Slow Cooking



Slow Cooking


Slow cooking refers to the method of cooking food in a machine called a slow cooker or crock pot. This sits on your countertop and runs on electricity. The food will take many hours to cook in this device and there is no need for you to be constantly checking on it to make sure it doesn’t burn. The main method of cooking in this manner is that you use less water because the steam from the cooking collects on the cover of the cooker and then bastes the food, keeping it moist.

A slow cooker cooks the food at temperatures between 170º and 280º F, which is a much lower temperature than you would use cooking on the stove or in the regular oven. In this way, even cheap cuts of meat are very tender in slow cooking. It is necessary to always thaw meat or poultry before you place it in the cooker. You should fill the cooker between one-half and two-thirds full. If you are cooking a full meal containing vegetables, you should place these in first because they cook slower than meat and poultry. Once you have all the ingredients added, you can then add the water or the sauce you are using. Set the timer for the length of cooking time and then you can go about doing whatever you want. You don’t need to check on the process, unless the recipe calls for you to stir the food at regular intervals.

There are different setiings required for different foods in slow cooking. If you want to let the food cook all day, then choose a lower setting. If you are in the home, you can turn the cooker on the highest setting for the first few hours and then turn it down for the remainder of the time.

Slow cooking is very popular with working men and women. They can prepare the food before they leave for work in the morning and set the timer so that the food is cooked when they get home. The cooker will automatically shut off when the time is up, so there is no danger of fire or burned food.