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Problem
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Solution
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Steam
is leaking around the
lid but
The gasket is
new, what should I do?
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Continuous steam leaks around the
lid are usually the fault of the gasket. First check that the gasket is clean. Examine it closely for any signs of deterioration, such as cracking, rips, stiffness or gumminess, and replace it if needed.
Some gaskets have a right side
and a wrong side and must be installed with
the right side up. Look for any kind of printing
on your gasket. Install the gasket
in the lid so the words are facing
up towards you when you look down at the lid.
This may make it easier to open
and close the lid.
Only rarely is the gasket not the culprit when it comes to correcting leaks. Occasionally a more serious problem may be the cause. Usually this points to a structural problem with either a warped lid, or
even a damaged rim of base unit. Warping is a
common problem found in old, and vintage
pressure cookers and canners because
the manufacturing process of that day produced
inferior products.
Aluminium
cookers are also more prone to warping and
damage
than stainless steel. Warping may
be very hard to detect, but if the
lid or the pot is even the tiniest bit off
from true round, a tight seal cannot
be attained. Warping may be the
result of age, over heating or damage
caused
if the lid or body if was ever
dropped, sat
on or stood on (yes, it happens)
or unnecessarily banged about, or
someone used excessive
force when trying to
remove a stuck lid.
Damage to the sealing
surfaces arise from abrasive
cleaners, scratched,
dings and dents
on the rim of the cooker as the result of banging cooking utensils
against the rim of the
pot, and if they a big enough, it will prevent
the pressure cooker from sealing.
None of
these structural problems can be repaired
or fixed. You will have
to replace the lid if
the manufacturer offers
replacements, or buy
a new cooker.
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Steam
is leaking around the handle, what should I do?
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You may see some steam venting around the handle as the pressure cooker exhausts the inside air in the process of pressurization. This is normal and should only last a minute or two before you see the pressure indicator pop up. Leakage between
cover and body suggests that the sealing ring
or gasket is not properly in place,
or needs to be replaced.
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There
is water coming out
from the
Vent pipe,
is this dangerous?
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In the old style pressure cookers using a weighted
pressure regulator, there
might be a sight leakage
of water around or pipe during the course of
building pressure. There may also be some spitting liquid that occurs during the
cooking process.
Examine
the vent pipe after ever use to see
if food debris has collected inside it, and sometimes
there will be a build
up of sooty deposits
that need to be cleaned. Use a pipe cleaner for this job. Periodically, you will need to check the fittings and tighten and nut or screw that may have become
loose.
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How
should I store the lid?
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If you use your cooker several
times a week just store the lid inverted
on top of the cooker bottom and
lay the gasket and the weight on
the lid, not inside the base. This
will help to prevent odors or molds,
especially if you live in warm humid
areas. For long term storage or
infrequent use, place
the gasket loosely inside
the cooker and add a spoonful of baking soda sprinkled
inside the pot to absorb moisture
and odors. Close the lid. Store in a cool
dry place, excessive
prolonged heat (like
in a garage of outdoor
shed) will cause it
to deteriorate faster.
Wash in warm
soapy water before using again.
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The lid of my pressure cooker is stuck! how do I get it off?
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There may still be a build up of pressure inside. Using the cold-water-release method, release any remaining pressure and try opening again. If you used the natural release method to de-pressurize the cooker, a slight vacuum may have developed. Heat the pressure cooker over high heat just until steam begins to come out of the pressure regulator valve. Using the cold-water-release method, release the pressure and try to open again
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Why doesn’t my pressure cooker build up pressure?
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There can be numerous reasons why pressure would not build up in your pressure cooker.
- Not enough cooking liquid - Always use a sufficient amount of cooking liquid for the type of food being prepared and the length of cooking. Always follow the directions using a pressure-cooker recipe for the correct amount of liquid.
- The pressure cooker was not properly closed - Refer to the owners manual packaged with your cooker.
- The pressure cooker cannot pressurize without high enough heat. - Always heat the closed pressure cooker over high heat until high pressure , then lower it after pressure has been reached.
- Pressure-regulator valve is dirty and/or obstructed.
- The gasket is improperly positioned, dirty or worn. - Always check to make sure that the gasket is in place and properly inserted before attempting to use the pressure cooker. The gasket should be removed from the lid and washed after each use. Refer to your instruction manual for care and maintenance tips.
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- After continued use, gasket will begin to wear or dry out. It should be replaced at least once a year, or more often if the pressure cooker is used more frequently. The pressure-regulator valve can become dirty when cooking. Clean the valve after each use as explained in your user’s manual.
- The pressure cooker is too full. - Never fill the pressure cooker more than two-thirds full.
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My Gasket Has Melted
and Stuck to the
metal.
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This may happen
to old gasket that needed
to be replaced, or exposure
to prolonged or too
high a heat source.
If the gasket is stuck
to the pot, use
warm water and liquid dish soap
to soak and loosen it and remove as
much as possible. Do
not use abrasives, sandpaper,
scrapers or anything
that may damage the
metal sealing surfaces
of the pot or the lid. It
the gasket has melted
or bonded to the metal
products like "Goo-Gone",
Gum Out" or similar
solvents (check the
housewares and automotive
sections of stores like
Walmart) may be the
last result. They should
be used only on metal
surfaces, not coated
finished.
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The lid of my pressure cooker is stuck, how do I get it off?
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There may still be a build up of pressure inside, or if you used the natural release method to depressurize the cooker, a slight vacuum may have developed. Don't use brute force or tools trying to muscle the lid off; it can't be removed that way and you'll only destroy your pressure cooker in the attempt.
Use the cold-water-release method, release any remaining pressure and try opening again.
Heat the pressure cooker over high heat just until steam begins to come out of the pressure regulator valve. Using the cold-water-release method, release the pressure and try to open again.
Anyway a vacuum is caused by air expanding and escaping from being heated, then shrinking as it gets cold.
So heat the pan up again. This will make the air expand and the vacuum disappear.
This way you will also see, if there is any steam coming out the lid is jammed by something other than a vacuum.
There may still be a build up of pressure inside. Using the cold-water-release method, release any remaining pressure and try opening again. If you used the natural release method to de-pressurize the cooker, a slight vacuum may have developed. Heat the pressure cooker over high heat just until steam begins to come out of the pressure regulator valve. Using the cold-water-release method, release the pressure and try to open again.
Anyway a vacuum is caused by air expanding and escaping from being heated, then shrinking as it gets cold.
So heat the pan up again. This will make the air expand and the vacuum disappear.
This way you will also see, if there is any steam coming out the lid is jammed by something other than a vacuum.
In that case, use a meat mallet or a rolling pin to give the (cold) pan a few good hits, sideways, just under the rim. This might distort the pan enough to let the jammed lid pop out. Squeeze the pan into a corner so it can't move when you hit it, so the full force of the hit goes on to the edge.
To understand how pressure cookers work, you’ll have to think back to your high-school chemistry class. Remember how water boils at different temperatures depending on atmospheric pressure? At sea level, water boils at 212ºF (100ºC). At about a mile above sea level, water boils at 203ºF (95ºC), so it takes longer to cook your food. In a pressure cooker, the sealed cover on the pot traps the steam that evaporates from the boiling liquid. As the pressure inside the pot rises, the boiling temperature of water also rises. At 15 pounds of pressure per square inch (the level at which most pressure cookers work), water boils at 250ºF (121ºC), so food cooks much faster!
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Alkali Stains in Aluminum
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 Alkalis
will discolor aluminum. A mild alkali
like baking soda, or medium strength
alkalis such as ammonia cause stains.
Washing soda, also called sal soda,
or sodium carbonate will also
stain aluminum. Stains or discolorations
that may appear on aluminum utensils
can be removed by boiling a solution
of two to three tablespoons of cream
of tartar, lemon juice or vinegar
to each quart of water in the utensil
for five to ten minutes. Then scour
lightly with a soap-filled scouring
pad. Cooking acid foods also will
help remove discoloration without
affecting the food. To clean stubborn
stains in aluminum mix 2 tablespoons
cream of tartar in 1 quart water,
bring solution to a boil and simmer
for 10 minutes. Wash and dry as
usual. To prevent stains in aluminum
always add a couple for table spoons
of vinegar or lemon juice to the
water.
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General Cleaning of Stainless
Steel
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If the stains are brownish
soak a cloth in full strength
ammonia and place over stain for at
least 30 minutes. Wash well after
use. . For light stains you may
try a thick paste made with vinegar,
or lemon juice and baking soda.
For stubborn stains you'll need
to buy a stainless steel cleaner
available at most supermarkets,
or stores like Walmart. Club Soda
may help remove streaks or heat
stains from stainless steel. Vinegar is
great to clean and polish stainless
steel, simply moisten a cloth with
undiluted white or cider vinegar
and wipe clean. Clean the outside
of brightly polished Stainless Steel
with a stainless steel polish. Copper
bottoms can be restored with copper
cleaners or ZAP.
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Mineral Stains
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In some
localities water contains minerals that
may be deposited
on the inside surface of aluminum
pans, causing some discoloration.
This does not affect the use of
the utensil nor the food prepared
in it. Minerals may react with the
fats left behind from cooking and
also with soaps or dishwasher detergents
to produce a chalky white, or milky
stain called milkstone. These stains can be removed
with an acid like vinegar
or lemon juice.
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My
Pressure Cooker is Leaking
Steam, What Should
I Do Now?
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One of the most common complaints
with
pressure cookers concerns leakage around the seal or gasket.
A leak at the seal in a pressure
cooker generally occurs due to improper
maintenance.
Another cause of leaks around
the lid may occur if the rim, or
one of the locking flanges, on the
base or the lid is damaged, badly
scratched, chipped or pitted. This
may occur when cooks rap their spoon
and other cooking utensils against
the rim of the pot. Never knock
the rim of the cooker while cleaning
or using it. The dents that occur
allow the steam to escape. Small
scratches on the rim of stainless
steel pots may be buffed out with
steel wool.
Acidic foods, spattering oil,
frequent, long cooking times will
all hasten the deterioration of
gaskets and seals.
Click here to see the up to date
list of Replacement
Parts Suppliers.
At the highest pressure setting
the inside temperature of you cooker
is only 254º, excessive heat will
shorten the life span of you gasket.
If there is insufficient water inside
the pressure cooker the pot will
over heat, or users who persist
in using large amounts of oil (oil
heats to 400º) will damage the seal
and leakage occurs. Many cooks use
their pressure cooker in the oven
to bake bread, but be sure to remove
the gasket and all other rubber
parts from the lid. Read the owners
manual carefully, most recommend
you not exceed a temperature of
300º because it may damage to handles.
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What
Can I do When if Lid is
Hard to Open or Close?
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If the lid is difficult to lock,
or sticks when the pressure has
dropped, making it harder to open,
apply a film of Vaseline to the
rim of the cooker bottom as well
as the gasket. Vaseline withstand
higher heat than cooking oils and
will still be there when you need
to open the cooker. Also check
to be sure that your gasket is not
stretched out of shape, if no longer
fits snugly inside the lid it will
be
necessary to replace the gasket.
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Heat Tint
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 If the discoloration is a dark,
iridescent rainbow tint of blue or purple this
is heat tint caused
by using too high of a heat setting
or letting the cooker
run dry. This type of discoloration on stainless
steel is permanent and cannot be removed,
although it may fade over time.
In mild cases the discolorations caused
by heat tint in Stainless Steel,
while unsightly, will not affect
the pan or it's usefulness. In the
most severe cases you may have actually
changed the temper of
the steel which means it is not as hard as it used to be.
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