Nesco 4-in-1 Pressure Cooker Review

Nesco sent me the 4-in-1 Pressure Cooker to review and I couldn’t be more excited to share this with you! I love cooking but my schedule doesn’t always allow me to spend a couple hours preparing dinner. And sometimes I haven’t given dinner enough thought in advance to prepare for a slow-cooked meal. That’s where the Nesco Pressure Cooker becomes a lifesaver!

So what are the 4 different machines packed into 1? Pressure cooker, steamer, slow cooker, and rice cooker! When you first get your pressure cooker, be sure to take the time to clean it and “prep” it for first use, or figure that time into the first meal you make with it. Where my slow cooker is wide, the Nesco pressure cooker is tall so it fits my counter much better. The digital screen is very bright and easy to read. It tells you the pressure level and how much time is left (in minutes). The direction booklet is easy to follow and very detailed, and even contains recipes for you to try. It includes a wire rack for steaming and even has measurement markings on the side of the removable cooking pot!

I decided to make beef stew. I had been craving it but it always takes me a very long time to make. With the pressure cooker, it only took me 20 minutes and I did it all in one pot! I love having less mess. I love that I can put the pressure cooker on “brown” setting, add oil, and brown the meat right there. I then just add the rest of the ingredients plus water, shut the lid and voila!

Beef Stew – Pressure Cooker
Serves 8-12

3 pounds lean beef stew meat, cut in 1″ pieces
2 tablespoons fat (or vegetable oil)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 cups water
1 cup onions
8 carrots, whole
8 potatoes, medium, cut in halves

1. Place removable Cooking Pot in Cooker.
2. Add fat or oil. Plug cooker into standard outlet.
3. Press “Brown” button on Control Panel of NESCO Pressure Cooker. The light will start flashing and display will show “0.0”. Leave lid off while browning.
4. Press ‘START.STOP’ button to begin heating. Indicator light will stop flashing. Preheat 1 minute.
5. Add meat and begin browning. When meat is browned, season with salt, pepper and paprika. Add water.
6. Place lid on cooker and turn counter-clockwise until it locks into place and Locking Pin ‘clicks’ into place.
7. Turn Pressure Regulator Knob to “Seal.”
8. The set Pressure Button on Control Panel on “LOW”. Set desired cooking time by pressing the ‘LOW’ button once for each minute or hold down continuously until desired time is reached (10 minutes).
9. Press START/STOP button to begin cooking. Indicator light will stop flashing. Cooker will begin to count down (in minutes) and Floating Valve will rise after appropriate cooking pressure has been reached.
10. When time control reaches zero, cooker will beep 3 times and switch to the WARM setting automatically.
11. Press START/STOP button to make sure unit is completely off. Turn Pressure Regulator Knob to “VENT” in short bursts and allow pressure to release.
12. Remove lid and add remaining ingredients. Follow same instructions stated above and cook another 10 minutes on “LOW.” After cooker beeps indicating cooking time has been reached, turn off, unplug cooker from outlet and follow Step 11.

GRAVY
2 cups Broth (liquid from cooked meat)
1/4 cup Flour
1/2 cup Cold Water

1. Skim excess fat (oil) from broth. Add enough water to broth to measure 2 cups.
2. Mix flour and cold water until smooth. Gradually stir into broth.
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until gravy is smooth and thickened. Season with salt and pepper.