If you have a slow cooker, you NEED to know these hints and tips for successful, delicious slow-cooked meals. Step this way to put your best-slow-cooked meal forward!
Some of us might not even be that great at operating our slow cooker appliance which means it mostly gathers dust on a shelf or is pushed into the darkness of the back of a cupboard. Or that could be just me.
So listen up, these slow cooker hints, tips and hacks are going to be GAMECHANGERS to your cooking game. Get ready to cook slooooooowly.
15 slow cooker tips to lift your cooking game
[mc_block_title custom_title=”1. Find your fit!”]
It’s SUPER important to use the right size slow cooker for your recipe. Your slow cooker should be half to two-thirds full when using. If you find that you’re constantly filling it to the top, it’s time to buy a bigger one!
[mc_block_title custom_title=”2. Prep it the night before”]
It’s a fact that sometimes things can take a LONG time to cook in the slow cooker, so you need to have your skates on in the morning to set it up. And I for one, often don’t.
SO prep it the night before (for things you can ie. a roast), putting the whole slow cooker pot in the fridge for the morning.
You DO need to let it come back to room temperature before cooking so get it out first thing, even before your coffee! Dinner is done!
[mc_block_title custom_title=”3. Use cheaper cuts of meat”]
It’s true – generally, the cheaper cuts have a lot more fat in them which breaks down and keeps the meat moist and tender as it’s cooked. More expensive cuts have less fat and connective tissue which means they turn tough. Choose chuck steak over rump steak, folks.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”4. Dairy is the last stop”]
Anyone who has ever made a curry in the slow cooker and added the cream a little too early, only to watch it split as it gets too hot – this one is for you.
Add dairy products AT THE END – or at least in the last 30 minutes of cooking, giving it enough time to heat through and serve.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”5. Brown the meat first – yes or no?”]
Browning meat first – It’s the question that divides the internet, is it not? So the answer is this – YES AND NO. Yes, brown the meat if you have time, don’t mind washing an extra pan and want more flavour in your dish.
If you don’t care for any of that, then no, chuck it straight in.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”6. Use your slow cooker ALL year round!”]
There’s a common misconception that slow cooking is for winter only. Wrong! Use it all year round for amazing curries, soups, bolognese sauces, taco mince, pulled meats for salad – the lot!
[mc_block_title custom_title=”7. Don’t cook frozen food in the slow cooker”]
Despite what you read, avoid putting frozen food in your slow cooker. For two reasons. One, food doesn’t defrost evenly, therefore doesn’t heat and cook evenly. And two, any takers for food poisoning?
[mc_block_title custom_title=”8. Keep your lid on”]
Every time you want to sneak a peek at how things are going in the slow cooker, or stir it, or taste it, you’re extending the cooking time. DO NOT LIFT THE LID. It can take as long as half an hour for the temperature to come back up again.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”9. Bury your vegetables”]
Potatoes, carrots, parsnips – all the hard root veggies, put them at the bottom of the slow cooker where the liquid is. They’ll cook a lot better there than what they will if placed on top.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”10. Herbs can wait in line”]
Just like the dairy, also keep your fresh herbs out until the end. If cooked for too long, they turn to mush and lose their vibrancy.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”11. Reduce your liquid”]
Remember in a slow cooker environment, the liquid doesn’t evaporate because of the lid. There’s no need to add a lot of liquid, so try cutting it back by a third.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”12. Preheating is important”]
You wouldn’t put something in the oven without preheating it, the same should go for the slow cooker. Turn it on to a low setting while you prep your ingredients to give it a headstart in reaching temperature. It’ll be ready to cook from the get-go!
[mc_block_title custom_title=”13. Get greasy with it”]
Do grease your slow cooker insert. By spraying the inside of the slow cooker pot with oil, it’ll prevent food from sticking and will save a whole lot of elbow grease at the kitchen sink later.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”14. Also, why is nothing thick?”]
True that. Just as the slow cooker doesn’t reduce liquids, it also fails to thicken sauces because of the darn lid. To help thicken sauces and gravies, try dusting meat in flour before cooking and adding a slurry of cornflour and water paste to a simmering slow cooker, mix it through and replace the lid.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”15. Experiment and have fun”]
Don’t be afraid to try something new in your slow cooker. You might just stumble across a new favourite recipe or dinner. Did you know you can even make pavlova in the slow cooker? Go on, we dare you!
With these tips tucked in your apron pocket, we hope you get LOTS more enjoyment out of your slow cooker – I know I will!
