The Complete Crock Pot Cookbook
1000 Effortlessly Delicious Crock Pot Recipes for Healthy Homemade Meals
Alison R. Anker
Copyright 2021 By Alison R. Anker All Rights Reserved
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Table of Contents
Introduction
With your busy lifestyle, the running around trying to catch up with your kids, or completing the latest project just before the deadline, who has the time to prepare homemade meals? Well, you are invited to the interesting and stress-free world of slow cooking with the crockpot.
A crockpot is more or less the same as a slow cooker except for its name and some slightly updated functions. Crockpot is a brand name of slow cooker. Over the years, crockpot became a household term and quickly became interchangeable with every other brand of slow cooker. While all crockpots are slow cookers, all slow cookers are not crockpots. The beauty of using a crockpot is that it's pretty darn simple. Prep your ingredients, add them to the slow cooker and press a button or two.
Apart from its simplicity, a crock pot can help you make nutritious meals. After you get over the initial shock of how easy cooking with a crockpot is and after you stop blaming yourself for why you havent done this sooner, you can focus on making these meals delicious too. The best part is that you dont have to be there to cook. Thats the beauty of slow cooking especially with a crockpot. It cooks for you while youre away and turns itself off when the food is ready.
If youre the proud owner of a crockpot, youre in for years of delicious, easy-to-make meals. To make sure you are wielding this powerful kitchen tool properly, continue reading this piece and the good news is that, there are several delicious recipes in this book for you to enjoy. So, what are you waiting for? Timer set, go!
Chapter 1: Crockpot Basics
The term "crockpot" is often used when referring to a slow cooker, which is a small electric appliance that cooks food slowly with a moist heat that is low in temperature. It cooks at a consistent temperature and is designed to continuously cook for a period of six to twelve hours. The pots are available in round or oval shapes with sizes of one quart up to six quarts, all cooking at temperatures that will not add heat to a room or areas around the crockpot as the food cooks.
Cooking with a crockpot brings joy back to food. A crockpot is a versatile appliance that offers limitless opportunities for cooking. crockpots are not just for soups and stews, you can also bake bread and cakes, roast meat, steam vegetables and serve up some hot apple cider in a crockpot.
Slow cooking food in a crockpot is healthy. The slow cooking process retains more nutrients than many other methods of cooking. Crockpots usually have two settings high and low. The low setting is equivalent to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit, while the high setting is about 300 degrees.
Crockpots heat up slowly, taking two to three hours to get up to their highest temperature. This ensures that the food retains nutrients and prevents scorching or burning. Because crockpots cook by indirect heat, you never have to stir the food to make sure its evenly cooked. A crockpot has a crockery insert that warms up evenly, spreading the heat evenly throughout the food.
Crockpots come in many shapes and sizes. Virtually all of them come in pleasing colors to fit in any kitchen decor. With so many different styles to choose from, how do you pick the one thats right for you?
Features of a Crockpot
To understand how a crockpot works, you need to get familiar with its parts. A crockpot is mainly made up of three parts; the base, cooking vessel, and the lid.
The Base
The base allows you to hold and carry the vessel with a handle on its sides. It mostly contains a control knob or temperature panel to set the cooking temperature. At the bottom of the base, there are feet to keep the crockpot above your countertop surface.
The base also contains a lining or heating band in the middle. The liner has thin metal inserted inside the construction of the crockpot. You cant see or access the electrical workings of the liner inside the crockpot. The heating bands or liner conducts the heat around the cooker to transfer it inside. The heat rises through the bottom and to the sides, cooking the food uniformly. There is a small amount of space between the liner and the outer material of the base. The small gap allows airflow so that the base does not overheat.
Cooking Vessel
The cooking vessel is usually made out of materials like heavy stoneware, which evenly distributes the heat, keeping it stable and constant inside. It is the portion where you put the food to be cooked.
The Lid
The lid of the crockpot is one of the main and very important components. It not only covers the food and avoids spills but is crucial to maintain the temperature for cooking. You probably wont be able to achieve an ideal cooking temperature without a lid. Imagine boiling pasta in the water with a lid on the pot and without a lid. The lid of the crockpot works the very same way. Some crockpots have a lid with clips to hold in place and provide convenience while traveling.
Choosing a Crockpot
If youre a small family you might want to start with the midsize and most versatile type of crockpot. The 2 1/2 quart version is still the most popular for first-time buyers.
If you are routinely gone for more than nine hours during the day, you might want to consider one with the automatic timer and warming function included.
If you dont like to spend a lot of time washing pots and pans, consider one with a removable crockery insert. These can be cleaned in the dishwasher.
Crockpot Cooking Basics
As with conventional cooking recipes, crockpot recipe time ranges are provided to account for variables such as temperature of ingredients before cooking, how full the crockpot is and even altitude. Once you become familiar with your crockpot youll have a good idea which end of the time range to use.
Manufactures recommend that crockpots should be one-half to three-quarters full for best results. Keep a lid on it! The crockpot can take as long as twenty minutes to regain the heat lost when the cover is removed. If the recipe calls for stirring or checking the dish near the end of the cooking time, replace the lid as quickly as you can.
