8
from the meat before cooking, since
the slow cooking method does not
allow fat to evaporate.
If you are adapting an existing recipe
from conventional cooking, you may
need to cut down on the amount of
liquid used. Liquid will not evaporate
from the slow cooker to the same
extent as conventional cooking pans
and methods.
Never leave uncooked food at room
temperature in the slow cooker.
Do not use the slow cooker to reheat
food.
Uncooked red beans must be soaked
and boiled for at least 10 minutes to
remove toxins before cooking them in
the slow cooker.
Authentic stoneware is fired at high
temperatures, therefore the ceramic pot
may have minor surface blemishes and the
glass lid may rock slightly due to these
imperfections.
Tips for slow cooking
The slow cooker pot should be at least
half full for the best results.
Slow cooking retains moisture. If you
wish to reduce moisture during the
cooking process, remove the lid after
cooking and turn the control to high (if
already set to low) and simmer for
around 30 to 45 minutes.
Do not unnecessarily remove the lid
during the cooking process as the
build up of heat will escape. Each time
you remove the lid you will have to
add an additional 10 minutes to the
cooking time.
When cooking soups allow 5cm of
space between the top of the ceramic
pot and the food surface to allow for
simmering.
Many recipes demand all day cooking
in the slow cooker. If you do not have
time to prepare food that morning,
prepare the food the night before and
store the food in a covered container
in the refrigerator. Transfer the food
to the ceramic pot and add the liquid/
gravy. Select the low or high setting.
Most meat and vegetable recipes
require 8-10 hours on low or 4-6 hours
on high.
Some food or ingredients are not
suitable for slow cooking, such as
pasta, seafood, milk and cream. These
foods or ingredients should always be
added towards the end of the cooking
time.
Many things can affect how quickly a
recipe will cook: water, fat content
and the initial temperature and size of
the food.
Cutting food into small pieces will
speed up the cooking process. A
degree of “trial and error” will be