Meat cooks in a pressure cooker in roughly one-third the time it takes in a regular pot. Cubed beef takes 15–20 minutes under pressure, bone-in pieces 25–35 minutes, large cuts such as shank and whole leg 35–45 minutes, and bone-in chicken pieces 8–12 minutes. Timing always starts after the cooker reaches pressure, not when the heat is turned on. Even when you know the timing, check the result visually; for chicken, use a thermometer in the thickest part, which should read 74°C / 165°F.
A pressure cooker raises the pressure inside as steam builds up in the sealed pot. As pressure increases, so does the boiling point of water. In a regular pot, liquid cannot exceed 100°C / 212°F; in a pressure cooker, that limit is higher and meat cooks at a higher temperature. Because heat speeds up the process of connective tissue turning into gelatin, tough cuts become tender much faster. What you gain is time, not flavor; a crust and browned flavor do not develop in this cooker.
Cooking times vary with the cooker, the size of the pieces, and the meat itself, so they are given as ranges rather than a single figure. Cubed beef takes 15–20 minutes; bone-in cubes and ribs take 25–35 minutes; shank and a whole leg take 35–45 minutes. Bone-in chicken pieces cook in 8–12 minutes, a whole chicken in 20–25 minutes, and tripe and trotters can take 45–60 minutes. For a first attempt, it is always safer to start at the lower end of the range.
The most common mistake is starting the timer at the wrong point. When the cooker is placed on the stove, it first heats up and then steam builds; it reaches the required pressure only when the valve starts operating. This stage alone can take up to 10 minutes. Start timing after the valve whistles, then lower the heat. If you do not lower the heat, pressure keeps rising, the valve whistles continuously, and the cooker loses water much sooner than expected. For the same reason, cooking times are not exactly the same in two different pressure cookers; each cooker has its own rhythm.
There are 2 limits, and both are safety-related. The first is liquid: a pressure cooker works with steam, so there must always be liquid inside, usually at least one or two 200 ml measures. The second is the fill level: do not fill the cooker more than two-thirds full, and reduce this to half full for ingredients that foam. You can sear the meat uncovered first and then close the lid; this adds a browned crust flavor to the dish and only slightly reduces the time saved by pressure cooking.
When the cooking time is up, turn off the heat and release the pressure. There are two ways: leave the cooker alone to cool slowly, or open the valve to release steam quickly. For meat dishes, slow release is preferred because a sudden drop in pressure stresses the fibers and dries out the meat. Never force the lid open before the pressure has fully released. If the meat is still tough, close the lid and cook for another 5–10 minutes; overcooked meat, however, cannot be restored. A worn gasket can also affect the timing because a leaking cooker may never reach the target pressure.