Slow Cooker
Hints & Tips
To enhance your slow cooking experience, we’ve developed Hints & Tips to
help you succeed with
any slow cooking recipe.
Stirring
Due to the nature of a slow cooker, there is no need to stir the food unless
it specifically says to in your recipe. In fact, taking the lid off to stir
food causes the slow cooker to lose a significant amount of heat, extending
the cooking time required. Therefore, it is best not to remove the lid for
stirring.
Cooking for Larger Quantity Yields
The recipes on this web site and most of our cookbooks are recommended for 3
to 4 1/2 quart sizes. When preparing recipes in a larger unit, such as a 5
to 7-quart Crock-Pot® slow cooker, here are guidelines for doubling or
tripling ingredients:
• When preparing dishes with beef or pork in a larger unit, browning the
meat in a skillet before adding to the slow cooker yields the best results; the
meat will cook more evenly. Roasted meats, chicken, and turkey quantities may
be doubled or tripled, and seasonings adjusted by half. Caution: Flavorful
spices such as garlic and chili powder will intensify during long slow
cooking. Add just 25 to 65 percent more spices as needed to balance the flavors.
• When preparing a soup or a stew, you may double all ingredients except
liquids, seasonings, and dried herbs. Increase liquid volume by half, or as
needed. The slow cooker lid collects steam, which condenses to keep foods moist
and maintain liquid volume. Do not double thickeners, such as cornstarch, at
the beginning. You may always add more thickener later if needed.
• When preparing baked goods or cheesecakes, it is best to simply prepare
the original recipe as many times as needed to serve more people.
Adding Ingredients at the End of the Cooking Time
Certain ingredients tend to break down during extended cooking. When
possible add these ingredients toward the end of the cooking time. These include:
• Milk, cream and sour cream - add during the last 15 minutes of cooking
time.
• Seafood - add in the last hour of cooking time, unless the recipe
specifies otherwise.
Pasta and Rice
• For best results with pasta, cook in a pot of boiling water until just
tender. Add the pasta to the stoneware during the last half hour of cooking.
• For best results with rice, always use long grain converted rice. If it
doesn’t seem to cook completely after the suggested time, you may try adding an
extra 1 to 1 2/3 cup of liquid per cup of rice.
Beans
Beans must be softened completely before combining with sugar and/or acid
foods (NOTE: Sugar and acid have a hardening effect on beans and will prevent
softening). Dried beans, especially red kidney beans, should be boiled before
adding to a recipe. Cover the beans with 3 times their volume of unsalted
water and bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes, reduce heat, cover and allow to
simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Soaking in water, if desired,
should be completed before boiling. Discard water after soaking or boiling.
Meats
• Due to the nature of a slow cooker, meat does not brown as it would if it
were cooked in a skillet or oven. It is not necessary to brown meat before
slow cooking, however, if you prefer the flavor and look of browned meat,
brown your meat in a skillet with a little oil, then place the meat in the
stoneware and follow the recipe as usual.
• Trim fats and wipe meats well to remove residue. (If meats contain fats,
brown in a separate skillet or broiler and drain well before adding to
cooker). Season with salt and pepper. Place meat in stoneware on top of vegetables.
• For roasts and stews, pour liquid over meat. Use no more liquid than
specified in the recipe. More juices in meats and vegetables are retained in slow
cooking than in conventional cooking.
Liquids
• A specific liquid called for in a recipe may be varied if an equal
quantity is substituted (such as substituting a 10 1/2 ounce can of soup plus 4
ounces of water for a 14 1/2 ounce can of tomatoes OR 1/2 cup beef or chicken
broth for 1/2 cup of wine, etc).
• Roasts can be cooked without water when set on LOW. We recommend a small
amount, however, because the gravies are especially tasty. The more fat or “
marbling” the meat has, the less liquid you need. The liquid is needed to
properly soften and cook vegetables.
Herbs and Spices
When cooking with your Crock-Pot® slow cooker, fresh herbs will add
aromatic, fresh flavor and color to the finished dish but should be added at the end
of the cooking cycle. Dried herbs and spices, particularly ground or crushed,
can lessen in flavor during extended cooking time. Add half the amount of
dried herbs and spices recommended in the recipe at the beginning then taste
and adjust seasonings toward the end of the cooking cycle.
Vegetables
Most vegetables should be thinly sliced or placed near the sides or bottom
of the stoneware. Meats generally cook faster than most vegetables in a slow
cooker.
Cooking Breads and Cakes
Here are some tips on making the delicious cakes found in the _Dessert_
(http://www.crock- pot.com/recipesc atdessert. aspx
• Do not over-beat breads and cakes. Follow all recommended mixing times.
• Do not add water to the slow cooker unless it specifically says to in the
recipe.
• After breads and cakes have finished cooking, allow them to cook for 5
minutes before from the cake pan.
Cooking with Frozen Foods
You can cook frozen meats in your Crock-Pot® slow cooker, however it is best
to use the following guidelines:
• Add at least 1 cup of warm liquid to the stoneware before placing meat in
the stoneware.
• Do not preheat the slow cooker.
• Cook recipes containing frozen meats for an additional 4 to 6 hours on
Low, or an additional
2 hours on High.
Cooking Temperatures and Food Safety
• Cooking meats in your Crock-Pot® slow cooker is perfectly safe. According
to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, bacteria in food is killed at a
temperature of 165°F. Meats cooked in the Crock-Pot® slow cooker reach an internal
temperature of 170° in beef and as high as 190°F in poultry. It is important
to follow the recommended cooking times and to keep the cover on your slow
cooker during the cooking process.
• If your food isn’t done after 8 hours when the recipe calls for 8 to 10
hours, this could be due to voltage variations which are commonplace
everywhere; due to altitude or even extreme humidity. The slight fluctuations in power
do not have a noticeable effect on most appliances; however, it can
slightly alter the cooking times. Allow plenty of time, and remember, it is
practically impossible to overcook. You will learn through experience whether to
decrease or increase cooking times.
Removable Stoneware
The removable stoneware in your Crock-Pot® slow cooker makes cleaning easy.
Here are some tips on the use and care of your stoneware:
• Do not preheat the slow cooker.
• Your Crock-Pot® slow cooker makes a great server for hot beverages or
dips. Keep it on the Low setting to maintain the proper serving temperature.
• Because there is no direct heat at the bottom, always fill the stoneware
at least half full to conform to recommended times. Small quantities may be
prepared, however, cooking time will be affected.
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