February 11, 2008

Yummy and Safe Slow Cooker Results

          The commonly used term for slow cookers – “Crock-Pot”- is actually Rival Manufacturing Company's trademarked name as Rival Industries developed the modern slow cooker.  But whatever name you call your counter-top cooker, it has numerous advantages.  It’s “all-day cooking without looking.”  Unless left unattended for several hours, food doesn’t overcook or burn.  Slow cookers use little electricity and so are economical to operate. Plus, simmering foods in a crock pot is a great way to tenderize less expensive and tougher cuts of meat.

          However, there are some steps you can take to insure that what you are cooking will be safe to eat.

          - Keep perishable foods refrigerated until preparation time. If you cut up meat and vegetables in advance, store them separately in the refrigerator. The slow cooker may take several hours to reach a safe, bacteria-killing temperature. Constant refrigeration assures that bacteria, which multiply rapidly at room temperature, won't get a "head start" during the first few hours of cooking.
           - Choose recipes which are high in moisture such as chili, soup, stew or sauces.  Always thaw meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker. Cut the food (meat and vegetables) into chunks or small pieces to ensure thorough cooking.  Do not use the slow cooker for large pieces like a roast or whole chicken as the food will cook so slowly it can remain in the bacterial danger zone (between 40 degrees F. and 140 degrees F.) too long.

          - Fill the cooker no less than half-full and no more than two-thirds full.  When filling your cooker, put vegetables on the bottom and sides since they cook slower than meat and poultry. Cover with liquid such as broth, water or barbecue sauce.  The liquid has the important function of transferring heat from the pot walls to the contents as well as distributing flavors during the simmering process.  For safety’s sake, use the high temperature setting for the first hour or two of cooking, and then turn to medium or low to finish cooking.

          - No peeking. Once you have placed the food into the slow cooker, let it do its job. Each time you remove the lid, the temperature drops by 10 to 15 degrees. Since the cooker may only heat to 185 degrees, the lid must remain in place to insure the food is cooking to a proper serving temperature.

          - When your food is ready to serve, serve it and then promptly store the leftovers in shallow, covered containers and refrigerate within two hours of serving.  Placing the entire crock pot liner in the refrigerator will not allow the food to cool quickly enough through the danger zone to keep the food safe.
          - If you wish to revise your favorite recipe for crock pot cooking, the amount of liquid used will need to be reduced as well as any spices. A general rule is to reduce liquids by half, unless rice or pasta is in the dish. Rice, noodles, macaroni, seafood, Chinese vegetables and milk do not hold up well when cooked 8-10 hours. Add those to sauces or liquid about two hours before serving when using a low setting (or one hour on high). You may wish to reduce quantities of stronger vegetables since they may overtake the other foods in the crock pot with their full flavor.

          From the versatile website, www.busycooks.about.com, comes this great combination of chicken and rice.

          Crock Pot Chicken Wild Rice Casserole

6 slices bacon
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
14 oz. can condensed chicken broth
1-1/3 cups water
10 oz. can condensed cream of chicken soup
9 oz. bag baby carrots
1-1/4 cups wild rice
1-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram

          In large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, crumble and refrigerate. Remove all but 1 tablespoon bacon drippings from skillet. Add onion and garlic to skillet and cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Stir in broth, water, and condensed soup; cook and stir until bubbly, 3-4 minutes. Place wild rice and carrots in 3-4 quart crockpot. Top with chicken pieces and pour mixture in skillet over chicken. Sprinkle with marjoram. Cover crockpot and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Stir mixture, making sure wild rice is submerged in liquid. Reduce crockpot setting to LOW and cook, covered, for 6-8 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked and wild rice is tender. Sprinkle reserved bacon into crockpot during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.