Hamilton Beach Stay or go SC06, Operation Manual

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Tips for Slow Cooking

Food Safety Tips

•  The crock should be at least half-filled for best results. If only halffilled, 

check for doneness 1 to 2 hours earlier than recipe time.

•  Stirring is not necessary when slow cooking. Removing glass 

lid results in major heat loss and the cooking time may need to 

be extended. However, if cooking on High, you may want to stir 

occasionally.

•  If cooking soups or stews, leave a 2-inch (5-cm) space between 

the top of the crock and the food so that the recipe can come to a 

simmer.

•  Many recipes call for cooking all day. If your morning schedule 

doesn’t allow time to prepare a recipe, do it the night before. Place 

all ingredients in crock, cover with lid, and refrigerate overnight. In 

the morning, simply place crock in Slow Cooker.

•  Some foods are not suited for extended cooking in a Slow Cooker. 

Pasta, seafood, milk, cream, or sour cream should be added 2 hours 

before serving. Evaporated milk or condensed soups are perfect for 

slow cooking.

•  The higher the fat content of meat, the less liquid is needed. If 

cooking meat with a high fat content, place thick onion slices 

underneath so meat will not sit on (and cook in) fat.

•  Slow cooker allow for very little evaporation. If making your favorite 

soup, stew, or sauce, reduce liquid called for in original recipe. If too 

thick, liquid can be added later.

•  If cooking a vegetable-type casserole, there will need to be liquid in 

the recipe to prevent scorching on the sides of the crock.

•  If cooking a recipe with root vegetables, place root vegetables in the 

bottom of the crock.

•  Do not use frozen, uncooked meat in the slow cooker. Thaw any meat 

or poultry before slow cooking.

•  To store leftovers after cooking, do NOT place the crock in the 

refrigerator since contents will take too long to cool. Instead, divide 

leftovers into smaller containers and place into refrigerator.

•  Never allow undercooked or raw meat to sit at room temperature 

in the slow cooker. Once meat is placed into the crock, it should be 

cooked immediately (unless prepping slow cooker the night before, 

where crock should be placed into the refrigerator).

Troubleshooting

PROBLEM

Food is undercooked.

The food isn’t done after 

cooking the amount of 

time recommended in my 

recipe.

My meal was overcooked. 

Why?

Lid gasket collapsed.

PROBABLE CAUSE/SOLUTION

• Was power interrupted?
• Did you select the Low heat setting, but used a cooking time based on the High heat setting?
• Did you have the lid placed correctly on the Slow Cooker?

•  This can be due to voltage variations (which are commonplace everywhere) or altitude. The slight fluctuations 

in power do not have a noticeable effect on most appliances. However, they can alter cooking times in the 

slow cooker. Lower than rated voltage will require longer cooking times and higher than rated voltage will 

require shorter cooking times. You will learn through experience if a shorter or longer time is needed.

•  Was the crock at least half full? The slow cooker has been designed to thoroughly cook food in filled crock. If 

the crock is only half-filled, check for doneness 1 to 2 hours earlier than recipe time.

• Did you select correct number of hours based on cooking temperature [   (LOW)or     (HIGH) ]?
• Foods will continue to increase in temperature after desired temperature has been reached.

•  This can be caused by sudden temperature change, like running cold water over a warm lid. Allow lid to sit at 

room temperature. It will return to its original shape within 24 hours.

•  To help maintain shape of gasket, do not cook with clips latched and do not store empty unit with clips latched.