it.
8. Cleaning
Clean the pressure cooker after each use. Detach the sealing ring, cooking crown, and lid handle from the lid and clean them by hand.
