Dual pots
a)You can cook one recipe using both pots, using it as a single, big crock pot.
b)You can cook the meat in one pot, and the vegetables in the other.
c)You can cook two different recipes — they must take roughly the same
time, and note that you’ll get some cross-over between the two pots, so
don’t cook rice pudding alongside chilli con carne!
‘One-step’
Use this method when time is at a premium.
While the slow cooker is warming up, boil the stock/cooking liquid in a pan.
When the slow cooker has heated up, remove the lid (oven gloves) and put it
on a heatproof surface. Put the raw ingredients into the crock pot and add the
boiling cooking liquid. Replace the lid (oven gloves).
‘Browning’
This method takes longer, but the results are usually worth the extra time.
While the slow cooker is warming up, brown meat and vegetables in a pan. If
you use a tinned cooking sauce, add it to the cooking liquid. Boil the cooking
liquid in a pan. When the slow cooker has heated up, remove the lid (oven
gloves) and put it on a heatproof surface. Put the ingredients into the cooking
pot and add the boiling cooking liquid. Replace the lid (oven gloves).
Mode — high/low
Whichever method you use, ‘One-step’ or ‘Browning’, use the Mode button to
set the slow cooker to high or low — the High or Low light will come on.
Warm mode is not available as a choice, it’s automatic, at the end of the
cooking time.
Set the time
Press to increase, to decrease the time on the display to the time you
want. It displays whole hours only.
Start cooking
Press Start, then leave the slow cooker to get on with it. You can’t change
anything after this. If you’re not happy with the settings, press to stop the
slow cooker, then set it up again.
Finished?
Unplug the slow cooker (switch the socket off first, if it’s switchable). Using
oven gloves, remove the lid and set it on a heatproof surface. Remove all the
food from the crock pot, then fill it with warm water.
Gravy/sauce
Slow cooking retains more of the juices than normal cooking. This tends to
increase the volume of cooking liquid and thin the sauce or gravy. To allow for
this, sauces should initially be thicker than normal. Anything to be sautéed
could be tossed in seasoned flour beforehand, to thicken the sauce/gravy.
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