Broken pressure cooker?

dolly_day_dream · 10 October 2006 at 1:28PM

I cooked my christmas puddings yesterday. As usual I used the pressure cooker and the slow cooker cos I make lots of them. I had made my first one in the pressure cooker and it was fine then put the second one in. It was smaller so I only cooked it for 2hours. For the first one I checked at one hour that there was enough water and all was fine. As the second one was a smaller pud I just added some more water and left it cooking. I didn't check it at 1 hour (oh how I wish I did) After 2 hours and there was still steam fizzing out of the top at that time I just turned it off and left it to decrease in pressure naturally. When I came to open it up this morning I couldn't. It seems as if the seal has melted:eek: When I shake the cooker there is no movement inside either:eek:

As I see it one of two things have happened; either I ran out of water and the heat has melted the inside of the pan or the pudding bowl broke and the mix has covered the base of the pressure cooker and got itself mixed up with the seal.

What I want to know is does anybody have any ideas how I can get the cooker open to try and repair the damage? I can replace the seal and may be able to sort out what has happened inside IF I can get inside it. I really don't want to be without my cooker cos I use it regularly to make Curry Queens curry base without stinking out the whole house:o

miketebb · 10 October 2006 at 2:06PM

Doesn't sound good!!

If the seal has melted and fused meaning you can't budge it with brute force then perhaps you could try heating it up a bit and re-trying. The heat might just soften the seal/mess enough for you to prise it open?!

Addiscomber · 10 October 2006 at 2:18PM

It doesn't sound as though it boiled dry if it was still fizzing after 2 hours - presumably you didn't notice/ think anything was abnormal? I don't cook Chritmas puddings as none of us like them so I don't know, but does the water in the cooker have a greasy residue left on it when you open up the cooker normally? If so I wonder whether some greasy steam has solidified around the seal when you left it to cool overnight? Have you ever left it to cool overnight before? How would you feel about warming it very gently and keep trying to wiggle the lid? If you don't mind giving up on the pudding that is inside it, submerging the whole thing in a container of hot water would be the safest way but I cannot think of anything large enough, other than the bath. Is there any way of pouring water from a kettle inside it through a vent? Or is it a modern one where the weight is incorporated within the lid so no vent is visible?

dolly_day_dream · 10 October 2006 at 2:41PM

Thanks for your answers. I tried pouring water in through the vent but that is a one way valve. I thought about heating up rice packs and placing them around the lid to try and budge the seal a bit. However just now I (out of sheer frustration with myself at letting it happen I have to admit) shook the pan violently and the pudding bowl moved.:j

Empowered by this success I really went for the lid. Even though I say so myself years of carrying shopping back have given me strong arm muscles. That cooker didn't stand a chance. It has come apart:j I am still not sure what happened cos there was still some - not a lot but some- water in the bottom of it. However the inside of the cooker is covered in a black burned on residue which will take a lot of soaking and elbow grease:o

The pudding believe it or not will be eatable. It won't be one of those I give away cos I have had to cut the 1/2inch that was burned off but apart from that it looks ok.

So not checking on my pudding has cost me a new seal and a lot of scrubbing - still a lesson learnt.

kethry · 10 October 2006 at 2:52PM

this sounds like something my mom would (and has, frequently) done. she's managed to get it clean every time... god knows how.

i seem to remember reading that washing machine detergent is really good for getting black goo off pans, put some in the pan, some boiling water and leave for a bit.

hope it helps - good luck with the elbow grease!

keth
xx

susank · 10 October 2006 at 4:22PM

If it is not alumunium put in soda crystals

dolly_day_dream · 10 October 2006 at 6:34PM

susank wrote:

If it is not alumunium put in soda crystals[/QUO

Unfortunately it is:o I was really pleased with it cos after getting rid of mine I immediately regretted it and I managed to buy another one at a car boot for 50p:D

I am currently soaking it. I have had good results in the past with boiling up the pan and then leaving it to get cold. However there is quite a layer of burnt on gunk on the bottom of the pan and that may take some shifting:o

cattie · 10 October 2006 at 7:22PM

My mother used to swear by stewing rhubarb in a pan to get rid of the burn marks, perhaps only really a viable option when rhubarb is cheap.

I daresay others will come up with some good solutions to save you some elbow grease.

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Broken pressure cooker?

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