Dust off Your Crockpot: Save Time and Energy

Many of us have crockpots that just sit on the shelf in our kitchens taking up valuable space.  Now is the time to put that appliance to work for you. Crockpots or slow cookers save us time, money, and energy.  They are great for beginning cooks because all you must do is fill it and turn it on.  If you do not have one, they are inexpensive and can often be purchased at secondhand shops. 

There are a few things to consider:

1. Consider the size of your family, crockpots range in size from 1 pint all the way up to a 7-quart capacity. Small crockpots will feed 1-2 people, but for a crowd or larger cuts of meats, you will likely need a larger one.  For best results only fill the crockpot half to two thirds the way full, too little food might burn and too much food may not cook thoroughly. 
2. When purchasing a crockpot, look for one with a removable liner, they are much easier to clean. However, if you already have a non-removable liner, all is not lost!  You can line the crockpot with a cooking bag and or spray the inside of the crockpot with cooking spray prior to filling with food.
3. The features of crockpots range from simply plugging in and selecting low/medium/high settings to programmable features. If this is your first crockpot, buy a simple version.  Some of the crockpots with more features, are a little more complicated to use and can create food safety risks for even the most experienced cooks.

Crockpots are safe to use following a few simple steps:

• Clean hands, surfaces, utensils, as well as the crockpot.
• MAKE SURE YOUR FOOD IS THAWED! Experts recommend you do not put frozen foods in the crockpot.  All foods should be defrosted before cooking so the food temperature can reach 140F as soon as possible to prevent foodborne illness.
• Preheat your crockpot or cook on the highest setting for the first hour to shorten the time that food could be at an unsafe temperature.
• Do not use the warm setting to cook your food, it is designed only to keep your food hot once it is cooked.
• Vegetables take the longest to cook, so put them on the bottom or sides of the crockpot.
• Do not remove your lid to check food as this lowers the temperature 10 to 15 degrees and increases cooking time by 30 minutes.
• Check for doneness using a food thermometer (Roasts, 145-160 degrees; Poultry 165 degrees; Soups, stews, and sauces, 165 degrees)
• Cool properly by taking cooked food out of the crockpot and putting it in a smaller shallow container and refrigerating.
• Do not reheat food in your crockpot. Food can quickly be reheated on the stove or microwave to 140 degrees and then can be transferred to the crockpot to keep warm. 

A simple and healthy recipe to get you started on using your crockpot is a vegetable lentil stew!