Carol Hildebrand - 365 Winter Warmer Slow Cooker Recipes: Simply Savory and Delicious 3-Ingredient Meals

Slow Cooker Types, Sizes, Features, and Safety

S low cookers were introduced in the 1970s, and to date, more than 100 million have been sold. The Crock-Pot was the original slow cooker, and it still makes up 85 percent of the market. The catchy brand name, belonging to the Rival Company, became synonymous with the slow cooker. Today, we may still forget and call slow cookers by the wrong name, but that doesnt change the facts: All Crock-Pots are slow cookers, but not all slow cookers are Crock-Pot brand. Cuisinart, Farberware, Hamilton Beach, West Bend, and many other companies manufacture slow cookers as well.

What exactly is a slow cooker? Its a small, stand-alone appliance that cooks food slowly in a ceramic pot. The slow cookers heating element surrounds the food with heat, so that the food cooks evenly. This eliminates the need to stir the cooking food, making its preparation extremely convenient for the cook. Some slow cooker-type appliances have heat coils on the bottom only, as well as adjustable thermostats. These are not true slow cookers, however. If you have this type of cooker, refer to your product manual for advice on how to adapt the recipes in this cookbook.

When first introduced, slow cookers came with two settings, LOW and HIGH, which most slow cookers still have. The exact temperatures of these settings vary by manufacturer, but LOW is generally about 200F (90C) and HIGH is about 300F (150C). These temperatures, though low in comparison to those used in conventional cooking, exceed food-safety standards.

For most slow-cooker recipes, its possible to set the slow cooker to LOW and leave it unattended for the length of the recommended cooking time. But while the cooking times are flexible, it is possible that unexpected delaysgetting stuck in a major traffic jam, for instancecould result in overcooked food. Many of the newer slow cookers therefore are programmable and often come with a WARM temperature setting, which is approximately 140F (60C), to prevent overcooking and to keep food at a safe temperature for up to four hours. This feature is also convenient if you want to hold foods at serving temperature for late-arriving family members or at potluck gatherings.

Even if you have a basic slow cooker with only a LOW and a HIGH temperature setting, the Rival Company sells a remarkable device called the Smart-Part Module. This little item works like a timer. Just insert the plug of your slow cooker into the module and set the cooking time. The module will automatically switch your slow cooker to WARM when your meal is finished cooking. It works with any brand of slow cooker that has a ceramic pot and that is rated 400 watts (3.3 amps) or less.

SLOW COOKERS AND BACTERIA

The slow cookers lengthy cooking time, its direct heat, and the steam locked inside the pot thanks to its tight-fitting lid all work in concert to destroy bacteria when commonsense food-handling procedures are followed. In the 1970s, when slow cookers were first introduced, some people unknowingly practiced unsafe food-handling procedures and promoted the growth of enough bacteria in their slow-cooked food to cause illness. These days, slow cookers operate at higher temperatures, killing bacteria faster and better.

Although most slow-cooker food-safety practices are common sense, you probably need to refresh your memory. So, take a peek at the food-safety tips on . Youll be glad you did.

When shopping for a new slow cooker, its easy to become overwhelmed by the many types of cookers and variety of features available. Therefore, its useful to understand the components of a basic slow cooker.

A basic slow cooker consists of an electric cooking pot with two temperature settings, LOW and HIGH. The pot is usually made of stoneware and is inserted in a base that contains the heating element, although less-expensive slow cookers can be single units and may even have only one temperature setting. If the cooking pot is removable, it often can be washed in the dishwasher, although you should consult your manufacturers instructions to be sure. Some stoneware pots have an unfinished, porous bottom, which is fine for cooking but not for washing in the dishwasher. A removable cooking pot can also double as a serving dish. Even the basic slow cooker generally has a tempered glass lid to allow easy viewing of the cooking food, and often has handles that stay cool and are designed for easy gripping.

Beyond the basics is a dizzying array of special features. Some slow cookers are fully programmable. One model has a divided pot to cook two recipes at the same time. Another model is entirely cool to the touch, even when cooking on HIGH. Many come with a feature that automatically switches the unit to a temperature that safely keeps food warm once the cooking time has elapsed. A designer-style slow cooker makes an especially pretty appearance at the dinner table, doubling as an elegant serving dish. With some, the cooking pot goes from the base to the stovetop, oven, refrigerator, or freezer. A few even have nonstick interiors, and some have blinking lights that signal if the power went off during the cooking time. Even without all of these improvements, however, the basic slow cooker is more than adequate for preparing and serving a delightfully tasty and convenient meal.