When Cooking Has Ended
GENERAL ADVICE ON USING YOUR SLOW COOKER
Ingredients for a particular dish may be prepared in advance and stored in the cookpot in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
DO NOT preheat the cooker base before adding the pot. and never heat the pot when empty.
Do not preheat the empty pot in the skow cooker before use unless expressly recommended in your recipe.
Food products must be fully defrosted before cooking.
Make sure the cooking pot is at room temperature before adding hot foods to it.
Root vegetables are ideal for slow cooking. Green vegetables may lose some colour in the slow cooking process.
Cut vegetables into regular sized pieces and place them at the bottom of the cookpot, under the meat (if used) for improved cooking and added flavour.
Adjust the size of food pieces to the cooking time. For longer cooking times use larger pieces. Use less liquid than for normal cooking. Have a little extra liquid on hand to top up towards the end of the process.
Do not open the lid during the cooking process unless it is necessary. Doing so will allow heat to escape and the food will take longer to cook.
Unless the recipe says otherwise, add dairy products only in the last few minutes of cooking to avoid curdling.
Always use recipes intended specifically for slow cooking and follow all the preparation and cooking instructions carefully.
NEVER use the slow cooker to defrost food!
General Recommendations
Do NOT expose the ceramic bowl to sudden temperature changes - it may crack. If the pot is hot, do not cool it by pouring cold water into it.
Do not allow the pot to boil dry or operate the cooker with an empty pot or with no pot in place.
As the cooking process is necessarily extended, make sure the cooker is operated out of the reach of children or pets.
The ultimate disconnection is the mains plug. Always make sure the mains plug on the unit is readily operable and capable of being unplugged in an emergency.
