Slow Cooker

According to HuffingtonPost, the original idea for the Slow Cooker was invented in 1936 by Irving Naxon and by 1940 he had a patent, The article writes that he got the idea from a traditional Jewish-Lithuanian dish that cooks all day, starts before the sabbath and finishes at the end. In the 1970’s he sold the patent and the concept took off. It dropped a bit during the 1980s with the rise of the microwave, but now is in nearly 85% of American households.  

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. 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).

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 any other type of 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 below) and some have a carry bag
• Some newer crock pots come with a sear function

How to Clean:

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.

Settings:

My Slow Cooker has four settings: High, Low, Warm, and Off.

• Both HIGH and LOW range from 175F to max of ~215F
• HIGH will reach 215F in the shortest time. LOW cycles between 175F-215F frequently, so takes longer to cook food. For example, 7 hours on low equals 3 hours on high, 8 low = 4 high, 9 low is 5 high.
• WARM will be between 165F – 175F

Verify Operations

For safety reasons, occasionally check if your Slow Cooker is still functioning well. Do that by testing its temperature. Fill the device halfway with room temp water. Cover and heat on low ~8 hours. Using a thermometer, check the temp and it should be at least 185F. If not, it is no longer functioning well and you should consider getting a new one.

Cooking Process

How to Use:

The use of this tool is easy. Follow your recipe and prepare all the foods and seasonings/spices. Decide on the liquid to use (water, broth, wine, etc.). Then put it all in the pot in order: seared or not meat – hard veggies – soft veggies – spice and seasonings. Then choose a LOW or HIGH speed to the top temp. And wait.

• If I want to saute or sear I use a skillet since it is hotter and faster. Then add the sauted/seared food to the slow cooker.
• The only time I have used WARM is when making a large batch of Glühwein that I want warmed throughout the party.
• Do not reheat food in a slow cooker! The device stays too much in the “bacteria happy place” in terms of temperature.

How it Cooks:

Slow cookers braise or poach food.

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 therefore 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.

What is great is that the heat begins at the base, and then slowly works its way up the sides. This slow method of heating the food is gentle and thorough. The lid is tight, and any condensation generated from the cooking helps creates a “vacuum” type seal. As a result, similar to a Tajine, the moisture released by the foods are trapped and fall back into the food. Thus, the low and consistent temperatures helps to keep the food moist, nutritious, and tasty.

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 liquid, added naturally, to what you initially poured.

• 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)

Cooking Tips + Tricks

I scoured the web and here are what I found, along with my own:

• Do not lift up the lid unless required as it breaks the seal and releases the heat. That is why there is a glass top, so you can see what is happening without lifting the lid off.
• Root vegetables, which are heartier, are best at the bottom to help them cook faster. Other foods such as meat placed on top of the vegetables so they cook slower. (I like meat at the bottom, your choice).
• Before serving check the temps of any meat to be sure it is cooked appropriately.
• Food should be in containers in the fridge within 2 hours after cooking is done (I prefer 1 hour).
• Do not use a slow cooker to reheat food as the time it takes to warm is how much time you have allowed bacteria to grow.
• Raw red beans need to be brought to a rapid boil for at least 10 minutes before being added to the slow cooker to kill a naturally-occurring potential toxin. (4)

Slow Cooking Benefits (3):

There are a number of benefits for Slow Cooking.

• Longer cooking times allows for the distribution of flavor.
• Lower heat means one is less likely to scorch or burn food.
• This style tenderizes even the toughest meat cuts so can save you money.
• It uses less energy than stove top cooking also saving money.
• It can reduce mess since most of the cooking actually happens in the one pot.
• It is safer since the heat is low and it is made for long-term cooking, some meat stock can take 24 to 48 hours, so safety while cooking is important.
• While cooking that long, the whole house is not heated, while a stove top or oven on that long would generate lots of heat.
• It is great for potlucks as you can bring the whole thing and have warm food available for your friends.
• It is hard to make a very big, nonrecoverable cooking mistake.
• It also can play a part in meal planning if set ahead of time.

Other Similar Devices

Slow Cooker Vs Dutch Oven

Slow cooking is similar to what you do on a stovetop or in a dutch oven.

Crockpot Vs Slow Cooker:

Crockpot and Slow Cooker are functionally the same thing, cook in similar ways, and have the same basic parts. Technically a crock pot is a type of slow cooker. The slow cooker is generally a pot that sits on top of a heating element. (4) A Slow Cooker has the heating elements on starting on the bottom and gently heats up the sides. The interior cooking pot is fully immersed within the heating area so it is a more even application of heat.

Slow Cooker Vs Instant pot:

An instant pot can function as a type of slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker, and so on. Functionally they can do the same thing. However I do not have an instant pot. I prefer the slow cooker as my basic tool as I do not want plastic and aluminum as part of my cooking.

Relevant Posts or PattyCook Links

7/26/2019 Post with some new and some duplicate information. The main new parts are comments by PattyCooks cooking friends who share their uses of the tool.