Slow Cooker to the Rescue

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You want to cook more meals yourself, rather than relying on
eating out, takeout, or just popping a frozen box
dinner into the microwave. The problem is you don't have
that much time, and quite frankly, you're kind of tired after
working all day and you don't feel like laboring away in the
kitchen to put a hearty and nutritious home cooked meal on
the table. So what's a person to do?
Slow Cooker to the Rescue

Enter the slow cooker, otherwise known as the crockpot (which
is an actual brand name, but is often used generically for all
slow cookers). With this seemingly magical little device, you
can do some minimal prep work with your ingredients, and get
outstanding results with practically no effort and a little
time. Because of the low wattage involved, slow cookers can be
used while you are away from home (e.g. at work) and have a
meal ready for you when you return. If you don't use your slow
cooker (or want to use it more), or don't have one, listen on
for everything you ever want to know about this underrated
kitchen appliance. Afterwards I'll share some resources to get
you started with a ton of slow cooker recipes.
What is a slow cooker, and how does it
work?

Simply put, a slow cooker is an appliance that consists of a
heating element, an insert (or crock) made of ceramic or
porcelain, and a lid. The function of a slow cooker is to cook
food at a low, steady temperature. It does this much better
than pretty much anything else in your kitchen. Because of the
low wattage involved you can safely leave your slow cooker
plugged in and working while you are out of the house.


 
Varieties of Slow Cookers

Slow cookers come in an endless variety of shapes and sizes,
and features. Here are four from Rival Crock-Pot that show the
range of what is available (even more expensive models exist,
though I'm not sure they deliver as much value for the
cost):
Crock-Pot SCR300SS 3-Quart Round Manual Slow Cooker, Stainless
Steel
Crock-Pot SCCPVL600S Cook' N Carry 6-Quart Oval Manual Portable
Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel
Crock-Pot SCCPVL610-S Programmable Cook and Carry Oval Slow
Cooker
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow
Cooker, Stainless Steel
Slow Cooker Recipes

Here are resources to get you started off with a ton of slow
cooker recipes!


50 Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes!


Overnight Oatmeal Recipe


Allrecipes.com Slow Cooker Recipes


100 Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes


Southern Living Slow Cooker Recipes


 
Tips for getting the most out of your slow
cooker

- Prep your slow cooker ingredients ahead of time (not
necessarily the night before--think a few days ahead), and keep
in fridge or in ziploc bags until ready to drop in the crock.


- If you don't have time or don't want to hassle with sauteeing
your aromatics (onion, garlic, etc) you can cut them up and put
them in a bowl with some oil. Microwave for a few minutes,
then toss into the crockpot!


- Cheaper cuts of meat, with bone in, are better for the slow
cooker. Lean meats, light meat chicken, and fish...not so much.


- Don't put frozen meat directly into the crockpot. It will
take longer to come to a safe temperature (and the texture
might be a little off as well).


- Don't overfill your slow cooker--you need to leave room for
heat to circulate so everything makes it to proper temperature.


- Don't open that lid too often - Every time you open the lid
of the slow cooker a ton of heat escapes. You need to add about
20 minutes of cooking time on to the recipe for every time to
open the lid!


- Use less liquid than a recipe calls for (unless the recipe is
specifically designed for a crockpot). Because your slow cooker
will do most of its work with a lid on, moisture will not have
a chance to escape and will therefore remain in the crock.


- When you slow cook food for an extended period of time, all
the flavors begin to meld together. Adding something to the
finished dish can be just the trick (olive oil, parmesan
cheese, lemon juice, vinegar, sauted garlic, fresh herbs,
ginger, dash of wine, can all be great finishing touches to
help your flavors pop).


 
There are a few things that slow cookers can't do,
or don't do very well

Because of the low temperatures involved, slow cookers
generally aren't good at rapidly cooking food


Slow cookers won't end up browning any meat you cook in them.
If you want browned meat, you'll need to do that separately
before you put it in the crock.


Seafood and dairy products generally don't fare too well with
slow cooking. If you are using them, add them late in the
cooking process and watch their progress closely.
The care and feeding of your slow
cooker

Don't store cooked food in the crockpot insert.


Don't put a cold crock into a hot base (or vice versa), as it
could cause the insert to crack.


Wash your insert by hand. Consider investing in crockpot liners
to facilitate cleanup it it's a problem.


Periodically inspect the slow cooker cord to ensure it's in
good shape and doesn't pose a fire hazard.