| Because the process of slow cooking enhances the | | | | Ketchup and Worcestershire sauce are good to add |
| flavor of any ingredients you use, adding other flavors | | | | to beef-based stew recipes. Anchovy, oyster and fish |
| to crockpot recipes is slightly different than seasoning | | | | sauces are good for fish dishes and hoisin sauce or |
| dishes on the stove or in the oven. | | | | soy sauce are good with Asian crockpot recipes. |
| If you are using another cooking method, the recipe will | | | | Take Care When Slow Cooking with Alcohol |
| often advise you to use fresh herbs, or dried herbs if | | | | Using alcohol in crockpot recipes is not the same as |
| you are unable to get fresh ones. With slow cooker | | | | using it in non-slow cooker recipes. Because the liquid in |
| recipes, the opposite is true. Dried herbs suit the long | | | | a crockpot does not evaporate, neither will the alcohol, |
| cooking process better than dried ones. | | | | so you do not need to add very much. |
| The moistness inside a slow cooker does not do much | | | | Try wine, beer or cider with meat. Sweet liqueurs or |
| for fresh herbs except wilt them, so use dried herbs | | | | rum can complement slow cooker dessert recipes but |
| when you can, for the best flavor. If you have fresh | | | | again do not add too much, else you might overpower |
| herbs and you want to use them, add them just | | | | the other flavors in the dessert. If you ruin a dish on the |
| twenty or thirty minutes before the end of the cooking | | | | stove you can throw it away and start again but |
| time. If you want to use bay leaves, you will find that | | | | ruining a slow cooker recipe which has been cooking |
| one big one or two small ones is sufficient. | | | | for ten hours can be very frustrating! |
| Extracts such as vanilla, rosewater, almond and | | | | Spicing Things Up |
| orange flower can be added to crockpot recipes. | | | | Most spices should be added at the beginning of the |
| These are delicately flavored and you will only need a | | | | cooking time but some get bitter if you overcook them, |
| drop or two, since the slow cooking will boost their | | | | such as chilies. You can add these about halfway |
| flavor. | | | | through the cooking time. |
| Adding Prepared Sauces to Crockpot Meals | | | | Ground spices are best for non-crockpot recipes and |
| Prepared sauces and pastes are handy to use in | | | | whole spices are best for slow cooker recipes |
| many recipes, including recipes for the slow cooker. It is | | | | because the slow cooking process gives them time to |
| important to realize that the long slow cooking process | | | | cook and release their delicious flavors. You can use a |
| can make potent sauces stronger, so do not add too | | | | pre-made spice mix to save time. Good spices for |
| much if you are using something like a spicy curry | | | | crockpot cooking include peppercorns, coriander, cumin |
| paste or chili in adobo. The finished meal might turn out | | | | and whole cinnamon sticks. |
| much hotter than you had planned on! | | | | |