Pressure Cooking Tips

I took a Pressure Cooking class from the Extension office here in town.  I was hoping to gain confidence in using the pressure cooker I got for Christmas.  Here are a few tips I learned that I didn't remember reading in the manual that came with my cooker:

1. Wash the condensation catcher every time, even if it looks like it doesn't need it.
2. High altitude changes:  many recipes and the cookers are programmed for sea level.  So to adjust for higher altitudes we need to add 5% additional time for every 1000 feet above 2000 feet.  So I live at approximately 4500 feet above sea level.  I will add 10% of the cooking time to get my total cooking time.
3. You can purchase colorful seals.  Some people like to use one color for one type of food.  For example:  blue for desserts, red for meats, etc.  The seal can absorb smells and some people don't want to take the chance that their dessert may smell like the chicken they last cooked.  Just remember to purchase the seal specific to your pressure cooker.
4. You can take the little shield part that covers the vent from inside the lid off to make sure it is clean inside there.
5. A clean sponge paint brush can be a great tool for cleaning the outer part of the pressure cooker.  You know, the top part where you have to try to get under the edges that latch into the lid.

As a class, we made 4 recipes.  We had 4 pressure cookers going and had a fun meal.  We joked about starting a pressure cooking club so we could have meals like this without having to purchase 4 cookers.  Over the next few days I'm planning on trying the recipes at home and if I can get them to turn out, I'll post them.  They were tasty.