On Sun, 8 Sep 2013 20:41:55 +0100, Janet wrote:

Clearly you are one that needs to be made aware of the dangers.
If you rapidly depressurise a pressure cooker and there is a
closed
container inside, the container may explode due to over pressure
and/or
thermal shock.

If a closed container in a pressure cooker hasn't already exploded...

AIUI the containers are not sealed until they have been through the
high temperature/pressure process and cooled to be accessable at room
pressure.

Any lids etc also need to have gone through the high temp/pressure so
presumably they are loosely fitted to keep most of the water/steam
out of the product and tightly fitted whilst everything is still very
hot.

Who said "rapidly depressurise a pressure cooker"?
Take it off the heat. Do nothing. That's how easy it is.
The pressure cooker will depressurise all by itself.

Once you take the weights off... Will the pressure drop to
atmospheric in a sensible time scale once removed from the heat and
weights left on? I guess you let it cool 'till it stops hissing from
the weights then keep trying to lift the weights without it blowing
too much, FSVO "too much" steam out.

I've no great experience of pressure cookers, My Mum didn't like 'em
so we never had one at home.

--
Cheers
Dave.