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PASTA AND RICE:
• If a recipe requires noodles, macaroni etc. to be added, cook on a conventional stove until slightly
tender and add to your slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking. To use rice, stir in with
the other ingredients and add ¼ cup extra of liquid for every ¼ cup of rice. Long grain rice gives
better results.
BEANS:
• Beans must be softened completely before combining with sugar and/or acidic foods. Sugar and
acid have a hardening effect on beans and will prevent softening.
• Dried beans, especially red kidney beans, should be boiled before adding to a recipe.
• Fully cooked canned beans may be used as a substitute for dried beans.
VEGETABLES:
• Many vegetables benefit from slow cooking and are able to develop their full flavour. They tend
not to overcook in your slow cooker as they might in your oven or on your hob.
• When cooking recipes with vegetables and meat, place vegetables into the slow cooker before
meat. Vegetables usually cook more slowly than meat in the slow cooker.
• Place vegetables near the bottom of the stoneware to help cooking.
HERBS AND SPICES:
• Fresh herbs add flavour and colour, but should be added at the end of the cooking cycle as the
flavour will dissipate over long cook times.
• Ground and/or dried herbs and spices work well in slow cooking and may be added at the
beginning.
• The flavour power of all herbs and spices can vary greatly depending on their particular strength
and shelf life. Use herbs sparingly, taste at end of cook cycle and adjust seasonings just before
serving.
MILK:
• Milk, cream, and sour cream break down during extended cooking. When possible, add during
the last 15 to 30 minutes of cooking.
• Condensed soups may be substituted for milk and can cook for extended times.
MEATS:
• Trim fat, rinse well, and pat meat dry with paper towels.
• Browning meat beforehand allows fat to be drained off before slow cooking and also adds greater
depth of flavour.
• Meat should be positioned so that it rests in the stoneware without touching the lid.
• For smaller or larger cuts of meat, alter the amount of vegetables or potatoes so that the
stoneware is always ½ to ¾ full.
• The size of the meat and the recommended cook times are just estimates and can vary
depending upon the specific cut, type, and bone structure. Lean meats such as chicken or pork
tenderloin tend to cook faster than meats with more connective tissue and fat such as beef chuck
or pork shoulder. Cooking meat on the bone versus boneless will increase the required cooking
time.
• Cut meat into smaller pieces when cooking with precooked foods such as beans or fruit, or light
vegetables such as mushrooms, diced onion, aubergine, or finely chopped vegetables. This
enables all food to cook at the same rate.
FISH:
•
Fish cooks quickly and should be added at the end of the cooking cycle during the last fifteen
minutes to one hour of cooking.
