A Cajun Cooks

[Worth1]

Sounds like it is spring loaded and the spring is weak or broken.

[Rajun Gardener]

It's not a weak spring but I think it's a bad design and might be the reason they stopped selling them. I really should upgrade to a modern jiggle weight.

I say not a weak spring because I clean it out under hot water with a toothpick and I've broken a few pushing the spring up.

It's a guess but I'm sure an updated jiggler design will work better to control the pressure.

[bjbebs]

Thanks for the info. Knowing the exact pressure is not too important to me. I cook with it just like you do, allowing steam to escape out the vent hole before putting the jiggler on. Playing with the heat setting on the stove gives me a good idea what's happening inside the cooker.
Cooked some black beans without a pre soak for 10 minutes. Then added lentils, split peas and dried peppers for 10 minutes. Came out just right, soft but not mushy. Filled a few corn tortillas and heated in iron skillet.
This pan is the perfect size and cleans up quick, so much easier than a big pressure cooker.

[Worth1]

It says in the instructions to Never was indicator weight or put in water as it can cause corrosion.
Page 7.

You are right it is a goofy design.

You should be able to just get the new weights that have the rings you remove for 5 10 and 15 pounds.
As for just cooking it does make a huge difference in how the food comes out with times and pressure used dont kid yourself.

Are those calibrated toothpicks?

[Rajun Gardener]

I don't care what the instructions say, I always wash and test it before and after I use it just to be safe. I tried to take it apart but even after I removed the clip which I thought held it all in place it still has spring pressure and won't come out.

I just measured the thread size and it's 1/16th and I'm pretty sure it's NPT being that old.

[Worth1]

Thread size of what the spout coming out of the lid?

NPT is a tapered thread all of mine are 1/8 NPT 27 threads per inch 1/16th pipe the smallest is 27 threads per inch.
The next sizes up are 18TPI for 1/4 pipe to 3/4 pipe 14TPI, 11 1/2 TPI and last but not least 8 TPI

There is no 16 threads per inch for pipe threads.

The taper rate is 1 inch in 16 inches 3/4 inch in a foot on all pipe.

I actually made my own spouts and weights for some of my pressure canners on the lathe.

This may help.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...HFaYvPtZkyc4QV

[Rajun Gardener]

You made me take it off and measure again and I'm glad I did before I order anything.

I say it's 1/8" 27 thread, here's what I measured. The first pic is where I got 1/16" but that's measured with it installed on the lid that's wrong.

[Worth1]

Here is the deal.
The early lids were thicker and allowed for a NPT fitting to be screwed into the lid directly and meet industry standards for thread contact with lid boss.
I have seen both with the presto.
If you look at the new presto they have a flat for the washer and nut to fit when it was stamped.
An option would be to machine out a nut with a taper on one side to accommodate the curve of the lid.
Really easy.
The later lids were thinner and required a nut on the bottom to keep the spout from blowing off.
Me thinks the steam boiler fitting standard is 3 threads contact but dont take my word for it.
Most now days are much more and way safe past standards.

Easy to figure the thread contact for any size thread pitch.
An example would be a 1/8 lid thickness divided by 27 would be 3.375 thread contact.

[bjbebs]

I'm with Rajun on cleaning the regulator. In cooking the beans last night there was a bit of scum on the side of the pan. The beans were not soaked beforehand. Probably would not have happened if oil had been added. I'm thinking this foaming could dirty up the jiggler, even with steam escaping.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by bjbebs

I'm with Rajun on cleaning the regulator. In cooking the beans last night there was a bit of scum on the side of the pan. The beans were not soaked beforehand. Probably would not have happened if oil had been added. I'm thinking this foaming could dirty up the jiggler, even with steam escaping.

And to what end, anything that could kill you (germs) has been killed due to the hot steam under pressure.

Not try8ing to argue or start anything just pointing out facts.
Even then if worried put water in cooker and sterilize with clean steam this way it will be so hot it will evaporate and wont cause problems.

Did you know that hot boiling water kills rust?
This is how I rust blue gun parts.

Not way off topic as it has to do with what goes on inside that part they manufactured for the pressure cooker.

One of mine is close to 100 years old and still has the original spring because it has never been washed.

[Rajun Gardener]

It's being cleaned to make sure it's not clogged with food and to make sure the spring action works. The hole is a 32nd bigger than a toothpick, a few grains of course cracked black pepper can clog this thing up.

[Worth1]

All the better reason to go to a weighted gunge.
In a perfect world it would be adjusted for altitude too.
I have those specs also.
But this is a cooker not canner so no reason in picking it to death to that extreme.

[Worth1]

When I first saw the contraption when you first bought it I thought what a troublesome contraption.

[Rajun Gardener]

It is weird but you can still get replacements. It actually works great for what I use it for. I have canners if I need them.

[Rajun Gardener]

I waited 2 days to get to this point.



Yesterday was cold so soup's on the menu.

Nice and chunky with plenty of veggies just the way I like it.


That was the easy part, buy frozen veggies and a jug of V-8 then brown beef shanks, cut them up and dump it in the pot, season along the way simmering for 3-4 hours.

While at the store they had oxtails and beef bones marked down so I bought enough to make a beef/bone broth to use for ramen and other beef dishes.

Roasted them with the veggies and got it started.











After 2 hours of simmering I removed the oxtails to use later, if you cook them too long they lose all the flavor to the broth.




8 hours simmering and cooled over night. I started on it again this morning. We have beef jello!!!


I browned/pan fried a chuck steak in some of that rendered beef fat along with more veggies to add to the broth and simmered again for a few hours. It was hard not to eat this steak for breakfast even if it was chuck it smelled amazing.



It reduced nicely and tastes amazing.

I'm ready for both ramen and sauces, labeled and in the freezer.


I saved some broth for supper, this was worth the wait and process. I pulled all the tendons off of the bones to add to the soup, freaking amazingly awesome goodness!!!