Pressure cooker question

C_J

Hi all

I've been reading the various MSE forums for years but am more of a lurker than a poster. Inspired by the OS threads, yesterday I unearthed my pressure cooker from where it has been languishing in the garage (for a very long time) and I'm excited about putting it back into use. However - I've lost the instructions (obviously).

It's a Tower, very shiny, probably about 10 years old, has a flat top (not domed) and hardly any controls. It has the big red button on the handle which manually releases steam, and the only other thing is a black dial right by the handle which has a picture of steam in the centre, and just large dots all around the rest of it - but this dial doesn't seem to want to move in either direction.

I tried it out with some carrot, sweet potato, chilli and coconut soup yesterday - the handle clicked into the locked position perfectly well, and obviously reached pressure as it was impossible to move the handle at all until the pan cooled and/or I manually released the pressure.

The soup (today's lunch at work) is totally yummy, and only took about 5 mins to cook - but the black dial is worrying me. Does anyone else recognise the description (yes, yes, I should have photographed it but I forgot this morning) and should it move? A little steam did escape hissingly from two places under the lid while it was cooking (that doesn't sound right, does it?), but the gasket appears to be in perfect condition. It was about half to two-thirds full. Did I over-fill it?

Any advice very gratefully received. I'm impatient to have another go with it this week, but that dial is really bothering me!

HOWMUCH

I'd google tower pressure cooker

joedenise

After that length of time of not being in use I think you probably need a new gasket as although it looks OK it's probably damaged. They're not very expensive so certainly worth a try.

Denise

C_J

Thanks - I did (repeatedly) google Tower pressure cooker, but couldn't find a model which looked similar to mine. You're right that I should replace the gasket, but I probably need to know the model so as to get the right one. I had hoped someone might recognise the description and say they had the same one, but no worries, I'll just keep searching t'internet.

Artytarty

http://www.gopresto.com/recipes/ppc/howtouse.php
See anything like it here.?
I think the black dial should move from side to side, for if you want high pressure or low. Try pulling it up and out, it's just a weightedon a pin I think.
Also if you remove the gasket and look carefully around it you may see the size, at least my Fissler pressure cooker one does.
It's probably a standard size and easily replaced .id also get a new safety release valve while I'm at it. It's that little rubber nipple thingy.