The Cook wrote:

> On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 09:13:28 -0600, Damsel in dis Dress
> > wrote:
>
>
>>Since watching my mother get covered with extremely hot potatoes which
>>had erupted out of her pressure cooker, I've been scared to death of
>>the things.
>>
>>Crash and I spotted a Mirro cooker and canner on sale just after
>>moving to this house a little over two years ago. We brought it home,
>>and it's been sitting in the basement, waiting to be used, ever since.
>>
>>Promptly by rising gas prices, I decided to haul it up from the
>>basement and start using it. I just want to clarify. A 21st century
>>canner will tend to be safer than a mid 20th century one?
>>
>>Also, I had no clue how big this thing would be. Holy smokes, is this
>>puppy big! 12 quart size. After I lose my fear of this thing, I'll
>>probably head over to rec.food.preserving so I may can some things
>>other than fruits.
>>
>>In addition to safety reassurance, I'd be interested in knowing what
>>others use their pressure cookers for.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Carol
>
>
>
> Follow the instruction to the letter and never leave the room while it
> is cooking. (If you are like me (CRS) you will decide to do something
> else instead of returning immediately.)
>
> Take a book and sit in the kitchen. Listen to the jiggles.


If you have a jiggle (rocker) regulator you will quickly learn how fast
you want it to jiggle. I leave my kitchen all the time when the
pressure canner/cookers are going *but* we have an open design house
where I can hear the rocker anywhere on the main level. A timer is a
real good thing to use as well because over pressure cooking results in
mush for veggies. For pot roast or other meats, that just makes the
meat more tender but mushy veggies really suck!