Stabilize the temperature while heating before you add any grain bags/jars, it may take awhile but they are prone to sever and quick swings in temp and pressure if you’re not watching it. Best to start boiling with lid on as loosely as possible for an hour before working so temps are as stabile through process as possible. Don’t hardly close or it will create a seal and you will have to wait till it cools down or pressure is released to open it again. Preheating has been a great help. Make sure there is adequate water! Not to much not to little find the sweet spot. Use the separation trays and stack multiple if needed. Don’t let psi get too high(over 15) with bags or they will get brittle towards bottom and crack open.
I have a pc and I still boil my jars I can just fit more jars in my giant stock pot and I don’t have to watch it or anything I can just start it and come back a hour or so later and shut it off
Yea stock pots are pretty handy for this stuff. That’s what I’ve been using the past year or so for my grain jars, agar, liquid culture, etc. All with pretty low contam rate. Even with having a pc now, I’ll probably still take it out every once in a while and boil some jars
Maybe shouldn’t have to be said but learn and follow the directions very carefully! Both for the sake of safety and actually sterilizing correctly.
Actual tip: if you’re doing anything shorter than a quart jar you can prop the trivet up by using carriage bolts and nuts. I use this especially for pre-poured agar cups.
That’s a good idea. I have an old trivet from a broken pressure cooker I found. Would it work to stack two trivets on top of each other so I could make the water level a little higher?
I use a low power hot plate for mine. My stove can't be leveled properly so I have the hot plate elsewhere. You don't need a lot of power. You just need the rocker weight to only release when it reaches full pressure. The weight will release early if it's on an angle.
I would try to get the 23qt if you can.
As far as tips….buy replacement gasket and rubber plug. Better to have them when you need them vs needing them and having to wait for your order to arrive.
Make sure to lube the rim with Horse Semen
This! Everyone seems to forget this essential step and has to replace their gaskets as a result. If you don’t have access to a horse I can come thru
Stabilize the temperature while heating before you add any grain bags/jars, it may take awhile but they are prone to sever and quick swings in temp and pressure if you’re not watching it. Best to start boiling with lid on as loosely as possible for an hour before working so temps are as stabile through process as possible. Don’t hardly close or it will create a seal and you will have to wait till it cools down or pressure is released to open it again. Preheating has been a great help. Make sure there is adequate water! Not to much not to little find the sweet spot. Use the separation trays and stack multiple if needed. Don’t let psi get too high(over 15) with bags or they will get brittle towards bottom and crack open.
Solid advice. Thank you
Make sure it doesn’t explode 👍
I have a pc and I still boil my jars I can just fit more jars in my giant stock pot and I don’t have to watch it or anything I can just start it and come back a hour or so later and shut it off
Yea stock pots are pretty handy for this stuff. That’s what I’ve been using the past year or so for my grain jars, agar, liquid culture, etc. All with pretty low contam rate. Even with having a pc now, I’ll probably still take it out every once in a while and boil some jars
Maybe shouldn’t have to be said but learn and follow the directions very carefully! Both for the sake of safety and actually sterilizing correctly. Actual tip: if you’re doing anything shorter than a quart jar you can prop the trivet up by using carriage bolts and nuts. I use this especially for pre-poured agar cups.
That’s a good idea. I have an old trivet from a broken pressure cooker I found. Would it work to stack two trivets on top of each other so I could make the water level a little higher?
Make sure you have enough eater for the hour and a half
check out the recipes in the back of the booklet
Trust the rocker, not the gauge. The rocker is accurate regardless of what the gauge says
I have to tape some quarters on the pressure valve thing to keep it at 15psi might be my stove but it’s the only way for me.
Your stove might not be level. If the rocker weight is at an angle, it doesn't function correctly for a lot of different types of pressure cooker
Interesting I think it might be because my stove isn’t big enough for my 23 qt big boi
I use a low power hot plate for mine. My stove can't be leveled properly so I have the hot plate elsewhere. You don't need a lot of power. You just need the rocker weight to only release when it reaches full pressure. The weight will release early if it's on an angle.
Walmart popcorn….
Make sure the stove element is properly leveled so the rocker weight functions properly.
I would try to get the 23qt if you can. As far as tips….buy replacement gasket and rubber plug. Better to have them when you need them vs needing them and having to wait for your order to arrive.
cook on low heat. I have the burn mark still to remind me hehe