Tupperware Review: Microwave Pressure Cooker

UPDATE: December 2014, I am now a Tupperware consultant. My love for this one product made me want to take the plunge. It's THAT fantastic. :)

Say WHAT?! Yep. Can you believe it? A microwave pressure cooker? My grandma used to cook meals in her pressure cooker and I never went near the kitchen when she did. I always thought the pot would just explode and I'd die from shrapnel wounds and hot pot roast burns. So, I never bought a pressure cooker for my own home.

When I got married, we invested in an expensive cookware set (which we still have and use daily) that included a pressure cooker. Did I use it? Once. And it was horrible. I was so afraid of using it that the meat didn't cook well and I ended up with a mess of cookware to clean up afterward. Let's not forget how friggen HEAVY pressure cookers are! It's no wonder home makers back in the day were so fit! Cooking and cleaning pots and pans that weighed 20 pounds each is quite a workout! LOL! 

When I learned about this newest contraption from Tupperware, I had to see it. I attended a Tupperware meeting. I was not in the mindset of joining the team. I just wanted to learn more. Well, at this meeting, one of the Directors, Diane Okubo, who has been with Tupperware for 30+ years, made Kalua Pig. When she said she makes about 2.5 to 3 lbs of Kalua Pig in ONE HOUR I did not believe a darn word she said. 

Before the meeting started, she started cooking. By the time the meeting was halfway through, the entire room smelled like a giant imu and I was STARVING! Seeing is believing! When she popped open the cover and shredded the meat with a PLASTIC FORK I was sold. The meat was tender, juicy, moist, and flavorful.  

I've made Kalua Pig in an imu and in the crockpot. Both take at least 7 hours depending on how many pounds you're cooking. This was done in one hour.  So, I hosted a Tupperware party and with the help of my cousin Johanna Harbottle (new Tupperware Consultant), I managed to earn this "magical pot" (Thank you Paka Music for the new name) for only $39!!! 

I can tell you that I have been using this pot daily for making meals for my family and everyone LOVES IT! The pot is big enough to hold up to 4 lbs of meat (properly cut so you can fit it all in the pot). I have made pork chops with apples (turned applesauce), pork sparerib stew, and pork adobo in here and each time we're flabbergasted at how tender the food comes out and in only 30 minutes. We did make our own Kalua Pig in the pot and my family was floored. No one believed me until I made it and the house was silent for a good 15 minutes after the pot was opened. Because everyone was so busy shoveling hot kalua pig and rice in their mouths! LOL!

This pot comes with 5 pieces. The base, lid, gasket, locking top piece, and the red gauge (turkey popping looking gadget).  All these pieces can be removed for easy cleaning (PLUS!). Just be careful not to lose them. When washing the lid, you can remove the red turkey popper thing to clean the pressure release valve thoroughly. One thing I really like about this pot is even after cooking for 30 minutes, the handles are COOL to the touch. You do not need pot holders to remove it from the microwave.  You want to carry it from the pot handles, not the lid. 
To lock and unlock, you just pop that light purple "lever" off and on. 

The pot itself is a nice heavy weight plastic but not so heavy as to make it difficult to wash. Cleaning is a breeze. Soap, water, mild scrubbing, and you're done. Always remove the rubber gasket, clean well, and air dry completely. I don't have a dishwasher so I cannot confirm if this entire product is dishwasher safe. If you're a consultant and know the answer, feel free to comment below. 

Here are some of my tips on cooking with the magical pot:

- Make sure the meat is completely covered in liquid and don't go past the max fill line embossed on the inside of the pot. 
   - If meat is not covered in liquid, it will cook to a dry crisp. Honestly, not THAT bad if its pork. It's like having a bonus piece of chicaron in your meal.

- Always put your meat in first. Then top with the veggies.

-Don't overfill

-Don't overseason. You can always add more after the food is done. You can't "take it back" once its in there. :)

-NEVER cook for more than 30 minutes at a time. After 30 minutes, allow the pot to depressurize completely. Just let it sit in the microwave until the hissing stops or the red valve goes all the way down. Then if needed, cook again for not more than 30 more minutes.

Kalua Pig recipe 
2.5 lbs of Pork Shoulder Butt 
approx 1/4 cup Hawaiian Salt
2 Tablespoons of Liquid Smoke
Water
Note: I didn't measure the ingredients, so this is a guesstimate on what I used. Please season to your liking.

Cut pork butt in pieces that fit well into the bottom of the pot.
Salt the meat on all sides.
Place meat at the bottom of the pot
Add water and liquid smoke to your liking. Put enough liquid to cover the meat completely without going past the max fill line. 

Do not oversalt. You can always add salt later. Use whatever flavor liquid smoke you like. We used hickory.

Twist the cover on and the affix the locking latch. Place pot in the microwave and cook on regular power for 30 minutes. Allow the pot to depressurize for about 10-15 minutes. Check the red gauge to make sure it is all the way down and the hissing stops. Cook one more time for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to go down again and it's kaukau time!

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Place salted meat in the pot and cover with water and liquid smoke

After cooking it in two 30 minute increments the meat is juicy and tender. You can see that tiny piece that got crispy. It was actually very tasty!

The meat was so soft you could shred it with a plastic fork. Or a quick touch of the tongs.

Here are pictures below of other things I made in the magical pot. We had a lot of pork in our freezer so that explains the pork fest we've had last week. I will post the recipes at the very bottom of this blog. Enjoy!

Pork Adobo
2 lbs of pork butt
4 fresh garlic cloves
1 onion
1 cup of white vinegar
1 cup of Aloha Shoyu
1/2 cup of white sugar
3 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste. Don't oversalt.
Water

Cut the pork in chunks and place at the bottom of the pot
Mix the wet and dry ingredients (less the water) and pour over the meat.
Add the garlic, onion, and bay leaves.
Add water to cover the meat completely, not to exceed the max fill line. 
Twist on the cover and affix the locking latch and put in the microwave. Cook at regular power for 30 minutes. Allow the pot to cool and depressurize. Open and check the softness of the pork. If you want it softer, cook it again for another 15 minutes. 

Pork Sparerib Stew
3 lbs of pork spareribs (cut into 3" sized pieces)
1 onion
chopped fresh garlic (done in the Tupperware Chop n Prep Chef)
2 carrots chopped in big chunks
3 potatoes chopped in big chunks
2 celery stalks chopped in big chunks
Salt and Pepper to taste
Water or your choice of liquid (beef/chicken broth)

Place the meat at the bottom of the pot.
Add all the veggies and sprinkle with seasoning. 
Add water to cover the meat not to exceed the max fill line.

Cover and latch shut. Cook for 30 minutes in the microwave at regular power. Allow to depressurize and check the meat tenderness. If you want it softer, cook again for another 15 minutes. 


Southwestern Pork and Apples
2 lbs of pork chops cut up into large chunks
1 onion
3 cloves of fresh garlic
2 apples of your choice (I used Braeburn. It was what we had.)
1 Tablespoon of Pampered Chef southwestern seasoning mix
If you don't have that mix, you can just use plain salt and pepper. Or get creative and use what you have.
Water or your choice of liquid (broth)

Place the meat at the bottom of the pot.
Sprinkle the southwestern seasoning mix all over the meat. 
Place the onions, garlic, and apples on top. 
Add liquid to cover the meat not to exceed the max fill line.

Cover and latch shut. Cook for 30 minutes in the microwave at regular power. Allow to depressurize and check the meat tenderness. If you want it softer, cook again for another 15 minutes.