In what year was steam under sealed pressure (Pressure Cooker) first used to cook food?

In 1679, the French physicist Denis Papin, better known for his studies on steam, invented the steam digester in an attempt to reduce the cooking time of food. His airtight cooker used steam.

Pressure cooking offers a number of benefits, including fast, often low-fat cooking that preserves the minerals—and even the coloration—of fruits, vegetables, and meats.

For Americans born in the twentieth century, pressure cookers were a familiar part of home life, so much so that they had come to seem positively old-fashioned by the 1990's.

Pressure is created by boiling a liquid, such as water or broth, inside the closed pressure cooker. The trapped steam increases the internal pressure and allows the temperature to rise. After use, the pressure is slowly released so that the vessel can be opened safely.

Pressure cooking can be used for quick simulation of the effects of long braising.

We still use our prrssure cooker every Sunday, We put in a beef pot roast, potatos and carrots, and 1 hour later we have a very tender roast and vegetables, just add flour to the juice to make a gravy and you have a complete meal in 1 pot. Bon a petite.