Crock Pots
Recipes and Tips for using Crock Pots
It's another cold one out there, and after a long hard day at work, the last thing you want to do is slave over the stove to cook a decent supper. Luckily, you've prepared for today and can walk into your home and be welcomed by the scent of a stew wafting through the air, enticing you to a warm dinner.
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When it comes to the kitchen, there have been a number of appliances which have been considered unbelievably innovative at least for the short term; often, however, this opinion is abandoned as the appliance itself drops to the wayside and is forgotten almost as quickly as it had come to prominence. It is pretty much a given that today's late night infomercial marvel is tomorrow's forgotten appliance, just taking up space in the home.
For decades now this kitchen appliance has truly been helping domestic cooks succeed in the kitchen. So much has been said by so many about this kitchen marvel. Truly, what says the most about the crock pot is the fact that it is so popular the world over as a kitchen slow-cooking appliance. This well earned popularity has been earned over the decades and has so far appeared to stand the test of time. This popularity and longevity is the result of basic concepts that are behind the success of the crock cot: its ease of use and its time saving nature.
If you can clean peel and chop up your vegetables, or unwrap and wash the meats you buy at your local grocery store, then you are halfway there because you have learned how to prepare your ingredients for their time in the crock pot; it isn't really a leap from that to actually cooking them in the slow cooker, because it pretty much involves just throwing your chosen ingredients into the slow cooker and setting and forgetting it for a few hours.
No matter how much things change, there will always be one constant: people always seem to have too many things to do and not quite enough time to do them all in. This applies to everyone, and not just to those responsible for making sure that dinner is always on the table for their family. Whether you are cooking for a whole family or just cooking for one, we should all appreciate anything that legitimately gives us back some precious time instead of just eating it up.
By 1981, only ten years after its introduction to the consumer market, the Rival Crock Pot had reached $30 million in sales. That's a lot of slow cookers and a lot of people happy to have found an easier way to prepare their family meals.
By 1997, the basic shaping of the Rival Crock Pot had been modified to the more familiar full oval design that we see today.
In 2001, the Rival company advanced slow cooking even further with the development and introduction to market of the Smart Pot, the first ever programmable slow cooker.
Even though no one's been home, your meal is just about ready thanks to your slow cooker. This small electric appliance, a staple of many homes for more than 30 years, is based on the principles of slow cooking. The concept of slow cooking is simple: Put food into some sort of container or contained area and let it cook slowly. It's a method used in barbecue pits and pig roasts, where low temperatures and a lot of time allow meat to become tender. Slow cooking can be done via dry heat, as in an oven or roaster, or it can be moist, by involving liquid during the cooking process. 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.
The slow cooking method has been around for centuries, and the electrical slow cooker first became popular in the 1970s kitchen -- the original slow cookers came in chic colors of the day, such as avocado and goldenrod. But when microwaves came into vogue a few years later, the slow cooker was left behind as people started zapping their food. However, the tide has turned back to slow cooking and new cookbooks that provide a variety of tasty recipes for this one-pot wonder. Manufacturers developed newer, more stylish versions of the device, which led to its resurgence over the last decade as a must-have appliance for time-strapped cooks. In the next section, we'll look at how a pot for preparing beans revolutionized cooking.
The slow cooker was developed from an electrical bean pot, a pot that was invented in the 1960s to steep dry beans. Small-appliance manufacturer West Bend produced The Electric Bean Pot, which spawned a copycat product by rival Naxon Utilities Corporation called The Beanery. The Rival company, today owned by Jarden, acquired Naxon and in 1971 released a reworked Beanery as the Crock-Pot, a slow cooker that could produce full meals in one pot. The Crock-Pot took off as a time-and-money-saving device for career women who still wanted to cook, and the brand became as ubiquitous as Kleenex. In fact, a 2002 Betty Crocker Kitchen study showed that more than 80 percent of U.S. households owned at least one slow cooker.
A slow cooker has three main components:
- An outer casing
- An inner container
- A lid
The outer casing is metal and contains low-wattage heating coils, the component responsible for cooking the food, and these heating coils are completely encapsulated by the outer casing. The inner container, which is also called a crock, is made of glazed ceramic and fits inside the metal heating element. In some models, you can remove this cooking crock from the outer shell. The third piece of the appliance is a domed lid that fits tightly onto the crock.
The appliance cooks based on a combination of wattage and time. When turned on, the electrical coils heat up and transfer heat indirectly from the outer casing to the space between the base wall and the stoneware container. This indirect heat warms the crock to between 180 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit (82 to 149 degrees Celsius). This method of heat transfer simmers the ingredients inside the crock at a low temperature for several hours, until the food is thoroughly cooked.
The traditional crock pot is made of glazed ceramic or porcelain and is round in shape. Nowadays, stove tops have different settings for different cooking methods, such as simmering and slow-cooking, and you may still opt to use the traditional one. But you may also want to consider using electric types that come with their own cooking settings and plenty of other features.
When the traditional crock pot was first re-invented, it was improved by making it electric and with low and high settings. These settings didn't allow for easier, much less unattended, cooking and was more limiting than it was effective. The 1990s, however, saw the further improvement of the modern type into smart cookware. More programmable features were added allowing for almost an unlimited number of recipes that can be used. The more sophisticated types appealed to the busy workers who rarely had the luxury of time, and even the patience, to constantly keep an eye on the food they're cooking.
Depending on the features that you require, modern crock pots are very affordable. But there are certain important factors that you always have to consider when looking to buy one. First and foremost is the size which would be determined by how many people you usually cook for. The bigger the family, the bigger you would need. It is also more practical to choose a removable crock pot for easier cleaning and to be used as storage for leftovers. The crock pot lid also determines proper and efficient cooking; the fit of the lid over the pot should be just right to maintain the right amount of steam while cooking. The crock pot itself should be durable and have a solid base for free airflow. The handles of the crock pot should be secure and easy to grip.
The most popular manufacturers of modern crock pots are Rival, Hamilton Beach, Magic Chef, and West Bend Housewares. They have produced different models of sophisticated ones to accommodate different lifestyles, cooking methods, and recipes. The crock pot, whether traditional or with various programmable settings, will always be an indispensable tool in the kitchen. Whether you prefer the original type that comes with only the high and low settings, or the modern models with more advanced features, make sure to find the right one that will best suit your cooking needs.
As the food cooks, it releases steam, which the lid traps. The condensation creates a vacuum seal between the lid and the rim of the crock, which adds moisture to the food while helping the cooking process -- the lid is integral to the cooking process. The slow cooker typically has three settings: low, high and off. In programmable slow cookers, the device will switch to a warm setting after it has cooked the food to keep the meal at a proper temperature.
Using a slow cooker is a great way to save time and still prepare a nutritious meal. Assemble the meal in the morning, put it in the slow cooker, and at the end of the day, dinner is ready -- without much mess or many dishes to clean. The device requires only a small amount of electricity only to do its work -- compared with a standard oven, a slow cooker uses a lot less energy, so it won't heat up an entire kitchen the way an oven does.
Cooking with a slow cooker can also be an economically smart choice, because you can use cheaper cuts of meat. Condensation acts as a self-baster, so traditionally tougher cuts of meat become tender in a slow cooker. And just because you're saving time and money doesn't mean you're sacrificing taste. Vegetables cooked in a slow cooker can absorb stocks and spices, giving them fuller flavors.
The high and low settings on the device allow you to adjust the temperature for the length of time you want the meal to cook. Although cooking on low is completely safe, if you're home during the process, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends cooking on high for an hour first to ensure the food is thoroughly cooked.
Meats are one of the most popular items to make in a slow cooker, but they need to be thawed beforehand or they'll take too long to cook. When cooking meat, it's important to heat the meat to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) as quickly as possible to kill any bacteria. Always make sure the internal temperature of the meat is within recommended guidelines before serving. When cooking poultry, use poultry with the skin still attached -- this will help keep the meat moist throughout the cooking process.
Prepping vegetables for slow cooking may take longer to prepare than the meat -- it's important to cut them uniformly so they'll cook evenly. Vegetables may also take longer to cook than meat, so when preparing stews or meat-and-vegetable dishes, layer the vegetables on the bottom of the pot.
Some of the best slow cooker meals are soups and stews because the slow cooker is designed to simmer on the low setting for long periods of time. Cover soup ingredients with water, and if you need to add more liquid during cooking, bring it to a boil first, so it doesn't lower the soup's cooking temperature.
Dips and spreads are another category where slow cookers shine. The low heat keeps a cheese-based dip warm without burning the ingredients, and maintaining a dip at a low heat prevents ingredients from congealing during a party.
Grains are sometimes a surprising way to use a slow cooker. Oatmeal, cracked wheat and rice porridge can be cooked overnight to provide a hot, nutritious breakfast. Bread and bread-based dishes like stuffing can also be baked in a slow cooker -- the low heat setting also helps bread dough rise. Another surprising slow-cooking category is desserts. While rice and tapioca puddings may seem like a no-brainer, you can also use slow cookers to make hot fruit desserts and even cakes.
Some recipes call for adding ingredients near the end of the cooking time because of the nature of the ingredients and their tolerance for the slow-cooking process. Spices and herbs may become too concentrated during cooking, so be sure to adjust their levels at the end of the process. Likewise, some vegetables, dairy products and seafood will lose their flavour and texture if simmered for too long, so if the recipe calls for including them near the end of the process, be sure to follow the directions carefully.
Slow cookers are designed to cook for several hours at a time and heat food properly, but you should still practice some safety precautions.
Never fill the stoneware container more than two-thirds full, and keep the lid on throughout the cooking process to maintain ideal cooking conditions inside the container. Periodically, you should test the cooker to make sure the unit heats correctly and is able to cook food to a proper serving temperature. Food should cook to at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) within four hours to avoid harbouring bacteria.
To test your slow cooker, fill it one-half to two-thirds with water, cover it with the lid, and cook on the low setting for eight hours. Then, use a food thermometer to monitor the water temperature before it cools. If the temperature is 185 degrees Fahrenheit (85 degrees Celsius) or higher, the slow cooker is safe to use. A lower temperature may indicate that the heating element isn't functioning well enough to cook food thoroughly.
Slow cookers run off a low wattage, so it's safe to leave the house while it's on. Although the base does heat up, the product is designed to not get so hot that it'll set a countertop on fire.
Never immerse the base of a slow cooker in water. If your slow cooker doesn't have a removable insert, use a soapy sponge to clean the inside and wipe away any spills.
Temperature extremes can cause the stoneware insert to crack, so you shouldn't freeze it or use it over direct heat, like a stovetop. Also, never put a hot crock on a cold counter -- use a hot pad to protect the ceramic. Likewise, if the pot is still hot, don't pour cold water into it.
Thaw meat and poultry thoroughly before adding them to the cooker. Before serving, use a thermometer to make sure they're hot enough.
When using beans in recipes, remember that you can't use dry beans in a slow cooker. Dry beans, especially dry red kidney beans, contain a toxin called Phytohaemagglutinin, which can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Soaking and boiling dry beans helps remove this toxin to make beans safe to eat -- in a slow cooker, the temperature never gets hot enough to heat up dry beans sufficiently. If you're using dry beans for your recipe, first soak them for a minimum of 12 hours, rinse them, and then boil them for 10 minutes. Another safe option is to use canned beans, which have been boiled prior to the canning process.
You should use a slow cooker only for cooking -- never for reheating. Any leftovers should be stored in shallow containers and refrigerated within two hours of the meal. To reheat, use another cooking method, such as a stovetop or microwave, to reheat the food to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius).
The slow cookers you'll find at Target and at other national chains offer stainless steel or plain white exteriors, and incorporate programmable features like timers and automatic on and off switches, which make them even easier to use. Almost 80 percent of the slow cookers owned in the United States.
Whenever there's a difficult economy, people turn to cheaper cuts of meat. Cheaper cuts of meat, of course, take time to tenderize. But these days, unlike those in tough economic times of the past, many more households have two breadwinners, making it unlikely that there will be someone home all afternoon to cook.
The slow cooker's reputation, however, has long suffered from its image as the tool of the bored housewife, a machine filled with cheap meat and putatively convenient ingredients like cream of mushroom soup or taco mix.
People with lofty culinary goals may have snubbed them, but most American households own a slow cooker. And those numbers are rising. According to a June 2002 study commissioned by the Betty Crocker Kitchens in Minneapolis, 80.6 percent of United States households have a slow cooker, up from 76.5 percent in 1996.
Sales of slow cookers, said Kelly Lockwood, vice president of global communications and design for the Holmes Group, rank just behind the microwave and toaster oven (neither of which is really suitable for cooking) in sales of countertop food-preparation appliances -- higher, for example, than blenders and way higher than food processors.
Sales of slow cookers slackened in the 1980's, as most people discovered the so-called joys of takeout, prepared and microwaveable foods, but the mid-1990's saw a resurgence, and now there's a veritable boom. Rival alone expects to produce five million Crock-Pots this year.
There are limitations: If you want browned meats, for example, you're going to have to do some skillet work before setting your pot to bubbling. You're probably not going to make dessert in the thing.
What the slow cooker is best for is braising. Its ability to transform cheap cuts of meat with an almost unbelievable lack of input on the part of the cook, the slow cooker is worth the price. A six-quart programmable Rival Crock-Pot sells for roughly $50 or less.
The new slow cookers are not only pretty good looking, they feature innovations designed to make them easier to use. Some machines, for example, will switch on at a preset time, cook for four to six hours on high or eight to 10 hours on low, and then automatically switch to warm. (The difference between high and low is the time it takes for the cooker to bring food to 212 degrees, the ideal simmering temperature; warm is between 140 and 160 degrees.)
Unless you are interested in pushing things to the limit, don't mess around with recipes that have you add pasta or the like to already cooked meat at the last minute (or, in this case, at the last hour); if you want precise timing, switch to the stove top. Don't, of course, add uncooked meat to cooked meat unless it will have a chance to become fully cooked before serving; food prepared in the slow cooker must reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees for at least a minute in order to be safe to eat.
A safe slow cooker, cooks slow enough for unattended cooking, yet fast enough to keep food out of the bacterial danger zone (above 40°F to below 140°F). In the danger zone, bacteria grows very rapidly. Food left in the danger zone too long can cause food borne illness. To determine if a slow cooker is safe to use:
- Fill the slow cooker one-half to two-thirds full of tap water.
- Heat on a low setting for 8 hours with the lid on.
- Check the water temperature with an accurate food thermometer. Do this quickly because the temperature drops 10 - 15 degrees when the lid is raised or removed.
- The temperature of the water should be 185°F. Temperatures below 185°F would indicate the slow cooker does not heat food high enough or fast enough to avoid potential food safety problems; the slow cooker is unsafe and should be replaced.
- Begin with a clean slow cooker, utensils and work area. Wash hands well before and during cooking.
- To prevent foods from sticking and to simplify clean up, spray the inside of the crock with a non-stick cooking spray, before adding ingredients.
- Keep perishable foods refrigerated until preparation time. Refrigeration assures that bacteria, which multiply rapidly at room temperature, will not get a "head start" in the first few hours of slow cooking.
- If you cut up meat and vegetables in advance, store them separately in the refrigerator.
- Thaw frozen meat, poultry, and other ingredients in the refrigerator before adding to the slow cooker. If using a commercially frozen slow cooker meal, prepare according to manufacturer's instructions.
- New research conducted by USDA FSIS indicates it is safe to cook large cuts of meat and poultry in a slow cooker. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and safety guidelines.
- Dried beans, especially kidney, contain a natural toxin. These toxins are easily destroyed by boiling. Safe steps for preparing would include soaking the beans for 12 hours, rinsing, and then boiling for at least 10 minutes, before adding the beans to a slow cooker.
- Preheating the crock before adding ingredients or cooking on the highest setting for the first hour will ensure a rapid heat start. Either will shorten the time foods are in the temperature danger zone.
- When cooking meat or poultry, the water or stock level should almost cover the ingredients to ensure effective heat transfer throughout the crock. Water or liquid is necessary to create steam.
- Since vegetables cook the slowest, place them near the heat, at the bottom and sides of the slow cooker.
- Do not overload the crock. Fill to a minimum of 1/2 full and a maximum of 2/3 full.
- Do not lift the lid or cover unnecessarily during the cooking cycle. Each time the lid is raised, the internal temperature drops 10 – 15 degrees and the cooking process is slowed by 30 minutes.
- Use an accurately calibrated food thermometer to test food doneness. The thermometer should be inserted in the thickest part away from bone. Safe internal temperatures include: Poultry 165°F, Beef, Pork and Lamb 160°F. (USDA FSIS)
- Do not leave cooked food to cool down in the crock. Either consume it immediately or place leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate immediately. It is not recommended or safe to reheat leftovers in a slow cooker. Heat leftovers in the oven, microwave, or stovetop, until it reaches 165°F and then add to a preheated slow cooker. In the slow cooker, food should remain hot for serving, 140°F or above, as measured by a calibrated food thermometer.
- For information or recipes specifically formulated for your slow cooker, consult the manufacturer's owner's guide.
Keep the lid in place, removing it only to stir food or check for doneness. For all-day cooking or for less-tender cuts of meat, use a LOW setting (200°F). If possible, turn the cooker on HIGH (300°F) for the first hour of cooking time and then to LOW (200°F).
Use a food thermometer to make sure foods reach a safe internal temperature:
- Poultry - 165°F.
- Ground Meat - 160°F.
- Beef Roasts - 145-160°F.
- Pork Roasts - 160-170°F.
- Casseroles, stuffing and soups - 165°F .
Store leftovers in shallow, covered containers, and refrigerate within two hours after cooking. Reheating leftovers in a slow cooker is not recommended. Cooked food can be brought to steaming on the stovetop or in a microwave oven and then put into a preheated slow cooker to keep hot for serving.
Cut meat into smaller pieces when cooking with precooked foods such as beans or fruit, or light vegetables such as mushrooms, diced onion, eggplant, or finely minced vegetables. This enables all food to cook at the same rate.
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