Helpful Hints; Questions And Answers - Presto Electric Pressure Cooker Plus Instructions And Recipes Manual

● The sealing ring and gasket for the air vent/cover lock may shrink, become hard,
deformed, cracked, or torn with normal use. When this happens, replace the sealing
ring and/or the air vent/cover lock gasket. Leakage between the cover and cooker
body is usually caused by deterioration of the sealing ring after prolonged use.
● Periodically check the vent pipe nut for looseness. If necessary, retighten with a ½˝
wrench.
● If for any reason the pressure cooker cannot be opened, contact the Consumer Service
Department in Eau Claire, WI 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.

HELPFUL HINTS

● Your favorite recipes may be adjusted for cooking in the pressure cooker by following
the general directions in this manual. Use the included timetables and recipes as a
guide for specific foods and cooking times. There is very little evaporation during
pressure cooking, so the amount of liquid used should be decreased. A minimum
of 1 cup of water or cooking liquid should always be used for pressure cooking. Of
course, the easiest way to adapt your favorite conventional recipe is to find a similar
recipe for pressure cooking in this book and use it as a guide.
● Use the cooking rack when it is desirable to cook foods out of the cooking liquid.
When foods are pressure cooked out of the liquid, flavors will not intermingle. There-
fore, it is possible to cook several foods at once, as long as they have similar cooking
times. If it is desirable to blend flavors, do not use the cooking rack.
● Many different cooking liquids can be used in a pressure cooker. Wine, beer, broth,
fruit juices, and of course water all make excellent liquids for cooking.
● If a recipe says to cook 0 minutes, simply press the VEGETABLES–LOW button.
Unit will beep 10 times as soon as pressure is reached. Use the quick pressure release
method immediately after pressure cooker reaches cooking pressure.
● It is the size and shape of the food pieces, rather than the quantity, that affects pres-
sure cooking time. For example, one potato will have the same cooking time as 6
potatoes of similar size. It is important to note the size of the food specified in the
cooking timetables; if the pieces of food being cooked are of a size different than
those noted, it will be necessary to adjust the cooking time.
● When pressure cooking at high altitudes, the cooking time needs to be increased 5%
for every 1000 feet above the first 2000 feet. Following this rule, the times should be
increased as follows:
3000 ft. ... 5% 5000 ft. ... 15%
4000 ft. ... 10% 6000 ft. ... 20%
● If you have any questions on recipes, cooking times, or the operation of your pressure
cooker, please call our Test Kitchen at 1-800-368-2194 or contact us at our website
www.GoPresto.com.
7000 ft. ... 25%
8000 ft. ... 30%
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. Sometimes when pressure cooking, I notice beads of moisture forming in the
area of the pressure release valve. I also sometimes hear what sounds like
escaping steam prior to the point in time that the timer begins to count down. Is
there something I am doing wrong?
No. Both are normal and can be expected as part of pressure cooking.
2. I pressed the wrong button by accident and the cooker is not allowing me to
press the right one. What can I do?
Press CANCEL. This will enable you to start over and press the correct button.
3. When I tried to adjust the time, it did not change. What am I doing wrong?
You did not adjust the time within the first six seconds. Press CANCEL and begin
again by choosing the desired setting and adjusting the time as needed.
4. I can see steam escaping from around the cover. Why?
You forgot to put the sealing ring on the sealing plate or you forgot to install the
sealing ring plate in the cooker cover. NOTICE: If either of these parts are not in place
during cooking, the cooker will leak, pressure will not build, and you may damage the
unit.
Leakage may also occur if the sealing ring needs to be replaced. The sealing ring may
shrink, become hard, deformed, cracked, or torn with normal use. When this happens,
replace the sealing ring before using the unit again for pressure cooking.
5. I can hear steam venting from the quick pressure release valve and pressure is
not building. Why?
You have the quick pressure release valve in the STEAM OUT position. The quick
pressure release valve must be in the COOK position in order for pressure to build
and the cooker to seal.
6. Sometimes when I'm pressure cooking foods such as a roast, the time doesn't
change. Why?
The pressure cooker has not reached operating pressure. Countdown will begin as
soon as the cooker reaches operating pressure.
7. Occasionally the cover is hard to open. What causes this? What should I do?
If the cover seems difficult to open, there may still be pressure in the cooker. Be sure
the air vent/cover lock has dropped before trying to open the cooker.
If the cover rotates but it seems to catch on the rim of the body, you are not lifting the
cover straight up off the cooker body.
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