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Timing
Always allow sufficient time for the food
to cook. It is almost impossible to over-
cook in the slow cooker particularly
when using the Low setting.
Most of the recipes contained
within this book can be cooked
on the High, Low or Auto settings,
however the cooking times will vary
accordingly. Each recipe will give
specific instructions indicating the
appropriate settings and suggested
cooking times.
NOTE: High humidity, altitude,
cold tap water and ingredients
and minor fluctuations may
slightly affect the cooking times
in the slow cooker.
Adapting Liquid Amounts
When food is cooking in your slow
cooker, most moisture is retained. To
allow for this when using traditional
recipes it is advisable to halve the
liquid content.
However, after cooking if the liquid
quantity is excessive, remove the lid
and operate the searing slow cooker
on the High setting for 30–45 minutes
or until the liquid reduces by the
desired amount. Alternatively, the
liquid can be thickened by adding a
mixture of cornflour and water.
Stirring the Food
Little or no stirring is required when
using the Low setting. However,
stirring the food when using the High
and Auto setting ensures more even
flavour distribution.
Preparing Meat and Poultry
Select the leanest cuts when
purchasing meat. Trim the meat or
poultry of any visible fat. If possible,
purchase chicken portions without
the skin. Otherwise, the slow cooking
process will result in extra liquid being
formed from the fat as it melts.
For casserole-type recipes, cut the
meat into cubes, approximately
2.5cm to 3cm. Slow cooking allows
less tender cuts of meat to be used.
Suitable Meat Cuts for Slow
Cooking
Beef
Beef Chuck, Skirt, Round Steak,
Boneless Shin (Gravy) Beef,
Bone-In Shin (Osso Bucco).
Lamb
Lamb Shanks, Drumsticks
(Frenched shanks) Neck
Chops, Best Neck Chops,
Boned Out Forequarter or
Shoulder.
Veal
Diced Leg, Shoulder/
Forequarter Chops and Steaks,
Neck Chops, Knuckle
(Osso Bucco).
Pork
Leg Steaks, Diced Belly, Diced
Shoulder, Boneless Loin Chops.
Type of
Meat
Cut of
Meat
Guide to Slow Cooking
Preparing Dried Beans and
Pulses
If time permits, overnight soaking of
dried beans and pulses is preferable.
After soaking, drain and place in the
slow cooker and cover with sufficient
water to reach double their volume.
Cook beans on the ‘HIGH’ setting
for 2–4 hours or until tender. Pre-
soaked beans and pulses will cook
a little faster.
Searing and Browning Before
Slow Cooking
Searing and browning in the
removable cooking pot on the
stovetop may take a little extra time
and whilst not strictly necessary, the
rewards are evident in the end result.
The removable cooking pot keeps
the heat stable and uniform allowing
the meat to brown and form an even
crust. Plus searing and browning seals
in the moisture, intensifies the flavour
and provides more tender results.
Once searing and browning is
complete, return the removable
cooking pot to the searing
slow cooker base with all of the
caramelised ingredients still inside.
Roasting
Roasting meats in the slow cooker
creates tender, flavoursome results
that are easy to slice. The long, slow,
covered cooking process breaks
down and softens the connective
and muscle tissue within the meat.
Cheaper cuts of meat can be used
to provide perfect results cooked by
this method.
Meat will not brown during the
roasting process, so for browner
results seal in the removable coo
king pot before roasting. The addition
of liquid is not required for roasting.
Elevate the meat to be roasted on
an inverted, heatproof saucer or
plate. This will assist in keeping the
surface of the meat dry and free
from any fat released throughout
the cooking process.
Pot Roasting
The addition of liquid is required for
pot roasting. Place sufficient liquid
into the removable cooking pot to
cover up to a third of the meat. Meat
will not brown during the pot roasting
process. For browner results, seal in
the removable cooking pot before
pot roasting.
Preparing Vegetables
Vegetables should be cut into even
sized pieces to ensure more even
cooking. Frozen vegetables must be
thawed before adding to other foods
cooking in the slow cooker.