Pressure cooker vs. stovetop stock: what's the difference? Compare the time, convenience, and final results of these two popular stock-making methods.
1 Answer
Pressure cooking or using an Instant Pot significantly reduces stock-making time compared to the traditional stovetop method, often yielding a richer, more concentrated flavor in a fraction of the time.
Detailed Explanation:
Traditionally, making stock on the stovetop involves simmering bones, vegetables, and aromatics in water for several hours, typically 4-6 hours for chicken stock and 8-12 hours or more for beef or other stocks. This long simmering time is necessary to extract collagen from the bones, which breaks down into gelatin, giving the stock its characteristic body and richness.
A pressure cooker or Instant Pot, on the other hand, uses high pressure to raise the boiling point of water, allowing the stock to cook at a higher temperature. This significantly accelerates the extraction process. Chicken stock can be made in as little as 1-2 hours in a pressure cooker, while beef stock might take 2-3 hours.
The higher temperature and pressure also help to break down the bones more efficiently, potentially resulting in a stock with a more intense flavor and a higher gelatin content. Some argue that the rapid cooking can sometimes lead to a slightly less nuanced flavor compared to a long-simmered stock, but the difference is often negligible, especially for everyday use.
Pro Tip:
When using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, avoid overfilling the pot. Leave enough headspace to allow the pressure to build properly. Overfilling can lead to a weaker stock and potentially clog the pressure release valve.