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Tips for Slow Cooking
• The stovetop-safe cookware should be at least half-filled for best
results. If only half-filled, check for doneness 1 to 2 hours earlier
than recipe time.
• Stirring is not necessary when slow cooking. Removing glass lid
results in major heat loss and the cooking time may need to be
extended. However, if cooking on HIGH, you may want to stir
occasionally.
• If cooking soups or stews, leave a 2-inch (5-cm) space between
the top of the stovetop-safe cookware and the food so that the
recipe can come to a simmer.
• Many recipes call for cooking all day. If your morning schedule
doesn’t allow time to prepare a recipe, do it the night before.
Place all ingredients in stovetop-safe cookware, cover with lid, and
refrigerate overnight. In the morning, simply place stovetop-safe
cookware in slow cooker.
• Some foods are not suited for extended cooking in a slow cooker.
Pasta, seafood, milk, cream, or sour cream should be added 2
hours before serving. Evaporated milk or condensed soups are
perfect for slow cooking.
• The higher the fat content of meat, the less liquid is needed. If
cooking meat with a high fat content, place thick onion slices
underneath so meat will not sit on (and cook in) fat.
• Slow cookers allow for very little evaporation. If making your
favorite soup, stew, or sauce, reduce liquid called for in original
recipe. If too thick, liquid can be added later.
• If cooking a vegetable-type casserole, there will need to be liquid
in the recipe to prevent scorching on the sides of stovetop-safe
cookware.
• If cooking a recipe with root vegetables, place root vegetables in
the bottom of the stovetop-safe cookware.
Food Safety Tips
• Do not use frozen, uncooked meat in the slow cooker. Thaw any
meat or poultry before slow cooking.
• Visit www.foodsafety.gov for more information on safe internal
cooking temperatures.
• To store leftovers after cooking, do NOT place the stovetop-safe
cookware in the refrigerator since contents will take too long to
cool. Instead, divide leftovers into smaller containers and place into
refrigerator.
• Never allow undercooked or raw meat to sit at room temperature
in the slow cooker. Once meat is placed into the stovetop-safe cook-
ware, it should be cooked immediately (unless prepping slow cooker
the night before, where stovetop-safe cookware should be placed
into the refrigerator).
IF YOU LIVE IN A HIGH-ALTITUDE AREA:
The Extension service will have detailed information about cooking
for your area. To locate the Cooperative Extension service in your
county, please visit: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/.
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