What’s not to like about using a slow cooker? The unit is inexpensive, requires minimal effort when it comes to cooking, and is best for making the most of common inexpensive ingredients. Compared to frying, slow cooking foods is a healthier and lower fat method. It’s also a good starting point when you’re learning to cook for the first time: just throw all the ingredients in, leave it for an hour or more, and you’ll have a delicious, hearty meal waiting for you.

Here are the top tips to try to maximize the use of your slow cooker:

prepare in advance

The masculine charm of a crock pot is that it doesn’t require too much time in the kitchen to cook delicious dishes. If you’re short on time in the mornings, prepare the ingredients the night before. You may choose to store the ingredients in the refrigerator overnight in airtight containers. To save even more time, you can combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker at once, cover, and store in the refrigerator. Take it out when you wake up and leave it for at least 20 minutes before you start cooking.

choose your recipes

When using a slow cooker, it’s ideal to choose recipes where you add all the ingredients at once and let the pot do the rest, as that’s what it’s designed to do. This is typical for soups and stews, but some dishes like pasta will require you to add ingredients like herbs and spices just before cooking the dish. If you have free time, you can choose to cook onions or sear some meats before throwing them in the pot. Although not necessary, this can add more flavor to your dish.

Use inexpensive cuts of meat

Crock pots are best for making the most of inexpensive ingredients, so save money and choose inexpensive cuts of meat if you plan on slow cooking. Beef brisket, chicken thighs, lamb shoulder, and pork shoulder are ideal choices. Also, trim fat from meat when simmering, as excess will result in a greasy, oily dish.

Don’t use too much liquid.

One of the most common mistakes when it comes to slow cooking is adding too much liquid to the recipe. A slow cooker has a tight lid and the liquid does not evaporate. Use just enough to cover meat and other ingredients, as too much can cause liquid to seep to the top and food to undercook.

let him do his thing

New users get too excited and keep checking what they’re simmering. Let the crock pot do what it’s designed to do: every time the lid is lifted, heat is released, which will only lengthen cooking time.

Enjoy and maximize slow cooking with these simple but effective tips!

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