Cuisinart CPC-900XA, Instruction Booklet

Page: 9 / 25

9
Once you have confirmed the cooking
function, temperature and time, press the
START/STOP button to begin cooking. The
first preheat bar and the word Preheat will
appear in the LCD.
NOTE: Preheat and the preheat bars will
not appear for Slow Cook, Steam, Reduce
or Sauté/Brown. They may occasionally
appear after steaming (cooking) if pressure
has built up in the cooking pot. Press the
Steam release button then open the lid.
MULTICOOKER FUNCTIONS
Pressure Cooking Functions
1. Meat – This preset is programmed for large
cuts of meat such as beef brisket or pork
shoulder, as well as the perfect setting for
cooking a whole chicken. The default is
High+ pressure for 35 minutes, but High and
Low pressures are available as well. The time
is adjustable from 1 minute to 4 hours.
Natural Pressure Release is recommended to
retain more flavour (if time permits). Or use a
combination of Natural and Quick Pressure
Release as recommended in our recipe
book. For best results the Sauté/Brown
function is recommended to brown meats
prior to cooking to add more flavour. Refer
to cooking chart on page 17 as a guide for
pressure cooking different meat cuts.
Selecting & Preparing Cuts of Meat
Pressure cooking allows more affordable and
less tender cuts of meat to be cooked
quickly with a tender, juicy result.
For best results, trim excess fat from the
meat as this will form excess liquid as the
meat cooks.
TIP: Be sure to add at least 1 cup of liquid
when pressure cooking meats for 45 minutes
or less, and 1½ cups if cooking for longer
amounts of time. Be sure to add vegetables,
such as chopped onions, carrots and celery,
and aromatic herbs such as garlic, parsley,
thyme, etc., for added flavour. Cooking
times will vary slightly due to individual size
of pieces and starting temperatures.
The reduce function can be used to simmer
the cooking liquid into a flavourful sauce
after removing the meat from cooking pot.
2. Stew/Chili/Casserole – Whether cooking a
hearty beef or lamb stew, a casserole or a
chili, this is the best setting to use. Be sure
to use the Sauté/Brown function to brown
the meat prior to cooking, especially if using
mince meat. The default is High pressure for
30 minutes, but High+ and Low are available
as well. The time is adjustable from 1 minute
to 4 hours.
Use Natural Pressure Release to achieve best
results when time permits. Or use a
combination of Natural and Quick Pressure
Release as recommended in our recipe book.
3. Soup – This preset can be used to prepare
soups in a fraction of the time it takes to
cook on the stovetop. Place the meat (if
using), vegetables and other ingredients into
the cooking pot, add enough liquid to cover.
Most recipes will require High pressure, but
Low and High+ are also available. The
default cooking time is 10 minutes
4. Stock – When preparing richer, longer-
cooking stocks, use the Stock preset. This is
for poultry, meat, and vegetable stocks.
Expert Tip: Save vegetable scraps
throughout the week (or month), wrap well
and store in the freezer. When you’re ready
to make a stock, take out those scraps that
would otherwise be headed for the garbage
or compost, and instead use them to flavour
a delicious stock. Add ingredients (bones,
meat, vegetables, herbs) plus enough water
to cover, being sure not to exceed the
maximum fill line.