To pressure-cook is to cook food in a sealed vessel where steam builds pressure, raising water’s boiling point well above 100 °C, typically to around 120 °C, so food cooks dramatically faster. Tough cuts tenderise in under an hour, dried beans cook without overnight soaking, and stocks extract in a fraction of the traditional time, with less energy and better nutrient retention since cooking times are short and little water is used. Modern pressure cookers use spring valves and multiple safety interlocks, a vast improvement over the rattling weighted-valve models that gave the method its intimidating reputation. The technique demands respect for its rules: sufficient liquid always, never filling beyond two-thirds, and natural or controlled pressure release according to the food. It is the busiest cook’s most powerful tool.