The slow cooker has gained the reputation of being the epitome of meal innovation. There are so many dinners, desserts, appetizers and more that can be created inside of a slow cooker. The best part – most are nearly maintenance free once all the ingredients are in. You may be a busy mom or dad who thinks they know all the crockpot tricks, but it is time to think again. The Huffington Post has done their research, and I am going to share their findings with you.
Preparation Hacks
For most slow cooker meals, all manual labor is poured into preparation. Here are some ways to optimize your preparation time and ensure a delicious meal comes from it:
Food Prep
The way that you prepare, or do not prepare, your ingredients can have a huge effect on the outcome of your meal. To ensure that your dish is not too greasy, try removing skin from meats like chicken and removing excess fat. If you want your dish to cook evenly, make sure that your ingredients are cut uniformly. Lastly, it is important to defrost your ingredients before adding them to the slow cooker. Most frozen foods will not come to temperature quickly enough, encouraging bacteria growth.
Crockpot Prep
Before you add your ingredients, lining your slow cooker’s insert with aluminum foil will help with a more even distribution of heat and a quicker cleanup. Also, if you are in a hurry, add the ingredients to the insert the night before you plan to eat your meal. Just place the pre-packed slow cooker insert into the refrigerator and pull it out and place it into your slow cooker’s shell when you are ready to cook. Lastly, the Huffington Post suggests that to get the best results from your slow cooker, it is important to fill its insert at least halfway full with ingredients.
Cooking Hacks
You may have been using your slow cooker for years, but are you using it the exact same way every time? The Huffington Post suggests using your slow cooker as a double boiler, steamer or even a vessel for poaching a chicken!
It is also suggested that some meats do not cook properly in a slow cooker. Meats like brisket, short ribs, chicken thighs and chuck roasts do best when cooked in a slow cooker. However, chicken breasts, pork tenderloin and leaner cuts do not come out as well.
Cleaning Hacks
If you refuse to break out your slow cooker because of the slowly cooked on mess, you may want to reconsider. Click here to read up on some cleaning tips and tricks.
There is no reason why your slow cooker shouldn’t be one of the most-used appliances in your kitchen. After applying these tips, you may see an improvement in the time it takes to prepare your meals, how great they taste, and how long it takes to clean up after them!