Slow and Steady

Slowe & Stady HOW TO FIND SUCCESS WITH YOUR SLOW COOKER COOKING GUIDE For speeding up or slowing down the cooking process, reference this helpful chart BIMMER COw HIGH SETTINGS: HIGH GUIDELINES: Use setting when pressed for time RECIPES: Soups, Casseroles, Puddings, Stewed Fruits TEMP: 212° F (100° C) SIMMER LOW SETTINGS: LOW GUIDELINES: Standard slow cooker temperature. Ideal forrecipes that are prepared in the morning and served at the end of the day RECIPES: Braised Foods, Roasts, Stews, Ribs, Shanks, Chops, Less Tender Cuts of Meats, Soups TEMP: 200° F (93° C) SINMER LOW HIGH SETTINGS: SIMMER GUIDELINES: Allows flavors to blend and intensify with a longer cooking time RECIPES: Soups, Stews, Stocks TEMP: 185° F (85° C) GIMMER LOW WARM HIGH SETTINGS: WARM GUIDELINES: Do not use this setting to cook food. Intended only for keeping food warm RECIPES: None TEMP: 165° F (74° C) NOTE: The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that when cooking in a slow cooker, food should reach 140 F° within 3 Hours HOW TO HACK YOUR SLOW COOKER Tricks to make your slow cooker easier and more useful Line slow cooker's insert with aluminum foil Icook more ev Makes slow cooker easier to clean For quick prep in the morning, put all ingredients in the insert the night before and refrigerate Bring to room temp before slow cooking LOW Defrost ingredients before adding them to insert Frozen foods won't come to temperature quickly enough, which creates a risk of bacteria growth. Most dishes come out best on the low setting PREP HACKS Fill halfway to two-thirds full for best results To avoid a greasy dish, trim fat before cooking Remove skin from chicken Cut veggies uniformly for even cooking Double boiler Fill insert half way with water Add the ingredients into a bowl, set bowl in water • This will slow down the cooking, perfect for overnight recipes Steamer • Build a platform in the insert; try using lemongrass stalks stacked on top of one another • Place food for steaming on top of the platform • Fill insert with water until just under the top of the lemongrass rack; start steaming COOKING HACKS Poach a chicken • Place the chicken into the insert on top of some herbs • Fill the insert with water so that the chicken is covered • Cook for 2-3 hours Best meats for a slow cooker Worst meats for a slow cooker Add these toward the end of cooking: Brisket Pork • Lamb shoulder Short ribs • Lamb shanks Chuck roasts • Chicken thighs Soft veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, and tomatoes • Quick-cooking seafood Pasta Rice Dairy Leaner cuts Chicken breast • Pork tenderloin It takes 20 to 30 minutes for your dish to get back up to cooking temperature when you remove the lid. Spin lid to remove condensation and look through glass CLEAN YOUR SLOW COOKER FAST Step 1 Fill slow cooker with water until level is just above leftover food line Step 2 Add 1 Cup of distilled white vinegar for a 6-quart cooker, or ½ cup for a 3-quart cooker Step 3 Slowly add 1 cup baking soda for a 6-quart cooker, or 2 cup for a 3 quart. Let the bubbles die down, and then add a bit more Step 4 Turn slow cooker to low setting; cover and set a timer for an hour. When the hour is up, remove the lid. Scrub the entire inside with a scrub brush For dirtier pots, you can set it for up to 4 hours Step 5 Put the lid back on and repeat for another hour. Repeat until 4 hours have passed Step 6 Let it cool for 1 hour, then empty into the sink. Clean it awith hot soapy water and light scrubbing. Dry Nothing beats coming home from work to the aroma of a freshly cooked stew wafting through your house. Learn how to become an expert slow cooker with these tips. Brought to you by: In Partnership with: P PartSelect GHERGICH&Co. allfreeslowcookerrecipes.com cuisinart.com blog.bedbathandbeyond.com lifeshouldcostless.com huffingtonpost.com