Hints and Tips
•When in Browning mode, always remember to press START after the pan has
•The Browning mode assists you in your slow cooking by allowing you to sear meat and vegetables at the beginning, but also allows you to thicken sauces and make gravies at the end.
•To thicken a casserole at the end of cooking, set the Browning mode to SEAR and stir through a little cornflour combine with water. Allow to simmer, stirring until thickened.
•Your SecretChef is not only great for soups, casseroles, curries, stews and roasts,
but also great for breakfasts, puddings, desserts and most of your other favourite recipes.
•To boil water, set your SecretChef to 120°C with the lid on.
•Slow Cooking is perfect for the cheaper, tough cuts of meats, as the lengthy cooking process tenderises these cuts.
•When in Slow Cooker mode, the SecretChef does not recover lost heat quickly. So only lift the lid if necessary or if instructed to do so in the recipe.
•It’s a good idea to monitor your cooking results throughout the cooking cycle by viewing through the lid rather than removing the lid (causing heat loss). Different cuts and thickness of meats and vegetables can vary cooking times.
•It is not uncommon for meat to cook faster than root vegetables. It is for this reason that we recommend chopping all vegetables to a similar small size. Meat can be cut into larger chunks because if it is cut too small, it will break up once cooked and tenderised.
•Slow Cooking prevents evaporation, resulting in the flavours and juices being maintained. Keep this in mind when creating your own recipes, as you may not require as much liquid as you would when using other cooking methods.
•Don’t be scared to experiment with your SecretChef. With your SecretChef, there are a myriad of possibilities.
Roasts
•With your SecretChef, you can roast a whole chicken as well as whole pieces of meat, such as lamb, beef, veal and pork.
•Roasts can be cooked without the addition of liquid as they will release juices while cooking. These juices are great to make sauces and gravies.
•To make a sauce or gravy with the roast juices, remove the meat and cover with foil to keep warm. Set the Browning mode to SEAR and stir through some cornflour mixed with a little water. Allow to simmer, stirring until thickened. You can also add some stock or wine to stretch the gravy a little further and add great flavour.
•Do not use oven bags in the SecretChef.
•Roasting in the Slow Cooker will not brown your meat or chicken, as roasting in an oven does. If you want your roast to be golden, we recommend using the browning mode to sear the meat first.
•Leftover roast makes great sandwiches the next day. Try the caramelised onion or tomato chutney recipe and make burgers with the leftovers!
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