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Slow cook
The slow cook setting gives a very low heat
in the oven. It is particularly useful when you
are cooking soups, stews and casseroles
because the long slow cooking will make
cheaper, tougher cuts of meat more tender.
Some foods such as pastry and biscuits are
not suitable for slow cooking because the
temperature is too low. Cover all food during
cooking to prevent it from drying out. You
can uncover food for the last half hour if it is
normally served golden brown.
Using slow cook
• You need to cook food at gas mark 6
for 30 minutes before you turn the oven
down to the slow cook setting. This
makes sure that the temperature of the
food gets hot enough to start the food
cooking.
Food preparation – slow
cooking
Joints of meat and poultry
• Do not cook meat joints over 2.7kg
(6lb).
• Do not cook poultry over 2 kg (4lb 8oz).
• Cook on the middle shelf of the oven or
above.
• Cook stuffing separately.
• Cook for at least six hours.
• Only cook joints of pork if you can make
sure, by using a meat thermometer, that
the temperature inside the joint is at
least 88°C.
• For good air circulation always stand
joints on a rack in a roasting tin or
casserole.
• Thaw all frozen meat and poultry before
you cook it.
• Prime cuts of meat do not benefit from
slow cooking.
• Remove excess fat and skin unless it is
browned first.
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