Crockpot Cookery

April 15, 2009 Filed Under: Recipes

It is easy to come home to a hot dinner every night when you use your crockpot. Taking the time to fill up the crockpot in the morning will reward you with a delicious meal in the evening with no fuss. When you get home, just dish everyone up, and have a wonderful meal.

Crockpot Tips

There are a few tips that will help your crockpot meals turn out perfect every time. First, never overfill the crockpot. Make sure when you are filling it up that the pot is between half and three-quarters full. Too full, and your food will not cook enough. If the pot is too empty, the food will cook too quickly and you will come home to a dinner that is overdone.

Fresh vegetables should be placed in the bottom of the crockpot because they take longer to cook than your meat. You may have trouble believing it, but try putting them on top and see what happens. Frozen vegetables should be placed on top of your meat since they do not take long to cook.

If you take the time to brown your meat before putting it in the crockpot, the fat will get rendered a bit and the natural sugars in the meat will caramelize. Your meal will look more appetizing, and you can deglaze the pan afterwards and add the delicious drippings to the crockpot for flavor. It also helps if you remove any skin or excess fat from your meat before you start.

Tender ingredients like tomatoes, mushrooms, and dairy products should be added the last 30 to 45 minutes of cooking. Make sure the temperature is on low for dairy products to keep them from curdling. If you are adding thickeners like cornstarch, it should be added in the last hour with the temperature on high to activate their thickening qualities. Rice and pasta should be added during the last 45 minutes so they do not get too mushy.

While cooking, try not to remove the lid. If you need to add more ingredients, add them all at once if possible to reduce losing heat from the crockpot. Every time you lift the lid, add another half hour to your cooking time.

Crockpot Recipes

Following these simple suggestions makes cooking in the crockpot easy and fun. Your crockpot can be used to easily make just about anything. Roast pork and beef work well in the crockpot. Add a whole chicken or chicken parts with your favorite sauce for a tender, tasty meal. Stew works well, as does soup. Side dishes can also be made in the crockpot. Vegetable dishes, rice and lentil dishes are all easy to make while you are away.

Did you know you could even bake in your crockpot? It is true! Cakes, breads, and other baked desserts are simple to make in your crockpot. All you need is an insert pan. Crockpot cookery is easy and versatile. It can serve you well several nights a week.

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