TIME GUIDE
Most uncooked meat and vegetable combinations will require at least 8 hours on
LOW.
PASTA AND RICE
If recipe calls for cooking noodles, macaroni, etc., cook on range top before adding to
slow cooker. Don’t over cook — just until slightly tender. If cooked rice is called for, stir
in with other ingredients; add
1
⁄
4
cup extra liquid per
1
⁄
4
cup of raw rice. Use long grain
converted rice for best results in all-day cooking.
LIQUIDS
Use less in slow cooking — usually about half the recommended amount. One cup of
liquid is enough for any recipe unless it contains rice or pasta.
SAUTEING VEGETABLES
Generally not necessary! Stir in chopped or sliced vegetables with other ingredients.
ONLY EXCEPTION:
eggplant should be parboiled or sauteed, due to strong flavor.
Since vegetables develop their full flavor potential with slow cooking, expect delicious
results even when you reduce quantities. Because vegetables take longer to cook than
meat, slice or chop them when possible.
HERBS AND SPICES
Leaf or whole herbs and spices are preferred, but their flavor power may increase —
use half the recommended amount. If you use ground herbs and spices, add during
last hour of cooking.
MILK
Milk, cream and sour cream tend to break down during extended cooking. When
possible add during last hour of cooking. Condensed soups may be substituted for
milk, etc., and can cook for extended times.
SOUPS
Some soup recipes call for 2 to 3 quarts of water. Add other soup ingredients to
Crock-Pot
®
slow cooker; then add water only to cover. If thinner soup is desired, add more
liquid at serving time. If milk-based recipes have no other liquid for initial cooking, add 1
or 2 cups water. Then during last hour of cooking, stir in milk or cream as called for.
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Q
“Must the Casserole Crock-Pot
®
slow cooker be covered? Is it necessary to stir?”
A
Cook with the cover on. The slow cooker will not recover heat losses quickly
when cooking on
LOW
setting. Significant amounts of heat escape whenever
the lid is removed; therefore the cooking time must be extended. Avoid frequent
removal of the cover for checking cooking progress or stirring. Never remove
cover during the first 2 hours when baking breads or cakes.
It is not necessary to stir while cooking on
LOW
heat. While using
HIGH
heat for
short periods, occasional stirring improves the distribution of flavors.
Q
“How about thickening the juices or making gravy?”
A
Add some quick-cooking tapioca to any recipe when you want to make a thick
gravy. Add the tapioca at the beginning and it will thicken as it cooks! Or you
may remove the solid foods, leaving the juices. Prepare a smooth paste of
approximately
1
⁄
2
cup flour or cornstarch to
1
⁄
2
cup water or 4 tablespoons melted
butter. Pour mixture into liquid in stoneware and stir well. Turn to
HIGH
and
when it comes to a boil (about 15 minutes) it’s ready.
GUIDE TO ADAPTING RECIPES
This guide is designed to help you adapt recipes to the Crock-Pot
®
slow cooker — your
own favorites and prized recipes collected from friends, food companies, newspapers
and magazines. Our aim is to save preparation time with fewer steps and dishes…and
to keep cooking simple. In most cases, all ingredients can go into your slow cooker in
the beginning and can cook all day. Many preparatory steps are unnecessary when
using the Crock-Pot
®
slow cooker. A few hints:
• Allow sufficient cooking time.
• Cook with cover on.
• Do not add as much water as some recipes indicate.
• Remember — liquids don’t “boil away” as in conventional cooking. Usually you’ll
have more liquid at the end of cooking instead of less.
• It’s “one-step” cooking: many steps in recipes may be deleted. Add ingredients to
the stoneware at one time and cook 8 to 12 hours (add any liquid last).
• Vegetables do not over cook as they do when boiled in your oven or on your range.
Therefore, everything can go into the Crock-Pot
®
slow cooker at one time.
EXCEPTION: milk, sour cream or cream should be added during last hour of
cooking.
15 to 30 minutes
35 to 45 minutes
50 minutes to 3 hours
4 to 6 hours
6 to 10 hours
8 to 18 hours
1
1
⁄
2
to 2 hours
3 to 4 hours
4 to 6 hours
IF RECIPE SAYS:
COOK ON LOW:
OR COOK ON HIGH:
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (CONTINUED)
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