The Slow Cooker is an appliance that is revolutionizing the way of cooking. An electric pot that cooks food at low temperatures
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himThe Slow Cooker is an appliance that is revolutionizing the way of cooking. An electric pot that cooks food at low temperatures and consumes like a light bulb
La Slow Cooker it is an electric pot for cooking at low temperatures; what is meant? That the temperature inside the pot never reaches 100 °, the foods cook very slowly, at low temperatures, thus maintaining many of their nutritional and organoleptic properties unaltered. It is no coincidence that in recent years it is having great success and creating real enthusiasts certain that it is not just a "magic" pot, but a real lifestyle, slower, which must be "exposed, cultivated and pampered ".
The cooking temperature of the food is selected manually using the keys on the display: low, medium, high, from 70 to 90 degrees centigrade. Most slow cooker recipes can be made in up to 30 minutes, but many require just 10-15 minutes of active preparation time, then cook for 4 to 8 hours and have dinner ready as soon as you get home.
In short, a real one revolution in the kitchen, especially ideal when you have little time to spend in the stove and the possibility of assembling the ingredients in the morning, at lunchtime or even the night before for the next day using the mode that keeps food hot for hours after cooking .
Index
What is a slow cooker
A slow cooker is an electrical appliance capable of cook food slowly for a period of time, usually 2 to 12 hours. To use a slow cooker, the food is placed in a stoneware insert inside the base of the pot; the heat is distributed both from the bottom and from the sides of the cooking pan. Remember that you should always cook with the lid on so that the heat is trapped inside.
How much does a Slow Cooker consume?
The first question that arises spontaneously when you think about cooking for so many hours with an electrical appliance is, rightly, how much does it consume? Never reaching high temperatures and keeping that reached constant, electricity consumption is very low, comparable to that of an LED bulb when it is in LOW mode. On average it is estimated that it consumes about 200watt per hour and therefore its use does not significantly affect the bills at the end of the month
Online there are various calculations carried out with the various models and cooking intensities that estimate costs ranging from 0 euros to 15 cents per cooking.
How to choose the Slow Cooker?
choose the Slow Cooker the advice is to always consider the members of your family; for example, if you have to cook every day for a family of 4, the advice is a slow cooker of 5 or 6 liters, which is the most used; just think that most of the recipes in circulation are tested in a pot of this size. If you're cooking for one or two people, a small 3-liter slow cooker is fine.
Crock-Pot is certainly one of the first brands to launch this type of pot and it is no coincidence that its products remain among the best Slow Cooker models in circulation, considered the slow cookers par excellence, where design plays a significant role. refined and slightly retro. But now there are several kitchen appliance brands that have launched their models
How to use the Slow Cooker
If you already have the Slow Cooker at home, here are some useful tips to proceed with the creation of your favorite dishes:
- always cook with the lid on as this will ensure that the heat stays in and the cooking temperature is maintained
- never open the pot during the cooking time, unless indicated by the recipe. Each time you open the pot, the heat escapes and the cooking time lengthens by about 30 minutes. You can remove the lid to check if your meal was cooked during the last hour of cooking
- avoid overfilling the container. A general rule of thumb is that it shouldn't be more than 3/4 full. Try filling your pot halfway to help the food cook evenly - the less full it is, the faster it will cook
- always make sure to plug in and turn on the pot only after you have entered all the ingredients.
How to place the ingredients
When place the ingredients in the Slow Cooker put the toughest vegetables and root vegetables first; that way, they will be on the bottom and closer to the heat source. More delicate and tender foods, such as broccoli, should go on top.
Some recipes call for ingredients with fast cooking times, such as pasta, to be added towards the end of the cooking time. Others require thickening a sauce on the high setting after the rest of the cooking is done. If a recipe says to cook at maximum power for 10 minutes, for example to cook pasta or thicken a sauce, the actual cooking time will depend on your pot and also on the initial cooking setting: if you switch from low to high, it will take longer to reach maximum heat.
Le USDA food safety guidelines for slow cookers they claim to always defrost frozen foods before putting them in the Slow Cooker. The reason? A slow cooker heats slowly, frozen products can remain in a temperature range that allows bacteria to grow and proliferate.
After cooking, you can set to keep the food warm, this setting is designed to keep the food at a safe temperature until consumption.
To see if your Slow Cooker is working properly you can perform this simple test:
- fill the pot halfway with cold water
- turn on low and cook the water for 8 hours on low level (do not remove the lid)
- after 8 hours, remove the lid and immediately check the water temperature using an instant reading thermometer
- water should be 85 °; if the water temperature is lower, the pan may not heat up properly. If the water is warmer than 85 degrees, your slow cooker may cook at a warmer than average temperature, so you may need to cut the cooking time a bit in recipes.
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Advantages and disadvantages
Using the Slow Cooker has many advantages:
- i foods do not burn, they remain soft, tender and you can also prepare dishes that require more preparation time
- the Slow Cooker is ideal for those who have little time to devote to the stove, in fact, once you have put all the ingredients in the pot, just press the power button and wait for it to finish cooking
- foods can also be prepared a long time before eating them because there is the option that allows you to keep cooked food warm
- as regards consumption, keep the Slow Cooker on, even for an entire afternoon, consuma less than an LED bulb.
Unique disadvantage it can be made up of dimensions, because it is a fairly bulky appliance as it includes three parts: the part that heats, the lid and the ceramic container where to place the food; therefore, if you have little space in the kitchen it can be inconvenient to use it.
Freeze cooked food with the Slow Cooker
Many foods cooked in the Slow Cooker can be safely frozen after cooking; an example are soups and pasta dishes.
Of course, it's a good idea to let foods cool completely before freezing them and fill the container almost to the brim to minimize exposure to air. Always remember to consume everything within three months of freezing.
Cooking with the Slow Cooker
cooking with the Slow Cooker and enhance the flavor of your dishes you can sauté the vegetables on the stove or use a sautéed onion and fresh garlic, to be added later to your slow cooker. Another tip is to let the food rest after cooking, for about 5-10 minutes.
Always use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of your food; to give more flavor to the dishes you can also add fresh citrus (zest or juice) ed herbs that revive the flavor of slow-cooked foods. The extra advice is to add them after cooking to preserve their flavor, other herbs such as rosemary and thyme, on the other hand, can also be added before cooking.
Taking care of the Slow Cooker
It is important to take care of the Slow Cooker as it is a fairly delicate appliance; here are some tips:
- metal utensils can scratch the ceramic or stoneware insert, the ideal is to use a wooden or silicone spoon.
- when you are done eating, transfer the leftovers to a container and immediately rinse the pot insert with hot water and then fill it with more warm, soapy water. Let it sit for a few minutes and it will wash off easily
- Slow Cooker Liners are an affordable option for those who find it difficult to wash the Slow Cooker
- stoneware inserts can break if exposed to sudden changes in temperature
- do not refrigerate the insert before use or fill it with cold water immediately after cooking.
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