Getting acquainted

If you want to eat well and make no effort to do so, there are two possible solutions: go to a restaurant or believe in miracles! The first solution is not very practical, and the second one is unusual. Between the two is the slow cooker. It won’t do all the work for you, but it will do most of it, as long as you start the cooking process properly

The secret to flavourful dishes: take the time to brown the meat and the vegetables before placing them in the slow cooker. Colouring the ingredients in this way involves what is called the Maillard reaction, which enhances all the flavours. As meat cannot brown in a slow cooker, this step is essential to almost every recipe if you want to obtain a wonderfully delicious dish that is never boring.

Cooking time may vary depending on the power of your appliance, the size of the ingredients used, and the starting temperature of the food. So you should learn how to use your slow cooker and adapt these recipes according to its power. If your slow cooker cooks a little faster or a little slower than average, adjust the cooking time—especially for recipes like pudding cakes, brownies, steamed salmon, and omelettes. The more often you use your slow cooker, the better the results.

POWER TEST You can do the following test to become familiar with your slow cooker’s power level. Fill it three-quarters full with water, cover with the lid, and warm it on low for 4 hours. The water temperature should then be between 90 and 95°C (195 and 205°F). If the temperature is higher, then you will know that your slow cooker is quicker than average, and you can adjust the suggested cooking time accordingly. If, however, the temperature is lower than 90°C, your cooking time will be longer than the recipes suggest.

SAFE THE SLOW COOKER IS NOT A FIRE HAZARD AND DOES NOT CAUSE FOOD CONTAMINATION. THE DANGER ZONE FOR BACTERIA DEVELOPMENT IS BETWEEN 4 AND 60°C (40 AND 140°F); HOWEVER, SLOW COOKERS REACH TEMPERATURES HIGH ENOUGH TO DESTROY BACTERIA. WHEN THE APPLIANCE IS ON LOW, FOOD TEMPERATURE REACHES ABOUT 90°C (200°F), JUST UNDER THE POINT AT WHICH WATER BOILS. EVEN WHEN THE APPLIANCE IS SET TO WARM, THE INSIDE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE THE DANGER ZONE AT ABOUT 74°C (165°F). IT IS BEST NOT TO LIFT THE LID TOO OFTEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN COOKING ON LOW, BECAUSE A GOOD DEAL OF HEAT IS LOST EACH TIME AND THE SLOW COOKER CAN TAKE UP TO 20 MINUTES TO GET BACK TO THE DESIRED TEMPERATURE.