Choosing the Best Slow Cooker! Tips to Consider
In recent years the slow cookers have made a real come-back. You can enjoy healthy home-cooked meals using slow cooker cooking even if you have a very busy schedule. Imagine coming home tired at the end of a day and within minutes sit down to a delicious hot healthy meal.
This slow cooking method is ideal for making chili, stew and soup, as well as pot roast, chicken, turkey and lamb. You can save money by using cheaper and tougher cuts of meat and finish with the same tenderness as the more expensive cuts. In fact you can save enough money in a very short time to pay for the more expensive slow cooker.
How to find the best slow cooker on the market can be a real chore with so many different sizes and brand names on the shelves to choose from. If you are planning to buy one, the following tips could be considered.
Since the sizes of cookers range from about two quarts to over six quarts, make sure it is large enough for your family. A three quart size may be adequate for a single person or a small family while a large family may require a six quart size. Left-overs can easily be stored in the fridge or freezer. In fact the food stored in the fridge can be more flavorful as the juices have more time to penetrate the meat and vegetables.
Examine the control features such as the programmable timer, so you can set it and forget it, and the number heat settings. They should range from high so you can cook the food fast for daytime meals, to very slow for all day cooking and keeping it hot without burning.
To choose between brand names, look for consumer ratings and read their comments. A four or five star rating could be considered ideal. However, one person may find a particular brand ideal and without any problems, while another experiences a number of shortcomings and therefore gives it a lower rating.
Another factor may be the color or style. Decide which would look best on the kitchen counter. They usually come in white or several colors as well as brushed stainless steel.
Look for ease of cleaning and take note of what parts can easily be put into the dishwasher.
The price of slow cookers vary from about twenty dollars to over one hundred. A small cooker with a simple dial setting is much cheaper than a larger one with electronic programmable settings. Look for sale prices on the more expensive brands or models as well as free shipping if buying from catalogs or internet.
