Crockpot Tips

• Always taste dish at the end of the cook cycle and correct seasonings, including salt and pepper.
• Fresh herbs will dissipate in flavor over long cook times. It’s best to add them to the finished dish.
• For dried herbs and spices, add half the amount at the beginning of the cooking cycle, then taste and adjust seasonings toward the end of the cooking cycle. Chili and garlic powders can sometimes intensify over longer cook times.
• Tomatoes, vinegar, wine or citrus juice help tenderize meats. For long cook times, taste and add additional citrus during the last 15-30 min if desired.
• Slow cooking retains more juices in meats and vegetables than conventional cooking, so it’s generally not necessary to use more than ½ to 1 cup liquid.
• To thicken a sauce, you can stir in cornstarch, tapioca or tapioca powder and set the slow cooker to high about 15 min until juices are thickened.
• Add milk, cream and sour cream during the last 15 min of cooking time.
• If cooking dried beans, cook them completely before combining with sugar or acidic foods, which will have a hardening effect on beans.
• You can place ingredients in the stoneware liner and refrigerate it the night before cooking, but keep in mind that starting the cooking with cold stoneware will add more time for the pot to heat and cook.
• Do not place the cold stoneware liner in a cooker that is already hot.
• On the low setting it takes about 7-8 hours to reach the simmer point; for high setting, 3-4 hours. One hour on high heat is equal to 2 ½ hours on low heat. (High = 275-300; low = 200 degrees)

submitted by Faye Brady