Are you worried that your pressure cooker makes this disturbing sound occasionally?
So this makes you wonder and ask “should my pressure cooker be hissing?
When tea kettles are set rattle or make this sound like whistling upon releasing pressure through their lids. Similarly, pressure cookers make a hissing sound or rattle when it reaches a cooking cycle.
In other words, your pressure cooker should hiss occasionally.
Though it is designed to hiss upon releasing pressure. It could be problematic when the sound persists or becomes louder than usual.
The fact is there are many other reasons your pressure cooker makes a hissing sound from time to time.
So tighten your seat belt because you’ll learn why your pressure cooker is designed to hiss and other reasons that could make the hissing unusual.
Let’s learn!
Contents
Why pressure cookers are designed to hiss?
A pressure cooker like a tea kettle or instant pot is designed to release excess pressure by the time the internal pressure get’s too high.
And just like it differs from any other pot, it needs an extraordinary performance to be able to quickly cook foods that would usually take a longer time to cook.
So, how do pressure cookers work? As you may know, pressure cookers use liquid; both wine or even water to trap liquid in steam form.
This happens so it generates heat and cooks foods quicker than any other method or means. And this generally minimizes the usual time it will take for the food to cook.
However, cooking softer food like; vegetables could caramelize the food.
Read: Do Convection Ovens Need To Be Vented?(No here’s why)
How do pressure cookers release pressure hence hissing?
Like instant pots, pressure cookers have a vent on their lids for releasing excessive pressure.
So, let’s say your pressure cooker uses water, the temperature will increase above the normal boiling point which is about 212°F. It increases its spike which could go as high as 250°F.
The pressure cooker at this point releases the pressure so your food can cook properly. It releases such pressure through safety valves hence the hissing sound.
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Do you have any cause to worry if your pressure cooker is hissing?
No, you don’t have to worry; it’s safe for your pressure cooker to hiss from time to time just like the tea kettle.
However, the difference between the tea kettle and the pressure cooker is that the tea kettle whistles to alert you when it is set while the pressure cooker releases pressure when it is perceived too high whether the food is done cooking or not.
It is normal for your pressure cooker to hiss unless for some cases it continues or is louder than usual.
Let’s unravel these reasons.
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Why you pressure cooker would hiss more than usual
If you still suspect your pressure cooker makes some rattling noise that seems troubling. Herein may be the reasons;
Pressure cooker sealed improperly
Note: you could seal the lid of your pressure cooker and it opens due to intense heat.
The pressure cooker relatively takes a long time to reach high pressure and so if the cooker is not sealed well, your food might not cook fast. And in most cases could make the unusual hissing sound.
The insufficient liquid in a pressure cooker
Remember your pressure cooker needs liquid; like broth or water to perform optimally and pressurize.
A cup of water could go a great way. Make sure to water to keep dense liquid foods to get a rewarding outcome.
Gasket sealed improperly
Sealing the gasket improperly could result in steam escaping from the cooker; while it makes the sound it slows the cooking process.
Valves unknowingly open
Leaving the valves open could make the pressure cooker release the heat it should trap o cook the food faster.
So in other words, it wouldn’t reach the supposed degree of 250°F before realizing pressure.
If you intend to stop the hissing sound when it persists read on!
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How to stop pressure cooker from hissing
1. Ensure your pressure cooker is sealed properly.
2. Steam should not escape from the pressure pot, so be sure to seal the gasket properly.
3. Ensure there is enough liquid in your pressure pot to help it form heat and cook well.
4. If you fail to take action to reduce the temperature of the pressure cooker, it may dry the food or at worst burn the food.
Here’s a quick-fix solution to reduce the temperature
- You can reduce the heat with the stove-tops knob if it heats up using fire.
- It could be hard trying to reduce the temperature if you are not using a stove-top.
- If this is the case use two elements instead of one.
- Use one element to build up the pressure in the cooker, and then use the second on a simmer to reduce the temperature if needed.
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Conclusion: Should my pressure cooker be hissing?
You have no problem if your pressure cooker should hiss occasionally, unless for the reasons treated in this guide. More so, your pressure cooker could hiss abnormally if it is damaged.
So you might need a manual to troubleshoot. This way you would not spend time second-guessing.
Certainly, this guide will help you understand your pressure cooker is just intact hissing from time to time and also help you trace some of the problems if there are any.
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