Operating your Breville Banquet Meal Maker
A beginner’s guide to slow cooking
Before the first use
Before first use, remove all promotional labels and packing materials. Wash the removable crockery bowl and glass lid in hot, soapy water, rinse and
dry thoroughly. Wipe the inside and outside of the stainless steel housing with a soft, damp cloth, then dry thoroughly.
Operating instructions
1.Before placing the removable crockery bowl in the stainless steel housing, ensure the exterior of the bowl is clean. This will ensure proper contact with the inner cooking surface. Insert the removable crockery bowl into the stainless steel housing, then place the prepared food into the removable crockery bowl, ensuring denser foods are spread evenly across the bottom of the bowl and not heaped to one side. Place the glass lid into position.
2.With the Temperature Control Dial turned to the OFF position, insert the connector end of the power cord into the appliance inlet, plug the power cord into a 230/240V power outlet and switch the power on at the power outlet.
3.Turn the Temperature Control Dial to the desired setting, or as recommended in the recipe section.
4.When cooking is complete, turn the Temperature Control Dial to the OFF position, switch off at the power outlet, remove the power plug and then the connector end from the appliance inlet.
Important
•Always use the Meal Maker on a dry, level surface.
•Never operate without food and liquid in the removable crockery bowl.
•Never operate without the removable crockery bowl positioned in the stainless steel housing.
•Always have the glass lid firmly in position on the removable crockery bowl throughout the operation of the appliance unless where stated in a recipe to have it removed.
•Always use dry pot holders or oven mitts to remove the removable crockery bowl when hot.
•Do not place the removable crockery bowl when hot on any hot surface that may be affected by heat.
Using the temperature control settings
Low setting
The Low setting gently simmers food for an extended period of time without overcooking or burning. No stirring is required when using this setting.
High setting
The High setting is used when cooking dried beans or pulses and will cook food in half the time required for the Low Setting. Some foods may boil when cooked on the High Setting, so it may be necessary to add extra liquid. This will depend on the recipe and the amount of time in which it is cooked. Occasional stirring of stews and casseroles will improve the flavour distribution.
Keep Warm setting
In years gone by, food cooked in large pots, and allowed to simmer for hours, was full of flavour, moist and tender. The Breville Banquet Meal Maker is designed to produce these same results, whilst leaving you time to do other things, making it perfect for today’s busy lifestyles.
Here is a guide to help simplify the process of slow cooking, allowing you to obtain maximum satisfaction from your Meal Maker:
It’s all in the timing
Always allow sufficient time for the food to cook. It is almost impossible to overcook in the Meal Maker particularly when using the Low Setting. Most of the recipes contained within this book can be cooked on the High or Low Settings, however the cooking times will vary accordingly. Each recipe will give specific instructions indicating the appropriate settings and suggested cooking times.
Adapting cooking times
Your favourite traditional recipes can be adapted easily by halving the amount of liquid and increasing the cooking time considerably. The following is a guide to adjusting your favourite recipes:
Traditional Recipe Time | Meal Maker Recipe Time |
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60 minutes | |
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High humidity, altitude, cold tap water, ingredients and minor fluctuations may slightly affect the cooking times in the Meal Maker.
Note
Adapting liquid amounts
When food is cooking in your Meal Maker, most moisture is retained. To allow for this when using traditional recipes it is advisable to halve the liquid content. However, after cooking if the liquid quantity is excessive, remove the lid and operate the Meal Maker on the High Setting for
Stirring the food
Little or no stirring is required when using the Low Setting. However, stirring the food when using the High setting ensures even flavour distribution.
The Keep Warm setting is used to keep cooked foods at serving temperature. It is not a cooking setting and should only be used after first cooking on the Low or High setting. It is not recommended to keep food on the Keep Warm setting for more than 4 hours.
These times are approximate. Times can vary depending on ingredients and quantities in recipes.
Note
ALWAYS LIFT AND REMOVE THE GLASS LID CAREFULLY AND ANGLED AWAY FROM YOURSELF TO AVOID SCALDING FROM ESCAPING STEAM.
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