The PRESSURE COOKER by MegaChef 12-QUART DIGITAL PRESSURE COOKER MCPR3500 OWNER’S MANUAL SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS. FOR HOUSEHOLD USE ONLY.
CAUTION HOT STEAM RISK OF SCALDING: USE TONGS OR LONG UTENSIL TO TURN THE PRESSURE LIMITING VALVE. KEEP HANDS AND FACE AWAY FROM PRESSURE LIMITING VALVE WHILE IN THE EXHAUST POSITION. FAILURE TO COMPLY MAY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. DO NOT RELEASE PRESSURE UNDER HANGING CABINETS WHICH CAN BE DAMAGED BY STEAM. Always use an oven mitt to reduce risk of injury. To avoid liquid splatter, do not manually release the pressure from the valve for foods with a high volume of liquid (stews, soups, porridges, etc.).
DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO OPERATE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES CLOSE SUPERVISION IS MANDATORY WHEN THE PRESSURE COOKER IS USED NEAR CHILDREN.
Thank you for purchasing our product. Make sure you have read the manual before using this product. Please use the appliance in accordance with the instructions. Please save these instructions. This item is intended for household use only.
CONTENTS • IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS 6 • SAFETY WARNING 8 • ABOUT YOUR PRESSURE COOKER 9 • PARTS IDENTIFICATION 10 • BEFORE FIRST USE 11 • ADDITIONAL SAFETY TIPS 14 • PREPARING YOUR PRESSURE COOKER 15 • OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 16 • COOKING CHART 32 • CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS 37 • TROUBLESHOOTING 38 • HELPFUL TIPS 40 12-Quart Digital Pressure Cooker | Model MCPR3500 | 5
IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS When using pressure cooker, basic safety precautions should always be followed: 1. Read all instructions before operation. 2. DO NOT touch hot surfaces. Use handles and a potholder. 3. This appliance should not be used by or near children, or individuals with certain disabilities. 4. DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO OPERATE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. 5. NEVER ATTEMPT TO OPEN LID WHILE THE UNIT IS OPERATING.
16. Clean the filter regularly to keep the cooker clean. 17. DO NOT tamper with the sealing ring in the lid using any tools or external forces. If the sealing ring is damaged, please stop using and contact us immediately at 424 - 543 - 1628. 18. Never use additional weight on the pressure limiting valve or replace it with any other object. 19. The surface of contact between the inner pot and the heating plate should always be clean. DO NOT use the inner pot with other heating sources.
SAF ETY WARN IN G S SAFETY • There is a potential risk of fire, electric shock or injury to persons if the product is not used as instructed. Protection against electric shock is assured only if the main power cord is connected to a properly grounded 120V|60Hz power outlet. • This product is to be used indoors, in a dry environment only, and is not intended for commercial use.
A B OUT YO UR P RE S S U RE C O O K ER This digitally controlled and automatic pressure cooker uses advanced technology so you and your family can enjoy the benefits of better, faster and healthier cooking. Your Megachef Pressure Cooker seals in steam to cook hotter and quicker, while maintaining important nutrients for healthier meals.
P A RTS I DE NTIFICATIO N 1 2 6 5 4 9 3 7 8 8 LID UNDERSIDE VIEW 10 11 12 1. Lid Handle 2. Pressure Limiting Valve 13 3. Float Valve (external view) 4. Lid 14 15 5. Lid Rest Insert 6. Filter 16 17 7. Float Valve (internal view) 8. Rubber Sealing Ring 9. X-Shaped Metal Ring 18 10. Outer Pot 11. Inner Pot 12. Lid Rest Slot 13. Handles ACCESSORIES 14. Control Panel 15. Main Body 16. Sensor 17.
B EFOR E FIRS T US E 1. Remove packaging materials such as cardboard, plastics or Styrofoam and discard appropriately. 2. Clean all the parts by wiping with a soft damp cloth or sponge and dry thoroughly. 3. Thoroughly clean the cooking pot in the dishwasher or with warm soapy water. Rinse, towel or air-dry, and place in the pressure cooker. RUBBER SEALING RING ASSEMBLY Always ensure the rubber sealing ring (9) is securely fitted onto the X-shaped metal ring (10).
INSTALLING THE CONDENSATION CUP The condensation cup can be inserted into the pressure cooker for a mess-free cooking experience. It will collect liquid produced whenever the unit pressurizes and during cooking. 1. Facing the unit, locate the indented grooves at the back of the unit. 2. Align the condensation cup’s protruding edges to the indented grooves of the unit. Slide the condensation cup backwards to secure it in place. * We recommend washing the cup after every use.
CLOSING LID 1. Align the lid to the unit so that the front arrow points towards OPEN. 2. Turn the lid counter-clockwise so that the front arrow points towards CLOSE. A rattle will indicate that the unit is now locked. • If any steam is escaping around the lid, the rubber seal ring may not have completed a tight seal when the lid locked. Cancel the cooking process, release pressure manually, remove the lid and reposition the rubber seal ring properly.
A DDI T I O NAL S A FE TY T I P S • Always keep hands and face away from the pressure limiting valve, especially whenever releasing pressure. • Use extreme caution whenever opening the lid after cooking. Always point the lid away from you to avoid receiving any steam in the face. • Never attempt to open the lid while cooking or before all the pressure has escaped after cooking. Never force the lid open.
PR EPARIN G YO UR P RESSU RE C O O K ER For the first use, to ensure correct assembly of the rubber sealing ring, it is recommended to fill the inner pot (12) with water to the 2/3 line and program to pressure cook for 30 minutes. (Refer to “Operating Instructions” section on page 16 for how to start the unit.) Once completed, pour out the water. Rinse and towel dry the inner pot . The pressure cooker is now ready for use. Make sure to wait 60 minutes for the pot to cool before usage.
OPER AT ING INS TRUC T I O NS USING PRESETS The MCPR3500 comes with 15 presets for convenience and ease of use; each one of these settings has a defaulted preset time for quick cooking, and is programmed to detect the weight of the food being cooked, and the volume of liquid inside the pot during the cooking process. When using one of the presets, the unit will automatically build up the pressure, cook the food, and then switch to “KEEP WARM” to keep the food warm once cooking is complete.
6. Press the START button. The float valve will rise to indicate that the unit is pressurizing; once the appropriate pressure is reached, the unit will beep to indicate the start of the cooking process, the timer will start counting down and the “HOLDING PRESSURE” light will illuminate. * You may hear hissing or sizzling sounds during the cooking process. 7. When cooking is complete, the pressure cooker will beep 3 times before automatically switching to “KEEP WARM”.
8. At this point, you may release the pressure before opening the lid by moving the pressure limiting valve to the “Exhaust” position. Once the pressure has released, the lid should open easily. If the lid feels tight, do not force it open and allow additional time for the pressure to fully release. Refer to the RELEASING PRESSURE section p.21 for information about natural or quick release. CAUTION HOT STEAM RISK OF SCALDING: USE TONGS OR LONG UTENSIL TO TURN THE VALVE.
MANUALLY SETTING COOKING TIME 1. Prepare desired food and place it into the inner cooking pot. (The food should be more than 3 pounds, or more than 6 cups. Refer to the COOKING CHART section p. 32 for guidelines about cooking times) 2. Secure the lid onto the unit and turn it counter-clockwise to lock it in place. 3. Move the pressure limiting valve to the “Airtight” position (see page 11) and ensure that the float valve (4) has sunk in. 4. Plug the power cord into a 120V outlet.
8. When cooking is complete, the pressure cooker will beep 3 times before automatically switching to “KEEP WARM”. The display will show “bb” and the “KEEP WARM” light will illuminate to indicate that the cooking is complete and that the unit is now keeping the food warm. * It is not recommended to stay on the ”keep warm” mode for more than 4 hours. 9. At this point, you may release the pressure before opening the lid by moving the pressure limiting valve to the “Exhaust” position.
RELEASING PRESSURE Whenever the cooking process is complete, the unit will automatically switch to the “KEEP WARM” mode . At this point, you may opt for NATURAL RELEASE or QUICK PRESSURE RELEASE: • NATURAL RELEASE: Leave the unit on the “KEEP WARM” mode after the cooking is complete; the pressure will naturally drop. The amount of time required for the pressure to naturally drop will depend on the amount of liquid in the cooker and the length of time the pressure was maintained for during cooking.
SETTING THE DELAY TIMER The delay timer is available to you if you wish to program your pressure cooker to automatically start at a later time. The delay timer can be set to delay cooking for up to 24-hours. It can be used in combination with the PRESETS or with the manual setting. DELAY TIMER WITH PRESETS 1. Press the “DELAY TIMER” button. A green light will indicate that this mode has been selected. 2. The timer will appear on the display; the minimum for delay timer is 30 minutes. 3.
DELAY TIMER WITH MANUAL SETTING 1. Press the “DELAY TIMER” button. A green light will indicate that this mode has been selected. 2. The timer will appear on the display; the minimum for delay timer is 30 minutes. 3. Use the “HOUR” button to adjust the delayed time by 30 minutes increments. 4. Follow steps 5 to 7 of the “ MANUALLY SETTING COOKING TIME” section * When in delay timer mode, the unit will start pressurizing only after the delayed timer countdown has reached 0.
STEAM, SIMMER AND SAUTÉ PRESETS The use of the tempered glass lid is recommended whenever using one of these presets. STEAM We recommend using a steam rack (not included) to prevent the food from sticking to the bottom of the pot or burning. Please note that the preset time for the steaming setting is set to 20 minutes and can not be adjusted. The optimal amount of time for steaming will vary according to the type of food being steamed and its consistency/texture.
PROCEED WITH EXTREME CAUTION WHEN REMOVING THE LID. TO AVOID THE RISK OF BURN INJURY, KEEP AWAY FROM FACE AND HANDS AS HOT STEAM WILL ESCAPE FROM THE POT. SIMMER Please note that the preset time for the simmering setting is set to 40 minutes and can not be adjusted. The optimal amount of time for simmering will vary according to the type of food being simmered and its consistency/texture.
SAUTÉ Before pressure cooking, most recipes will benefit from the golden color, richer flavors and moist results gained from browning/sautéing. Please note that the preset time for the sauté setting is set to 5 minutes and can not be adjusted. The optimal amount of time for sautéing will vary according to the type of food being sautéed and its consistency/texture.
COOKING FROZEN FOODS Cooking frozen food inside a pressure cooker is quick and easy, but has certain restrictions. Only cook individual cuts of frozen meats that are up to 1 inch thick, the cooking time does not need to be adjusted for frozen foods. * Please note that the pressure point may take longer to be reached when cooking frozen foods It is not recommended to pressure cook larger cuts of frozen meats such as a whole roast, a block of frozen ground meat or a whole chicken.
HOW TO SLOW COOK WITH YOUR PRESSURE COOKER 1. Prepare desired food and place it into the inner cooking pot. 2. Cover the pressure cooker with the included tempered glass lid. * Please ensure the appliance is not disturbed in any way while in the slow cooking function. Please exercise extreme caution when removing the lid; there will be hot steam escaping the pressure cooker as is standard during any cooking process. 3. Plug the power cord into a 120V outlet. The LED screen will display 0000 4.
MAKING YOGURT WITH YOUR PRESSURE COOKER You can use your pressure cooker to make yogurt. This yogurt making process involves two steps : pasteurizing the milk, then incubating it. In order to use your pressure cooker to make yogurt, you will need: TOOLS INGREDIENTS Mesh Strainer or Nut Milk Bag 1 Gallon of Milk Digital Thermometer 2 Tbs. of Starter Yogurt Bowl 1-2 Tbs. Vanilla Extract (Optional) Whisk Sugar (Optional) Glass jars for storing 1.
7. Whisk in your starter yogurt once the desired temperature has been reached. Add the vanilla and sugar if desired 8. Dry off the outside of the inner pot if it was sitting in water during the cooling period, and set it back into the pressure cooker for incubation. 9. Place and close the lid and press the “YOGURT” button. The defaulted incubation time of 12 hours will appear on the LED display. 10. Press the “YOGURT” button to adjust the incubation time by 30 minutes increment for each press.
C OOK I NG CHART Please note that the below information is for reference purposes only and can be adjusted according to your preferences. MEAT • Always use at least 1 to 3 cups of liquids whenever cooking meat. As a general rule, use 2 cups of liquids for cooking time longer than 15 minutes, and 3 cups of liquid for meats exceeding 3 pounds. Preserved or salted meats should be immersed in water.
TYPE OF MEAT APPROX. COOKING TIME Chicken, Fresh, Breast, Halves, Boneless (4 oz.) Chicken, Fresh, Legs or Thighs (4-8 oz.) 6-10 mins (or CHICKEN preset) 8-20 mins (or CHICKEN preset) Pork, Fresh, Loin Roast, Bone-in or Boneless (2-5 lbs.) 25-50 mins Pork, Fresh, Crown Roast (4-6 lbs.) 35-70 mins Pork, Fresh, Tenderloin (0.5-1.5 lbs.) 8-15 mins Smoked Ham, Fresh, Half, Bone-in (5-7 lbs.) 45-70 mins Smoked Ham, Fully Cooked, Half, Bone-in (5-7 lbs.
VEGETABLES • Add a minimum of 1 to 2 cups of liquid whenever cooking vegetables. • Allow for an additional 1 to 2 minutes of cooking whenever cooking frozen vegetables. • We recommend using the quick release method to avoid overcooking of the vegetables. • Split peas, applesauce, cranberries and rhubarb can foam and sputter, which can result in clogging of the filter. These foods should not be cooked in the pressure cooker. TYPE OF VEGETABLE APPROX.
DRIED BEANS AND LEGUMES • Ensure to discard any broken or shriveled beans or bits of dirt and debris. Rinse thoroughly and drain before cooking. • Pre-soaking is not necessary whenever cooking under pressure. • Onions, garlic, celery, springs of fresh herbs or a bay leaf may be added for additional flavoring. Do not salt before cooking as salt to prevent inhibiting the cooking process.
RICE AND GRAINS • Grains like wheat berries should be soaked in four times their volume for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, before being cooked. • Do not soak rice before cooking. • For optimal results, do not add salt to the water. • When used in soups and casseroles, rices and grains are best undercooked. • Use oil or butter to prevent foaming.
C L EANI NG INS TRUC T I O NS 1. Always make sure the pressure cooker is unplugged, depressurized and completely cooled down before taking it apart. 2. Use a non-abrasive sponge or damp wash cloth to clean the exterior of the outer body and the exterior surface of the pressure cooker. NEVER immerse the pressure cooker in any liquids. 3. Clean the rubber sealing ring with a damp sponge or wash cloth. 4. Remove the filter by pulling it vertically.
T R OUBL E S HO O TIN G ●● Nothing happens after choosing a preset. * Ensure that the lid is securely locked and that the pressure limiting valve is set to “Airtight”. The unit will start pressurizing once the “START” button has been pressed; pressurization can take anywhere from 5 to 40 minutes, depending on the quantity of food in the pot. The cooking process will start after the unit has reached the appropriate amount of pressure.
●● Steam is being released from the pressure limiting valve during pressurization. * Some steam escaping from the pressure valve is normal and should disappear after about 5 minutes. If steam is still showing after 10 minutes, or after the timer has started its count down, the pressure valve may not be positioned properly. Use tongs or a similar utensil, and oven mitts to carefully adjust the valve by gently tapping it side to side until it seals properly.
HEL PF UL TIP S ●● Read this manual thoroughly and follow all instructions. ●● Be familiar with the recipe and have all ingredients prepped before you begin. ●● Be sure the lid is secured and locked properly before beginning. ●● You may wish to brown some meats before cooking with other ingredient (see p.15). ●● Cut foods into equal-sized pieces to promote even cooking.
●● Never attempt to open the lid when the red float valve is in the upward position. Always open the unit with the lid facing away from you. ●● Whenever releasing the pressure, some evaporation of liquid may occur. Always use caution whenever releasing pressure to prevent injuries. ●● When cooking soups or stews with hearty ingredients such as potatoes or meats, as much as 5 to 6 cups of liquid must be used to prevent overcooking or burning.
