My Slow Cooker

Wikipedia: A slow cooker is a countertop electrical cooking appliance used to cook food at a lower temperature (simmer) than other cooking methods provide, which facilitates hours of unattended cooking.

Equipment:

My slow cooker is a Rival Crock-Pot, it has three parts: the outer stainless steel casing or base that snugly holds the cooking pot and includes a low wattage heating element. Then there is the removable (very heavy) ceramic cooking pot, that is great at conducting heat evenly. And a tight fitting glass lid. It has an off, low, warm, and high setting; the warm is not for cooking just keeping the food warm (like when I make Glühwein), the low or high settings are for cooking, and then there is off. My appliance is a round shape; an oval shape is preferred by most cooks as it can accomodate a whole chicken. Finally, they come manual (like mine, with a knob), or programmable (electronic panels).

Basting Process:

Slow cookers use moisture in a unique way because they remain sealed during the cooking process. As food cooks and lets off steam, the condensation collects inside the device and acts as a baster. (1) A tight fitting lid is therefor critical to the appliance. This is also why a glass lid is so important, you do not want to constantly lift the lid to check the food as each time you do it can add 20-30 minutes to the cooking time. Glass allows you to spot check that everything is ok without lifting the lid.

Cleaning:

I never use a liner or spray oil inside of my slow cooker. I have a heavy enamel covered pot that is easily (although heavy) removable, and it cleans up with no fuss. But I always clean it right away. If the pot is hot I clean with hot water, since the bowl is ceramic I want to avoid dramatic changes in temperature. My, probably unnecessary, worry is cracking.

What to look for:

If you want to buy a slow cooker, here are some suggestions on what to check.

• Do not buy a crock pot that has all these elements fused into one device; it is easier to clean and use if it comes apart
• Round or oval (most prefer oval)
• Some have racks that fit inside for roasting; although an old fashioned steel veggie steamer will work too
• Make sure it has sturdy handles on the steel outer part
• Good handle depth on the ceramic pot (so you can carry it as one piece or pull out the ceramic pot)
• I prefer glass instead of plastic lids
• Sizes vary but I would not get anything bigger than 8 quarts unless I had a very large family
• Control choices are touchpads or knobs; touchpads are easier to clean, but this is just a matter of preference
• Some come with a temperature probe you stick in meat and it will turn off (or low) once the temp is achieved
• There are some lids that are lockable (see photo above) and some have a carry bag
• Some newer crock pots come with a sear function

Cooking Benefits:

Benefits of a slow cooker include the ability to serve very nutritious meals with minimal prep and fuss.

• Prep and put all the ingredients into the pot and it cooks while you are off doing other things
• It can bring out and meld the flavors of a dish, making something extraordinarily flavorful like chili’s, soups, stews
• Slow Cookers are electrical and use less energy than the stove or microwave
• The slow cooking process helps tenderize cheaper cuts of meat
• Nutrients are not destroyed via this method of cooking
• It is hard to make a very big, nonrecoverable mistake

Meats + Cheap Cuts:

Because the slow cooker self-bastes, you do not need to use an expensive cut of meat to make a delicious meal. The slow cooking process can tenderize rough and inexpensive meats to taste like more expensive cuts. The key is to remember to sear first. I never put expensive lean meats into the slow cooker, they tend to not turn out well.

Cook Rob shares:

• We use the slow cooker for slow brazing stews, soups and pot roasts. It is especially helpful for timeshifting meals – one example is we often go hiking in Point Reyes which is quite a drive from here so I start the slow cooker meal in the morning before we leave and when we come back at days end the meal is all ready to serve.

Cook Sasha’s examples of benefits:

• I just think about recipes that need a super low and slow  cooking  method and use the slow cooker because I don’t have to worry about the stove being on while I’m away or sleeping!  For example, it’s GREAT for broth.  I just put the cooker on low, pump up the timer to 24 hours (my slow cooker’s max) several times, and then strain the broth in a few days.  It works magically.  I’ve gotten thick knuckle bones down to soft spongy material that way. 
• Another one I like to do is pulled beef/pork/chicken.  The meat should be very tender and falling apart — perfect! 
• My favorite is doing something like a beef barbacoa.  I put a nice big chunk of beef in the slow cooker, squeeze an orange in, throw the rest of the orange in the pot, add some spices, and cook it on low until it’s done.  The idea is that some recipes require constant attention and braising in a very low oven.  I ain’t got time for that! 
• The slow cooker doesnt let the moisture escape, but you are also not adding much moisture, so it’s essentially a low-temp oven. 
• Something I just noticed from what I wrote above is that I very rarely cook veggies in the slow cooker (except for broth), because I don’t like very soft veggies.  I might try PattyCooks tangine recipe in the slow cooker, though!

Temperatures

On low it can take 6-10 hours for food to cook, but if on high it can take 4-6 hours. But setting the heat to high will not increase the maximum temperature. Low and high, really is just a code for long or short time. For cooking, the big question is when do I add particular additions to the food I am cooking.

• Grains, pasta, milk, cheese are all added in the last half hour to assure it is not turned into mush or curdles.
• Also, unless I want the veggies to incorporate (i.e., melt) into the sauce, I will add softer veggies toward the end.
• Use dried (not fresh) herbs while cooking in a slow cooker as they can open up flavor over a long cooking time
• I only use fresh herbs once I am ready to serve the dish
• Layer the food so that denser veggies (like many root ones) are toward the bottom, and more tender veggies (like zucchini) are toward the top

Cooking Times

Some of the cooking times to know about broth.

• Chicken bone broth = ~24 hours on high
• Meat bone broth = ~48 hours on high

When trying a new recipe or converting from stove top to slow cooker, remember it is easy to have too much liquid. So start off conservative as you can always add more if needed. Also meat and veggies will leach liquid while cooking so there will be more added naturally to what you initially added.

• If a dish usually takes: 15-30 mins, cook it for 1-2 hours on High or 4-6 hours on Low
• 30 mins – 1 hour, cook it for 2-3 hours on High or 5-7 hours on Low
• 1-2 hours, cook it for 3-4 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low
• 2-4 hours, cook it for 4-6 hours on High or 8-12 hours on Low. (2)

Issues with Slow Cooking:

Cook Sasha has pet peeves, just like I do:

• I really hate it when people try to make recipes convenient by trying to adapt something that should use a different cooking technique to slow cookers.  You’re never going to get a sear or develop textures this way. 
• Another thing I avoid is adding seasoning until a few hours before the recipe is done.  This is because you’re just going to cook off all of the volatile chemicals that are in the herbs over the course of cooking.
• My ex boyfriend’s mom used to cook ONLY using the slow cooker.  Her go-to recipe was to put skinless boneless chicken breasts in a slow cooker, add 1 raw onion sliced, and fill the rest of the slow cooker with cream of mushroom soup.  I cringe even thinking about the white, gelatinous mixture that would come out… 

Other items of concern are the following.

• If electricity goes out while you are cooking and away from the house, toss out the food if it has been sitting there for greater than an hour
• If you are at home either move the food to another cooking process or stop and put in another container in the fridge to cook later
• Remember to never reheat leftovers in a slow cooker as the food will go bad before it gets to the temp you need
• Slow cooker ceramic pots can get hot. I am not sure what types of kitchen counters need to be protected when you take the cooking pot out of the steel appliance. I have granite and never put the pot directly on my counter, usually I put it on my cutting board.

Hints for Best Slow Cooker Results:

Layer your food carefully with the foods that need a longer cooking time at the bottom and delicate foods at the top and it will cook them all well. Generally my layering is the mirepoix with just a bit of olive oil, things like (pre-seared) dark meat chicken or carrots, then yams or potatoes, then tomatoes or bell peppers, then fresh herbs or fish; get the idea?

• If using a very fatty meat trim some of the fat as it can make the meal too fatty because almost all liquids stays in the pot
• It is not my experience that the liquid in a slow cooker “boils away” since the tight lid keeps the moisture in place.
• No recipe I’ve used calls for much alcohol in a slow cooked meal (other than a bit of wine) so do not know if there are any issues with that. I have made Hot Spiced Wine in a slow cooker that stayed warm all evening during a party — very nice.
• My suggestion is not to put tender veggies in unless I want to make a particular type of dish, because less hardy veggies turn to mush when cooked long.
• Consider limiting hot stuff to begin with, for it always seems to me that when slow cooked, the hot peppers get hotter. I tend to add hot sauce and peppers towards the end of the dish.
• Dairy is usually added once the dish is close to being done, say the last hour or 30 min.
• I rarely put frozen meat in the slow cooker, as I prefer following proper procedure for defrosting food. It just seems safer to me.
• Do not reheated leftovers in a slow cooker, sounds dangerous in terms of being warm enough for bacteria to grow. Better to use oven or microwave.
• When I leave on overnight, I clear the space around it, and make sure it is not underneath a counter just in case

Slow Cooker to Instapot

Cook Jen wrote why she moved from a slow cooker to an Instapot

• I do use a slow cooker, and now I am also using an instapot, which is many cooking devices in one (rice cooker, slow cooker, pressure cooker, etc.). I am a big fan of soups and stews. They take a lot of effort, time, and love to make. Slow cooker allows you to dump all ingredients and walk away to do other stuff while it’s taking its time to meld all the flavors.
• One issue I have with slow cookers is that some recipes call for searing or saute of ingredients before slow cooking. That is when I got turned on to the Instapot, which allows me to do the sear/saute and then add all the rest of the ingredients in to pressure or slow cook. It’s great. 

That is it on my slow cooker. I use it a fair amount for making my broths, stocks, soups, chilies, and stews. I use it for making vegetables and pot roast, spaghetti sauce, and other flavorful sauces. And also for my German cabbage rolls, and shredded beef, chicken or pork. It is critical for making a tagine since I do not have the traditional pot. It is a work horse for my cooking.

–Patty

— ** —

NEWS: 2019 Some statistics show a decline in meat consumption for Canadians. I found a recent statistic that per capita U.S. beef consumption peaked in the 1970s and has since declined by about one-third, according to USDA data on food availability. (1) Americans seem to be shifting dramatically towards chicken and away from beef. The USDA however, reports that in 2018 an average American ate 222 pounds of beef that year. (I know I did not eat that much beef, so someone out there ate a whole lot of meat!) It’s unlikely that everyone in the world is or will be able to eat meat as much as Americans eat right now, we are over-consumers.

Articles: I added a page on cereal ratios (water to cereal) and yield as well as gluten status of seeds + cereal.

Recipes: Updated the Salad page with some new slaw’s and fruit salads.

TIPS: I wrote that English Cucumbers are the only veggie I will buy in plastic. This has to do with the fact they are usually greenhouse raised and are considered tender and easily bruised due to a thin skin. People like them because they are seedless, but they also have a mushy or soggy texture when compared to American Cucumbers. America’s version are full of seeds, but to me are more crunchy and more flavorful. I do not usually peel cucumbers, unless the peel is extremely thick, and then I will “zebra” the veggie (stripe it). I have found that some people have a harder time digesting cucumber peels the older they get (indelicately described as “causes farting”), so I might peel it for them (notice I did not include myself in that description).