Learn How the Slow Cooker Can Expand the Way You Cook

By: Peter Garant

Slow cookers are a wonderful piece of equipment to have in the kitchen. It both saves time and it also produces wonderful, well-cooked, great flavored meals. Not everyone has used a slow cooker though, and for those of you who haven’t, read up on this practical information.

Some will actually be skeptical of the slow cooker’s safety, given that the machine must be left running for quite a significant number of hours. So, if your question is about safety, the answer is no worries, the slow cooker is safe. The slow cooker stews at a low temperature, usually somewhere between 170 to 280 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, the power used from a slow cooker is much less that if you use an conventional over.

Another super thing about cooking meals at this low of temperature is that when cooking non-prime meat cuts they become just as nice as cooking the high priced prime cuts the conventional way. Additionally in terms of safety when it comes to the food, the direct heat, the time it takes to prepare the food, and the steam that is locked inside the tight-lidded pot kills the dangerous bacteria in the food.

Ok, getting to the cooking procedures. As is basic when handling any kind of food, one should begin with a clean work space and clean implements. Wash your hands thoroughly prior to touching any food and leave your meats in the refrigerator until such the moment that they need to be prepared. Bacteria multiplies at a quick rate at room temperature so ensure that the slow cooker is preheated a little prior to combining the meat to your meal from the refrigerator. You may use the vegetables ahead of the meat because they tend to cook not as fast as than meats. It is paramount to note though that meats must be defrosted prior to being placed inside a slow cooker for best results.

Ideally dishes that should be prepared in a slow cooker are those that are moist such as soups, stews or pot roasts so it would not dry out. Remember as well that a large slow cooker should not be used to produce small amounts of food or it will be in danger of being overcooked. A cooker ideally should be filled around half of the basin capacity, but not to exceed 2/3. While cooking avoid opening the cooker as much as possible, just doing so to determine if it’s done, or to stir the food. Opening the lid brings down the temperature wuickly and will affect the doneness of the food.

When unsure on which cooking setting to choose on your slow cooker, you have to take into consideration the amount of time that you’re going to be cooking it. For tough meat cuts, a greaterlonger preparation time utilizing a low setting is more desirable. However some some advice is to put the setting at max for the first cooking hour, then turn it to low for the succeeding hours. If for any reason the power shuts off midway through cooking the food, immediately finish fixing it on your stove. If it has sat at room temperature for a bit of time half-done, the it might be safer to just throw this batch away and start over.

Once you have finished a successful meal, transfer the food at once. Remove the container, clean thoroughly, and ensure that it is dry before storing.

Article Source: http://elgreenonline.com/article

Peter Garant is a authoritive commercial and homechef and consultant for a major hospitality firm representing international businesses and is the consultant of a network of slow cooking Internet sites and concentrating here on slow cookers for new cooks. These sites concentrate on both meals and cooking tips and are designed for owners of all levels from novice to seasoned pro on slow cookers covering all elements of these cooking machines.

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