Use and Care Manual

7
Apply Cooking
Oil Here
Fig. O
A small amount of steam or moisture may also be visible around the overpressure plug and air vent/cover lock as cooking begins.
It should stop when pressure begins to build and the overpressure plug and air vent/cover lock seal. If leakage continues, clean or
replace the overpressure plug and/or air vent/cover lock assembly. The pressure cooker will not seal if the gasket for the air vent/
cover lock is cracked.
Do not operate your pressure cooker with continual leakage. If the preceding steps do not correct the problem, call the Consumer
Service Department at 1-800-877-0441. If unable to resolve the problem, you may be asked to return the entire unit to the Presto
Factory Service Department (see page 29).
9. Ifthepressurecookerbecomesdifculttoopenorclose,thesealingringshouldbereplaced.Ifforanyreasonthepressurecooker
cannotbeopened,contacttheConsumerServiceDepartmentat1-800-877-0441.Anymaintenancerequiredforthisproduct,other
than normal household care and cleaning, should be performed by the Presto Factory Service Department (see page 29).
HELPFUL HINTS
♦ Your favorite recipes may be adjusted for cooking in the pressure cooker by following the general directions in this book for the
particulartypeoffoodbeingcooked.Decreasethecookingtimeforyourrecipeby⅔sincepressurecookingismuchfasterthan
ordinarycookingmethods.Forexample,ifyourordinarycookingmethodrequires45minutes,inthepressurecookerthecooking
timewillbe15minutes.Becausethereisverylittleevaporation,theamountofliquidusedshouldbedecreased.Useabout1cup
moreliquidthanyou’lldesireinyournisheddish.But,remember,theremustalwaysbewaterorsomeotherliquidinthepressure
cooker to produce the necessary steam.
♦ Usethetrivetandsteamerbasketwhenitisdesirabletocookfoodsoutofthecookingliquid.Whenfoodsarepressurecookedout
oftheliquid,avorswillnotintermingle.Therefore,itispossibletocookseveralfoodsatonce,aslongastheyhavesimilarcook-
ingtimes.Ifitisdesirabletoblendavors,donotusethetrivetandsteamerbasket.
♦ Manydifferentcookingliquidscanbeusedinapressurecooker.Wine,beer,bouillon,fruitjuices,andofcoursewaterallmake
excellentcookingliquidsinthepressurecooker.
♦ If a recipe says to cook 0 minutes, release pressure immediately after pressure cooker reaches cooking pressure.
♦ Beautiful desserts and side dishes can be prepared in the pressure cooker using individual or small metal molds or glass custard
cups,whichareovenproof.Fillmolds⅔fulltoallowforexpansionoffoodandtthemlooselyintothepressurecookerinthe
steamerbasket.Donotllthepressurecookerover⅔full.
♦ Releasepressurequicklyaftercookingdelicatefoodssuchascustardsandfreshvegetables.Forotherfoods,likemeats,soups,and
grains, let the pressure drop of its own accord.
♦ Whenpressurecookingathighaltitudes,thecookingtimeneedstobeincreased5%forevery1,000feetabovetherst2,000feet.
Following this rule, the times should be increased as follows:
3,000 ft. ... 5% 5,000 ft. ... 15% 7,000 ft. ... 25%
4,000 ft. ... 10% 6,000 ft. ... 20% 8,000 ft. ... 30%
 Becausepressurecookingtimesareincreasedataltitudesabove2,000feet,anadditional½cupcookingliquidwillbeneeded.
♦ Ifyouhaveanyquestionsonrecipes,timecharts,ortheoperationofyourpressurecooker,callorwrite:TestKitchen,National
Presto Industries, Inc., 3925 North Hastings Way, Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54703-3703, phone [phone]. You may also contact
us at our website www.GoPresto.com. When writing, please include a phone number and a time when you can be reached during
weekdays,ifpossible.Writteninquirieswillbeansweredpromptlybyletterortelephone.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Occasionally the cover is hard to open or close. What causes this? What should I do?
Inorderforpressuretobuildinsideyourpressurecooker,theunithasaspecialcoverwhichprovidesanairtightt.
Becauseofthis,youmayndthatonoccasionthecovermaybedifculttoopenorclose.Thefollowingsuggestions
will help if this happens:
Ifthecoverseemshardtoclose,besureyouhavealignedthe▼markonthecoverwiththearrowoneitherof
thebodyhandles.Movethecoveruntilitdropsintoposition.Then,pressdownrmlyonthecoverhandlesand
rotate the cover clockwise until the cover handles are directly above the body handles.
Ifafterbrowningmeatorpoultrythecoverisdifculttoclose,itmaybeduetoexpansionofthepressurecooker
body from heating. Remove the cover and allow the pressure cooker body to cool slightly and try again. Do not
place the pressure cooker back on the burner until it is fully closed.
If necessary, to help make the cover easier to open and close, a very light coating of cooking oil may be applied
to the underside of the lugs on the pressure cooker body (Fig. O). Use a pastry brush, a piece of cloth, or your
ngertipsandbesuretowipeoffanyexcessoil.