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A GUIDE TO INGREDIENTS AND HINTS AND TIPS
• To ensure even cooking, cut meat and vegetables into similar sized pieces so they
cook evenly. Root vegetables often take longer to cook than meat, so they should be
diced or chopped more finely.
• Brown your meat before adding it to the slow cooker. This adds flavour to the final
dish.
• When using frozen meat, defrost thoroughly before adding to the slow cooker. Never
cook from frozen.
• Add enough liquid e.g. stock, to cover the ingredients inside the cooking pot before
switching on the slow cooker.
• Slow cooking does not need stirring, but you may like to give your food an occasional
stir if cooking on HIGH.
• Put food which may need longer to cook in the bottom of the cooking pot. It will be
nearer the heat source and will sit in the liquid, which will help it to cook.
• Fish and seafood tend to dry out quickly, so they are best added to dishes near the end
of cooking time.
• If you find there is too much liquid at the end of cooking remove the lid and cook on
high for about 30 minutes until the liquid reduces.
• Fresh herbs are best added near the end of cooking; dried herbs can be added along
with the main ingredients.
ADAPTING YOUR HOB TOP RECIPES FOR
SLOW COOKING
• Recipes will require far less liquid than their equivalents cooked on the hob: reduce the
liquid in hob recipes by half, you can always top up during cooking if it seems too dry.
• Reduce salt in recipes, as slow cooking and reduced liquid means flavours are more
enhanced and less salt is required.
• Recipes often say, ‘Bring to boil, and then turndown‘. In slow cookers this is not
necessary. Simply set the cooker on low.
TIMINGS
• If recipe suggests to cook for 15-30 minutes, it will need up to 2 hours on the high
setting in the slow cooker.
• If recipe suggests to cook for 30-45 minutes, it will need up to 4 hours on the high
setting in the slow cooker.
• If recipe suggests to cook for 2-3 hours, it will need up to 6 hours on the high setting in
the slow cooker.
