Getting Started

While all ovens set to 350 degrees will perform the same (assuming all the ovens are properly calibrated), heating varies tremendously among slow cookers. We tested more than a dozen models and prepared every recipe in this book in at least three different models. Here’s what you need to know.

 

GET TO KNOW YOUR SLOW COOKER

Some models run hot and fast, while others heat more slowly and gently. Most models perform best on low, but again it’s hard to make blanket statements that will apply to all slow cookers. In our testing, we have found that some slow cookers run hot or cool on just one of the settings (either low or high). This is where the cook’s experience comes into play. If you have been using a slow cooker for some time, ask yourself if recipes are generally done at the low or high end of the cooking times provided in recipes. The answer should tell you whether you have a “fast” slow cooker or a “slow” model. If you are just getting started with your slow cooker, check all recipes at the beginning of the time range but allow some extra time to cook food longer if necessary.

 

HOW TO USE TIME RANGES

Through extensive testing using multiple brands of slow cookers, the test kitchen found that we could narrow the window of doneness, which is normally 2 hours or more in slow-cooker recipes, to just an hour, giving you a better expectation of when your food will be done or when you should be home to start checking. We found that this 1-hour time frame worked for all the models we tested. It is especially helpful to have a narrower range when cooking fish or lean meats, which are less forgiving than stews and braises.

 

MATCHING RECIPES TO SLOW-COOKER SIZES

Slow cookers come in a variety of sizes, from the ridiculously small (1 quart) to the very big (7 quarts or more). In general, we like 6-quart models. That said, we tested our recipes in slow cookers of different sizes. Each recipe in this book lists the size range that will work for that particular recipe. Note that some recipes must be made in a large slow cooker (at least 5½ quarts) or you run the risk of overfilling the insert. In some cases, we found that the cooking times and methods varied depending on whether we used a small or large slow cooker, so we included these variations in the recipes. If you don’t know the size of your slow cooker, check the underside of the insert (which is usually stamped with the size), or simply measure how much water it takes to fill the insert to just above the lip.

 

KEEPING FOOD SAFE

For safety reasons, the internal temperature of meat and poultry should reach 140 degrees (the temperature at which bacteria cannot grow) by the 2-hour mark in the cooking time. When you first start using your slow cooker, we suggest that you check the temperature of meat or chicken at this stage to be sure this is happening. If your food doesn’t reach this safety zone when cooking on low, you might be able to solve the problem by using the high setting. Note that putting frozen meat or other frozen food into any slow cooker is dangerous as it will dramatically increase the amount of time it takes your food to reach this safe zone.