Presto 1241 Quick guide

1
Instructions and Recipes
©2019 by National Presto Industries, Inc.
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www.GoPresto.com
Pressure Cookers
Stock Numbers:
01241 (4-qt. aluminum)
01264 (6-qt. aluminum)
01282 (8-qt. aluminum)
01341 (4-qt. stainless steel)
01362 (6-qt. stainless steel)
The stock number is the rst ve digits of the
model number.
This is a Listed appliance. The following Important Safeguards are recommended by most portable appliance
manufacturers.
IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS
To reduce the risk of personal injury or property damage, basic safety precautions should always be followed, including the
following:
1. Read all instructions.
2. Be sure that handles are assembled and fastened properly before using this appliance (see page 3). Cracked, broken, or
charred handles should be replaced.
3. Always check the vent pipe before use. Hold cover up to light and look through vent pipe to be certain it is clear.
4. Always check the air vent/cover lock to be sure it moves freely before use.
 5. Donotllpressurecookerover⅔full.Whencookingfoodsthatfoam,froth,orexpand,suchasrice,grains,drybeans,
peas,andlentils,orfoodsthataremostlyliquid,suchassoup,neverllthecookerover½full.Overllingmaycausea
riskofblockingtheventpipeanddevelopingexcesspressure.Seefoodpreparationinstructions.
 6. Donotpressurecookapplesauce,cranberries,rhubarb,cereals,pasta,splitpeas,anddriedbeansoupmixes.Thesefoods
tend to foam, froth, and sputter and may block the vent pipe, overpressure plug, and air vent/cover lock.
7. This appliance cooks under pressure. WARNING! Improper use may result in scalding injury. Make certain pressure
cookerisproperlyclosedbeforeoperating;coverhandlemustbedirectlyabovethebodyhandle.See“HOWTOUSE”
instructions.
8. Do not place the pressure cooker or attempt to pressure cook in a heated oven.
 9. Extremecautionmustbeusedwhenmovingapressurecookercontaininghotliquids.Donottouchhotsurfaces.Use
handles or knobs.
10. Do not open pressure cooker until the unit has cooled and all internal pressure has been released, air vent/cover lock has
dropped,andnosteamescapeswhenthepressureregulatorisremoved.Ifthehandlesaredifculttopushapart,this
indicatesthatthecookerisstillpressurized;donotforceitopen.Anypressureinthecookercanbehazardous.See“HOW
TOUSE”instructions.
Estas instrucciones también están disponibles en español.
Para obtener una copia impresa:
• Descargue en formato PDF en www.GoPresto.com/espanol.
• Envíeuncorreoelectrónicoa[email protected].
• Llame al 1-800-877-0441, oprima 2 y deje un mensaje.

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11. To ensure safe operation and satisfactory performance, replace the overpressure plug every time you replace the sealing
ring or sooner if it becomes hard, deformed, cracked, worn, or pitted. It is recommended that the sealing ring and
overpressureplugbereplacedatleasteverytwoyears.UseonlygenuinePresto®accessories and replacement parts.
12. Close supervision is necessary when the pressure cooker is used near children. It is not recommended that children use the
pressure cooker.
 13. Whennormaloperatingpressureisreached,thepressureregulatorwillbegintorock.Graduallylowertheheattomaintain
aslow,steadyrockingmotion.Ifthepressureregulatorisallowedtorockvigorously,excesssteamwillescape,liquidwill
be evaporated, and food may scorch.
14. WARNING!DonotusepressurecookeronanoutdoorLPgasburnerorgasrangeover12,000BTU’s.Doingsomayresult
in damage to the pressure cooker and/or property damage and personal injury.
15. Do not use this pressure cooker for other than intended use.
16. Do not use this pressure cooker for pressure frying with oil.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
THISAPPLIANCEISFORHOUSEHOLDUSEONLY.
Pressure Cooker Instructions and Recipes
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Important Safeguards.............................1
Introduction ....................................2
Handle Installation...............................3
Getting Acquainted ..............................4
HowtoUse ....................................4
Important Safety Information ......................6
Cleaning .......................................7
Care and Maintenance ............................ 8
Helpful Hints ...................................9
Questions and Answers .......................... 10
Soups and Stocks ............................... 11
Fish and Seafood ...............................14
Poultry .......................................17
Meats ........................................21
Vegetables ....................................26
Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils .....................30
Grains .......................................32
Desserts ......................................35
RecipeIndex ..................................37
Consumer Service Information .................... 39
Warranty ..................................... 39
INTRODUCTION
Welcometotheworldofpressurecooking.WithyournewPresto®pressurecooker,you’lldiscoverhowfastandeasyitisto
prepare a wide variety of delicious foods—especially foods that emphasize good health and nutrition along with good taste.
Thepressurecookerisperfectforthewayweliveandeattoday.It’sidealforpreparingmanyofthelighterfoodsthathelpkeep
ushealthyandt.Itpreservesavorsandnutrients,tenderizesmeatand,bestofall,itcooksfoodsthreetotentimesfasterthan
ordinarycookingmethods.And,it’sevenpossibletocookseveralfoodsinthepressurecookeratthesametimewithoutthe
avorsintermingling.
Wehaveincludedrecipesforsometraditionalfamilyfavoritesthatareespeciallywellsuitedtothemanyadvantagesofpressure
cooking. For your convenience, we have also provided nutritional information for all of the recipes in this book.
To help get started with your new pressure cooker, be sure to read the “GETTINGACQUAINTED”sectionbeginningonpage4.

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HANDLE INSTALLATION
Tools Required: Phillips screwdriver
NOTE: The pressure cooker handles can be found inside the pressure cooker body in individual plastic bags.
Attach Helper Handle to Cooker Body
(Does not apply to 4-quart pressure cooker, stock number 01241.)
1. Place pressure cooker body upside down on
table or counter (Fig. A).
2. Locate bag containing short helper handle. Take
out handle and remove tape on handle which
is holding screw in place. Remove screw from
handle and set aside.
3. Position helper handle, with indented side facing
up,ontothreadedpostunderlllines(Fig.A).
Insert screw into helper handle hole and, using
a Phillips screwdriver, fasten handle securely
topost.Whenproperlyinstalled,handleshould
ap
pear level with table or counter as shown in
Fig.
A. NOTICE:Overtighteningcanresultin
stripping of screws or cracking of handles.
To Attach Body Handle to Cooker Body
1. Locate bag containing long body handle. This is the handle that has one screw hole. Take out handle and remove tape which
is holding screw in place. Remove screw from handle and set aside.
 2.Foreasierhandleinstallation,positioncookerbodysothreadedpostextendsoveredgeofcounterslightly.
3. Position long body handle, with facing down, onto threaded post which is under the model and series numbers (Fig. A).
4. Insert screw into handle hole and use a Phillips screwdriver to fasten handle securely to post. NOTICE:Overtighteningcan
result in stripping of screws or cracking of handles.
Attach Cover Handle to Cooker Cover
1. Locate bag containing cover handle. This handle has three holes, two of which contain screws. Take out handle and remove
tape which is holding two screws in place. Remove screws from handle and set aside.
2. Place pressure cooker cover upside down on
table or counter as shown in Fig. B, so vent pipe
bottom faces you.
3. Fit cover handle, with the indented side facing
up, onto cover handle mount so air vent/cover
lockstemtsthroughcenterholeofcover
handle (Fig. B).
4. Insert screws into holes on both sides of center
hole.UsingaPhillipsscrewdriver,fastencover
handle securely to cover handle mount.
NOTICE:Overtighteningcanresultinstripping
of screws or cracking of handles.
IMPORTANT: After placing cover on cooker
body, check positioning of handles. Follow step
4onpage5.Whenproperlyinstalled,body
handle and cover handle will line up with each
other without interference.
Screw
Helper Handle
(Does not apply to stock no. 01241)
Post
Screw Post
Body Handle
Pressure Cooker Body
Model and Series
Numbers Fill lines
Fig. A
Indented Side
Cover Handle
(indented side)
Cover Handle Mount
Center Hole
Air Vent/Cover
Lock Stem
Screw
Screw
Vent Pipe
Bottom
Fig. B

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GETTING ACQUAINTED
Yourpressurecookerislikea
saucepan with a very special
cover that locks in place. Air
isautomaticallyexhaustedand
steam is sealed inside creating
pressurewithintheunit.Under
pressure, internal temperatures
in the cooker are raised
above
the normal boiling point of
water, causing foods to cook
faster. At 15 pounds of pres-
sure, a temperature of 250° F
(or 121°C) is reached inside
the pressure cooker. These
higher temperatures speed
cooking, and the moist steam
atmosphere tenderizes meats
naturally.
It is important to become
familiar with the various parts
of the pressure co oker (Fig. C)
and to read the “HOWTO
USE”sectionbeforeusingtheunitforthersttime.
Beforetherstuse, remove the sealing ring (Fig. D) by simply pulling it
out of the inside rim of the cover.
Washsealingring,cover,body,andcookingrack(Fig.C)inhot,soapy
water to remove any packaging material and white manufacturing lubricant.
Rinse all parts with warm water and dry. Then, replace the sealing ring, be-
ingcarefultotitunderthestoptabsandthelockpinwhicharelocatedon
the inside rim of the cover (Fig. D).
HOW TO USE
Toassuretheverybestresultseverytime,carefullyfollowthesestep-by-stepinstructionsforpressurecooking.Youmayndit
helpful to refer back to Fig. C.
1. Prepare ingredients according to the directions in the pressure cooking recipe you have selected. Recipes in this book were
developed for use in a 4-quart pressure cooker. If you have a 6-quart pressure cooker, you may increase the ingredients by
½.Ifyouhavean8-quartpressurecooker,youmaydoubletheingredients.Besurenottooverllthepressurecooker(see
page6forguidanceonlling).
 Pourliquidintothecookerbody,asspeciedintherecipeortimetable.Thisliquidis
usually water. However, some recipes will call for other liquids, such as broth, juice, or
wine.
 2.Placethecookingrackintothecooker,ifcalledforintherecipe(see“HelpfulHints”on
page 9 for guidance on when to use).
3. IMPORTANT:Lookthroughtheventpipetomakecertainthatitisclear(Fig.E)
before placing cover on cooker body. See safety information on page 6. If blocked,
clean as described on page 7, step 2.
Pressure Regulator Vent Pipe
Air Vent /Cover Lock
Cover
Body
Cooking rack
Sealing Ring
OverpressurePlug
Body Handle
Helper
Handle
(Does not apply
to stock no.
01241)
Cover Handle
Fig. C
Stop Tab
Sealing Ring
Lock pin
Stop Tab Fig. D
Fig. E
Vent
Pipe

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Holding the body handle with your left hand and the cover handle
with your right hand, align the V (or ) mark on the cover with the
mark on the body handle and place the cover on the cooker body
(Fig.
F). Aluminum cookers have a V mark on the cover and stainless steel
cookers have a  mark on the cover.
4. After placing the cover on the cooker body, place one hand on the center of
the cover and apply a slight downward pressure. Place the thumb of your
otherhandonthesideofthebodyhandleandwrapyourngersaroundthe
cover handle (Fig. G). Then rotate the cover clockwise as far as it will rotate
without being forced. The pressure cooker is completely closed when the
cover handle is above or just slightly to the left of the body handle (Fig. H).
 5.Placethepressureregulatorontheventpipe(Fig.I).Thepressureregulatorwillt
loosely on the vent pipe. It will not touch the top of the pressure cooker cover.
6. Position the pressure cooker on your stove. If your stove is electric coil or smooth top,
use the element that most closely matches the diameter of the cooker bottom.
 Usingahighheatsettingonyourstove,beginheatingthepressurecooker.NOTE: The
airvent/coverlockmaymoveupanddownafewtimeswhencookingrstbeginsas
itautomaticallyexhaustsairfromthepressurecooker.Steamwillbenoticeable.This
isnormal.Whenpressurebeginstobuild,itslidesup,lockingthecoveron.Oncethe
cooker has sealed, the air vent/cover will remain in its raised position until pressure is
released (Fig. J).
 7.Oncethepressureregulatorbeginstorock,cookingtimebegins.Graduallylowerthe
heat as necessary to maintain a slow, steady rocking motion and cook for the length of
time indicated in the recipe or timetable. To watch a video of a regulator maintaining a
slow, steady rocking motion, visit www.gopresto.com/ppc/rocking.
 8.Duringtherstseveralminutesafteradjustingtheheat,remainbythepressurecooker
to make sure the heat setting is adequate to keep the pressure regulator rocking at a
slow, steady rate. If the heat has been lowered too much, the pressure regulator may stop
rocking and it will be necessary to increase the heat.
 Iftheheatistoohighandthepressureregulatorrocksvigorously,excesssteamwill
escape and too much liquid will evaporate. The cooker may go dry and food may
scorch. If this situation happens, the pressure regulator will stop rocking. Remove the
pressure cooker from the heat source to prevent overheating and potential damage.
 9.Whencookingtimeiscomplete,turnoffburner.Ifusinganelectricstove,remove
pressure cooker from burner.
NOTICE: Lift pressure cooker to remove it from burner. Sliding cookware can leave scratches on stovetops.
10. Reduce pressure according to the recipe or timetable instructions. If the instructions say “Let the pressure drop of its own
accord,”setthepressurecookerasidetocooluntilpressureiscompletelyreduced.Iftheinstructionsstate,“Coolcookerat
once,”coolthepressurecookerunderarunningwaterfaucet(Fig.K,page6)orpourcoldwateroverit,orplaceitinapan
of cold water (Fig. L, page 6) until pressure is completely reduced.
NOTICE: Do not set hot cooker in a molded sink as it could damage the
sink.
Pressure is completely reduced when the air vent/cover lock has dropped.
If the air vent/cover lock remains in its raised position, there is still pres-
sure inside the pressure cooker. Continue to cool until the air vent/cover
lock drops.
11. After pressure has been completely reduced, i.e., the air vent/cover lock
has dropped, remove the pressure regulator. Always remove the pressure
regulator before opening the cover.
12. To open the cover, turn it counterclockwise until the V(or ) mark on
the cover aligns with the mark on the body handle. Then, lift the cover
toward you to keep any steam away from you. If the cover turns hard, there
 Mark
V Mark
Fig. F
Aluminum Cookers
Stainless
Steel Cookers
 Mark
Fig. I
Fig. H
Fig. G
Fig. J
Air Vent/Cover
LockinUPPosition.
PressureinUnit.
Air Vent/Cover Lock in
DOWNPosition.
NoPressureinUnit.