How to Adapt Almost Any Dish for the Slow Cooker

Nov 12, 2011 by admin

Preparing meals in the slow cooker is one of the best ways to save time in the kitchen, and it’s very energy efficient as well. It’s also great for cuts of meat that don’t tend to cook up tender in the oven or on the stove top. Slow cookers are particularly popular at this time of year as they are perfectly suited for chili, soups, stews and other types of food that are often associated with cold weather. Even though the slow cooker is fantastic for the foods mentioned above, it can really be utilized all year long just by following several easy steps.

The first step to remember is to layer your ingredients. Anytime a recipe contains root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, turnips or parsnips they need to be cut into pieces as close to the same size as possible and placed in the bottom of the cooker and the meat should be placed on top of them.

Step two is to adjust the cooking time. If a recipe instructs you to cook the dish for 2 to 4 hours on the stove top or in the oven then the required time in a slow cooker will be 4 to 6 hours on high or 7 to 9 hours on low. All slow cookers heat at slightly different levels so if you’re not accustomed to your cooker make sure to keep an eye on the food while its cooks. Don’t remove the lid however, as this will disturb the cooking process.

Step three is to use a light touch with seasonings. Begin with a moderate amount added prior to cooking and plan on adding fresh herbs if necessary once cooking is complete. Hot spices and other varieties that possess a strong flavor have a tendency to become more potent when exposed to slow cooking so it’s best to use them sparingly. Additional dried spice can be added close to the end of cooking, but make sure to cook the dish for at least five minutes before serving. This is especially true for Italian slow cooker rcipes that use oregano and marjoram.

Step four is to use less liquid. Because liquid doesn’t cook away or evaporate in the slow cooker as quickly as it does in the oven or on the stove top it’s important to use an appropriate amount. Around a half-cup of stock, wine, or water is generally enough to create steam and start the cooking process. When you’re preparing a soup or some thinner types of stew you’ll want to fill the cooker two-thirds full. Place the dry ingredients in first and then add the desired amount of liquid.

These tips are extremely simple, and hopefully easy to remember so that you can use them often to prepare your favorite meals in the handy and energy efficient slow cooker.

This is a guest post from Mary Stansel, who contributes for Stocking Fillers.