| Cooking over a slow cooker/crockpot is the best way | | | | end of the process (last 1/2 hour) so that they don't |
| to preserve nutrients as well as enhance the natural | | | | get over cooked. |
| tastes of the cooking foods. And this is one of the | | | | Add liquid (1/2 to 3/4) in the pot as it helps keep the |
| best time saving appliances one can have in their | | | | food tender and moist. |
| kitchen. | | | | Avoid frozen foods in the crockpots. Always defrost |
| To get started with a crock pot there are a few tips | | | | them before cooking. Stir in spices during the last hour |
| and tricks: | | | | of cooking. If added earlier with the rest of the |
| Try and buy crockpots with a removable liner. They | | | | ingredients, they will lose flavour due to prolonged |
| are much easier to clean and maintain. Food normally | | | | cooking time. However, dried herbs will add to the |
| cooks at approximately 140 degree F so initially you | | | | intensity of the flavour such as bay leaves. |
| can raise the temperature to speed up the cooking | | | | Add dairy products towards the last half an hour, |
| process and later reduce once the temperature is | | | | unless specified by the recipe. Sauces such as |
| achieved. | | | | Tabasco or cayenne turn bitter if cooked for long. So |
| Do not life the lid frequent to see the cooking. Or else | | | | add less quantity and that too towards the end (last |
| the heat will escape and the cooking time will get | | | | half an hour). Foods like pastas and rice turn up far |
| prolonged. Cut hard vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower | | | | more flavour in crockpots. |
| etc in bit size pieces and place at the bottom of the | | | | By following these tips and tricks you can turn out |
| pot for quicker cooking. While place softer vegetables | | | | wondrous recipes from your slow cooker. |
| like tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms etc towards the | | | | |