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• Less tender, cheaper cuts of meat are better candidates for slow cooking than more expensive
varieties. When possible, remove excess fat before cooking. If recipe calls for browning the
meat, brown it on a range top using a separate cooking utensil before placing meat in cooking
pot.
• The greater the fat content of the meat, the less liquid needed for cooking. If cooking meat with
a high fat content, place thick onion slices beneath it, so the meat will not sit and cook in the fat.
Roasts may be prepared in cooker without adding liquid, if cooked on LOW.
• Always use a meat thermometer to determine if meats have been cooked to proper tempera-
ture.
• Add fresh or thawed sh or seafood to cooking pot an hour before serving, as these ingredi-
ents can fall apart during long hours of cooking.
• Since raw vegetables usually take longer to cook than meats, cut vegetables unto uniform,
bite-sized pieces (about ½ inch in diameter) before adding them to the cooking pot.
• If recipe calls for milk, sour cream or other fresh dairy products, add them just prior to serving,
as these ingredients tend to break down during long hours of cooking. If preferred, substitute
condensed creamed soups (undiluted) or evaporated milk. Processed cheese may be substi-
tuted for naturally aged cheese.
• Rice or pasta may be cooked separately or added uncooked to recipes no more than two
hours before serving. If adding uncooked pasta, there should be at least 2 cups of liquid in the
pot. Stir occasionally to keep pieces from sticking together.
• To thicken juices or making gravy at the end of the cooking process, make a smooth mixture
consisting of 2-4 tablespoons or cornstarch or our and ¼ cup water or 2 tablespoons of but-
ter. Remove cooked food from pot, letting juices remain. Add mixture to juices, set control at
HIGH, and stir until liquid thickens.
• Don’t worry if food is allowed to cook a bit longer than specied.
ADAPTING RECIPES (General Hints)
• The LOW setting is recommended for all-day cooking. Most meat-and-vegetable combina-
tions required at least 7 hours on LOW.
• For best avor, use whole-leaf herbs and spices during initial preparation. If ground herbs and
spices are used, stir in during last hour of cooking.
• Many factors can affect how quickly a recipe will cook. The water and fat content of food, its
temperature, and the size of the item(s) will all affect the cooking time. Food cut into pieces
will cook faster than larger pieces.
• Recipes for vegetable-type casseroles must contain liquid to prevent scorching on the sides
of the cooking pot.
• If using a specic recipe, one item may be substituted for another, if an equal quantity is used.
For example, if recipe calls for a 12-oz. can of chicken broth, a 10-oz. can of tomato soup plus
2 oz. of something else (water, wine, canned tomatoes) may be substituted.
• Canned beans may be added directly to any recipe, but dried beans, especially red kidney
beans, should be soaked in water (if desired) and boiled rst. After covering and boiling in 3
times their volume of unsalted water, add beans to recipe and discard water. Beans must be
softened completely before they are combined with sugary and/or acid foods, as these have a
hardening effect on beans. In this case, beans should be allowed to simmer until tender (about
1 ½ hours) after boiling.
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