Learning to Cook with a Slow Cooker

By Addie

Slow cooking is becoming increasingly popular, and the reason is no surprise. Who wouldn’t want a homemade meal that practically prepares itself? After you add ingredients to a slow cooker, there is little, if any, supervision needed. Also, some of the best slow cooker recipes are the simplest; a few hours of slow cooking deliciously combines foods’ flavors.

Ingredients

• Whether you consider yourself a slow cooker novice or have some experience cooking with a slow cooker, there are a few things you should know about this method of cooking:
• If you are not familiar with using a slow cooker, experiment with different cooking times and settings. Getting the results you desire from your slow cooker takes a little practice and the more you use it, the better results you’ll get.
• A slow cooker is great for foods that are not naturally tender, such as meat with a lot of connective tissue. These are the least-expensive cuts but also the most flavorful.
• to you lift the lid during cooking, your cooking time will increase due to heat loss. Unless your recipe specifically calls for stirring, resist lifting the lid.
• Always completely thaw frozen meat before placing in slow cooker.
• Test Kitchen Tip: Evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and processed cheese are better choices than fresh dairy products for use in slow cooker recipes.

Preparation

Step 1

Storage & Cleaning Tips:


Do not leave cooked food in the crock for storage in the refrigerator. It can take food in this quantity up to 24 hours to cool to safe temperatures. Instead, divide food into small, shallow (no more then 3" deep) containers. Allow to cool to 65 degrees F before placing in the refrigerator.

Foods that do not freeze well: yogurt, sour cream, milk, large pieces of potato, sauces thickened with flour or cornstarch, and most natural cheeses including cheddar, mozzarella, Colby and Swiss.

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go slow cooker models (with a seal on lid to prevent spills) should be stored with the lid inverted. If you store with the lid in place, it can trap undesirable food odors inside of the slow cooker.

Test Kitchen Tip: Baking soda and white vinegar are excellent at removing odors from all plastic.

Even after thoroughly cleaning it, a white haze will sometimes remain on the interior of your crock (also called stoneware). This is simply food residue left from cooking. This residue is more visible on black crocks. For complete removal of residue, make a paste from dish liquid and baking soda. Use paste mixture as a scrub to clean, then rinse well.

Test Kitchen Tip: Spraying the inside of the crock with cooking spray before you cook will make cleanup easier later.