What Are Slow Cookers?

Slow cookers can be a homemaker's best friend. Sometimes they are called Crock Pots, the name of a well-known brand of electric slow cookers. Slow cookers save time and energy and are a big help for a cook looking to create meals with it. For example, plug it into a kitchen outlet, insert a roast that requires many hours of cooking, cover and allow it to turn the roast into a tender and delicious main course for any meal. There are a number of manufacturers that produce slow cookers in different sizes and cooking options.

History

Rival is the name of the first manufacturer to introduce the electric slow cooker in the 1970s. It was called a Crock Pot, a name that is today synonymous with a slow cooker. Home cooks had always tended to a pot while it cooked. Rival developed a crockery in a metal holder that kept the cooking temperature at a constant rate all around the crockery, eliminating constant watching. Attaching an electric cord to the pot released the housewife or cook to tend to other work.

Function

Slow cooking, over a number of hours, will turn a usually tough piece of meat into a tender one with natural juices and flavors. A slow cooker can also be used to cook soups, chicken and other dishes that require many hours of cooking. For example, a person who works away from the home can set the slow cooker on "low" and let it cook the food inside while family members are away, then return home to a ready made meal. It is an excellent time-saving device.

Features

Slow cookers generally consist of several components. These include the electric cord, a crockery that holds food to be cooked, the metal holder that provides the even distribution of heat, a glass lid and dials on the slow cooker for "warm," "low" and "high. Depending on the manufacturer, there are many available styles that offer more elaborate options, but the basics are all that are necessary to do the job.

Considerations

When shopping for a slow cooker, consider whether a large or small one is preferred, the number of people need to be served, how often it will be used and whether dishes cooked in the slow cooker will be used for several meals. Another consideration is color, ease of cleaning, warranty, care and rules of use.

Benefits

Convenience and efficiency are two of the main benefits of using a slow cooker. Manufacturers often provide a variety of recipes with each slow cooker, offering suggestions how to create tasty meals. Book stores and libraries also provide recipe books that focus on slow cooking. Slow cookers take up only a small space on a kitchen counter and are relatively easy to clean, usually just washing one crock after cooking. Many slow cookers are very attractive and the crockery that is used for cooking can also be removed from the metal holder and placed on the table for serving.