Rules for slow-cooker recipes

By Birgitta

Ingredients

• Here’s what you need to know to adapt from one mode of cooking to another.

Details

Adapted from archives.chicagotribune.com

Preparation

Step 1

•Slow-cooker recipes require less liquid, about 1/2 to 1 cup less than regular recipes. Conversely, add more liquid if you adapt a slow-cooker recipe to conventional cooking.

•For the slow cooker, use half the amount of dried herbs and spices. When using fresh herbs, salt and pepper, add them 1 hour before cooking is finished.

•Timing: A stew that takes one hour on the stove will take 6 to 8 hours on low heat in the slow cooker, or 4 to 4 1/2 hours on high.