TIPS FOR SLOW COOKING:
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Slow cooking has always been the best way to prepare a nutritious hot meal with minimum
preparation and maximum free time away from the kitchen.
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Traditional slow cooking has centred on soups and casseroles, but with this oval ceramic pot
you can also produce most modern family meals and dinner party dishes. This pot is
convenient to take straight to the table for serving. (Always place the slow cooker on a heat
proof mat or surface).
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This method of cooking is ideal for preparing tougher cuts of meat, giving them the long,
gentle simmering that ensures that they become tender and full of flavour.
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The slow cooker should be at least half full for best results and to avoid over-spilling.
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Slow cooking retains moisture. If you wish to reduce moisture in the cooker, remove the lid
after cooking and turn the control to high and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
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The lid is not a
sealed fit. Don’t remove unnecessarily as the built
-up heat will escape. Each
time you remove the lid, allow an additional 10 minutes to the cooking time.
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If cooking soups, leave a 5 cm space between the top of the cook pot and the food surface to
allow simmering.
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Many recipes demand all day cooking, if you do not have time to prepare food that morning
prepare it the night before and store the food in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Transfer the food to the slow cooker and add liquid/gravy.
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Most meat and vegetable recipes require 8-10 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high.
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Some ingredients are not suitable for slow cooking. Pasta, seafood, milk, and cream should
be added towards the end of the cooking time. Many things can affect how quickly a recipe
will cook, water and fat content, initial temperature of the food and the size of the food.
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Food cut into small pieces will cook quicker. A degree of ‘trial and error’ will be required to
fully optimize the potential of your slow cooker.
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Vegetables usually take longer to cook than meat, so try and arrange vegetables in the lower
half of the pot.
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After food is cooked, switch the slow cooker off and leave covered with the lid. There will be
enough heat in the slow cooker to keep warm for 30 minutes. If you require longer to keep
warm, switch to the warm setting.
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All food should be covered with a liquid, gravy or sauce. In a separate pan or jug prepare
your liquid, gravy or sauce and completely cover the food in the slow cooker.
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Cut root vegetables into small, even pieces, as they take longer to cook than meat. They
should be gently sautéed for 2-3 minutes before slow cooking. Ensure that root vegetables
are always placed at the bottom of the pot and all ingredients are immersed in the cooking
liquid.
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Trim all excess fat from meat before cooking, since the slow cooking method does not allow
fat to evaporate.
