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HINTS AND TIPS (CONT.)
• Ground and/or dried herbs and spices work well in slow cooking
and may be added at the beginning.
• The flavor power of all herbs and spices can vary greatly
depending on their particular strength and shelf life. Use herbs
sparingly, taste at end of cook cycle and adjust seasonings just
before serving.
MILK
• Milk, cream, and sour cream break down during extended
cooking. When possible, add during the last 15 to 30 minutes of
cooking.
• Condensed soups may be substituted for milk and can cook for
extended times.
SOUPS
• Some soup recipes call for large amounts of water. Add other
soup ingredients to the slow cooker first then add water only to
cover. If thinner soup is desired, add more liquid at serving time.
MEATS
• Trim fat, rinse well, and pat meat dry with paper towels.
• Browning meat in a separate skillet or broiler allows fat to be
drained off before slow cooking and also adds greater depth of
flavor.
• Meat should be positioned so that it rests in the stoneware
without touching the lid.
• For smaller or larger cuts of meat, alter the amount of vegetables
or potatoes so that the stoneware is always ½ to ¾ full.
• The size of the meat and the recommended cook times are
just estimates and can vary depending upon the specific cut,
type, and bone structure. Lean meats such as chicken or pork
tenderloin tend to cook faster than meats with more connective
tissue and fat such as beef chuck or pork shoulder. Cooking
meat on the bone versus boneless will increase required cook
times.
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HINTS AND TIPS
PASTA AND RICE
• For best rice results, use long grain converted rice or a specialty
rice as the recipe suggests. If the rice is not cooked completely
after the suggested time, add an extra 1 to 1½ cups of liquid
per cup of cooked rice and continue cooking for 20 to 30
minutes.
• For best pasta results, first partially cook the pasta in a pot of
boiling water until just tender. Add the pasta to the Crock-Pot
®
slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cook time.
BEANS
• Beans must be softened completely before combining with
sugar and/or acidic foods. Sugar and acid have a hardening
effect on beans and will prevent softening.
• Dried beans, especially red kidney beans, should be boiled
before adding to a recipe.
• Fully cooked canned beans may be used as a substitute for dried
beans.
VEGETABLES
• Many vegetables benefit from slow cooking and are able to develop
their full flavor. They tend not to overcook in your slow cooker as
they might in your oven or on your stovetop.
• When cooking recipes with vegetables and meat, place
vegetables in slow cooker before meat. Vegetables usually cook
slower than meat in the slow cooker.
• Place vegetables near the sides or bottom of the stoneware to
facilitate cooking.
HERBS AND SPICES
• Fresh herbs add flavor and color, but should be added at the
end of the cooking cycle as the flavor will dissipate over long
cook times.
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