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Dr_Nick_Riviera said:
hey,
I also just picked up an old pressure cooker without the gauge. You should have a little weight that sits on top of the lid where the steam comes out. This weight is used to indicate the pressure, from what I've read about old pressure cookers is that when the little weight begins to bounce around about 3 to 5 times a minute, the psi is at about 15.

I put mine on the about 3/4 the way on the stove (dont know the temp sorry) for atleast 40 mins, although mine is a bit old and dodgey with gaps for steam to come out, so yours might not need to be as high to make your weight jiggle around.

Hope this has helped a bit.

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utopianglory said:

Steam is a byproduct, not the primary concern.

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You must be talking about a different type of weight to me then. My weight does not bounce atall. Its just a weight.. if its bounces then the steam passing out is not constant.

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fastfred said:

Also, you may get your pressure without the weight jiggling, but sterilization also depends on the ammount of steam passing over your contents.

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fastfred said:

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You must be talking about a different type of weight to me then. My weight does not bounce atall. Its just a weight.. if its bounces then the steam passing out is not constant.

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The bouncing is not constant, but the airflow will be continuously circulating and regularly passing out the vent. 

You are ignoring the thermodynamics of actually transmitting the heat to your contents, for that the steam is important.  Having a flow inside helps your contents get up to temp the same way that faster moving air will heat or cool a person faster than having no air current.

You're right about the primary concern being the pressure.  The right pressure makes the steam hot enough to sterilize the contents.

Look in your PC manual...  Follow the instructions.  Most say to adjust the heat so that the weight jiggles several times a minute.  Free steaming is also a good idea to do for about 5 min before starting the run.

BTW it is also a well known fact that wet heat sterilizes much better than dry heat, hence the importance of the steam.


-FF

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Like I said, my weight doesn't bounce atall.  Even at high steam rates it only bounces when it is disturbed (the cooker).  Think of mine as a capacitor.  It just does not falter atall.  It charges and then at 15 psi the excess pressure is vented in a constant stream.

I'm just pointing out that the fascination with steam means nothing in practical terms of achieving X PSI.  Sure, at boiling point water because vapor and we have airflow but thats not important to John Smith outside the cooker.  If he can show that he has his pressure he can be sure that he has steam. 

I know you think the absolute same thing as me so I see no point in arguing.  I just try to focus on the things that are practical to the newbie because they are the ones that are going to read all about steam and misinterpret the information. 

Peace.