Check pressure cookers for safety and performance.
Pressure cookers make delectably tender and flavorful meals in a fraction of the time it takes to cook a pot roast or barbecue ribs. You want to ensure safety as well as the best possible cooking conditions for your favorite recipes. Test a new pressure cooker or test one if you are not used to cooking with this method. Put your pressure cooker through its paces without food cooking to get an idea of how much water your cooker vents and to determine how the cooker works with your stove.
Instructions
1. Examine the parts of your pressure cooker for wear. Check the gasket inside the pressure cooker lid. Look for cracks in the rubber and for a snug fit. Replace a bad gasket before using the pressure cooker. Verify that the vent pipe is clean and clear of obstructions by holding the lid up to the light.
2. Pour 2 cups of water into the pressure cooker. Fit the lid securely onto the pot. Align the arrows on the lid with the pot handle. Place the valve on the vent pipe.
3. Set a spring-valve pressure cooker with a pressure regulator to high pressure. Bring a pressure cooker with a weighted pressure regulator to high heat when the top rattles in place and steam begins to escape. Lower the heat as low as possible while maintaining pressure to stabilize the pressure setting.
4. Allow the cooker to keep consistent pressure for five minutes. Place a piece of tape on the stove dial as a reminder of the optimum setting. Repeat the process for multiple pressure settings.
5. Measure how much water your pressure cooker releases during the cooking process by keeping steady pressure for 30 minutes. Cool the cooker under cool running water before opening the lid. Verify that a weighted regulator cooker has 1 cup of water and a spring-valve cooker has 1/2 cup of water remaining in the pan.
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