Re: Pressure Cooker Q's - Mushroom Cultivation

I got one of those pressure cookers from walmart mine is a duo or something it has 4 knobby settings open 1=8psi 2=12psi and 3=15psi i use it all the time works great and i've never had a contam while using it.

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I bought my pressure cooker off a little old lady in the classified ads under 'small appliances' (in a publication called The Bargain Finder). It cost me a whole 10 dollars! I was always curious too about how you set the psi without a guage. It turns out that most old pressure cookers are made to cook at 15 psi as that is the ideal pressure for cooking most foods. You merely adjust the burner setting to produce a nice slow rocking of the pressure knob that balances on the top of the lid. I know all this because the little old lady gave me the instruction manual with the cooker and it was copyrighted in 1968!

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That's the way mine is, and I bought it new.

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On the subject of PC's

I am assuming that if you pressure cook empty
everything inside gets sterilized.

However in the TMC a possible cause of bacteria is stated as coming from the PCooker.

It then gives a solution of pressure cooking your pressure cooker for 24HRS!!

WTF????????

I would appreciate an explanation.....

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Pressure "cookers" by there nature let in "unsteralized air" upon cooldown to equalize the the cooker pressure to room pressure so you can open it safely once it's fairly cool.

Pressure "steralizers" create a vacume upon cooldown which needs to be realesed in front of a flow hood or in a "large" glove box so as not to admit unsteralized air to muck up agar plates.

Only Pressure "steralizers" like those made by All American create a vacume upon cooldown so that they can have their pressure realised under controled/ Filtered conditions.

A buddy has had fairly good luck by putting a alcohol soaked towel over the top and if necessary wrapped around the handel of a regular home type pressure cooker,,,he reported his worst case scenerieo has been to lose like 10 % to contams out of maybe 30 dishes.

He got lucky awhile back and had a deciest grandparent leave him a 21.QT Presto that locks with turn screws like an All American ,,but Vintage of the mid 40's ,,,the unit is in like mint new condition and makes up a nice batch of petri's which he realeases pressure in front of his flow hood and now doesent lose a single dish to contams.

God Bless Grandparents.
:-)

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I started a little thread for those looking for pressure cookers a few days ago. In my opinion, pressure cookers by "All American" are the best...Follow the link for prices and more pressure cooker info
http://www.shroomery.org/ubbnoncgi/Forum2/HTML/008747.html

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http://www.MycoSupply.com

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I picked up two older style pressure cookers at a thrift store for $2 each! The seal was a little worn on one but the other was like new.

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