Suitable foods for slow cooking & preparation:
Most foods are suited to slow cooking methods; however there are a few guidelines that
need to be followed.
•
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.
•
Trim all excess fat from meat before cooking, since the slow cooking method does
not allow fat to evaporate.
•
If adapting an existing recipe from conventional cooking, you may need to cut
down on the amount of liquid used. Liquid will not evaporate from the slow cooker
to the same extent as with conventional cooking.
•
Never leave uncooked food at room temperature in the health cooker.
•
Do not use the health cooker to reheat food.
•
Uncooked red beans must be soaked and boiled for at least 10 minutes to remove
toxins before use in a health cooker.
•
Authentic stoneware is fired at high temperatures therefore the crock pot may have
minor surface blemishes, the glass lid may rock slightly due to these imperfection.
Low heat cooking does not produce steam so there will be little heat loss. Due to
normal wear and tear through the products life, the outer surface may start
appearing “crazed”.
•
Do not put the crock pot or glass lid in an oven, freezer, and microwave or on a
gas/electrical hob.
•
Do not subject the crock pot to sudden changes in temperature. Adding cold water
to a very hot opt could cause it to crack.
•
Do not allow the pot to stand in water for a long time (You can leave water in the
pot to soak).
•
There is an area on the base of the crock pot that has to remain unglazed for
manufacturing purposes. This unglazed area is porous, therefore will soak up
water, this should be avoided.
•
Do not switch the cooker on when the crock pot is empty or out of the base.
Tips for slow cooking
•
The health cooker must be at least half full for best results.
•
Slow cooking retains moisture. If you wish to reduce moisture in the cooker,
remove the lid after cooking and turn the control to high (if set to low or auto) and
simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
•
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.
•
If cooking soups, leave a 5 cm space between the top of the cook pot and the food
surface to allow simmering.
•
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 crock pot and add liquid/gravy. Select the
setting low, high or auto.
•
Most meat and vegetable recipes require 8-10 hours on low. 4-6 hours on high and
5-7 hours on auto.
.3.
•
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.
•
Food cut into small pieces will cook quicker. A degree of ‘trial and error’ will be
required to fully optimize the potential of your health cooker.
•
Vegetables usually take longer to cook than meat, so try and arrange vegetables in
the lower half of the pot.
•
After food is cooked, switch cooker off and leave covered with the lid. There will be
enough heat in the crock pot to keep warm for 30 minutes. If you require longer to
keep warm switch to the low setting.
•
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 crock pot.
•
Pre-browning meat and onions in a pan to seal in the juices also reduces the fat
content before adding to the crock pot. This is not necessary if time is limited, but
improves the flavor.
•
When cooking joints of meat, ham, and poultry etc the size and shape of the joint is
important. Try to keep the joint in the lower 2/3 of the pot and fully cover with water.
If necessary cut in two pieces. Joint weight should be kept within the maximum limit.
CARE & CLEANING
..
Always make sure the slow cooker is unplugged and in the OFF position before storing
away or cleaning. Make sure the unit has cooled down completely before cleaning.
-
The stoneware insert is dishwasher safe or can also be cleaned with warm
soapy water. To remove any foods that have been cooked onto the bottom of
the pot, simply soak overnight in soapy water and rinse the next day.
-
The exterior of the slow cooker can be wiped with a damp cloth and dried. DO
NOT use harsh abrasive cleaner or scouring pad to clean any part of the slow
cooker as this will damage the surfaces.
WARNING: NEVER SUBMERGE THE ENTIRE SLOW COOKER INTO WATER OR
ANY OTHER LIQUID OR THIS MAY DAMAGE THE SLOW COOKER.
.4.
