Elite Pressure Cooker Manual - Kitchen Appliances

ENGLISHIntroductionThank you for purchasing a Fagor PressureCooker. We appreciate the confidence youhave placed in our company by selectingone of our many pressure cookers. We areconfident that the pressure cooker will giveyou many years of excellent service.Surrounded by endless myths, pressurecookers are probably the least understoodof cookware. This is unfortunate sincepressure cookers provide many advantagesover traditional cooking. First and foremost,most foods can be cooked in a fraction ofthe time, in most cases up to one third ofthe time. Since the food is being cookedfor such a shorter period, it is less likelyto lose its color and flavor, as well as vitalminerals and vitamins that are normallyevaporated or diluted when cooking inlarge quantities of water, for longer periodsof time. Made from high-quality, heavygauge stainless steel, Fagor pressurecookers are manufactured and designedwith a concern for function and safety,meeting all international safety standards.Fagor’s easy-to-use pressure regulatorsmake it simpler than ever to determinethe proper amount of pressure and howto maintain it. The pressure release valvessignal when to lower or raise the burnerheat in order to maintain the desired levelof pressure. We know that once youbegin using your Fagor Pressure Cooker,you’ll understand why it is the single mostimportant piece of cookware you’ll everown.Today people are more conscious of thefood and products they consume thataffect the environment. Fagor recognizesconsumer demand for more eco-friendlyproducts and manufacturing processes.Fagor pressure cookers are made ofpartially recycled stainless steel and arepolished using only mechanical proceduresinstead of chemical. In addition to beingmanufactured in a more environmentallyrespectful way, pressure cookers saveyou energy in the kitchen too. Comparedto traditional cooking methods, cookingwith a pressure cooker saves up to 70%cooking time. And less time spent cookingmeans less energy used, and less heatproduced in the kitchen. Also, cooking athigh temperatures and high speed retainsessential vitamins and nutrients, bringingyou healthier meals. Using Fagor pressurecookers will not only make a difference inyour health, but a difference in our world.This may be the most efficient piece ofcookware in your kitchen.Before you begin cooking, it is importantthat you read this detailed user’s manualand make sure you understand how tooperate, care and maintain your FagorPressure Cooker so that you will be ableto enjoy many years of use.If you would like to learn more about ourother products, please visit our website atwww.fagoramerica.comElite Pressure Cooker lineTHE ELITE PRESSURE COOKER LINE CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING MODELS: 4 QT MODEL INCLUDES - STEAMERBASKET, INSTRUCTION MANUALWITH COLOR RECIPE BOOK (ITEM #918010044) 6QT MODEL INCLUDES - STEAMERBASKET, INSTRUCTION MANUAL WITHCOLOR RECIPE BOOK (ITEM# 918010045) SET MODEL INCLUDES- 8 QUARTPRESSURE COOKER, 4 QUART POT(FITS ELITE PRESSURE COOKERLID), TEMPERED GLASS LID (EASILYCONVERTS EITHER POT TO ASAUCEPAN), STAINLESS STEEL PASTA/STEAMER BASKET WITH TRIVET,INSTRUCTION MANUAL AND COLORRECIPE BOOK (ITEM# 918010048) 10 QT MODEL (PRESSURE COOKER /CANNER) INCLUDES - STEAMER BASKET,INSTRUCTION MANUAL WITH COLORRECIPE BOOK (ITEM # 918010046)5

ENGLISHComponents and Features1.Pressure Cooker Pot: Made ofhigh-quality, heavy-gauge, stainlesssteel. All cooking takes place in thepressure cooker pot.2. Lid: Made of high-quality, heavygauge stainless steel. The lid must beproperly locked in position in order tobuild sufficient pressure for cooking.The raised indentation on top of thelid, located to the left of the handle,allows you to easily align the lid to thecutout on top of the base handle whenclosing the pressure cooker (Fig. 6)WARNING: NEVER FORCE THEPRESSURE COOKER OPEN3. Pot Handle: Besides being used tomove and carry the pressure cooker,the pot handle interlocks with thelid handle when the lid is turnedclockwise. (Fig. 6)4. Lid Handle: Used to remove the lidfrom the pressure cooker, the lid handlecontains important components vitalto the use of the pressure cooker.To reduce the risk of burns or spills, thelid and pot handle should be positionedso that it is turned inward towards theback of the stove, and does not extendover adjacent surface units or overhangover the edge of the stove top.5. Support Grip Handle: The supportgrip handle provides greater stabilitywhen moving or carrying the pressurecooker.66. Operating Valve: This operating valvefeatures a pressure setting (either 1or 2), a steam release position (witha picture of steam), and an unlockposition (picture of a circle with a linethrough it) (Figures 8-9-10-15). Notethat the operating valve will not simplyturn to the unlock position. See the Careand Cleaning section of this manual forinstructions on how to turn the valve tothe unlock position to remove it.

Pounds ofPressure perSquare Inch(psi)Ø0120815Pressure levelPosition selected toremove the valve tobe cleanedSteam release position- no pressureLowHigh7. Pressure Lock: The gray pressurelock allows you to lock the pressurecooker in order to build pressure whenthe lid is closed. To lock the pressurecooker, slide the pressure lock buttonup towards the lid. (Fig. 7).To unlock, slide the lock down towardsthe end of the handle.For safety reasons, the unit will not buildpressure if the pressure lock has notbeen pushed to the closed position. Thismeasure guarantees that the cooker willnever open while it’s under pressure.8. Silicone Gasket: In order to providean air-tight seal, a silicone gasket ispositioned around the underside ofthe lid. Never use the pressure cookerwithout the silicone gasket properlypositioned. Do not use the pressurecooker with a worn or torn gasket,which should be replaced immediately.Contact the Fagor Customer ServiceDepartment at: 1-800-207-0806 oremail at: info@fagoramerica.com. Youcan also purchase a gasket online atwww.fagoramerica.com.9. Safety valve: Located under the lid,the safety valve is activated in case ofan excess pressure buildup (Fig. 3). TheENGLISHSelector’sPositionpressure cooker cannot be opened ifthere is still pressure inside the cooker.10. Thermo Heat Conductive Base:Since the objective of a pressure cookeris rapid cooking, the bottom of thepressure cooker pot has a thermo heatconductive base, comprised of threelayers of metal. The first layer is stainlesssteel, which is safe for contact withfood. In view of the fact that aluminumshould not be in contact with food and itdoes not have magnetic properties, thealuminum middle layer is sandwichedbetween the two outer layers. Aluminumis the best heat conductor and thereforeprovides faster and more even heatdistribution. The last layer is stainlesssteel with magnetic properties, makingthe pressure cooker compatible withinduction cooking.11. Pressure Indicator: The pressureindicator is the yellow tipped rod,located on top of the lid handle. Itindicates whether there is pressureinside the cooker. As the pressurecooker heats and pressure builds, thepressure indicator will rise automaticallyproducing a slight amount of steam thatescapes from the lid handle. (Fig. 12)If the pressure indicator is raised, thereis pressure inside the cooker and thepressure cooker cannot be opened. Thepressure lock on the lid will be blockedand will not slide to the open position. Ifthe pressure indicator is not raised, thereis no pressure inside the cooker, and youcan safely open the lid.7

ENGLISHis placed below the steamer basketin the pressure cooker, to keep thecontents of the steamer basket out ofthe cooking liquid.Cooking with the Fagor ElitePressure Cooker12. Safety Vent: In case of high-pressurebuildup, steam will be released throughthe safety vent cutout located in the rimof the lid (Fig. 4). The cutout in the handleof the pressure cooker is an emergencypressure release mechanism that shouldnever become operative under normaluse. If both pressure release valvesbecome blocked due to over filling,for example, the pressure will tear thegasket and escape through this hole.WARNING: Excess steam escapingthrough the hole will be very hot andmight cause serious injuries. In theevent the safety vent is triggered torelease excess pressure, always placethe pressure cooker on the stove insuch a position that the Safety Ventis not facing towards you or towardsanything that could get damaged bythe steam and sputtering liquid.13. Stainless Steel Steamer Basket:The Fagor Elite Pressure Cooker comeswith a stainless steel steamer basket.The basket is used for steaming foodsunder pressure without placing themdirectly in the cooking liquid.14. Support trivet: For use with thesteamer basket. The support rack8NOTE: FAGOR PRESSURE COOKERSARE INTENDED FOR HOUSEHOLDDOMESTIC COOKING SURFACESONLY.Before the First UseTo open the pressure cooker, pull thepressure lock towards the end of thehandle (Fig. 5) and slide the lid handleto the right (counterclockwise) holdingthe base handle with your left hand, andlifting the lid.Before using the Elite Pressure Cookerfor the first time, wash all the parts andcomponents with warm water and milddishwashing soap. Rinse well and toweldry. The pressure cooker pot is dishwashersafe. Fagor America recommends handwashing the pressure cooker lid and allits components.Always remove the gasket when washingthe lid. Wash the gasket with warm,soapy water; rinse well and towel dry.Cover the gasket with a thin coat ofcooking oil (e.g., vegetable, olive, canola,etc.). Follow this procedure every timeyou wash the pressure cooker in orderto extend the life of the gasket and tofacilitate locking the lid in place.

Closing the Lid and Cooking1.1.When you’re ready to start cooking,place the lid on the pressure cookerpot by aligning the mark on the lidwith the mark on the top of the pothandle (Fig. 6). Once these two marksare aligned, press the lid down lightly,then slide the lid handle to the left(clockwise), bringing the pot and lidhandles together. Push the pressurelock button up towards the center ofthe lid to lock it (Fig. 7). If you don’tpush the lock to the closed position,the cooker will not build any pressure.This is a safety measure designedto prevent accidental opening of thecooker while under pressure. The lockwill block automatically as soon asthe pressure indicator has risen, andwill unblock only when the pressureindicator has dropped again.2.Once the pressure cooker is locked,turn the operating valve to thepressure setting if you cook with theoperating valve turned to the pictureof the steam, the pressure cookerwill not build pressure. The level ofpressure reached is a high pressure,equivalent to 15 psi (15 pounds ofpressure per square inch (Fig. 15))or low pressure, equivalent to 8psiwhen on 1 (8 pounds of pressure persquare inch (Fig. 9)).2.3.To cook with the Elite pressure cooker,it is very important to use at least 1/2a cup of liquid if you’re cooking for 10minutes or less, or 2 cups of waterif you’re cooking for more than 10minutes; NEVER USE LESS.It is important to always use somecooking liquid in a pressure cookersince it is the liquid that createsthe steam necessary to build thepressure. Without liquid the pressurecooker cannot build any pressure.You can use water, broth, wine or anyother kind of liquid to cook, exceptoil. You can use oil to brown meat orsoften onions directly in your pressurecooker before adding the rest ofthe ingredients, but the oil shouldnever be the ONLY cooking liquid.WARNING: Pressure cookers areNOT pressure fryers.WARNING: Do not fill the pressurecooker more than two thirds fullwith liquid and food, or half full ifyou’re cooking foods that expandduring cooking (for example riceor other grains).Never fill the pressure cooker morethan two thirds full. It is necessaryto leave enough space in the cookerfor it to be able to build pressure.Fill only halfway when cooking withfoods that will either expand in sizeand/or produce foam as they cook,such as dried beans or other legumesand grains. Also fill only halfway whenpreparing soups or stock.You can add food and liquid directly intothe pressure cooker, or, optionally, youcan steam your food in the stainlesssteel steamer basket. To use thestainless steel steamer basket, placethe metal support trivet on the bottomof the pressure cooker, add at least halfa cup of liquid, and place the steamerbasket containing the food on top.ENGLISHAdding Food and Liquid9

ENGLISH7.3.4.5.6.10Position the pressure cooker on thecenter of the stove burner. The ElitePressure Cooker can be used onall types of burners including gas,electric, ceramic and induction. Asto not discolor the sides of the pot,always adjust the burner so thatwhen using gas, the flames remainunder the base and do not extend upthe sides. When cooking on an electricburner, select a burner the samediameter as the base or smaller.Begin heating with the burner seton high heat (ELECTRIC STOVEUSERS –SEE BELOW). When thepressure indicator has risen andsteam starts to come out of theoperating valve for first time, lowerthe heat to maintain a gentle, steadystream of steam. At this moment,the COOKING TIME STARTS andyou have to start timing you recipe.It is recommended that a kitchentimer be used to monitor the exactcooking time.If at any time during cooking anexcessive amount of steam isreleased by the operating valve,lower the burner heat to adjust andmaintain the proper level of pressure.The steam should come out in agentle, steady flow. If the steam isgushing or very forceful, lower theheat.If the pressure drops or there is nosteam coming out of the operatingvalve, raise the burner heat just untila gentle, steady stream of steam isreleased and can be maintained.While cooking, never inadvertentlyshake the pressure cooker. This cancause the automatic valve to releasesteam, which will create a drop inpressure.NOTE TO ELECTRIC STOVE USERSSince the coils on an electric stove retainheat for a long time, food often becomesovercooked when the burner is turneddown for simmering (when cooking timeis started). To compensate for that, youhave two options:1. Two Burner Method: Turn on twoelectric stove burners, one on highand other on low. Place your pressurecooker on the burner set to high, andbring to pressure. Once pressure hasbeen achieved, move your cookerover to the burner set on low andstart your pressure cooking time.Make sure the burner is not too low;there should always be some steamcoming out of the operating valve. Ifthere is no more steam coming outof the operating valve and/or thepressure indicator drops, raise theheat until steam starts coming out ofthe operating valve, and adjust thecooking time by 1 or 2 minutes.2. One Burner Method: Turn on oneburner to medium heat and bringyour cooker to pressure. Oncepressure has been achieved andsteam starts to come out of theoperating valve, turn your burner tolow and start your pressure cookingtime. Make sure you don’t lower yourheat too much; there should alwaysbe some steam coming out of theoperating valve. If there is no moresteam coming out of the operatingvalve and/or the pressure indicatordrops, raise the heat until steamstarts coming out of the operatingvalve, and adjust the cooking timeby 1 or 2 minutes.

PressureENGLISHReleasingCookingAfterAlways check your recipe to determineif the pressure cooker should be cooleddown naturally or whether the quickrelease method should be used. The Elitepressure cooker also features an automaticrelease position on the automatic valvethat can be used for releasing pressureautomatically when cooking foods suchas stews, meats, poultry, soups. Do notuse for vegetables or tender foods as thiswill result in overcooking.1. Natural Release Method: To usethis method, remove the pressurecooker from the hot burner and letthe pressure drop and cool downnaturally. Depending on the amountof food and liquid in the cooker,this method can take from 10 to15 minutes. Once the pressure hasbeen released completely and thepressure indicator has dropped, goto step # 4 in this section.2. Cold Water Release Method:this method is used to releasepressure as quickly as possible,and is primarily used for vegetables,seafood and other tender foodsthat can quickly overcook. To usethis method, remove the pressurecooker from the burner, place in thesink and run cold tap water gentlyover the lid until steam dissipatesand the pressure indicator islowered (Fig 11). When putting thecooker in the sink, tilt it so thecold water will run down the sidesof the cooker. Once the pressurehas been released completely andthe pressure indicator has dropped,go to step # 4 in this section.NEVER IMMERSE THE PRESSURECOOKER IN WATER.3.Automatic Release Method: Whenusing the automatic release method,turn the dial on the operating valveto the steam release position (steamdrawing position, fig. 8), and the steamwill be released automatically. Once thesteam has totally been released andthe pressure indicator has dropped, goto #4 in this section (below).4.After all the pressure has been releasedand the yellow pressure indicator hasdropped, slide the pressure cookerlock down towards the end of thehandle (fig. 5). Hold the pot handlewith your left hand and slide the lidhandle to the right with your righthand. Even though you have alreadyreleased the pressure, never openthe pressure cooker towards yourface since there may be intensecooking steam still inside the unit.To avoid the risk of scalding, let thedroplets of condensed water dripback from the lid into the cooker.5.Opening during cooking. If you should11

ENGLISH6.need to open the pressure cookerduring the cooking process, it mustbe depressurized first as describedin this section. We recommend usingthe automatic release method forthis purpose, as this method willcool down your pressure cooker theleast, hence aiding to build pressureagain faster to continue cooking. Thelid will be hot, so be careful whenopening and closing it; to reducethe risk of burns, only touch thehandles. Remember that you areinterrupting the cooking processby opening the cooker; when youcontinue cooking, you must adjustthe remaining cooking time and setthe timer accordingly.Never force the cooker open. Itmay only be opened if the pressureindicator has dropped into its socketcompletely and no more steamescapes when the safety lock ismoved to the open position.5.6.Care and Cleaning1.2.3.4.12The Fagor Elite Pressure Cooker ismade of high-quality, heavy gauge,stainless steel.The pressure cooker pot isdishwasher safe, but the lid shouldbe washed by hand with warmwater, mild, dishwashing soap and anonabrasive cleaning pad. Since theexterior of the pressure cooker has amirror finish, if you wash it by handdo not use metal scouring pads orabrasive cleaners, which will scratchand possibly ruin the finish.To remove stubborn stains and anydiscoloration in the interior of thepressure cooker, try adding the juice ofhalf a lemon and 1 to 2 cups of waterto the pressure cooker pot. Cook athigh pressure for 15 minutes, thenremove from heat. Let pressure releasenaturally, then wash as usual.After cleaning, towel dry with a7.8.clean, soft kitchen cloth to retain thepolished mirror finish.In order to extend the life of thesilicone gasket, remove after everyuse and wash with warm water andmild, dish washing soap. Rinse anddry well, then cover with a thin coatof vegetable oil before replacing. Forincreased safety and best results, thesilicone gasket should be replacedapproximately every 12-15 months,depending on the usage. You canorder a new gasket by calling FagorCustomer Service Number at:1-800-207-0806, or by going to theonline shop section of our website:www.fagoramerica.com.To store, DO NOT LOCK THE LID INPLACE. Simply place the lid upsidedown on top of the pressure cookerpot. This will avoid the risk of avacuum forming inside the cookerduring storage, which would makethe opening of the lid difficult. It willalso prevent stale odors from forminginside the cooker.Before using the Fagor Elite pressurecooker, always check the handles,the base handle, support grip, andthe lid handle to make sure that theyare securely screwed in place. If not,tighten the handle screws with ascrewdriver.Replacement Parts: Only utedby Fagor America, Inc. The useof any unauthorized parts and orattachments may cause unit failureand will void any warranty protectionprovided by the manufacturer. Youcan order spare parts by callingFagor Customer Service Number at:1-800-207-0806, or by going to theonline shop section of our website:www.fagoramerica.com.

ENGLISHCleaning the Operating ValveAfter every use, check to make surethat the operating valve is clear of anybuilt-up particles. To do so, move theoperating valve to the position shown inFig. 8 and remove the valve (see detailedinstructi

3. Close supervision is necessary when the pressure cooker is used near children. 4. Do not place the pressure cooker in a heated oven. 5. Extreme caution must be used when moving a pressure cooker containing hot liquids. 6. Do not use pressure cooker for other than intended use. 7. This appliance cooks und