A slow cooker is a cooking pot that is designed to cook food slowly at relatively low temperatures, typically just below boiling point.
Le Creuset |
Pork Loin |
A slow cooker has a tightly closing lid that keeps the vapor inside. When the vapor touches the lid it condenses and forms small droplets of water that drip back onto the cooking meal. This process prevents the meal from burning, ensures moistness, and enhances flavor.
The traditional slow cooker, also called a Dutch oven, is made of cast iron and can be used on the cooking stove or in the oven. Since bare cast iron requires a lot of care to prevent rusting a lot of people prefer enameled slow cookers.
The modern day slow cooker is an electrical appliance consisting of a glazed earthware cooking pot mounted over a heating element with a thermostat and timer. The temperature settings generally range from 80°C (low) to 95°C (high).
Slow cooker recipes include basic ingredients such as meat, chicken or vegetables and a liquid such as water, stock or wine.
Once the meal is cooking you should not lift the lid off the slow cooker to check or stir the ingredients. Taking the lid off before the meal is done allows the vapor and the heat to escape.
Some slow cookers have a transparent glass lid to allow monitoring of the cooking process without taking off the lid.
When looking for a slow cooker the mistake most people make is to buy too small. A slow cooker should be big enough to hold large cuts of meat and even a whole chicken.
Slow cookers come in many shapes and sizes but it is preferable to buy an oval or round slow cooker of size 5 qt or over.