January Is National Slow Cooking Month
January is National Slow Cooking Month and one way to
increase meals at home is to use a slow cooker. Check out the following
information on slow cooker benefits, food safety, and recipe ideas.
Benefits, food safety, and recipe ideas:
Slow cooker benefits. They use less electricity
than an oven and can be used year-round. Because of the long, low-temperature
cooking, slow cookers help tenderize less-expensive cuts of meat. They usually
allow for one-step preparation; putting all the ingredients in the slow cooker
saves time and reduces cleanup. A variety of foods can be cooked in a slow
cooker, including soups, stews, side dishes, main dishes, meats, poultry, and
desserts.
Know your slow cooker. Most slow cookers have two
or three settings. Food typically cooks in six to 10 hours on the low setting
and four to six hours on the high setting. If possible, turn the slow cooker on
the high setting for the first hour of cooking time and then use the setting
that fits your needs. Read your slow cooker instruction manual and follow
manufacturers' directions. Slow cookers are available in different sizes, so
instructions will vary.
Slow cookers and food safety. Begin with a clean
cooker, utensils and work area. Keep perishable foods refrigerated until
preparation time. Store cut-up meat and vegetables separately in the fridge.
Always thaw meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker. Vegetables
cook slower than meat and poultry, so if using them, put vegetables in first. Then
add meat and liquid suggested in the recipe, such as broth, water or sauce.
Keep the lid in place, removing only to stir the food or check for doneness.
Safely handle leftovers. Do not store leftovers in a deep container, such as the slow
cooker. Store leftovers in shallow covered containers and refrigerate within
two hours after cooking is completed. Reheating leftovers in a slow cooker is
not recommended. Cooked food should be reheated on the stove, in a microwave,
or in a conventional oven until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit (F). Then the
hot food can be placed in a preheated slow cooker to keep it hot for serving,
at least 140 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer.
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