Adapting Recipes Tips
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• The LOW setting is recommended for all-day cooking. Most meat-and-
vegetable combinations required at least 7 hours on LOW.
• For best flavor, use whole-leaf herbs and spices during initial preparation.
If ground herbs and spices are used, stir in during last hour of cooking.
• Many factors can affect how quickly a recipe will cook. The water and fat
content of food, its temperature, and the size of the item(s) will all affect
the cooking time. Food cut into pieces will cook faster than larger pieces.
• Recipes for vegetable-type casseroles must contain liquid to prevent
scorching on the sides of the cooking pot.
• If using a specific recipe, one item may be substituted for another, if an equal
quantity is used. For example, if recipe calls for a 12-oz. can of chicken broth,
a 10-oz. can of tomato soup plus 2 oz. of something else (water, wine,
canned tomatoes) may be substituted.
• Canned beans may be added directly to any recipe, but dried beans,
especially red kidney beans, may be soaked in water (if desired) and boiled
first. After covering and boiling in 3 times their volume of unsalted water,
discard water and add beans to recipe. It is recommended that beans are
softened completely before they are combined with sugary and/or acidic
foods, as these have a hardening effect on beans. In this case, beans should
be allowed to simmer until tender (about 1½ hours) after boiling.
• The cover of the slow cooker does not form a tight fit on the cooking pot but should
be centered on the pot for best results.
Do not remove the cover
unnecessarily—this will result in a major heat loss and may result in burns from
escaping steam.
• Stirring is not necessary when slow cooking. However, if cooking on HIGH,
stirring occasionally will help to distribute flavors throughout the recipe.
• For best results, the slow cooker should be at least half-filled.
• If cooking soups or stews, allow a 2-inch space between the food and the top of
the cooking pot, so ingredients can come to simmer. When cooking on HIGH,
keep checking progress, as some soups may come to boil.
• Less tender, cheaper cuts of meat are better candidates for slow cooking than
more expensive varieties. When possible, remove excess fat before cooking. If
recipe calls for browning the meat, brown it on a range top using a separate
cooking utensil before placing meat in cooking pot.
• The greater the fat content of the meat, the less liquid needed for cooking. If
cooking meat with a high fat content, place thick onion slices beneath it, so the
meat will not sit and cook in the fat. Roasts may be prepared in cooker without
adding liquid, if cooked on LOW.
• Always use a meat thermometer to determine if meats have been cooked to
proper temperature.
• Add fresh or thawed fish or seafood to cooking pot an hour before serving, as
these ingredients can fall apart during hours of cooking.
• Since raw vegetables usually take longer to cook than meats, cut vegetables unto
uniform, bite-sized pieces (about ½-inch in diameter) before adding them to the
cooking pot.
• If recipe calls for milk, sour cream or other fresh dairy products, add them just prior
to serving, as these ingredients tend to break down during long hours of cooking.
If preferred, substitute condensed creamed soups (undiluted) or evaporated milk.
Processed cheese may be substituted for naturally aged cheese.
• Rice or pasta may be cooked separately or added uncooked to recipes no more
than two hours before serving. If adding uncooked pasta, there should be at least
2 cups of liquid in the pot. Stir occasionally to keep pieces from sticking together.
• To thicken juices or make gravy at the end of the cooking process, make a smooth
mixture consisting of 2–4 tablespoons of cornstarch or flour and ¼ cup
water or 2 tablespoons of butter. Remove cooked food from pot, letting juices
remain. Add mixture to juices, set control at HIGH, and stir until liquid thickens.
• Don’t worry if food is allowed to cook a bit longer than specified.
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