Tips for Cooking in Slow Cookers
COOKING TIPS
Do not fill your slow cooker more than two thirds
full. If you over fill the slow cooker, foods will not
cook properly. If the slow cooker does not have
enough food and liquid in it, food will over cook.
Foods that are immersed in liquid cook faster
and will be more moist.
Fatty foods tend to cook faster so it is wise to
remove poultry skin, excess meat fat etc. If not
removed, the fats dissolve in the cooking liquid
and can give the cooked food a texture that is
unpleasant to eat.
If you wish to thicken cooking liquid, turn the unit
to HIGH for the last half hour of cooking and
also remove the lid for this time.
Cheaper cuts of meat are better in the slow
cooker as they have less fat. However most
meats need about 8 hours of cooking on LOW;
this gives a more tender result.
Layer your ingredients so that the ones that
require more cooking are in the BOTTOM of the
slow cooker.
DO NOT lift the lid to check the food. Each time
you lift the lid, heat escapes and this can add
many minutes to your overall cooking time
… as
much as 15-20 minutes per lift lid.
Resist the urge to stir unless your recipe advises
to do so. It is generally not necessary to stir
when using a slow cooker.
Minced meats are best if first browned in a
frypan on the stove top, before placing in slow
cooker.
Large pieces of meat can also be browned
before placing in slow cooker. This
isn’t
absolutely necessary but browning does add
flavour and colour.
Seafood does not take long to cook and should
be added towards the end of your cooking
time
… about one hour. Overcooked seafood
has a rubbery texture.
Sauteing vegetables before cooking in the slow
cooker also adds more flavour.
Soft vegetables like mushrooms, courgettes,
tomatoes etc do not take long to cook. Add them
about 45 minutes before end of cooking.
Dairy products are best added about 15-30
minutes from end of cooking, unless you are
using a recipe that has other instructions. Dairy
products tend to break down in slow cookers
and adding them at the end of cooking will help
prevent this.
Some items like cayenne pepper and tabasco
sauce can become bitter if cooked for too long.
Add these towards the end of cooking time, and
use quite small amounts.
Spices tend to lose flavour if cooked for too long
with the other ingredients so add towards end of
cooking time
… during the last hour.
Herbs are best when you use whole leaves and
use about half the amount you would use for a
conventional recipe. If using ground herbs, add
them in the last hour of cooking.
If you are using a recipe that was not developed
for slow cooker use, you will need less liquid.
This is because liquids to not evaporate in the
same way that they do for other methods of
cooking. Reduce liquid by a third to a half
…
unless you are cooking rice or making soup, in
which case use your recipe as is.
Dusting meat in flour before placing in slow
cooker will give you a thicker sauce.
If you are cooking at high altitudes, you need to
allow about 30 extra minutes for each hour
specified in the recipe. Legumes take about
twice as long to cook at high altitudes.
Trim excess fat off meat. Fat retains heat better
than water does so fattier foods like meat cook
faster than less fatty foods eg vegetables. If you
are cooking meat and vegetables together in
your slow cooker, try placing veges on the
bottom and sides and meat on top.
