Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook Read Free

cooking soups, the amount of liquid in most recipes needs to be reduced when adjusting them for the slow cooker. Regular recipes assume some liquid will evaporate during the cooking time. Additionally, some ingredients such as onions, meats, peppers, and tomatoes give off a lot of liquid as they slow-cook. It is better to err on the side of caution and at least halve the amount of liquid in a traditional recipe. If after slow cooking too much liquid is left, you can still save the dish. For a small amount of excess liquid, remove the lid of the slow cooker and cook on high for 30 minutes to allow for some evaporation. If a lot of liquid remains, drain it off and reduce it in a pot on the stove.
Meat
    Meat does not brown in the slow cooker. If you want browning for flavor or aesthetic reasons, you need to brown the meat before adding it to the slow cooker. Quickly searing meat in a dry skillet or sautéing it can accomplish this. For stews that need a thicker broth, toss the meat in flour prior to sautéing to help with both browning and thickening. Slow cooking is perfect for recipes that call for cheaper, leaner cuts of meat that need a long cooking time to become tender. For best results, surround the meat with carrots, celery, fennel, or raw or caramelized onions, which will provide the necessary moisture and flavor.
    If the original recipe calls for a high-fat cut of meat, substitute a leaner cut. High-fat meats are not well suited to the slow cooker because they become greasy and tough. For example, instead of using bone-in pork shoulder, use pork tenderloin.
    Boneless cuts of chicken, turkey, or duck cook relatively quickly in the slow cooker; do not cook them for longer than 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high. Boneless poultry works best in the slow cooker when it is paired with wet ingredients such as sauces, tomatoes, or soft fruit. This insures that the lean meat will not dry out during the cooking time.
    Keep perishable items refrigerated until it is time to add them to the slow cooker. Cutting up ingredients the night before can save time, but they should be kept covered and refrigerated until ready for use. Additionally, store cut up meat and vegetables in separate containers to avoid cross-contamination.
Dairy Dos and Don'ts
    Dairy products, like sour cream, cream cheese, or milk, do not hold up well over long cooking times. To avoid curdling, add them during the last half hour of cooking. If you are making a hot dip, do not heat it for more than an hour unless otherwise instructed. If milk is a major ingredient, for example, in a creamy sauce or soup, substitute an equal amount of evaporated milk. Evaporated milk can be used directly from the can, and since it has been heat-processed, it can withstand long cooking times. Due to the relatively short, low-heat cooking time of the last half hour, low-fat sour cream, cream cheese, or milk can be used with great success in the slow cooker despite having a tendency to separate while cooked using traditional methods.
Keep It Spicy
    Experimenting with different flavor combinations is part of the fun of slow cooking. It is also a wonderful way to add flavor to a dish without adding fat. You can use herbs and spices in the same amounts as you would with other cooking methods. Using fresh spices is essential. As spices age, they lose their potency. Taste what you are making before you serve it. If the finished dish is too bland, stir in additional spices prior to serving. Adding soft vegetables such as fresh or frozen peas and corn during the last 30 to 60 minutes of cooking is another way to perk up the flavor of a dish.
    Most savory recipes can be cooked on low for 8 hours to no ill effect. When in doubt, cook a recipe on low. It is virtually impossible to overcook food in the slow cooker. However, if the food is not fully cooked at the end of the cooking time, turning the temperature to high can help speed up the cooking process.
Pantry Essentials
    Keeping a