THE ALL-AMERICAN 921 - Read Before Using Pressure Cooker;Canner

6
F
or your own safety and to avoid
damaging the cooker, please read
these instructions carefully
before using.
Lubricate Before Using
Before using your cooker, lubricate the
metal-to-metal seal with petroleum jelly
or Vaseline to prevent the cover from
scratching or sticking. Apply a thin film
of lubricant to the edge inside the
cooker where the inside wall begins to
bevel out (see diagram below). Use
just enough lubricant to wet the edge,
but not enough to actually see it.
Place a similar amount of lubricant
on the threads of the bakelite wing
nuts and also on the metal face around
the opening. Wipe away excess
lubricant. This will help the wing nuts
turn more easily and hold the cover
securely to the cooker/canner, prevent-
ing steam leaks.
About the Metal-to-Metal Seal
The cover of your pressure
cooker/canner is designed to
seal tightly without the
use of a rubber gasket.
The metal
surfaces where the
cover and cooker
meet are beveled
to produce the
exclusive metal-
to-metal seal. As
a result, the cover
will wobble
slightly when placed
on the bottom before
the wing nuts are fully
fastened. When the cover is
properly seated, there is a small gap
between the cooker/canner and the cover
(see diagram above). To secure the
cover, gradually and evenly tighten two
opposite wing nuts at the same time,
maintaining the same size gap around
the entire unit where the cover meets the
bottom. Never tighten just one wing
nut at a time. A new cooker will
sometimes leak slightly around the
metal-to-metal seal. This will do no
harm, and should cease after being used
a few times.
Keep Safety Openings Clear
It is important to inspect the openings
to the overpressure plug, the vent pipe,
and the steam pressure gauge regularly
a
nd to make sure steam can pass
through them.
Cleaning Vent Pipe
Before using cooker/canner, hold the
cover up to the light to see if the vent
pipe is clear. If you cannot see light
through the vent pipe, it may be
blocked. Carefully insert a piece of wire
in the vent pipe and run it gently in
and out to be sure the tube is clear and
unobstructed. You may wish to
purchase a #75 cleaning rod for this
purpose. Rinse with hot water.
Use Adequate Liquid/Water
It is critical to understand the impor-
tance of having water in the cooker
when in use. During cooking or
canning there must be at least 1
1
⁄
2
" of
water (or the amount called for in the
recipe or canning instructions) in
the bottom of the cooker so
that the cooker won’t
boil dry due to steam
blow-off. If there is
not enough water
in the pressure
cooker and it
boils dry, the unit
will be ruined,
cannot be
repaired, and
must be replaced.
Filling Cooker
Pressure cooker should
never be more than
2
⁄
3
full
when cooking foods like soups or
stews. When cooking foods which
expand, including all dried beans &
peas, such as pinto beans, fill cooker
1
⁄
2
full. Half full means the pot is
1
⁄
2
full of
the beans and water combined,
resulting in occupying never more than
1
⁄
2
of the total volume of the cooker.
Excess Pressure Inside Cooker
The selective Pressure Regulator
Weight is designed to release excess
steam at 18 pounds of pressure.
However, if the Vent Pipe becomes
clogged inside with food or grease
buildup, it will not function. If the
steam pressure gauge registers in the
CAUTION range and the selective
P
ressure Regulator Weight has not
automatically released pressure, do the
following at once:
1. Turn off the heat source. Do not
move the pressure cooker!
2. Allow the cooker to stand until cold
to the touch (this may take an hour
or more). Only then is it safe to
remove the cover, and only remove
cover after the gauge reads at ZERO.
3. Clean the Vent Pipe and the steam
pressure gauge passage as described
above. You may purchase a new
Vent Pipe from the factory if needed.
Temperature Fluctuation
Do not subject your cooker to sudden
extreme temperature changes as this will
cause expansion or contraction which
can crack a cast aluminum utensil. Do
not move a cooker from a cold storage
area directly onto a hot flame. Do not
add cold water to a cooker which has
boiled dry and is still hot. Do not cool a
hot cooker suddenly by pouring cold
water on it or wrapping cold wet cloths
around it.
Open Cooker Safely
Be sure pressure has dropped to zero
and that you have removed the
selective Pressure Regulator Weight
before loosening the Bakelite wing
nuts. When removing cover, raise the
farthest edge first to protect face and
arms from steam.
Dropping The Cooker
If you ever drop your pressure cooker,
it must be examined for damage. If it is
dropped on a hard surface, call for a
Return Authorization number and
return the unit to Wisconsin Aluminum
Foundry with a note explaining that
the unit was dropped and that you
would like it examined. We will check it
thoroughly, including the selective
Pressure Regulator Weight and steam
pressure gauge, and notify you of our
findings and the repair charges.
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:
READ BEFORE USING PRESSURE COOKER/CANNER
TOP
BOTTOM
GAP
METAL-TO-METAL
SEAL
APPLY LUBRICANT
HERE, TO THE
BOTTOM ONLY