7 Tips For Using Your Slow Cooker

7 Tips For Using Your Slow Cooker
Lynn Tryba
Slow Cooker

Wouldn't it be great to come home from a hectic day and find a warm dinner waiting for you? No, you don't need a personal chef for this to happen—just a slow cooker.

Here are our top seven tips to slow cooking:

  1. The warm setting on a slow cooker should not be used for cooking. Use it when you wish to maintain a cooked food’s temperature until it’s ready to be served.
  2. The LOW setting is for a long, all-day cooking time. If you wish to speed things up, use the HIGH setting; it should take about half the time.
  3. Never put the slow cooker hot insert under cold water. It can cause it to break. Never use abrasives or chemicals to clean a slow cooker. These can damage surfaces. 
  4. Inexpensive and tough cuts of meat become tender when cooked in a slow cooker. 
  5. The best dishes for a slow cooker are chilis, stews, punches, soups, sauces, and beans. 
  6. Some dishes can handle extra cook time in the slow cooker, but others can’t. So try to be home when a slow cooker dish is nearing its final cook time. 
  7. Electric slow cookers range from cute, homey models to sleek, stainless varieties in 1- to 8-quart capacities. Many find the 4-quart pots to be the most useful. 

 

Sources

Slow & Easy: Fast-Fix Recipes for Your Electric Slow Cooker by Natalie Haughton ($22.95, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2008)

Family Slow Cooker Cookbook ($14.95, Hearst, 2012)

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Contributor
The Taste for Life Staff
Tags
slow cooker
kitchen / cooking

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Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup
Prep Time
20 minutes
Number of Servings
4
Ingredients
  • 1 c boiling water 
  • [q:1/2] c dried shiitake mushrooms 
  • 1 onion, diced 
  • 1 c diced baby carrots 
  • 1 c wild rice, rinsed 
  • 6 c low-sodium vegetable broth 
Directions
  1. In a saucepan, combine water and mushrooms. Cover, and let mushrooms sit for 15 minutes, before draining and placing mushrooms into the insert of a 4-quart slow cooker.
  2. Add onion, carrots, and rice. Pour in broth.
  3. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours, or on High for about [q:3 1/2] hours.
Nutrition Info
Per serving: 305 Calories, 11 g Protein, 60 g Carbohydrates, 6 g Fiber, 4 g Total fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono, 1 g poly), 178 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin A, Manganese, [nutrition:2] Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B3 (niacin), Magnesium, Phosphorus, [nutrition:1] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), B6, Selenium

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned Beef and Cabbage
Number of Servings
Serves 6
Ingredients
  • Lean cut of brisket, approximately 3 lbs
  • 1 head of green cabbage, quartered into wedges
  • 6 large red potatoes, quartered
  • 6 large carrots, unpeeled and cut into large pieces
  • 2 medium white onions, quartered
  • 1 tsp of onion powder
  • 1 tsp of garlic powder
  • 1 bay leaf, torn
  • 2 Tbsp yellow mustard
  • [q:1/3] cup brown sugar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
  1. Rinse brisket in cold water and pat dry.
  2. Place brisket in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  3. Cover brisket with mustard.
  4. Place potatoes, carrots and onions on top of brisket.
  5. Season with onion powder, garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
  6. Mix brown sugar with 1 cup of cold water and pour over brisket and vegetables.
  7. Add cold water to just below the top of vegetables.
  8. Cook on low for 8 hours.
  9. Place cabbage on the top of vegetables.
  10. Cook for another 2 hours.
Nutrition Info
646 Calories, 55 g Protein, 141 mg Cholesterol, 68 g Carbohydrates, 21 g Total sugars (8 g Added sugars), 11 g Fiber, 18 g Total fat (6 g sat), 550 mg Sodium, [nut:5] Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B3 (niacin), Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, [nut:4] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Iron, [nut:3] Folate, Magnesium, [nut:1] Calcium

Stuffed Cinnamon Apples

Stuffed Cinnamon Apples
with Walnuts and Raisins
Prep Time
15 minutes
Number of Servings
4
Ingredients
  • [q:1/3] cup chopped walnuts
  • [q:1/4] cup golden raisins
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 4 apples (Golden Delicious, Jonagold, or Rome Beauty work best)
  • [q:1/2] cup apple juice or apple cider
Directions
  1. Combine walnuts, raisins, honey, and cinnamon in a small bowl. 
  2. Core apples from their tops, leaving the bottom portions of the apples intact (so walnut-raisin mixture will not fall out).*
  3. Stuff each apple with the walnut-raisin mixture. Drizzle juice over apples.
  4. Place apples in a 3-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours or High for 4 hours, until apples are tender.
Nutrition Info
195 Calories, 3 g Protein, 36 g Carbohydrates, 5 g Fiber, 7 g Total fat (2 g mono, 4 g poly), 5 mg Sodium, [nutrition:3] Manganese, [nutrition:2] of Vitamin C, [nutrition:1] Copper

Hot Brown Rice Cereal with Dried Fruit

Hot Brown Rice Cereal with Dried Fruit
Prep Time
10 minutes, 8 hours slow cooking
Number of Servings
8
Ingredients
  • [q:3 3/4]  cup water
  • 1 cup Japanese medium-grain brown rice
  • [q:1/2] cup natural applesauce
  • [q:1/4] cup dried cranberries
  • [q:1/4] cup chopped dried apricots
  • 2 Tbsp dried currants
  • 2 Tbsp real maple syrup or honey
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • [q:1/2] tsp ground cinnamon or ground cardamom
  • [q:1/4] tsp kosher salt
  • [q:1/8] teaspoon ground ginger
  • Toasted almonds or walnuts (optional)
  • Light cream (optional)
Directions
  1. Stir together all ingredients except nuts and cream in slow cooker crock. Cover and cook 1 hour on LOW (or 30 minutes on HIGH). Stir and then cover and cook an additional 7 hours on LOW (or 3 to 3 [q:1/2] hours on HIGH).
  2. Stir cereal well before serving. Garnish cereal with nuts and a touch of cream, if desired.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Number of Servings
Serves 4
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs bottom round, well-trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • [q:1/2] cup all-purpose flour
  • [q:1/4] cup olive oil (plus more if needed)
  • 1 large onions, diced (2 cups)
  • 1 6 oz can tomato paste
  • [q:1/2] pound potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup baby carrots
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
Directions
  1. Coat the beef in the flour. Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat, a few pieces at a time, adding more oil as necessary.
  2. Transfer to the slow cooker.
  3. Add the onions and celery to the skillet and cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and coat the onions and celery; transfer to the slow cooker.
  4. Pour the water into the skillet and scrape. Add mixture to the slow cooker.
  5. Stir the potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, thyme, and bay leaf in to the slow cooker.
  6. Cover and cook on low heat for [q:7 1/2] hours, or on high for 4 hours. Add the peas and heat through.
Nutrition Info
606 Calories, 56 g Protein, 143 mg Cholesterol, 42 g Carbohydrates, 11 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 6 g Fiber, 25 g Total fat (6 g sat), 1,269 mg Sodium, [nut:5] Vitamin B3 (niacin), Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Phosphorus, Zinc, [nut4] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Iron, Potassium, [nut:3] Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, [nut:2] Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin K, Magnesium, [nut:1] Calcium, Folate

Slow Cooked Curry Chicken

Slow Cooked Curry Chicken
Number of Servings
Serves 4
Ingredients
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - diced
  • [q:1/2] cup chopped carrot
  • [q:1/3] cup raisins
  • 1 shallot, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 thin slices of fresh ginger root
  • 2 cloves garlic - crushed
  • [q:1/2] tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • [q:1/2] tsp whole cloves
  • [q:3/4] cup chicken stock
  • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper
  • jasmine rice - cooked separately
Directions
  1. Rinse, dry, and season the chicken with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the chicken to lightly brown, about 3 minutes per side.
  3. Transfer chicken to slow cooker and top with carrots, raisins, and shallots.
  4. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl, whisk to combine and pour over chicken.
  5. Turn slow cooker to High and cook for 3 to [q:3 1/2] hours.
  6. Serve over jasmine rice.
Nutrition Info
With [q:1/2] cup rice each: 551 Calories, 66 g Protein, 199 mg Cholesterol, 42 g Carbohydrates, 10 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 3 g Fiber, 12 g Total fat (2 g sat), 449 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin B3 (niacin), Vitamin B6, Phosphorus, [nutrition:4] Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), [nutrition:3] Magnesium, [nutrition:2] Vitamin B12, Potassium, Zinc, [nutrition:1] Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Folate, Iron

Cranberry Vanilla Quinoa

Cranberry Vanilla Quinoa
Prep Time
5 minutes (6-8 hours slow cook time)
Number of Servings
2
Ingredients
  • [q:1 1/2] cups quinoa 
  • [q:2 1/2] cups vanilla-flavored almond milk, plus more as needed
  • [q:1/4] cup dried cranberries
  • [q:1/2] cup unsweetened applesauce
  • [q:1/2] tsp vanilla extract (or scrape [q:1/4] tsp vanilla paste from a split whole vanilla bean
  • [q:1/8] tsp stevia (optional)
  • Slivered almonds, for serving
Directions
  1. The night before: Rinse quinoa in a mesh strainer to remove bitter coating.
  2. Oil crock of your slow cooker.
  3. Combine quinoa, milk, cranberries, applesauce, vanilla, and stevia in slow cooker.
  4. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
  5. In the morning: Stir quinoa, and taste and adjust seasonings, or add more liquid. Top with slivered almonds.

Caramel Rice Pudding

Caramel Rice Pudding
Have a serving of comfort
Number of Servings
Serves 10
Ingredients
  • 3 cups cooked white rice
  • [q:1/2] cup raisins
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • 12 ounces evaporated milk
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Directions
  1. Grease the inside of a 2 to [q:3 1/2] quart slow cooker.
  2. Mix all ingredients except sugar and cinnamon in cooker.
  3. Cover and cook on low heat setting 3 to 4 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Stir pudding.
  4. Sprinkle pudding with sugar and cinnamon and serve warm.
Nutrition Info
412 Calories, 10 g Protein, 23 mg Cholesterol, 79 g Carbohydrates, 31 g Total sugars (1 g Added sugars), 0 g Fiber, 6 g Total fat (4 g sat), 89 mg Sodium, [nutrition:3] Phosphorus, [nutrition:2] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), [nutrition:1] Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Magnesium, Zinc
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