COOKING
WITH A CROCKPOT OR SLOWCOOKER
SlowCookers and Food Safety
Opening the front door on a cold winter evening and being
greeted by the inviting smells of beef stew or chicken noodle
soup wafting from a slowcooker can be a diner's dream come true.
But winter is not the only time a slowcooker is useful. In the
summer, using this small appliance can avoid introducing heat
from a hot oven. At any time of year, a slow cooker can make
life a little more convenient because by planning ahead, you
save time later. And it takes less electricity to use a slow
cooker rather than an oven.
Is
A SlowCooker Safe?
Yes, the slowcooker, a countertop appliance, cooks foods slowly
at a low temperature—generally between 170° and 280°
F. The low heat helps less expensive, leaner cuts of meat
become tender and shrink less. 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.
Safe
Beginnings
Begin with a clean slowcooker, clean utensils and a clean
work area. Wash hands before and during food preparation.
Keep perishable foods refrigerated until preparation time.
If you cut up meat and vegetables in advance, store them separately
in the refrigerator. The slowcooker 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.
Thaw
Ingredients
Always thaw meat or poultry before putting it into a slowcooker.
Choose to make foods with a high moisture content such as
chili, soup, stew or spaghetti sauce. If using a commercially
frozen slowcooker meal, prepare according to manufacturer's
instructions.
Use
the Right Amount of Food
Fill slowcooker no less than half full and no more than two-thirds
full. Vegetables cook slower than meat and poultry in a slow
cooker so if using them, put vegetables in first, at the bottom
and around sides of the utensil. Then add meat and cover the
food with liquid such as broth, water or barbecue sauce. Keep
the lid in place, removing only to stir the food or check
for doneness.
Settings
Most slowcookers have two or more settings. Foods take different
times to cook depending upon the setting used. Certainly,
foods will cook faster on high than on low. However, for all-day
cooking or for less-tender cuts, you may want to use the low
setting. If possible, turn the slowcooker on the highest setting
for the first hour of cooking time and then to low or the
setting called for in your recipe. However, it's safe to cook
foods on low the entire time -- if you're leaving for work,
for example, and preparation time is limited. While food is
cooking and once it's done, food will stay safe as long as
the slowcooker is operating.
Power
Out
If you are not at home during the entire slow-cooking process
and the power goes out, throw away the food even if it looks
done. If you are at home, finish cooking the ingredients immediately
by some other means: on a gas stove, on the outdoor grill
or at a house where the power is on. When you are at home,
and if the food was completely cooked before the power went
out, the food should remain safe up to two hours in the slowcooker
with the power off.
Handling
Leftovers
Store leftovers in shallow covered containers and refrigerate
within two hours after cooking is finished. Reheating leftovers
in a slow cooker is not recommended. Cooked food should be reheated
on the stove, in a microwave, or in a conventional oven until
it reaches 165 °F. Then the hot food can be placed in a
preheated slowcooker to keep it hot for serving—at least
140 °F as measured with a food thermometer. 
