5
This helps to lock in the juices and improves the colour of cooked food.
5. When adding liquid or stock to the Slow Cooker, use warm (not boiling)
liquid as this will reduce the heating time.
6. Resist the temptation to view the food by lifting the glass lid. This will break
the condensation seal around the lip of the bowl, releasing heat, and the
seal will take some time to form again. Each time you lift the lid, you add
another 20 minutes (approximately) to the cooking time.
7. Ensure that the food or liquid comes up to at least half way against the
walls of the bowl.
8. When braising meat or vegetables in liquid (for example pot roasting),
ensure that the liquid only just covers the food.
9. Be conservative when adding strongly flavoured herbs and spices. The slow
cooking process retains most flavours and makes the taste very
concentrated.
10. Please note that the ceramic bowl and the heating element surface will be
hot during and after cooking. Therefore, ensure that you use oven gloves
when handling the ceramic bowl and ensure the heating element surface
does not come into contact with any skin. To avoid skin burns, allow the
bowl and the heating element to cool down completely.
11. If you need to speed up the cooking process, remember that cooking the
food on HIGH rather than LOW will generally halve the recommended
cooking time.
12. The juices from the meat and vegetables will thin the sauce during cooking,
therefore, start with a thicker sauce than in conventional cooking.
Alternatively turn the appliance to HIGH and stir in a mixture of corn flour
and water 30 minutes before the cooking time is completed. Stir
continuously until thickened. Take care to avoid steam burns when doing
this.
13. Remember that the longest cooking ingredients such as carrots, potatoes
and dried beans will dictate the minimum cooking time required.
14. Ensure that there is enough liquid when cooking in the Slow Cooker, just as
you would when cooking a regular stew. Never cook with only dry
ingredients.
