10 top tips for using a slow cooker

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Posted at 10:02AM, 27 September 2012 by Caroline Hire - Food editor, bbcgoodfood.com

Slow cookers are cheap to buy, economical to use and they're great for making the most of budget ingredients. They offer a healthier, low-fat method of cooking and require the minimum amount of effort. Really, what's not to love?
We spoke to Ginny Thomas, a training manager for Crock-Pot, to find out how to get the best results.
We've also adapted some of our favourite recipes from the site to get you started. (Bet you didn't know you could do a treacle sponge in one...)

1. Save time & effort
One of the main attractions for many is the ease of a slow-cooker so when you're looking for recipes, avoid those that suggest a lot of pre-preparation. For many dishes, particularly soups and stews, you really can just throw all the ingredients in. It can be nice to cook the onions beforehand as the flavour is different to when you put them in raw but experiment both ways as you may find you prefer one. It can also be good to brown meat to give it some colour but again this is not essential.

2. Get ahead
If you're short on time in the morning, prepare everything you need for your slow-cooked meal the night before, put it into the slow-cooker dish, cover and store in the fridge overnight. Ideally the dish should be as close to room temperature as possible, so get it out of the fridge when you wake up and leave it for 20 minutes before turning the cooker on. If you need to heat your dish beforehand, then put the ingredients in a different container and transfer them in the morning.

3. Save money
Slow cookers are great for cooking cheaper cuts like beef brisket, pork shoulder, lamb shoulder and chicken thighs. You can also use less meat as slow-cooking really extracts a meaty flavour that permeates the whole dish. Bulk up with vegetables instead.

4. Trim the fat
You don't need to add oil to a slow cooker, the contents won't catch as long as there's enough moisture in there. You don't need a lot of fat on your meat either. Normally when you fry meat, a lot of the fat drains away, this won't happen in a slow cooker so trim it off, otherwise you might find you have pools of oil in your stew. This will give you a healthier result and it'll still be tasty.

5. Go easy on the liquid
Because your slow cooker will have a tightly sealed lid, the liquid won't evaporate so if you're adapting a standard recipe, it's best to reduce the liquid by roughly a third. Liquid should just cover the meat and vegetables. Don't overfill your slow cooker or it may start leaking out the top and food won't cook as well. Half to two thirds full is ideal and certainly no more than three quarters.

6. Thickening
Just as the the liquid doesn't reduce it also doesn't thicken. You can roll meat in a little seasoned flour before adding it to the slow cooker or use a little cornflour at the end. If you want to do the latter, take a teaspoon or two of cornflour, mix it to a paste with a little cold water. Transfer the contents of your slow cooker to a saucepan and heat on the hob, stirring in the cornflour. Bring to a simmer and stir until thickened.

"I think of it as my cook fairy making my dinner while I'm out."

7. Slow is good
Ginny has been working with slow-cookers for over a decade, her advice is to use the 'Low' setting as much as you can, finding most dishes really benefit from a slow, gentle heat to really bring out the flavours. This also means you won't need to worry if you're heading out for the day, it'll take care of itself. "I think of it as my cook fairy making my dinner while I'm out," says Ginny.

8. Leave it alone
Slow cookers are designed to do their own thing so you don't need to keep checking the contents. Everytime you take the lid off it will release some of the heat, so if you keep doing this you'll have to increase the cooking time.

9. When to add food
Ideally you want to choose recipes where most, if not all, of the ingredients can be added at the beginning, leaving you free to do other things. However in most cases, pasta, rice and fresh herbs will need to be added towards the end.

10. How long should I cook it for?
If a dish usually takes:

15 - 30 mins, cook it for 1 - 2 hours on High or 4 - 6 hours on Low

30 mins - 1 hour, cook it for 2 - 3 hours on High, 5 - 7 hours on Low

1 - 2 hours, cook it for 3 - 4 hours on High, 6 - 8 hours on Low

2 - 4 hours, cook it for 4 - 6 hours on High and 8 - 12 hours on Low

Root vegetables can take longer than meat and other vegetables so put these near the heat source, at the bottom of the pot.

10 things you didn't know you could cook in a slow cooker:
1. Schooldays treacle sponge
2. Spiced poached pears in chocolate sauce
3.Self-saucing Jaffa pudding
4.Tangy onion chutney
5.Rich paprika seafood bowl
6.Turkish lamb pilau
7.Sweetcorn & smoked haddock chowder
8.Better-than-baked beans
9.Baked mushrooms with ricotta & pesto
10.Chicken & red wine casserole with herby dumplings

More slow cooker recipes

And if you haven't already got a slow cooker and are wondering which one to buy, take a look at our pick of what's on the market.

Comments

MamaDel

29 September 2012, 7:46AM
MamaDel

At last! I love this site but have been frustrated at the lack of slow cooker recipes. I am a busy working mum and my slow cooker makes life so much easier! I am looking forward to seeing more healthy recipes converted for use in the slow cooker.

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whats4t

1 October 2012, 11:36AM
whats4t

Thankyou so much Caroline. I acquired a slow cooker from a friend because she had two, but didn`t get the instruction book with it! I have been using it quite successfully but the above info has already answered several questions for me. The timing guide is just what I needed. I feel sometimes I have "overcooked" dishes if that is possible in a slow cooker? Particularly chicken and turkey. Looking forward to more lovely convenient slow cooker recipes.

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Babs

3 October 2012, 3:07PM
Babs

I had a slow cooker many years ago and have just been given one. What a joy and the tips you have given are really going to help on so many of the good food recipes have.

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Debs

3 October 2012, 5:45PM
Debs

That timing guide is just what I needed. Thank you. Now, shall I make my husband happy and cook that treacle sponge??

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angela31

3 October 2012, 10:09PM
angela31

Have just got my slow cooker out for the autumn/winter season and would urge all fellow 'cookers' to do the same asap! Slow cooked pork casserole tonight using some reduced meat has made two fabulously economical and delicious family meals. Can't wait to try the treacle spnoge at the weekend!

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Seaslave

3 October 2012, 10:17PM
Seaslave

Ive just bought the new Morphy Richards Sear & Stew slow cooker, after having the Croc-Pot for a number of years. Im loving the new one as it is lightweight and you can use the inner aluminium pot on the cooker top. The croc-pot, although sufficient was heavy and cumbersome and it did stick. It was a nightmare to get rice from the Pilaf, off and stew meat stuck like the devil. I use my slow-cooker regularly and it does a fabulous chocolate cake. Wouldnt be without it x

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ANGELA

4 October 2012, 10:46AM
ANGELA

I have had a slow cooker for many years, had to buy a new one last year as the pot cracked in my old one. I now have a WAHL James Martin, this is not a slow cooker, an ox cheek casserole will cook within three hours on low. You cannot leave it on all day and certainly not on high. Has anyone else had this problem ?

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Cathybird15

4 October 2012, 8:44PM
Cathybird15

I love my slow cooker, especially in the winter. I literally bung a load of chopped veg and potatoes; cubed skirt of beef and a beef stock cube, dissolved in hot water. Turn the heat on low and walk away. Last time I did this, I turned it on at 7.30am and came home at 5.00pm and it was awesome. I agree with the thickening - I just use my ladle and draw off about a pint of the stock. I use a little cornflour and mix it, return it to the pot, stir slowly and recover while you set the table etc. By the time you have done that, the sauce has thickened and the whole family love it. What is left over, my husband takes it to work for lunch the next day!

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recipejunkie

8 October 2012, 11:42AM
recipejunkie

I'm from the bung it in and switch it on brigade so the timing chart is just what the doctor ordered ,thanks so much.Can't wait to try out the self saucing jaffa pudding it sounds delicious

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Gina

16 November 2012, 11:23AM
Gina

This is going to be so useful. Like recipejunkie I'm a bung in and hope, even though I've been cooking for over 60 years. So a new voyage of discovery doing it right this time. I've got two Argos bottom of range slow cookers, one in UK one in France. They are really useful and reliable. Thanks BBC

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June

16 January, 5:01PM
June

I have been using my slow cooker since I got married 18 years ago. For a working mum it is great to come home from work and dinner is ready, thanks for the recipe suggestions. Caroline, I would love to see similar recipes for a pressure cooker as I had one bought for me the Christmas before last and have only used it a couple of times.

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Squiz

16 January, 7:31PM
Squiz

yes i can never get my slow cooked juices to thicken even using a beurre maniere or whatever. you need to draw the juices off boil and simmer. its only taken me three years to work that out.

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skinnydick

16 January, 8:47PM
skinnydick

I've always mixed a tblsp or 2 with a little cold water to make a paste, then add it to the pot and stir it in about 30 mins before the end of the cooking time. You may need to temporarily remove a portion of meat before you can stir it in properly. It's always worked for me.

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