About Electric Crockpots

Slow cooking is a part of cooking history, from stews and soups simmering over camp fires or in cabin fireplaces to crockery pots in ovens and metalware on the stove. The innovation of the electric crockpot in the 1970s brought slow-cooking convenience to the masses, particularly newly working women who enjoyed the freedom of unattended cooking. Today the electric crockpots have modern designs and programmable features, but the basic principle of making complete meals with ease remains unchanged.

Function

Electric crockpots cook foods at lower temperatures over several hours. The crock or slow cooker is placed on a kitchen counter or table, filled with raw or partially cooked ingredients, covered and plugged in to an outlet. The low wattage allows for safe unattended cooking of soups, stews, roasts and other dishes at any time of day. The slow-cooking process creates meals with tender meats and vegetables and a rich mingling of flavors.

Types

Crockpots are made of stoneware, ceramic, and/or metal, with glass lids. Choose from round, oval, and rectangular designs. Some crocks have a removable inner pot that is dishwasher safe. Others have a metal pot that can be used on the range, or placed on the slow cooker heating base, which doubles as a nonstick griddle.
Electric crockpot sizes generally range from 1 to 7 quarts and can be as uncomplicated as having but one setting. Multiple settings or programmable pots with timers and automatic warming features are also available. Crockpot-combination appliances offer slow cooking as well as rice cooking and steaming options.

History

In the 1960s, West Bend made the bean pot, a simple crockery pot cooking on its own chrome electric heating element. Later that decade, Naxon Utilities Corp. of Chicago combined the two pieces and developed the "Beanery." an early form of electric crockpot. In 1970, Rival bought out Naxon and redesigned the Beanery as the new Crock-Pot, a registered trade name, slow cooker. In 1974, Rival developed crocks with a removable stoneware liner to make clean-up easier.
Other companies, including West Bend, introduced their own slow cookers. Rival, however, continually led with big sales and new features, like the first programmable Crock-Pot in 2001 and a crock with 200 fully programmed recipes in 2003.

Benefits

Electric crockpots suit today's busy lifestyle. Add simple ingredients to the pot in the morning, leave it to cook all day while the family attends work and school, then return in the evening to a home-cooked meal. Novice chefs appreciate that it's nearly impossible to burn or overcook food. The one-pot method with no burned edges means easy clean-up.
The slow-cooking process breaks down cheaper cuts of meat, making them tender and tasty, allowing crock pot users to forgo pricier meats. Cooking with low wattage also means lower energy bills.

Considerations

Rival recommends roughly 1 quart per person when selecting a crockpot size, so a four-person family should use a 4 to 4 1/2-quart slow cooker. Larger sizes can be selected to cook larger meals for guests or to have leftovers.
Foods cook differently in an electric crockpot, using less water and spices than conventional stove-top cooking, with certain ingredients added later in the cooking cycle. Be sure to read all the instructions accompanying the crock and adjust your recipes accordingly. Be aware that not all foods can be cooked in the slow cooker, and some require pre-boiling or browning.

Warning

Foods must be cooked at 165 degrees or higher to kill bacteria. Electric crockpots are engineered to cook at safe temperatures but depend on the lid being secured to lock in the steam and heat. When adding or subtracting ingredients, be sure the lid is off for the shortest possible time to avoid dangerously cooling the contents of the crock.
According to the FDA, some raw beans like red kidney beans can become toxic when cooked at the low temperatures of a crock pot. To avoid illness, raw beans should be soaked for five hours in water, drained thoroughly, then boiled for at least 10 minutes in fresh water.

Resources

• Official Crock-Pot (R) page
• West Bend crocks and slow cookers
• FDA report on dangers of raw beans