I've been reading a lot of crock pot cooking forums lately and there seems to be a common thread; many people are discouraged from cooking with their new slow cookers. Why is this? What has come to pass to make newer crock pots more frustrating to cook with than older ones? I saw so many posts claiming that people had returned their new slow cooker and dug out the one from their grandmother, or went rummaging around to thrift shops and garage sales to find a "good old crock pot" for $5 or less. And yet, many of those people …show more content…
First of all, test your crock pot. Fill your crock pot half full with water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the lid and immediately take the water temperature. This must be done quickly as the temperature of the water can drop as much as 10-15 degrees each minute.
The water temperature should be 185 degrees Fahrenheit (or 85 degrees Celsius).
Second, don't be scared of your new crock pot; it may take some getting used to. Third, make sure you're filling it the correct amount; if you don't have the correct amount of food in your crock pot (no less than half but no more than two-thirds full) your meal will not turn out right.
I just recently purchased a new crock pot and had the luxury of being able to closely monitor the first few meals I made in it. Yes, it does cook a lot faster than my old one. Once I got used to it and began to use my keep warm, simmer, and buffet settings, each meal turned out perfectly. Most importantly, I love knowing that cooking with my new crock pot is much safer and healthier for my family.
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