10 Fast Tips For Slow Cookers

​​Whether you're a beginner or a pro, you're guaranteed to learn something new to make you an even better chef in the kitchen! 

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1. How To Check An Old Slow Cooker

Haven't used your slow cooker in a while? Did a friend give you theirs or maybe you bought one at a garage sale? Here's a fool proof way to make sure your slow cooker is working properly.

1. Fill the cooking bowl 2/3 full of water, cover and set on low for 8 hours.
2. After 8 hours, take the lid off and immediately check the temperature of the water with a thermometer. The water should be about 185 degrees.
3. If the water temperature is significantly off, then you know it's time for a new one. At least you didn't waste a meal!
4. If the water temperature is above or below 185 a bit, just add more or less time to your cooking time to offset the difference.

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2. Checking A Brand New Slow Cooker

Follow the same procedure as above, but make sure you are home. Always, always make sure you're at home the first time you use your slow cooker in case it implodes from pressure and covers your kitchen in raw meat. Sure, that's 99.9% unlikely, but safety first chef slow cooker, and get that hair net on! 

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3. 

​Slow cookers work best when they're at least halfway full; less than that and food can cook unevenly. 

4. 

​Defrost meat before adding it to the slow cooker or it will chill the cooker as it defrosts and never cook quite right. Unless you want a half cooked blood pot roast… 

5. 

​Want softer meat? Cut the fat off before adding it to the slow cooker for soft pull away texture…without all the endless chewing. 

6. 

​Every time you open the lid while cooking, it adds 15 minutes onto cooking time, so keep away from it Susan!

7. 

​When cutting veggies to add into your slow cooker, cut them all the same size. Otherwise you'll find mushy carrots and hard potatoes. Cut them the same size and they'll also cook at the same rate.
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8. 

Foods that take a long time to cook, like potatoes and other root veggies, should be put at the bottom of the slow cooker.
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9.

​To thicken sauces and mixtures, just leave the lid off for the last 15-25 minutes of cooking. 
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10.

Make sure you put away any leftovers within 2 hours. Because the slow cooker isn't scorching hot anymore, but is still warm, bacteria starts to grow quickly; and nobody, no matter how good your eggplant parm is, wants to be sick tonight.

Why Use A Slow Cooker?

Do You Have The Right Knives?