TIPS: About slow cookers / crockery cookers (article)

[Guest guest]

I just saw this item about crockery cookers (Crockpot is the well-known

trademark

brand) or slow cookers, whichever you wish to call them. Some of us have

discovered or rediscovered slow cookers - and I have posted more than a couple

of

recipes here that are suitable for this kind of cooking. So here's an expert on

the

subject. (Item from SoFlaVegans list - thanks Fidyl) Reproduced here in full so

that

all can read easily.

 

Hope it's useful.

 

Best, Pat

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DUSTING OFF THE OLD CROCKERY COOKER

by Deborah Taylor-Hough

http://hometown.aol.com/dsimple/

 

 

When I think of crockery cooking, I always see in my mind's

eye, my mother's old avocado-green crock sitting on her

turquoise and white kitchen counter. What a thing of beauty

it was ... NOT! :::shudder::: ;-)

 

But today's crockery cookers are sleek, modern appliances

you don't have to hide away in the dark recesses of the

pantry or garage anymore.

 

If you like the experience of walking in the door and smelling

dinner cooking without you slaving away in the kitchen

preparing the meal, you'll love the convenience of a crockery

cooker. Take a few minutes in the morning before work or

school to throw some ingredients into the pot, set it, and

forget it. When you come home at dinnertime, you'll be

greeted by the heavenly aroma of an easy dinner. What

could be better than that?

 

At the end of the day -- when I'm tired and ready to put my

feet up -- the last thing I want to do is dive into a bunch of

meal preparation work. But in the morning I'm refreshed

and able to put more energy into food prep. But even then,

it's not much food prep. Maybe a bit of chopping and

browning, but no more than ten or fifteen minutes worth

of work, at the most.

 

 

BENEFITS OF THE CROCK

 

Some of the benefits you'll find from dusting off that lovely

retro-crock in the back of Grandma's attic are:

 

* A crockery cooker doesn't heat up the kitchen nearly as

much as the stovetop or oven, so it's a perfect hot weather

cooking appliance

 

* Frees up space in oven and stove top, great to use for parties,

large gatherings, or doing a large cooking session for the

freezer

 

* Flavors have time to develop while your meal slowly cooks

all day

 

* Tofu tastes better cooked this way because it has time to

soak up the flavors from broth, spices and other ingredients

 

* Can be used on a buffet table for serving hot foods (soup,

stew, sauces, 'meatballs' in barbeque sauce, etc.)

 

 

CROCKERY COOKER TIPS

 

You'll want to keep the following tips in mind when choosing

and using your crockery cooker:

 

* Choose a crock with a removable liner. You'll have more

flexiblility in ways to use it, and it's easier to clean.

 

* Buy a large one (6-quart capacity is good).

 

* Best if used for recipes with a high water content -- things

you'd normally prepare on the stovetop such as spaghetti

sauce, soup, chili, stew.

 

* For best results, fill the crock at least half full with food

and/or liquid.

 

* If you're cooking something like a stew or soup, leave at

least an inch empty (preferably two inches) at the top

beneath the lid to allow for the food to bubble when it

reaches a simmer.

 

* Don't peek! Lifting the lid adds time to the cooking process

by letting heat out. Add 15-20 minutes to the cooking time

for each time you lift the lid to peek or stir.

 

* High altitudes need longer cooking times. Check with your

crock's Manufacturer's User's Guide for their recommendations.

 

* Brown 'meats' ahead of time for additional color and flavor.

Browning also removes some of the fat from the 'meat.'

 

* 'Meat' cooks best if cut into smaller pieces or

chunks rather than cooking as a whole 'roast'

 

* Vegetables such as carrots and potatoes, should be added

to the bottom of the crock beneath any 'meats,' etc. Hard

vegetables need a longer cooking time, and the bottom is

the first part of the cooker to heat up, so they'll start cooking

sooner.

 

* Add spices near the end of the cooking time.

 

* Stirring usually isn't required during slow cooking on Low heat.

You might want to stir once or twice during the last hour, but

remember that every time you lift the lid, you're adding to the

cooking time. Two stirring sessions equal a minimum of half

an hour longer cooking.

 

 

SUGGESTIONS FOR A SAFE AND SANE CROCK

 

The crock itself should be safe to use providing you don't have

an old one with frayed cords or some other defect. The following

tips on safe user ideas can help keep your family healthy and

the cook from being burned:

 

* Use fresh or completely thawed meats. Don't add frozen meats

directly to the crock.

 

* Be sure the crock is clean before using.

 

* Keep perishable foods refrigerated until ready to use.

 

* Always include liquids in all crockery cooking recipes.

 

* Remove the cover by opening away from your face. The steam

is hot enough to burn badly.

 

* Don't leave the cooker turned off with food in it for any length of

time. Start cooking right away, and serve hot from the cooker.

Don't let food sit at room temperature to cool.

 

* Keep the crock covered while cooking. The lid on a crock

doesn't provide a tight seal (it isn't suppose to), but it's

important

to keep the lid in the center of the crock for best results.

 

* Don't set the hot crock on a cold surface unless you put a hot

pad, trivet or thick towel underneath.

 

* If the power goes out while you're away from home with the

crock running, throw the food away even if it looks hot and

done. The power might have been off long enough for the

food to cool, start growing bacteria, and then reheat by the

time you arrived home.

 

* Don't reheat leftovers in a crock, but you can use the crock

as a food warmer for foods that have been cooked and heated

in the oven or on the stovetop.

 

I personally recommend this size and model of Crock-Pot

for someone interested in purchasing a new crockery cooker:

 

Rival Crock-Pot Slower Cooker, 6.5 Quart

http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007ZKF2G/simplepleasuresp/

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

--Deborah Taylor-Hough is the author of several popular books

including 'Frugal Living For Dummies'®, 'A Simple Choice: A

Practical Guide for Saving Your Time, Money & Sanity', and

'Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day Eat for a Month'. For more

articles and money-saving ideas, you can visit Debi online

at: http://hometown.aol.com/dsimple/

 

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[Guest guest]

" * Don't leave the cooker turned off with food in it for any length of

time. Start cooking right away, and serve hot from the cooker.

Don't let food sit at room temperature to cool. "

 

I do that all of the time. I turn it off, take it out of the metal

housing unit, set it on a towel on the table and I leave it out until

I feel it is cool enough to put in the fridge. The next day I take

the crock out of the fridge, scoop out the food and place it in

containers.

 

I'm also constantly lifting the lid. It's an addiction - a great

habit to continue.

 

S.