Slow Cooking 101

My favorite slow cooker...GE Model #169200

Slow Cooking 101

Growing up, my mom used a slow cooker occasionally, and as an adult, I used one from time-to-time, as well.  Mostly for the tried and true dishes that everyone makes in a slow cooker...roasts, beans, chili, and so forth.  A few summers ago, we had a horrible heat wave, and I wished I had a few more slow-cooking recipes up my sleeve so we could be eating good meals without heating up the kitchen. 

So my quest for good slow cooker recipes began, and I also bought a new 6 qt. slow cooker.  I was quite surprised to find that even on low, recipes were getting done much faster than the stated times.  From research, I found that newer slow cookers are cooking at temperatures significantly higher than in the past. Due to concerns about food safety and bacterial growth in the danger zone of 40 degrees F to 140 degrees F, slow cooker manufacturers have increased the cooking temperatures. 

So here is some general slow cooking information, including helpful tools, and also some ways to manage slow cookers that cook fast and hot.


General Information

*Get to know your slow cooker.  When you buy a new one and use it for the first time, be at home so you can make sure that everything is working correctly.  Make recipes exactly as written, and test for doneness at the minimum cooking time.

*Always use a meat thermometer to check that meats, including chicken, beef, pork, and seafood, are cooked to the correct final temperature. 

*One hour on high equals 2 to 2-1/2 hours on low.

*Do not make a recipe the night before and refrigerate it in the ceramic insert.  The cold ceramic insert will likely crack when heated in the liner.  Instead, put the ingredients in a different container and transfer them to the slow cooker in the morning.

*When making a cobbler, something with a crust, or something where you don't want the top to get wet from condensation (like a casserole), lay a sheet of paper towels across the top of the insert before putting on the lid.  The paper towels will prevent the condensation from dripping onto the top of your recipe.

One hour on high equals about 2 to 2 1/2 hours on low
Read more at http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/15-helpful-tips-when-cooking-with-slow.html#O4OErB6RYUxeRMTJ.99

One hour on high equals about 2 to 2 1/2 hours on low
Read more at http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/15-helpful-tips-when-cooking-with-slow.html#O4OErB6RYUxeRMTJ.99

*From America's Test Kitchen:  If you’d like to check your slow cooker’s temperature, just perform a simple water test: Place 4 quarts of room temperature water in your slow cooker, cover, and cook on high or low for six hours, then measure the temperature of the water with an instant-read thermometer. It should register between 195°–205° to yield the best results. If yours runs hotter or colder, be ready to check the food for doneness either earlier or later than suggested cook times.

From tipnut.com:
*If not using a liner in a ceramic crock, apply a bit of non-stick spray around the inside before adding food items to help prevent food from sticking.

*Make sure to fill halfway with ingredients to keep the dish from burning…don’t fill it too full, though.  You want it no more than 2/3 full or the dish will need to simmer longer to prevent it from being undercooked.

*Carefully remove the lid by lifting it straight up then over. This will help prevent much of the condensation from running back into the dish, which just dilutes the sauce consistency and flavor.

*Unless the recipe instructs you to do so, do not lift the lid to stir or peek at the dish. This lowers the temperature inside and the meal won’t be ready within the allotted time.  Every time the lid is raised, 20 minutes needs to be added to the cooking time.

*Cleaning:   To prevent damage to the ceramic piece, allow to completely cool before adding water to clean. If you’re in a hurry and need it done right away, make sure to use hot water instead of cool water to protect it from cracking.

From foodnetwork.com:
*Loading a slow cooker with icy ingredients will keep food in the danger zone where bacteria can flourish (40 to 140 degrees F). So make sure your meat and vegetables are fully thawed before turning the cooker on. The exception: Prepackaged slow-cooker meals sold in the freezer case are fine to use as long as you follow the package's directions.

*Trim fat: For silky sauces and gravies, take a minute or two and cut the excess fat from the meat. Skip this step and you risk ending up with oily, greasy cooking liquid. When possible, remove chicken skin too.

*Layer wisely: For even cooking, cut food into uniform-size pieces. Place firm, slow-cooking root vegetables like potatoes and carrots at the bottom of the crock and pile the meat on top.

*Adjust for high altitude: For high-altitude cooking, add an additional 30 minutes for each hour of time specified in the recipe. Legumes take about twice as long as they would at sea level.

Helpful Tools

*Slow cooker liners make for easy cleanup and are available at Wal-Mart and other discount stores:

*The Lid Pocket holds your lid and catches condensation.  I have used it on my 2 qt. round and one of my 6 qt. oval slow cookers.  Just an FYI:  I have found it only works on ceramic inserts.  It does not fit my GE 6 qt. oval that has a non-stick insert.  It can only be ordered online, and the link to order is below the photo:

http://lidpocket.com/

Slow Cookers that Cook Too Hot and Too Fast

*From America's Test Kitchen:  Most slow cookers have a hotter side (typically the back side, opposite the side with the controls) that can cause dense dishes, like casseroles, to burn. To avoid this problem, layer and fold sheets of aluminum foil into a rough 16 by 4-inch strip and press it into the back side of the cooker before adding any ingredients; the collar will form a barrier to help prevent food from burning while cooking. 

*Another thing you can try if your slow cooker has a hotter side, is halfway through the cooking time, lift the insert out, rotate it 180 degrees (halfway around), and place it back into the liner.  The back of the insert will now be at the front so will be away from the hotter side. 

*A tip mentioned earlier:  Get to know your slow cooker.  When you buy a new one and use it for the first time, be at home so you can make sure that everything is working correctly.  Make recipes exactly as written and test for doneness at the minimum cooking time.