USE A COOKER WITH
HEAT THAT HUGS
Surrounding coils indirectly
transfer heat to the inner
crock of the slow cooker.
Pressure and steam build in
the cooker, and the juices
that normally flow from
ingredients – especially
meat – during cooking are
held in by that pressure.
The result is moist, tender
meat and vegies without
adding fat and kilojoules.
HIGH HEAT =
LOW TIMING
For most traditional
recipes – roasts, soups
and stews – follow this
rule of thumb: Cook a
recipe on the high-heat
setting for half of the
low-heat setting timing.
Some less-traditional
recipes may specifically
call for the low- OR high-
heat setting only.1
5
2
6
3
4
LAYER IT RIGHT:
VEGIES, MEAT,
THEN LIQUID
Some vegies cook more
slowly than meat in a slow
cooker. The fat in meat
helps hold heat better so
speeds up the cooking
process. For the most
even cooking of one-
dish recipes, place dense
veg – roots, celery and
corn – on the bottom of
the cooker and the meat
on top. Tender veg such
as zucchini and broccoli is
added towards the end of
the cook time to prevent a
mushy outcome.
DON’T START
WITH FROZEN
UNCOOKED MEAT
Bacteria grow most
rapidly in the 4-60°C
zone. Frozen meat
does not reach a safe
temperature fast
enough and hovers
in the danger zone
too long.BROWNING MEAT
FIRST = MORE
FLAVOUR
While it's not necessary to
brown meat before placing
it in the slow cooker, it's
worth it if you have time.
The caramelised meat adds
more flavour and colour to
your finished recipe.USE THE AMOUNT
OF LIQUID THE
RECIPE CALLS FOR
Some recipes may call for
a small amount of liquid.
Don’t add more. Meat and
vegies all give up juices as
they cook. You will have
more liquid in your cooker
at the end of the cook time.If your slow cooker has
been around for a while
and you wonder if it’s
still heating accurately,
try this test:
Fill your slow cooker
½-2⁄3 full with water. Turn
on your cooker and set it
to the low-heat setting.
Heat the water for
8 hours. Check the water
temperature with a food
thermometer. The water
should be about 85°C.
If the temperature is
lower, it’s time to replace
your cooker. ■TEST
YOUR OLD
SLOWCOOKER
6
MUST-KNOW TIPS
FOR PERFECT
slow cooking
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