Specifications

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Tips & Hints
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› Before food is added, the ceramic pot may be lightly coated with cooking spray so
cooked foods release more easily.
› Root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes will take longer to cook. Either cut the
pieces smaller or place on bottom of Slow Cooker. Baby carrots, for example, may
take longer than other vegetables.
› Ground meats and uncooked sausages should always be browned and drained
before adding to Slow Cooker. Smoked sausage such as kielbasa does not need to
be browned (though it may add flavour and visual appeal). If browning the night
before, make certain the meat is cooked completely through and properly
refrigerated. Combine with other ingredients just before slow cooking.
› Browning meats (roasts, chops, cubes for stews) and poultry adds flavour and eye
appeal to the finished dishes. It also helps cook out some of the fat.
› In general, cooking for 1 hour on High is the equivalent of cooking for
2 hours on Low.
› If you are not ready to serve food immediately, switch to the Warm mode to hold
foods until ready to serve.
› Tender vegetables, or those that you wish to be crisp-tender, should be added
during the last 30 minutes of cooking time to prevent overcooking.
› Each time you remove the lid, you will lose heat and will need to add 15 to
20 minutes to your cooking time. If you do need to stir (or peek), lift the lid just
slightly so that you can get the spoon or spatula in.
› A fat mop can be used to remove separated fat from slow cooked food by brushing
it over the top. Alternatively, the food may be refrigerated, and the congealed fat
can then be lifted off and discarded before reheating and serving.
› Many slow-cooked foods such as stews benefit from cooling and refrigerating,
then reheating – as the saying goes, stew or chili is always better the second day.
› If using frozen foods, thaw completely before adding to Slow Cooker.
› To cut the fat from recipes, remove as much of the visible fat as possible from
meats and poultry. Cook and drain all ground meats. Remove skin from poultry.
› Dried beans should be soaked overnight, then rinsed, drained and rinsed again be-
fore cooking. Do not add salt or any acid to beans when cooking, as it will prevent
them from softening completely. Dried beans can be cooked ahead, drained and
frozen. Thaw before adding to your favourite recipes.
› The Slow Cooker is perfect for foods that require long, slow simmering, such as
soups, stocks, stews, and dried beans.
› The Slow Cooker is the perfect way to cook items that require a “bain marie,”
or water bath. We recommend starting out with hot water and cooking on High
for most of these recipes.
› Cooking ground meats in the Slow Cooker without browning them first is not
recommended, as ground meat has a high incidence of bacterial contamination.
Ground meats used in the Slow Cooker should be browned first. We strongly
advise against cooking a meatloaf in the Slow Cooker. (The Country Paté in our
recipe book is an exception. The meat is ground fresh in the Cuisinart
®
Food
Processor and is cooked in a simmering water bath on the High Setting. When
we tested with a probe thermometer, the Paté had reached safe food cooking
temperature well within suggested U.S.D.A. recommendations.)
› Most of the recipes in this book are cooked on Low using the timer function, to al-
low you maximum freedom to go on to do other tasks. Most meats are better when
cooked on Low (slower) than on High, and the recipes are written as such. If you
prefer to slow cook on High, cut the cooking time in half.