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SET UP & USE
LIQUID AMOUNT
STIRRING THE FOOD
SET UP & USE
TIPS FOR
SLOW COOKING
• For best results, the slow cooker
should be filled at least halfway
• Do not fill the slow cooker more
than 3/4 full.
• Spray the inside of the stoneware
crock with non-stick cooking spray
for easy clean up.
• Vegetables cook slowly. Keep
pieces small to medium in size and
place in the bottom of the pot.
• Vegetables can be peeled and cut
the night before slow cooking.
Cover and refrigerate in a separate
container. Do not place in removable
crock until ready to cook.
• Meats should be trimmed, browned
or broiled before placing in the slow
cooker to eliminate as much fat as
possible.
• Do not use frozen meat. Thaw all
meat before slow cooking.
• Brown ground meats, such as
ground beef and ground turkey,
before placing in slow cooker to
remove excess fat and reduce the
risk of food-borne illnesses.
• Whole poultry, such as chicken and
Cornish hens, should not be cooked
in the slow cooker because safe
cooking temperatures near the bone
cannot be reached quickly enough.
ALWAYS ENSURE THAT ALL
MEAT PRODUCTS ARE COOKED
TO APPROPRIATE INTERNAL
TEMPERATURES.
• Meats can be browned and/or cut
up the night before slow cooking.
Cover and refrigerate in a separate
container. Do not place in removable
crock until ready to cook.
• Use fresh or dried herbs instead of
ground; they keep more of their
flavour during long cooking times.
• Add dairy products, such as milk
and cheese, towards the end of the
cooking time, unless your recipe
states otherwise.
• To thicken the flavourful juices
produced during slow cooking,
remove 1 cup (250 mL) juice from
the slow cooker. Place in a small
saucepan. Combine 1 tablespoon
(15 mL) water and 1 tablespoon (15
mL) cornstarch. Stir into saucepan.
Cook and stir over medium heat until
mixture boils. Boil and stir for 1 - 2
minutes or until slightly thickened.
Return this mixture to ingredients in
crock and stir.
• When cooking soups or stews, leave
a 2-inch (5 cm) space between the
top of the removable crock and the
food so that the recipe can come to
a simmer. If cooking a soup or stew,
check its progress regularly as some
soups or stews will reach a boil more
quickly than others.
• When removing the glass lid, tilt it
so that the opening faces away from
you to avoid being burnt by steam.
When food is cooking in your slow
cooker, very little moisture boils away.
To compensate for this, it is advisable to
reduce the liquid content of traditional
recipes by half. However, if there is still
too much liquid remaining after cooking,
remove the lid and operate the slow
cooker on MAX for 30 - 45 minutes, or
until the excess liquid boils away.
Little or no stirring is required when
using the MIN setting. When using the
MAX setting, stirring occasionally will
ensure a more even flavour distribution.
