Tips

• Ingredients can be prepared the night before and refrigerated in the stoneware bowl. In the morning, simply place bowl in heating base and turn on to desired setting to cook.

 Space Saver

• Like a coffee maker, slow cookers can be plugged into any socket in a safe spot to save a little more kitchen space. It is also electrically economical. It requires less energy to cook the same recipe in a slow cooker than on the stove or in the oven.

Ingredients

• The slow cooker does not brown the meat. If you prefer the look and taste of browned meat, quickly stir-fry it before adding to the slow cooker.
• Use less tender cuts of meat such as stewing beef, shank, blade or brisket, as they won't dry out with this moist heat method of cooking.
• Cut veggies into same-size pieces so they cook evenly.
• If using frozen veggies, add 30 minutes before serving.
• Root vegetables take longer to cook than meat, so place vegetables on the bottom and meat on top.
• It is best to use fresh or whole herbs and spices in the slow cooker due to the long cooking time. Ground spices and herbs tend to lose their flavour.

General

• To convert a traditional recipe into a slow cooker one, reduce the liquid by 50 percent and increase the cooking time (1 hour in the oven equals about 6 to 8 hours on LOW in the slow cooker).
• Taking the lid off your slow cooker, even just to give it a quick stir, drastically reduces the heat and extends the cooking time. Only lift the lid if instructed to do so in the recipe.
• Meat reaches temperatures of up to 90°C in the slow cooker and is therefore a perfectly safe method of cooking. Be sure to follow the temperature and time specified in the recipe.
• A slow cooker should never be pre-heated. Simply put the stoneware container in the slow cooker base, cover and set the temperature.
• To speed the cleanup, spray the inside of the slow cooker with no stick cooking spray before filling with ingredients.
• Do not add cold water to slow cooker immediately after use as this could cause it to crack. Either add warm soapy water or let the slow cooker reach room temperature before cleaning.