Why Use a Slow Cooker?
Aside from creating delicious, hearty and wholesome homemade meals, a slow cooker is a wonderfully versatile yet economic small kitchen appliance. Yes, they make brilliant casseroles and stews, but they will also cook cakes, puddings, sauces and more.
How Does a Slow Cooker Work?
When you use a slow cooker the inner pot is heated up, as it gets hotter heat is transferred up through the food and the sides of the pot, cooking the contents over a number of hours. This slow cooker comes with three different settings.
Are Slow Cookers Healthy?
As with most things, slow cookers can be as healthy as you want them to be. One of the main benefits is the decreased need for oil and fats. The ceramic inner bowls of the Andrew James slow cookers are non-stick and because this cooking method helps to retain moisture you food remains tender and succulent without the need to add any extra butter, lard or oil.
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3 Temperature Settings Low - Use for cooking meats such as pork, chicken, lamb or beef. High - Normally used for sauces and dips where you only want to cook the contents for a couple of hours. Auto - Starts on high then switches to low once it has reached a preset temperature. The time taken depends on how much food is put in the cooker initially and whether it is frozen or defrosted |
Is This Slow Cooker Dishwasher Safe? You should only wash this inner ceramic cooking pot and the glass lid in warm soapy water with a soft cloth. The non-stick surface helps reduce the amount of cleaning required but if any food persists after rinsing leave it to soak for a few hours. The exterior of the slow cooker can be cleaned by wiping it down with a damp, soft cloth. |
What Can I Make In A Slow Cooker? Pulled pork, roast chicken, beef stroganoff, chilli con carne. OK, so you may be familiar with cooking that type of dish in a slow cooker but have you ever tried pineapple upside-down cake, chocolate brownies, a full English breakfast? You may have to prep some ingredients on the stove or in a frying pan, but most recipes are easily adapted to slow cooker versions. |
A slow cooker only heats up to about half of the temperature of a conventional oven, and you are only heating a small area, so the amount of energy required to produce that heat is significantly reduced. Furthermore, the tempered glass lid helps to retain heat within the cooker whilst allowing you to see how cooking is progressing so you don’t release heat by needing to lift the lid.
As well as requiring less energy, you can save money by bulk purchasing, bulk cooking and even by buying cheaper cuts of meat. Slow cookers are brilliant for turning tough cuts into something infinitely more tasty that you get with a conventional oven because of the moisture they are able to retain. With our larger ovens you can cook plenty of portions then seal and freeze them for later. For meals with a high moisture content freeze then vacuum seal to make them last even longer.