Most people fall into two categories....
Slow cooker lovers.... OR Slow cooker bashers!
I happen to fall in the "LOVER' category and I would like to spread the love around and share some tips to help any "bashers" gently move into the "lover" category...
Playing to your slow cooker's strength and knowing how to avoid it's weaknesses will produce great tasting dishes with little effort and time in the kitchen!
10 BEST SLOW COOKER TIPS... PART 1
Forget logos like... "set it and forget it"!
If you have believed you can dump all the ingredients of a recipe into a slow cooker and forget it, no wonder you are not a fan!
To get the best flavor and texture when slow cooking foods you need to do a little prep work! It will pay off in big flavors and tender food!
Here are a few tips that will make a big difference in cooking with slow cookers!
Here are a few tips that will make a big difference in cooking with slow cookers!
1. Choose the right meats.
Choose meats that are tough or dense. Slow cookers make tough meats like chuck roasts, briskets, short ribs, shanks, game meat and pork butt (shoulders) beautifully tender and scrumptious!
Whole chickens, bone-in turkey breasts and thighs, with the skin on, can also be moist and not overcooked if timed just right.
Personally, I avoid using boneless or skinless chicken in slow cookers. It tends to overcook and get a mealy texture.
Personally, I avoid using boneless or skinless chicken in slow cookers. It tends to overcook and get a mealy texture.
2. Brown meats and vegetables.
Browning meat brings out that luscious caramelized flavor that we all love. Take the time to brown meats and veggies like onions and celery before adding them to the slow cooker... your dish will taste so much better!
3. Choose the right vegetables.
Dense or fibrous vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, celery, parsnips, onions, garlic, turnips etc. cook the best in a slow cooker. Add them to the bottom or sides of the slow cooker.
Avoid canned veggies... they are already overcooked!
Thaw frozen vegetables before adding them to the slow cooker.
4. Add the right amount of liquid.
Little or no evaporation occurs during cooking time so don't overdo the liquids! Here is a good rule of thumb...
2 TBS liquids for sauces
1/4 cup liquid for stews
1/2 ~ 2 cup liquids for soups
Using too much liquid waters down the flavor of the overall dish.
5. Don't add all ingredients at once.
Not all ingredients can be cooked for the same length. Seafood, tender vegetables, cooked chicken, pasta, dairy products and fresh herbs should be added to you dish at the end of cooking time. This will prevent mushy or curdled food. Just make sure they are hot and cooked through!
Head over to StoneGable's Facebook page to see great slow cooker tips from my FB friends!
5. Don't add all ingredients at once.
Not all ingredients can be cooked for the same length. Seafood, tender vegetables, cooked chicken, pasta, dairy products and fresh herbs should be added to you dish at the end of cooking time. This will prevent mushy or curdled food. Just make sure they are hot and cooked through!
Head over to StoneGable's Facebook page to see great slow cooker tips from my FB friends!
Look for more Slow Cooker tips next week in 10 BEST SLOW COOKER TIPS, Part 2!
Click HERE for a 21 of my favorite slow cooker recipes.
Yvonne...I am a lover of the sloww cooker! And you're so right, lesser cuts of meat cook up so tender that you can cut them with your fork! Great tips...thanks for posting. Have a wonderful weekend!!!
ReplyDeleteI am definately a crock lover, especially in cool weather, Yvonne. Going to pin this, and looking forward to more of your tips.
ReplyDeleteThis is a smart post. I love my slow cooker, and I agree with you on all of these tips for the most delicious results! Just yesterday I made some of the best homemade meat sauce for spaghetti in my crockpot!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy your blog, by the way!
Blessings,
Leslie
I love using my slow cooker, Yvonne! In fact, I wish I could find even more recipes that we both love so I could use it more! A staple in Fall and Winter is chili; usually made on Sundays to go with the football games. I just tried a chicken soup recipe that I got off Pinterest. I do have to be careful that none of the ingredients contain wheat or anything that will affect my Celiac's {cream soups for one}.
ReplyDeleteThese are such great tips!
ReplyDeleteMy husband is convinced that he doesn't like anything cooked in the crockpot, but there was a recipe for bbq pulled pork I really wanted to try. So I cooked the meat in the slow cooker while he was at work and then transferred it to another pan before he got home and hid my dirty crock pot in the cupboard. He liked it! And he even said to me at dinner...much better than crockpot!! Ha! I had to hold my lips together to keep from laughing. :)
I don't use my slow cooker as much as I should. Thanks for the tips.
ReplyDeleteI use my slow cooker a great deal. My old one broke and I have noticed that my newer model seems to cook at a higher temperature on low. I have had to adjust to that. Great post.
ReplyDeleteI love my slow cooker on busy days. It's so nice to come home to the smell of dinner cooking!
ReplyDeletegreat points! I am off to check out your 21 faves. We did your french onion soup last week and it was delish! Just sent a friend request through facebook.
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ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips Yvonne! I so agree about browning meats first. Nothing one can add will offset this important step. I also appreciate the tip for how much liquid to add. I am off to see your recipes. I just know they will be so tasty and perfect additions to my slow cooker favorites. Have a glorious weekend!
ReplyDeleteHugs from Idaho,
Susan and Bentley
I do love the slow cooker in Fall and Winter. Thanks for these tips. Have a great weekend and hope to see you next week............
ReplyDeleteHow could someone not love the slow-cooker? Those are great tips! I don't always keep those in mind. I certainly will remember them from now on. I am guilty of using chicken breasts but it makes perfect sense not to! I know people do often make the mistake of adding dairy too early. I am going to check out your recipes. Thank you Yvonne!
ReplyDeleteWe just bought a slow cooker last week! This is just in time! I have made exactly 4 pots of mush in the last week. I needed this! LOL!
ReplyDeleteAndie
This is great advice! Thanks so much for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteYvonne, thank you so much for these tips. I had a slow cooker and I never used it once. Finally, during a spring cleaning fit where I was getting rid of everything I never used, I gave it away. It was more a question of lack of space since I had bought it when I was living in a much larger apartment where I enjoyed so much more storage space than I do now. I have regretted it because ever since, I keep encountering so many fabulous slow cooker recipes that I am tempted to buy another one. I'm looking forward to your upcoming tips. Had I been more informed on the usage of slow cookers, I would surely have kept it.
ReplyDeleteI do love slow cooker meals....thanks for all these great tips...:)
ReplyDeleteI have been a huge fan of slow cooking since almost burning down my house cooking eggs then leaving the house many years ago....I had an All Clad but within a year it stopped working which is so odd for a slow cooker....I exchanged it for a Cuisinart and simply love it....it browns, steams, roasts and slow cooks....fabulous item....I cook in it a few times a week....And yes I love people who think you can just dump a piece of meat into the pot and expect it to come out good.....My neighbor does that....not even a drop of liquid...nothing at all then she wonders why it has no taste.....
ReplyDeleteI must admit, I am slow cooker challenged. I grew up all my life making Punjabi food, very in-depth and time consuming.
ReplyDeleteThe slow cooker has been a challenge for me..... I have tried and been successful with a few recipes like chili and roasts. But that's pretty much it.
Thanks so much for the tips!!! Now I can move forward.
Cheers, Gee
Yvonne, I can't find the Chicken in a Crockpot recipe. It says to see Friday's menu. I can't find Friday's menu. I've been looking and looking but I can't find it. Am I the only one who can't find it? Perhaps because I'm new here, I might be having trouble with the way the blog is set up. I don't know.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips here. I am just dusting off my slow cooker for it's heavy duty winter use. I love chilis and soups in the cold months. Here is a tasty recipe for Tortilla Soup. http://www.getcrockingapp.com/blog/tortilla-soup/
ReplyDeleteGreat tips, Yvonne. I am a slow cooker lover, too.♥
ReplyDeleteLove these tips. I really need to get my slow cooker out and use it...I am guilty of waiting until the last minute to figure out dinner. Thinking ahead is so much better!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips and I am going to start browning my meat before hand.
ReplyDeleteHave just been cruising your blog....GREAT recipes, especially these slow cooker ones for cooler weather...I can hardly wait to get to the grocery store and stock up! THANKS
ReplyDeletethegoodlife54.blogspot.com
I trust that slow cooker and crock pot are one in the same! Every time I use it, I say, why don't I use this more often! Great tips! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIf you have a chance, please check out www.theblogsisters.com!
Barbara
Yvonne...great tips...I have the same slow cooker (All Clad) and I love it...I use mine often and look forward to making some of your recipes!!
ReplyDeleteYvonne, what brand of crockpot do you use? Which one is in the picture? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI have an All Clad slowcooker. It's worth every penny!
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