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My guide to slow cooking

If you haven’t used a slow cooker before then this section is definitely worth reading. Indeed, if you’ve been using a slow cooker for a while and are starting to feel a bit bored with the results, then some of these guidelines may just remind you of the many possibilities of your slow cooker and help you expand your repertoire.

What to buy?

There are so many slow cookers on the market it can be difficult to know where to start when buying one. Either way, they are basically made up of a heated, electric element, which surrounds an inner dish with a lid. The cooker is plugged into the mains and controlled simply to high or low.

You will also find options for timers, beepers, lights, digital screens … the list goes on, but for me there are two main factors when choosing a machine: what size is it? And does it have a removable, ovenproof inner dish?

Most major brands will come in a choice of sizes these days. The capacity of your model will depend on the number of people you wish to cook for, and the type of food you want to cook. As a benchmark, a 5–6 litre (9–10½ pint) cooker should easily cater for six people. If you like to cook large batches of food for freezing, or entertaining, then a 6 litre (10½ pint) capacity model or more would be perfect for you. If you would like to cook joints of meat or larger cuts, then try an oval-shaped cooker. Round models tend to be better suited to soups, stews and puddings.

A removable, ovenproof inner dish is a must for me, as the cooker immediately becomes much more versatile; it’s also easier to clean and store. An ovenproof inner means that you can use the dish in the oven, if you wish, and makes it more attractive for taking directly to the table. I also find that I have more control when cooking, as I can remove the dish from the heat source immediately if I want to, and I can also grill the top of dishes, if required. Some slow cookers now have inner dishes that are flameproof too, and can be used on the hob, making them even more adaptable.

The important thing to remember is that every machine will be different. They will reach different top temperatures and be suited to different lengths of cooking and techniques. It is essential that you check the manufacturer’s instructions for your machine before embarking on any of these recipes or any of your own creations.

It’s also worth acknowledging that a slow cooker is completely different from a pressure cooker and will have very different results – they are not comparable, although there seems to be a popular belief that they are one and the same thing.

One of the questions I am asked most about slow cooking is, ‘Is it safe?’ Concerns can range from food safety to worries about fire and energy consumption.

The United States Food Safety and Inspection Service states that when slow cooking, ‘The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking and steam created within the tightly covered container combine to destroy bacteria and make the slow cooker a safe process for cooking foods.’

A slow cooker will operate at about 77–97°C (171–207°F), depending on its selected temperature setting and manufacturer’s variations. In England a temperature of 75°C (167°F) is deemed adequate to destroy any harmful bacteria. Once food has reached this temperature, it can be kept at a lower temperature for up to 2 hours and still be consumed safely. So, a slow cooker that has been given time to warm up and reach its optimum temperature at the designated setting will safely destroy the risk of food poisoning. If you are in any doubt, I suggest you stick to cooking pieces of meat, as opposed to whole birds or joints and/or invest in a simple cooking thermometer for inserting into ingredients to test their core temperature.

If I still have to convince you of the safety of your machine, then you can also turn the slow cooker onto high for the first hour of cooking to bring the temperature to above 75°C (167°F). However, I rarely do this, and remain alive to tell the tale! My view is that if you begin with fresh ingredients, use clean utensils and a clean thermometer, there is no reason why you should have any concerns at all about food safety with your slow cooker.

While talking about safety it’s also important to point out that a slow cooker can be left on for many hours, unattended, but make sure you always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for exact environmental safety precautions.

With basic care, using a slow cooker couldn’t be simpler. In essence, all you need do is to fill the dish up with ingredients, put the lid on and set it to low or high to begin cooking. That said, there are a few basic principles that I stick to in order to create the best possible recipes.

It’s easy to get carried away and overfill your slow cooker – aim to fill the inner dish about half full, or ideally no more than two-thirds full, and certainly no more than 4cm (1½in) from the top. Place the ingredients that take the longest time to cook, such as root vegetables and large cuts of meat, on the bottom of the slow cooker dish so they have maximum heat exposure. Less hardy ingredients, such as rice, pasta, dairy products and certain more delicate vegetables, should be added at the end of cooking, usually during the last hour or so.

Resist the temptation to lift the lid of the slow cooker or stir the contents, as doing so will affect the temperature in the cooker and allow all-important moisture to escape during cooking. However, if you find that your slow cooker has ‘hot spots’, then you may find occasional stirring helpful to encourage even cooking.

Slow cooking affects the flavour of food in a different way to conventional methods. As a result it is a good idea to season your food at the end of cooking, unless otherwise stated in the recipe (a common exception would be when cooking certain vegetables, when seasoning can help to concentrate their flavour). When cooking with brown rice, beans or pulses, I always season at the end of cooking, whether slow or conventional, as the salt can toughen the outer husk, making it chewy and less pleasant to eat. It’s also a good idea to add soft herbs, such as parsley, basil and mint, towards the end of cooking to avoid their discoloration and loss of flavour.

The flavour of any stew, curry or casserole is undoubtedly enhanced if it is left to cool, chilled overnight and reheated the next day (this also allows you to remove some of the fat that will have solidified on the surface). In addition, these foods also tend to freeze brilliantly. If you, like me, are a fan of freezing, then there are a few things to consider. Ideally, transfer any leftovers out of the slow cooker to allow them to cool – this will be preferable to cooling them in the already warm slow cooker, which could encourage the growth of bacteria. Store leftovers in shallow, covered containers and refrigerate or freeze within 2 hours of cooking.

Defrost any frozen foods thoroughly in the fridge before reheating. Never reheat food in your slow cooker as it will not reach a safe temperature for long enough. Cooked foods should be reheated on the hob, in a microwave or in a conventional oven until piping hot. The hot food can then be placed in a preheated slow cooker to keep it hot for serving, if you wish.

Never use frozen ingredients in your slow cooker. The heat in your slow cooker is likely to be unevenly distributed, which could result in some ingredients not reaching a safe and hygienic temperature. It would also create a lot of excess liquid, which a slow cooker is ill-equipped to get rid of.

The ceramic insert in a slow cooker can crack if exposed to sudden temperature changes, so it’s a good idea not to put a ceramic slow cooker dish into a preheated base straight from the fridge. Equally avoid putting a hot slow cooker dish directly onto a cold surface, even if that surface is heatproof.

Your slow cooker will cope admirably if you throw some ingredients in and leave it to its own devices. However, when cooking with meat and vegetables, and if you have plenty of time, you might like to brown them first. This will give the dish extra colour as well as flavour. In addition, it will render fattier cuts of meat, removing some excess fat, which is healthier for us and can also result in a better dish. In my recipes, however, I am always conscious of saving time, so I only include browning if it makes a significant difference to the finished dish.

For more even cooking, trim excess fat from meats, as high-fat foods cook more quickly than other ingredients, such as vegetables. If you’re making a recipe with both meat and root vegetables, it is often a good idea to make a bed of vegetables on the bottom of the dish and place the meat on top, so that it cooks evenly. Saying that, foods high in fat aren’t necessarily a bad thing for slow cooking. This ‘good’ fat comes from intramuscular fat running through certain cuts of meat, as opposed to the layer of fat on the surface of meat. For more information see the specific advice on meat (see here).

Slow cooking does not allow for the evaporation that occurs in other cooking methods, so it is advisable to reduce the amount of liquid you would usually use in conventional recipes. You can usually do this by up to 50 per cent, although as a general rule of thumb I use about one-third less liquid than in my conventional recipes. If you want a thicker, less watery sauce try removing the lid and increasing the setting to high to allow for some of the excess to evaporate. Alternatively, transfer the sauce to a saucepan and boil over a high heat for a much faster reduction method. You could also sprinkle a little plain flour over the ingredients in the slow cooker dish before cooking to achieve a thicker sauce.

Baking in a slow cooker defies many regular rules, but it is possible. I either grease and line the slow cooker dish thoroughly with butter and baking parchment or use an ovenproof dish or dishes and use the slow cooker as a water bath (also called a bain marie). Both methods work well and are suited to light cakes and sponges, and especially custards and similar dishes. Please see here for more guidance on cooking with dairy products. Your manufacturer’s instructions will also give you a further indication of your machine’s suitability for baking. In most cases you will need to preheat the slow cooker and may need to cook on high if you are using raising agents. Check individual recipes for specific guidelines.

Personal preference and differences in slow cooker models will always create variations in cooking times and temperatures. However, most recipes can be adapted for slow cooking. Simply follow the guidelines above and cook until tender. As a basic rule of thumb, a recipe that cooks for 1½–2 hours on the hob will probably take about 4 hours on high in the slow cooker. This would translate to 8 hours on the low setting. I generally prefer cooking on the low setting (unless baking, when I need a higher temperature to make things rise), as I feel the longer time period coaxes out even more flavour from the ingredients. It also ensures more even, thorough cooking.

You can cook almost anything in a slow cooker, but for the best results choose the right ingredients. At its most basic, every good stew or casserole includes one or more of the flavour-enhancing ingredients, such as onions, shallots, leeks or celery, and maybe a selection of root vegetables, perhaps floury potatoes, turnips, swedes, parsnips or carrots.

When it comes to meat, even the most coarse cuts of meat can be transformed into meltingly soft, flavoursome delights! All you need is time and a few additional ingredients and the magic of slow cooking will do the rest.

To get the most from any cut of meat it must be ‘fit for purpose’ or cooked appropriately. Lean, fine-grained cuts respond well to fast, high-temperature cooking, while tougher cuts with more connective tissue need long, slow cooking to make them tender.

For me, knowing how to use and get the best from a whole carcass is something that every carnivorous cook should know about. You’ll get the best, most varied eating experience, but vitally it makes the best economic sense – for cooks, butchers and farmers alike.

Generally the slow cook cuts come from the parts of the animal that have to work the hardest – the forequarter (neck, belly, shoulders) and the legs. These tough, sinewy muscles will taste dreadful if they are not cooked correctly, but so too would the finest fillet of beef. Using a moist method of cooking, or cooking these cuts in some well-seasoned liquid – whether it is stock, wine or even water – will work wonders. The liquid will encourage the muscles to relax their tough structure, and the gelatine that this process produces will, in turn, flavour the liquid to make wonderful gravy. Not only do these cuts present tremendous value for money, but they also taste great. It is also worth considering that cuts labelled ‘stewing’ will usually take longer to tenderise than those labelled ‘braising’.

Dried beans still need to be soaked overnight before slow cooking. Dried red kidney beans must also be boiled for at least 10 minutes and drained before cooking to remove their dangerous toxins. Other pulses – such as lentils and canned beans – can be used directly, but will break up with a very extended period of cooking.

Pasta and rice should be added to moist, saucy recipes in the slow cooker about 30–50 minutes before the end of cooking. Baked pasta and risotto dishes also work very well (see Easy Mushroom and Parma Ham Lasagne and Tomato and Rocket Risotto for some great ideas).

Dairy products such as milk, cheese, cream and yoghurt tend to break down in the slow cooker after prolonged cooking (over 6 hours). However, they can be used either for a shorter period of time or stirred in at the end (the last hour) of cooking to finish a dish.