Crock-Pot OnePot - Manual (Page 5)

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HINTS AND TIPS
PASTA AND RICE
• For best rice results, use long grain converted rice or a specialty rice
as the recipe suggests. If the rice is not cooked completely after
the suggested time, add an extra 1 to 1½ cups of liquid per cup of
cooked rice and continue cooking for 20 to 30 minutes.
• For best pasta results, fi rst partially cook the pasta in a pot of boiling
water until just tender. Add the pasta to the One Pot ™ slow cooker
during the last 30 minutes of cook time.
BEANS
• Beans must be softened completely before combining with sugar
and/or acidic foods. Sugar and acid have a hardening effect on beans
and will prevent softening.
• Dried beans, especially red kidney beans, should be boiled before
adding to a recipe.
• Fully cooked canned beans may be used as a substitute for dried
beans.
VEGETABLES
• Many vegetables benefi t from slow cooking and are able to develop
their full fl avor. They tend not to overcook in your slow cooker as
they might in your oven or on your stovetop.
• When cooking recipes with vegetables and meat, place vegetables in
slow cooker before meat. Vegetables usually cook slower than meat
in the slow cooker.
• Place vegetables near the sides or bottom of the stoneware to
facilitate cooking.
HERBS AND SPICES
• Fresh herbs add fl avor and color, but should be added at the end of
the cooking cycle as the fl avor will dissipate over long cook times.
• Ground and/or dried herbs and spices work well in slow cooking and
may be added at the beginning.
• The fl avor power of all herbs and spices can vary greatly depending
on their particular strength and shelf life. Use herbs sparingly, taste
at end of cook cycle and adjust seasonings just before serving.
MILK
• Milk, cream, and sour cream break down during extended cooking.
When possible, add during the last 15 to 30 minutes of cooking.
• Condensed soups may be substituted for milk and can cook for
extended times.
SOUPS
• Some soup recipes call for large amounts of water. Add other soup
ingredients to the slow cooker fi rst then add water only to cover. If
thinner soup is desired, add more liquid at serving time.
MEATS
• Trim fat, rinse well, and pat meat dry with paper towels.
• Browning meat in a separate skillet or broiler allows fat to be drained
off before slow cooking and also adds greater depth of fl avor.
• Meat should be positioned so that it rests in the stoneware without
touching the lid.
• For smaller or larger cuts of meat, alter the amount of vegetables or
potatoes so that the stoneware is always ½ to ¾ full.
• The size of the meat and the recommended cook times are just
estimates and can vary depending upon the specifi c cut, type, and
bone structure. Lean meats such as chicken or pork tenderloin tend
to cook faster than meats with more connective tissue and fat such
as beef chuck or pork shoulder. Cooking meat on the bone versus
boneless will increase required cook times.
• Cut meat into smaller pieces when cooking with precooked foods
such as beans or fruit, or light vegetables such as mushrooms, diced
onion, eggplant, or fi nely minced vegetables. This enables all food to
cook at the same rate.
• When cooking frozen meats, at least 1 cup of warm liquid must
fi rst be added. The liquid will act as a “cushion” to prevent sudden
temperature changes. An additional 4 hours on LOW or 2 hours on
HIGH is typically required. For larger cuts of frozen meat, it may take
much longer to defrost and tenderize.