Slow cooker, generically termed as crock-pot or slo-cooker as US trademark, is an electrical appliance designed for slow cooking at a relatively lower temperature. If one compares the cooking method of slow cookers to other cooking techniques, particularly, steaming, boiling, baking et al, it would be found out that the time required for cooking food by slow cooker is considerably higher. Ideally, the slow cooker dishes are placed into the slow cooker and left for cooking for a span of one to 12 hours. Most popular slow cooker recipes are beef stew, swiss steak, chicken cacciatore and beef stew.
Origin of slow cooker dishes
The company to manufacture first ever slow cooker, Naxon Beanery All-Purpose Cooker, was Naxon Utilities Corporation, Chicago. In the year 1970, The Rival Company, re-defined the concept of slow cooker dishes, with a new slow cooker appliance coined by the name Crock-pot in 1971. In the later years, the market witnessed the influx of many new brands producing variations in slow cooker, Hamilton Beach, GE Magic Chef, West Bend Housewares and American Electric Corporation, to name a few.
The process of slow cooking
Given below are some steps that must be followed to prepare perfect slow cooker recipes –
1. Always maintain a temperature of 140 degrees F for cooking any variety of food in slow cookers. This temperature can be well achieved after four hours of consistent placement of the slow cooker on low gas. One may even test the temperature of the slow cooker dishes after an interval of four hours of cooking.
2. Those who have to leave to their workstations on time can turn the gas on to its highest point until the inner temperature in the slow cooker reaches the desired 140 degrees F. However, the gas knob should be turned back to minimum, lest the slow cooker recipes burn or over-cook.
3. Always place defrosted food in the slow cookers so that the internal temperature of the food increases in less time.
Popular dishes prepared through slow cooker
The method of slow cooking via slow cooker can be used for preparing appetizers as well as meals. Popular crockpot or slow cooker dishes in the appetizer category include apple sausage with mustard sauce, barbecued meat balls, beer meatballs and bacon with cheese dip. Examples of slow cooker recipes cooked in the slow cookers and relished as both lunch and dinner delicacies are crockpot paprika pork, slow cooked pork shoulder, beef stew, split pea soup, chicken noodle soup, vegetable beef stew and slow cooked apple butter.
Advantages and disadvantages of slow cooking recipes
Slow cooker dishes literally need no tending throughout the process of cooking. This leaves the person enough time to engage himself to other chores. Moreover, slow cooker is great to tenderize hard meat and chicken steaks to make juicy stews of them. Slow cookers can be left aloof, in the kitchen, for cooking slow cooker recipes, for an entire day.
However, besides these advantages, certain disadvantages have proven to be quite deterrent towards the popular use of the slow cookers. One of biggest disadvantages of this culinary method is its restricted usage for certain foods only. The slow cooker is believed to be a good option for making stews, however, is incapable of cooking foods like fish and eggs. Further, at the time of cooking, a lot of juices escape from the food and mix with the steam. This brings about disparities in the taste of the final product.
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