Cooking TipsTips on Using a Slow Cooker
Expert cooks and chefs are fond of using slow cookers. Beginners find it very useful also.
A crockpot is a slow cooker. It is easy to use and can save lots of time.
When buying a Crockpot, it is best to purchase one that has a detachable liner. This model is a lot easier to clean. If your liner is non-detachable, you can line-up your crockpot using a cooking bag to make cleaning easier. You can also spray the inner liner using cooking spray.
The temperature of food should quickly reach is 140oF. You can test this subsequent to cooking after 4 hours on low heat. If it does not reach 140oF, your crockpot may be defective already.
To bring up the temperature to 140oF quickly, you can initially cook on high heat. Return to low heat after reaching 140oF.
High setting is 300oF while a low setting is 200oF.
Avoid placing frozen food inside a crockpot. It should be thawed or defrosted prior to cooking.
Remember that 2 hours on the low setting is equal to about 1 hour on the high setting.
Take the cooked food out of the liner or crockpot before to putting it inside the fridge. It"s because the liner is composed of thick material, and therefore food will not cool down immediately. It prevents the growth of harmful bacteria.
You can only fill up your crockpot about ½ up to 2/3 full. If the crockpot is full to the brim, cooking will be difficult. If the liquid and food level is a bit lower, it can quickly cook the food.
Food placed at the bottom part of the slow cooker will be cooked faster and will appear more moist since it is immersed in simmering liquid.
You need to remove the skin off poultry as well as trim off some of the meat"s excess fat. Otherwise, fat will eventually melt with the cooking duration, adding to the unpleasant texture of your dish. Aside from this, foods rich in fat are cooked quickly.
You can concentrate on the flavors and also thicken some juices by taking off the crockpot"s lid, and thus, cooking it on high setting during the last hour of your assigned cooking time.
Since there are types of meat that should be cooked for 8 hours in low setting, you can use cheaper meat. It is not only less expensive but it also works best with slow cookers. Aside from this, cheaper meat also contains less fat, making them more suitable for crockpot cooking.
Take note of layering instructions. Vegetables, compared to meat, cannot be cooked quickly. They should be placed at the bottom.
If you are cooking on low setting never lift the lid to stir food. Every time the lid is lifted heat is released. It extends cooking time from 20 to 30 minutes. Instead, just spin the cover until some condensation falls out so you can check the progress.
For better results, ground meat should be cooked using a skillet prior to placing it inside your Crockpot. You can only add seafood by the last hour of cooking. It avoids overcooking seafood.
You can brown big pieces of meat prior to cooking with the Crockpot. Browning can add color and help give more flavor to the food.
Tabasco sauce and cayenne pepper have a tendency to taste bitter if food is cooked for a long time. You can use only small amounts at the beginning, adding a little at a time towards the end of cooking.
So that tender vegetables do not become overcooked, only put it in during the last 40-45 minutes of cooking time. Tender vegetables include mushrooms, tomatoes and zucchinis.
Unless stated on the recipe manual, dairy products can only be added around the last 25 to 40 minutes of cooking time.
Add and stir-in the spices only during the last hour. If these spices are cooked with the other ingredients for a long time, it will just lose its flavor.