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Guidance on appliance maintenance, user-serviceable parts, and when professional repair is needed.
Recommendations for cleaning, drying, and safely storing the slow cooker and its components.
Food safety standards for cooking meats to internal temperatures, covering beef, pork, and poultry.
The Elite Gourmet 8.5QT. Programmable Stainless Steel Slow Cooker, model MST-900D, is designed to simplify meal preparation by allowing users to cook nutritious hot meals with minimal effort. This appliance operates at temperatures just around boiling, offering both LOW and HIGH settings to accommodate various cooking needs and timeframes. The programmable feature allows for precise control over cooking duration, ensuring food is cooked to perfection.
The primary function of this slow cooker is to prepare meals slowly over an extended period, which is ideal for tenderizing less expensive cuts of meat and developing rich flavors. It features a programmable timer that allows users to set specific cooking durations, after which the unit can automatically switch to a WARM setting or turn off. The WARM function is designed to keep food at a serving temperature for an extended period, up to 20 hours, although it's noted that food quality might diminish after 4 hours. The slow cooker is equipped with a power button, a mode selector button for choosing between LOW, HIGH, and WARM settings, and plus/minus buttons for adjusting cooking time in 30-minute increments. The time display provides clear feedback on the remaining cooking time.
To use the slow cooker, food is placed into the stoneware pot, which is then inserted into the base unit and covered with a tempered glass lid. The appliance should be placed on a dry, level, heat-resistant surface. Users can select their desired cooking mode (LOW, HIGH, or WARM) and set the cooking time using the intuitive control panel. For instance, the LOW setting is suitable for all-day or overnight cooking, while the HIGH setting cooks food in approximately half the time. The unit will automatically switch off once the cooking time is complete, or it can be manually turned off by pressing the power button.
When adapting conventional recipes for slow cooking, it's important to reduce the amount of liquid, as liquids do not evaporate as much in a slow cooker. If a recipe results in too much liquid, the lid can be removed, and the unit can be reprogrammed to HIGH for 30-45 minutes to reduce the liquid. Root vegetables should be cut into small, even pieces and placed at the bottom of the pot, immersed in liquid, as they take longer to cook than meat. Browning fatty meats in a separate skillet before adding them to the slow cooker can enhance flavor and reduce fat. Whole herbs and spices are preferred over crushed or ground ones for better flavor in slow-cooked dishes. Ingredients like pasta, seafood, milk, and cream should be added towards the end of the cooking time. For serving, if the stoneware pot is used directly, a trivet or protective padding should be placed underneath. When moving the slow cooker, users should grasp the base unit handles and use potholders or oven mitts, as the base unit becomes very warm during operation.
Maintaining the Elite Gourmet Slow Cooker is straightforward. Before first use, all labels and tags should be removed. The ceramic pot and glass lid should be washed in hot, soapy water, rinsed thoroughly, and dried. It's recommended to perform an initial 30-minute operation with 4 cups of water in the stoneware pot on the HIGH setting to eliminate any manufacturing odors.
For regular cleaning, the ceramic insert is dishwasher safe or can be cleaned with warm, soapy water. For stubborn food residue, soaking the pot overnight in soapy water is effective. The glass lid is also dishwasher safe once it has cooled. The exterior of the slow cooker's base unit can be wiped with a damp cloth and dried; harsh abrasive cleaners or scouring pads should be avoided to prevent damage to the surfaces.
Several precautions are outlined for stoneware pot care: always use pot holders or oven mitts when handling hot stoneware; do not place hot stoneware on countertops without a protective trivet; avoid placing the stoneware pot on stovetop burners, under a broiler, in a microwave browning element, or in a toaster oven. The stoneware pot should not be used for popcorn, caramelizing sugar, or making candy. Abrasive cleaners or objects that could scratch the cookware should not be used. Any chipped, cracked, or broken stoneware pot or lid should not be used or repaired. The stoneware pot is not intended for reheating foods or general food storage in the refrigerator, as sudden temperature changes can cause cracking. Food should always be placed into the stoneware pot at room temperature before placing it into the base unit and turning the unit on. The stoneware pot should never be heated when empty.
For storage, all parts should be clean and dry. The appliance should be stored in its box or in a clean, dry place, ensuring it is cool and dry before storage. The stoneware pot should be placed inside the base unit with the glass lid over it, possibly wrapped in a soft cloth and placed upside down for protection. The power cord should be loosely coiled, not tightly wrapped around the appliance. The base unit should never be submerged in water or any other liquid.
General| Model | MST-900D |
|---|---|
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Color | Stainless Steel |
| Shape | Oval |
| Settings | High, Low, Warm |
