Elite Products MST-250R - Manual (Page 3)

HOW TO USE ..
•
Place the base on a dry, level, heat resistant surface, away from the edge of the
work surface. Do not use on the floor.
• Place food and other ingredients into the ceramic crock pot, and place the pot
into the base. Cover with the glass lid. If you need to pre-cook or brown foods
prior to slow cooking, this must be done in a pan. Do not try to brown or pre-cook
food in the slow cooker.
• Set the control knob the OFF position before plugging the unit into the main
socket.
• Switch off and unplug the health cooker after cooking and remove the crock pot
using oven gloves.
CAUTION: BE CAREFUL NOT TO TOUCH THE BASE UNIT AFTER COOKING
AS IT WILL REMAIN HOT.
About slow cooking
•
Slow cooking has always been the best way to prepare a nutritious hot meal with
minimum preparation and maximum free time away from the kitchen.
• Traditionally slow cooking has centered on soups and casseroles but with this
oval ceramic crock pot you can also produce most modern family meals and
dinner party dishes. This pot is convenient as well as looking good enough to
take straight to the table for serving. (Always place the crock pot on a heat proof
mat or surface).
• This method of cooking is ideal for preparing tougher cuts of meat, giving them
the long, gentle simmering that ensures that they become tender and full of flavor.
Suitable foods for slow cooking & preparation:
Most foods are suited to slow cooking methods; however there are a few guidelines
that need to be followed.
•
Due to the small size of this mini slow cooker, it is recommended to use for
sauces, dips or other foods in small quantities.
• Cut root vegetables into small, even pieces, as they take longer to cook than
meat. They should be gently sautéed for 2-3 minutes before slow cooking.
Ensure that root vegetables are always placed at the bottom of the pot and all
ingredients are immersed in the cooking liquid.
• Trim all excess fat from meat before cooking, since the slow cooking method
does not allow fat to evaporate.
• If adapting an existing recipe from conventional cooking, you may need to cut
down on the amount of liquid used. Liquid will not evaporate from the slow
cooker to the same extent as with conventional cooking.
•
Never leave uncooked food at room temperature in the health cooker.
• Do not use the health cooker to reheat food.
• Uncooked red beans must be soaked and boiled for at least 10 minutes to
remove toxins before use in a health cooker.
• Insert a meat thermometer into joints of roasts, hams, or whole chickens to
ensure they are cooked to the desired temperature.
• Authentic stoneware is fired at high temperatures therefore the crock pot may
have minor surface blemishes, the glass lid may rock slightly due to these
imperfection. Low heat cooking does not produce steam so there will be little
heat loss. Due to normal wear and tear through the products life, the outer
surface may start appearing “crazed”.
• Do not put the crock pot or glass lid in an oven, freezer, and microwave or on a
gas/electrical hob.
• Do not subject the crock pot to sudden changes in temperature. Adding cold
water to a very hot opt could cause it to crack.
•
Do not allow the pot to stand in water for a long time (You can leave water in the
pot to soak).
• There is an area on the base of the crock pot that has to remain unglazed for
manufacturing purposes. This unglazed area is porous, therefore will soak up
water, this should be avoided.
• Do not switch the cooker on when the crock pot is empty or out of the base.
Tips for slow cooking
•
The health cooker must be at least half full for best results.
• Slow cooking retains moisture. If you wish to reduce moisture in the cooker,
remove the lid after cooking and turn the control to high (if set to low or medium)
and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
• The lid is not a sealed fit. Don’t remove unnecessarily as the built up heat will
escape. Each time you remove the lid, allow an additional 10 minutes to the
cooking time.
• If cooking soups, leave a 5 cm space between the top of the cook pot and the
food surface to allow simmering.
• Many recipes demand all day cooking, if you do not have time to prepare food
that morning prepare it the night before and store the food in a covered container
in the refrigerator. Transfer the food to the crock pot and add liquid/gravy. Select
the setting low, high or medium.
• Most meat and vegetable recipes require 8-10 hours on low. 4-6 hours on high
and 5-7 hours on medium.
• Some ingredients are not suitable for slow cooking. Pasta, seafood, milk, and
cream should be added towards the end of the cooking time. Many things can
affect how quickly a recipe will cook, water and fat content, initial temperature of
the food and the size of the food.
• Food cut into small pieces will cook quicker. A degree of ‘trial and error’ will be
required to fully optimize the potential of your health cooker.
• Vegetables usually take longer to cook than meat, so try and arrange vegetables
in the lower half of the pot.
• After food is cooked, switch cooker off and leave covered with the lid. There will
be enough heat in the crock pot to keep warm for 30 minutes. If you require
longer to keep warm switch to the low setting.
• All food should be covered with a liquid, gravy or sauce. In a separate pan or jug
prepare your liquid, gravy or sauce and completely cover the food in the crock
pot.
• Pre-browning meat and onions in a pan to seal in the juices also reduces the fat
content before adding to the crock pot. This is not necessary if time is limited, but
improves the flavor.
• When cooking joints of meat, ham, and poultry etc the size and shape of the joint
is important. Try to keep the joint in the lower 2/3 of the pot and fully cover with
water. If necessary cut in two pieces. Joint weight should be kept within the
maximum limit.