10
SOUPS AND STEWS
• Because there is little evaporation, soups and stews require less liquid
than usual .
• If too thick, add additional liquid in last
½
hour of cooking or at serving time .
• Condensed soups and dry soup mixes add great flavor and body to sauces
and gravies .
MEATS
• The higher the fat content, the less liquid needed . Also, place thickly sliced
onions under fattier meat to keep it above the drippings .
• Browning before cooking in the slow cooker is not necessary; however,
browning meats, lightly coated in flour gives more body and flavor to
sauces . This works for ground meat as well .
• Make sure top of meat does not touch the lid .
• Cooking times will vary depending upon the size of the meat, the bones and
the cut . Meat with bone-in will take longer to cook . Lean meats and poultry
will cook faster .
• Meats slow cooked in liquids develop great flavor with a minimum of effort .
• Use HIGH for more tender cuts of meat; use LOW for tougher cuts .
• Always thoroughly thaw meats before cooking them in the slow cooker .
VEGETABLES
• Place vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, turnips, and beet at the very
bottom of the stoneware pot and always cover them with liquids . They
usually take longer to cook than most meat .
• Vegetables cook well; they develop better flavor and don’t break down as
they would in your oven .
FISH
• Fish cooks quickly; add it for the last 15 minutes .
SEASONINGS
• Fresh herbs should be added at the end of the cooking cycle . If cooked too
long they lose their color and flavor .
• Dried herbs work well in the slow cooker and can be added at the
beginning . They can become stronger on longer cooking; begin with less
and add at end, if needed .
• Some spices and dried herbs, such as cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and whole
peppercorns can become quite intense with long cooking, so use sparingly .
• If using bay leaves, remember to remove before serving .
• Whole herbs and spices flavor better in slow cooking than crushed or ground .
