National pressure cookers have been available for a long time. Even now, they are still around, just hidden under the name, Presto. Instructions used for modern Presto pressure cookers are easy and convenient to find, but for the older models of “National” when it was still the brand’s name, it requires some digging.
If you get your hands on a National Pressure Cooker, you should certainly learn how to use it because they are exceedingly reliable and function impeccably well for both pressure cooking and pressure canning.
Fortunately, you have navigated your way to the right place. These instructions for both pressure cooking and pressure canning with your National Pressure Cooker come straight from the National Pressure Cooker Manual, only restated in words that make more sense. 1939 wordage is not as straightforward as you would think.
National Pressure Cooker Step-by-Step Instructions
- Take out your National pressure cooker and check that it is clean and ready for use. Put your desired foods and liquids into the cooker. Make sure not to fill the pot more than halfway full of food, and that there is a substantial amount of liquid to create enough steam for cooking.
- Place the pressure cooker cover onto the pot and lock it in place. On the vent pipe (located on the lid), you are going to place the pressure control weight and petcock. While pressing down, rotate the weight until it clicks in the locked position. Open petcock by turning the petcock knob counter-clockwise.
If you are not sure which parts are which, the instruction manual has a labeled picture of each part of the pressure cooker (continue reading to see the online version of the National pressure cooker manual).
- Place the entire pressure cooker on the stove, if you have not already, and get the heat started by turning it to high.
- As the pressure cooker heats up, wait for a continuous flow of steam exerted from the lid, and then close the petcock. Lower the heat.
- Let the pressure cooker run until the time indicated by your recipe has been reached.
- Once it is done cooking, slowly release steam from the petcock. Let the pressure level out, and the pot cool down a bit before you remove the lid.
Canning Instructions
The canning process works a bit differently than regular pressure cooking since there are foreign objects in the cooker besides food (i.e., glass mason jars). Follow these steps for pressure canning with your National Pressure Cooker:
- Ensure that the pressure cooker and all the items you use for canning are clean and sanitized.
- Boil a full pot of water in a separate pot and set aside.
- Prep your canning ingredients and wash any vegetables you intend to use.
- Set your mason jars in a tub and pour the appropriate amount of hot water into each jar. The tub will catch any water that spills. Further instructions on the preparation of the food in each jar can be found in the recipes in the pressure cooker manual or the recipe you are using.
- Pour about two quarts of boiling water into the cooker and place a basket inside. Turn on the heat.
- Finish filling the jars with food and try to work out any bubbles by lightly tapping the jar on the countertop; be careful not to tap it too hard. Before putting the lids on, dip the sealing edge and metal ring of the lid in boiling water.
- Place each jar (filled and closed) into the pressure cooker. Place the pressure cooker cover and lock it in place. Leave the petcock valve open while using high heat to warm up the cooker. Once the steam starts to flow continuously, keep the petcock open for another seven to ten minutes before closing it.
- Finish pressure canning by following your recipe and release the pressure the same way you would for regular pressure cooking (see steps 5-7 in the previous section on pressure cooking).
National Pressure Cooker Manual
There is one central pressure cooker instruction manual for the older National pressure cookers. It has instructions, recipes, and information on pressure cooker parts for National pressure cookers. The only downfall is that some of the terminologies they use in the manual are old-fashioned and somewhat difficult to comprehend.
To view the National Pressure Cooker Manual online – click here.
National Pressure Cookers
The pressure cooker brand, National, are Presto pressure cookers prior to the year, 1939. The brand name changed, but the fundamentals stayed the same for their pressure cookers. Usually, when someone refers to one of their pressure cookers as a National Pressure Cooker, they mean to reference the older, almost antique pressure cookers made before the name change. The age of National pressure cookers is why it is usually hard to find instructions. Older National pressure cookers are much different from modern Presto pressure cookers.
National Pressure Cooker Model Numbers
There are only a few national pressure cookers made before National became Presto.
Model Numbers:
- #5
- #7
- #14
- CO-OP Model A
Complete Review of National Pressure Cookers
Although National pressure cookers are outdated, especially when comparing them to pressure cookers that use modern technology and electricity to customize pressure cooking methods, they are still a great find. These pressure cookers are probably way more reliable than cheap electric pressure cookers available in 2019.
National pressure cookers are not easy to find since Presto no longer manufactures them, but many nice and refurbished National pressure cookers are available on sites like eBay and other online retailers.
Remember that anytime you use a pressure cooker, whether it is a stovetop pressure cooker or electric, follow the instructions exactly to avoid an accident. This type of cookware uses immensely high pressures in a contained space to thoroughly cook your food; use your pressure cooker incorrectly, and you risk a quick release of that pressure. Always release the pressure slowly after cooking.
