Cooking Tips For Slow Cookers
The wonderful thing about a crock-pot or slower cooker is the flexibility and versatility they afford the already harried cook in the house. Being able to cook a meal and then serve it from the same container is great not to mention the fact that you have no serving dishes, prep dishes or pots and pans to contend with. Put it all together in the morning before work and when you come home later that evening the house will be filled with the aroma of a hot meal ready to be served. Talk about a major stress reliever!
The size of your slow cooker is the first thing you want to consider if you have never had one before. Salsas, dips and appetizers are often cooked in the smaller versions; say a 16-ounce cooker. This is plenty big enough to create a meal for one or a handy side dish for a potluck brunch. On the other hand, if you will be feeding a family the size of a small army you will need at least a 5-quart model and maybe a 7-quart unit. How and what you cook is part of the considerations on size as well. For instance if you are thinking about cooking some baby back ribs until they fall off the bone you will need to find the biggest slow cooker available.
Temperature controls are another important area to consider when purchasing a crock-pot. Some units will offer exact temperature settings like those that your oven does while others will simply have high, medium and low settings. Which one you choose depends on your specific cooking style and personal preference. Remember, if you cook on low settings, to check the crock-pot lid before leaving it to simmer your meal. A loose lid can result in extremely low cooking temperatures, which is hazardous with some foods. Last but not least, think about the heating mechanisms. Crock-pots come in all kinds of varieties with elements on the bottom, sides or both. If you choose, a model with heat along the sides be aware that you may need to add extra water to the recipe to prevent over drying.
If a person really enjoys mixing things up and experimenting with recipes, one pot/slow cooking provides a great number of possibilities and even chances to have some fun. The real strength of the crock pot in the kitchen is for slow cooking leaner and cheaper cuts of meat. The moist, long, slow cooking provides a very tender meats with fat that is either dissolved or very easy to remove.
There are some do’s and don’ts in crock pot cooking. Some meals require ingredients to be added in stages. For example, a stew may require the meat to be cook for a few hours before firm vegetables are added and then softer veggies can be added as cooking is finalized. Rule of thumb, add things like spices, herbs and seasonings at the beginning of the cooking cycle and things like frozen vegetables and seafood at the end. Since ingredients are generally thoroughly cooked over a long period of time, a lot of stirring is not recommended or the food breaks apart or worse, turns to mush.
You will find a crock-pot to be the most versatile cooking utensil you have, with the right cooking tips you can even create breads or deserts with it. Unlike most other dishes, you will have to be a little careful during preparation for these dishes. This is especially true if you are going to leave it cooking while you go out. Whipped or over beaten deserts can raise enough to take the lid off your cooker resulting in a fine mess for you. Definitely not a good way to end the day!
You can make almost anything in a slow cooker from simple cream cheese layer dip to pot roast, veggies, and even complex meals such as spicy paella. They also function as an excellent warmer for your holiday side dishes. With a few good cooking tips, a slow cooker can take the stress right out of a busy day.
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