GE 106724 - Manuel (Page 5)

5
Tips for Slow Cooking
The Cover of the slow cooker does not
form a tight fit on the Crock but should
be centered on the Crock for best results.
Do not remove the Cover unnecessarily—
this results in major heat loss. Do not
cook without Cover in place.
Stirring is not necessary when slow cooking.
However, if cooking on High, you may
want to stir occasionally.
Slow cooking retains most of the
moisture in foods. If a recipe results in
too much liquid
at the end of the cooking
time, remove the Cover, turn the Control
Knob to High, and reduce the liquid by
simmering. This will take 30 to 45 minutes.
The slow cooker should be at least
half-filled
for best results. If only half-
filled, check for doneness 1 to 2 hours
earlier than recipe time.
If cooking soups or stews, leave a
2-inch space
between the top of the
Crock 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 the
Crock, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, simply place Crock
in the slow cooker and select the
temperature setting.
Meat and poultry require at least 7 to
8 hours on Low. Do not use frozen
uncooked meat in the slow cooker.
Thaw any meat or poultry before
slow cooking.
Adapting Recipes
Some ingredients are not suited for
extended cooking in the slow cooker.
Pasta, seafood, milk, cream, or sour
cream should be added 2 hours before
serving. Evaporated milk or condensed
soups are perfect for the slow cooker.
Many things can affect how quickly
a recipe will cook
. The water and fat
content of a food, the temperature of
the food, and the size of the food will
all affect the cooking time. Food cut
into pieces will cook faster than whole
roasts or poultry.
Most meat and vegetable combinations
require at least 7 hours on Low.
The higher the fat content of the meat,
the less liquid is needed. If cooking
meat with a high fat content,
place thick
onion slices underneath, so the meat
will not sit and cook in the fat.
Some recipes call for browning the
meat before slow cooking. This is only
to remove excess fat or for color;
it is
not necessary for successful cooking.
Slow cookers have very little evaporation.
If making your favorite soup, stew, or
sauce, reduce the liquid or water called
for in the original recipe. If too thick,
liquids 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
the Crock.
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