Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook (3 page)

Although there are many recipes for the slow cooker, you can never have too many. Converting regular recipes to be made in the slow cooker can be a rewarding experience. Long simmering, braising, stewing, and slow roasting recipes, most of which require more than one hour cooking time on the stove top or oven, can be converted in a slow cooker recipe. The slow cooker recipe will require far less hands-on time and will have similar (or identical) final products. The most successful converted recipes require the majority of the work in the preparation. While some ingredients can be added to the slow cooker toward the end of the cooking time, recipes that are labor-intensive or that require many steps may not be well suited to this method.

Understanding how a slow cooker works will help you successfully adapt your recipes. Slow cookers have a ceramic insert that is surrounded by a heating element; this configuration keeps the temperature inside constant. The lid contains the heat and moisture so there is little evaporation. Temperatures can vary depending on the age and model of the slow cooker, but as a general rule, the low setting is 170°F and high is 200°F. Food cooked on low takes roughly twice as long as food cooked on high.

The easiest type of recipe to convert is a soup or stew. Follow the preparation of the original recipe but leave out ingredients such as cooked poultry, rice, pasta, or quinoa and stop short of simmering. Add any browned meats, vegetables, and broth to the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Add the poultry, rice, pasta, or quinoa during the last 30 minutes of cooking to avoid overcooking them. The lack of evaporation and constant heat ensures stews that will never dry out and soups that cook without boiling over or evaporating.

Although a lack of evaporation is not an issue when it comes to cooking soups, the amount of liquid in most recipes needs to be reduced when adjusting them for the slow cooker. Regular recipes assume some liquid will evaporate during the cooking time. Additionally, some ingredients such as onions, meats, peppers, and tomatoes give off a lot of liquid as they slow-cook. It is better to err on the side of caution and at least halve the amount of liquid in a traditional recipe. If after slow cooking too much liquid is left, you can still save the dish. For a small amount of excess liquid, remove the lid of the slow cooker and cook on high for 30 minutes to allow for some evaporation. If a lot of liquid remains, drain it off and reduce it in a pot on the stove.

Meat does not brown in the slow cooker. If you want browning for flavor or aesthetic reasons, you need to brown the meat before adding it to the slow cooker. Quickly searing meat in a dry skillet or sautéing it can accomplish this. For stews that need a thicker broth, toss the meat in flour prior to sautéing to help with both browning and thickening. Slow cooking is perfect for recipes that call for cheaper, leaner cuts of meat that need a long cooking time to become tender. For best results, surround the meat with carrots, celery, fennel, or raw or caramelized onions, which will provide the necessary moisture and flavor.

If the original recipe calls for a high-fat cut of meat, substitute a leaner cut. High-fat meats are not well suited to the slow cooker because they become greasy and tough. For example, instead of using bone-in pork shoulder, use pork tenderloin.

Boneless cuts of chicken, turkey, or duck cook relatively quickly in the slow cooker; do not cook them for longer than 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high. Boneless poultry works best in the slow cooker when it is paired with wet ingredients such as sauces, tomatoes, or soft fruit. This insures that the lean meat will not dry out during the cooking time.

Dairy products, like sour cream, cream cheese, or milk, do not hold up well over long cooking times. To avoid curdling, add them during the last half hour of cooking. If you are making a hot dip, do not heat it for more than an hour unless otherwise instructed. If milk is a major ingredient, for example, in a creamy sauce or soup, substitute an equal amount of evaporated milk. Evaporated milk can be used directly from the can, and since it has been heat-processed, it can withstand long cooking times. Due to the relatively short, low-heat cooking time of the last half hour, low-fat sour cream, cream cheese, or milk can be used with great success in the slow cooker despite having a tendency to separate while cooked using traditional methods.

Experimenting with different flavor combinations is part of the fun of slow cooking. It is also a wonderful way to add flavor to a dish without adding fat. You can use herbs and spices in the same amounts as you would with other cooking methods. Using fresh spices is essential. As spices age, they lose their potency. Taste what you are making before you serve it. If the finished dish is too bland, stir in additional spices prior to serving. Adding soft vegetables such as fresh or frozen peas and corn during the last 30 to 60 minutes of cooking is another way to perk up the flavor of a dish.

Keeping a well-stocked pantry is essential. Having basic yet versatile ingredients on hand makes it easy to make a home-cooked meal on the spur of the moment.

Recipes from a wide range of cuisines incorporate canned goods such as fat-free evaporated milk, fat-free sweetened condensed milk, black beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans, black olives, crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes. Look for low-sodium versions to help reduce your salt intake. Keeping these canned goods on hand will enable you to throw together a delicious, nutritious meal at the last minute.

Stock sold in cartons is generally better tasting than canned and does not need to be refrigerated until opened. Although it is not as tasty as homemade stock, it is helpful to have a few cartons on hand. Buy fat-free, salt-free stock.

Small pastas like orzo, acini di pepe, pastina, alfabeto, and ditalini are perfect for adding to soups. Look for whole-wheat versions for added fiber.

All-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, canola oil, olive oil, wheat berries, barley, and oatmeal are all great in the slow cooker and they have long shelf lives. Additionally, dried fruits and sun-dried tomatoes can be kept on hand to toss in a dish for extra flavor and fiber.

Cans of chipotle in adobo, chopped green chiles, hot sauces, and tomatoes with green chiles are all shelf stable. Keep them on hand for making chili, tortilla soup, tamale pie, and other spicy Mexican dishes.

Fish sauce, dark and light soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, rice vinegar, rice noodles, sesame oil, and Chinese cooking wine can be found in most well-stocked grocery stores. These ingredients are indispensable in many pan-Asian recipes.

A well-stocked spice cabinet is essential for making tasty slow cooker dishes. Chipotle powder, paprika, black pepper, chili powder, ground jalapeño, hot Mexican chili powder, and cayenne pepper can add heat and a depth of flavor to almost any dish. Dried herbs such as oregano, celery flakes, chervil, thyme, rosemary, dill weed, and parsley add a lot of flavor and have a long shelf life. Aromatic spices including cloves, cumin, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cocoa can be used in savory or sweet dishes. Additional spices that are used less frequently but are still helpful to have around include fennel seed, fenugreek, sumac, mustard seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, diced onion, dill seed, caraway seed, and Chesapeake Bay seasoning.

While not technically pantry ingredients, ground meats, chicken breasts and thighs, pork chops, cooked chicken or turkey, and salmon freeze well and can be defrosted in the refrigerator overnight. Minced fresh herbs can be frozen and used directly from the freezer in any recipe that calls for fresh herbs.

Properly stored in cool, dark places, potatoes, apples, parsnips, rutabagas, and winter squash can last an entire season. Stock up and have them on hand at all times for easy yet flavorful meals.

The first time you use a slow cooker, it is helpful to be home to check in on the dish to see how it is cooking. Some slow cookers may run hotter or cooler than others, and it is important to know whether the cooking time needs to be adjusted. Additionally, you don't want to come home to a cold, raw meal because the slow cooker did not turn on or work properly.

Slow cookers work best when they are at least one-half to two-thirds full. Less food will cook more quickly and less evenly. Choose a slow cooker that is the proper size for the recipe for best results.

Pay attention to layering instructions. Place slower-cooking ingredients like root vegetables near the bottom of the slow cooker unless otherwise noted.

Remove any visible fat from meat before adding it to the slow cooker. Also be sure to drain off any rendered fat before putting browned meat in the slow cooker.

Heating an empty ceramic insert may cause it to crack. Be sure the insert is at room temperature when placed in the slow cooker base. Sudden changes in temperature can also cause cracks in the ceramic insert.

Defrost all frozen meats in the refrigerator before placing them in the slow cooker. The food in the slow cooker must reach the safe temperature of 140°F as soon as possible. Using frozen meat may lower the temperature of the dish into the danger zone for an extended period. Small frozen vegetables like peas or corn will not lower the temperature enough to be dangerous but add them toward the end of the cooking time for best texture and flavor.

To keep the temperature constant in the slow cooker, avoid removing the lid during the cooking time. Removing the lid can reduce the temperature in the cooker, adding to the overall cooking time. Additionally, do not repeatedly add new items to the slow cooker during the cooking process. It can cause the internal temperature to dip below what is considered safe. If additional ingredients need to be added, they should be added all at once toward the end of the cooking time.