Slow cookers work best by — no surprise here — cooking things slowly over low heat. Lifting the lid lets that heat out and compromises your slow cooker’s effectiveness, leading to longer cooking times and a potentially less-than-tasty final result. Only lift the lid if the recipe tells you to add ingredients at a certain time.
Meat can be glorious in a slow cooker, or it can be a tasteless, greasy mess. First of all, use a cut that’s designed to be cooked over low, slow heat, so not a top sirloin or chicken breast. Ideal cuts are ones that get fall-apart tender and include brisket, flank steak, short ribs and pork shoulder. And don’t just bung your meat in the slow cooker, either. Take time to trim any excess fat off (including chicken skin) and brown the meat before you add it in. Yes, it’s an extra step. Yes, it’s worth it.
Ideally, the ingredients that take longest to cook — like root vegetables — will go on the bottom, with meat layered over top and liquid surrounding everything. That way, the meat and liquid cook down and flavour the veggies, and everything cooks evenly.
Ingredients like dairy (milk, sour cream, cream or yoghurt) and fresh herbs should be added towards the end of cooking, not at the beginning. Most dairy will curdle when exposed to low, slow heat, and fresh herbs will lose their flavour. Also, don’t use too much alcohol — it won’t cook off, leaving your meal tasting... well, alcoholic.
Over-filling the slow cooker will cause your ingredients will steam, not simmer, meaning they’ll be less flavourful and (potentially) over-cooked and mushy. Under-filling the slow cooker could cause your ingredients to burn. How full is ideal? For most recipes, filling the pot about ⅔ full allows enough space for the slow cooker to work its magic.
Slow cookers are life-savers for busy people. Throw some stuff in the cooker, turn it on, go away, and voilà: delicious food with almost no effort. It’s pretty much foolproof — as long as you avoid these five common mistakes.
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