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Frequently Asked Questions about Slow Cookers

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How do I ensure the food I cook in a slow cooker is safe to consume?

Because of the direct heat from the slow cooker, as well as the long cooking time, food cooked in slow cooker reaches a high enough temperature to destroy bacteria. But according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, there are some things you can do to ensure your food is cooking safely:

Keep perishable foods refrigerated until you are ready to prepare them for the slow cooker. The slow cooker may take several hours to reach a safe bacteria-killing temperature. Constant refrigeration assures that bacteria, which multiply rapidly at room temperature, won't get a “head start” during the first few hours of cooking.
Defrost meat before putting it in a slow cooker.
Vegetables cook slower than meat and poultry in a slow cooker so if using them, put vegetables in first, at the bottom and around sides. Then add meat and cover the food with liquid such as broth, water or barbecue sauce. Keep the lid in place, removing only to stir the food or check for doneness.
If you are not at home during the entire slow-cooking process and the power goes out, throw away the food even if it looks done. If you are at home, finish cooking the ingredients immediately by some other means. When you are at home, and if the food was completely cooked before the power went out, the food should remain safe up to two hours in the cooker with the power off.
Refrigerate leftovers within two hours after cooking is finished. Reheating leftovers in a slow cooker is not recommended. However, cooked food can be brought to steaming on the stove top or in a microwave oven and then put into a preheated slow cooker to keep hot for serving.

How do I adapt a recipe for the slow cooker?

One of the most important things to remember if you would like to adapt a favorite recipe for the slow cooker is that liquids do not evaporate or boil away as they do in conventional cooking. In fact, you will usually have more liquid at the end of your cooking time than less. Generally, you should use about half the recommended amount of liquid. One cup of liquid should be enough for any recipe unless it contains rice or pasta. If a recipe does call for rice or pasta, they should be cooked before putting in the slow cooker. Milk, sour cream or cream should be added during the last hour of cooking because they tend to break down during slow cooking. Consider substituting condensed soups for milk if you want to leave it in for the entire cooking time.

How do I avoid bland taste and appearance when using a slow cooker?

One criticism of slow-cooking is that in some cases, rather than infusing foods with more flavor, it can overcook food so much that it dilutes flavor. To avoid this, use creative seasonings such as seasoned salt, garlic powder and pepper. Herbs and spices and best added near the end of the cooking cycle. Colors also tend to fade in slow cooking, so consider using garnishes such as parsley, chives, tomatoes, lemon wedges, cheese or sour cream to improve the food’s appearance.

How do I know if my slow cooker is working properly?

If you question whether your slow cooker is working properly, there is an easy way to test it. Pour room temperature water into the slow cooker and heat it for two hours on the low setting. The temperature of the water should be at least 165 degrees. Then test the water 6-8 hours later. At this time, the temperature should be at least 180 degrees.

What are some foods that are best cooked in a slow cooker?

While you can probably find a recipe for cooking just about anything in a slow cooker, there are some foods that perform better using this method than others. Foods that are enhanced by slow cooking include stewing meat, chicken pieces with bones, whole potatoes, beans and meats that are served shredded. Soups, stews, chili and roasts are particularly delicious when prepared in a slow cooker.

Sources:

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s website: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Focus_On_Slow_Cooker_Safety/index.asp

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