User Guide

11
SLOW COOKING TIPS
the insert in the base unit and reheat on LOW until simmering.
• Most recipes can be partially prepped the day before. Brown meats as instructed in
the recipe, then add the remaining ingredients. Cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight
in the cooking insert. The next day, put the cold insert in the unit base and cook as
directed, adding up to 30 minutes to your cooking time if necessary.
Adapting Recipes to Slow Cooking
• As a general rule, one hour of simmering on the stove or one hour of braising in
a 350˚F oven equals 4 hours of slow cooking on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW. If the
original recipe calls for more than 1 hour of simmering or braising, cook on LOW for
8 to 10 hours. Individual recipes may require some experimentation. Be sure any meat
is cooked through before serving.
• Because liquid doesn’t evaporate from a slow cooker the way it does a regular pot,
you’ll need to add less liquid for soups and stews. Add only enough liquid to cover
the other ingredients. If the soup or stew seems too thick at the end of cooking, add
additional liquid then.
• Dairy products (milk, sour cream, some cheeses) tend to break down and curdle
during slow cooking. Add these ingredients during the last 30 minutes of cooking or
substitute canned evaporated milk or nonfat dry milk.
• If adding pasta or rice to a slow-cooked dish, partially cook them rst in a pot of
boiling water until not quite tender. Then add them to the Slow Cooker for the last
30 minutes of cooking.