Top Tips For Slow Cooking

Here are some tips I have gotten from my email through a group I am in. Now, myself, I love to use my slow cooker or crock pot. Which ever you want to call it. It has come in handy more times than I can count.

So, here's teh tips :

Choose less tender cuts: Pork shoulder, chuck roast and other tough cuts of meat are great for slow cooking They are also usually less expensive. Skim the fat from the cooking liquid when done.

Avoid fish and seafood: These tender proteins are not a good fit for slow cooking unless they are added in the last hour.

Skip ground meat: It can develop a mealy texture while cooking .

Prep the night before: Premeasure ingredients, precut vegetables, mix liquids and seasonings and trim meats in advance (just save any browning until the next day).

Refrigerate ingredients separately in bowls or zip lock bags. Then in the morning all you have to do is toss in the ingredients and flip the switch on the slow cooker.

Season carefully: Slow cooking intensifies flavorful seasonings such as chili powder and garlic so use them sparingly. Dried herbs on the other hand may lessen in flavor.

Adjust seasonings at the end of cooking.

Brown first: For a richer flavor, sprinkle meats with flour and brown in a skillet before slow cooking. Scrape up any browned bits in the skillet and add them to the slow cooker as well. Look for the new Crock-Pot Versaware Slow Cooker, the ceramic dish can be used right in your stove top, so there is no need for a separate skillet.

Line your bowl: To make clean up easier, try using slow cooker liners which can be picked up at the supermarket.

Don't overfill: For even cooking, your slow cooker should be filled at least halfway but never to the brim.

Resist the temptation to stir: Meat and vegetables may break up if you mix them as they cook. Plus you will lose heat each time you open the lid.

Thicken it up: If your finished dish is too liquidy, remove solids from the slow cooker with a slotted spoon and keep them warm. Turn slow cooker temp to high, cook remaining liquid, uncovered, until it thickens.