Slow Cooking Tips

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Helpful Hints

• Follow recipe directions. These recipes have been triple-tested to ensure success.
• Make sure the ingredients fill the slow cooker at least half full so the foods cook properly and the liquid does not cook away.
• Check to see that the slow cook lid fits completely without tilting or being askew.
• Do not remove the slow cooker lid during cooking unless the recipe directs you to add ingredients or stir. The heat loss caused by removing the lid unnecessarily can result in extra cooking time.
• Slow cooking may take longer at high altitudes.

Beef Basics

• Choose the economical, less tender beef cuts for slow cooking. These include cuts from the chuck and round such as pot roasts and pieces of beef for stews and soups. The long, slow cooking process ensures fork-tender, moist and flavorful beef.
• Save quick-cooking ground beef and tender roasts for other meals and cooking methods.
• Use beef straight from the refrigerator. Do not use frozen beef for these recipes. Defrost beef in the refrigerator, never at room temperature
• Trim visible fat from beef before placing in the slow cooker to help reduce fat in the finished dish.
• Place vegetables on the bottom and around the sides of the slow cooker; place beef atop vegetables. (Meat tends to cook faster than vegetables in the slow cooker.)

Safety Savvy

Following recipe directions helps ensure that foods are cooked properly and to the correct doneness. When slow cooking is complete, don’t forget these helpful safety tips.

• Remove food from the slow cooker within one hour after it is finished cooking. Refrigerate leftovers promptly.
• Do not reheat foods in the slow cooker because it takes too much time for the food to reach a safe internal temperature.
• Cool the slow cooker before adding water for cleaning; otherwise the crockery or stoneware liner could crack.