What is a slow cooker and what is a slow cooker for? Slow cooker: features, characteristics and benefits of slow cooking

In the old days, when no one even suspected gas stoves and microwave ovens, food had to be cooked in conventional home ovens. The cooking process took a very long time, but the food from home oven turned out especially rich and fragrant. Today it is hard to imagine that housewives would voluntarily agree to spend 5-6 hours to cook, for example, porridge or roast. However, a modern kitchen appliance - a slow cooker greatly simplifies this process. Now, to cook any dish, it is enough to immerse the food in the slow cooker and set the specified program.

But you can immediately say, but there is a slow cooker, why do we need a slow cooker, what is the point in slow cooking in our fast-paced time, when everyone, on the contrary, is trying to reduce time costs? The “Dream House” will help its readers to understand this issue by talking about the main purpose of this device, the feasibility of cooking in a slow cooker and its choice.

How a slow cooker works

A slow cooker or long cooker is a device that has the shape of an ordinary metal pan with a lid. Inside the device there is a ceramic container in which the products for cooking are folded. Since the slow cooker is an electrical appliance, the food in it is not boiled or fried, but stewed at a fairly low temperature (from 70 to 140 degrees). Due to such a low temperature, the products in the slow cooker do not burn, do not boil away and do not require constant stirring, but at the same time, they are evenly stewed from all sides due to the heating elements installed at the bottom and on the sides of the appliance.

Almost all slow cookers have a fast and slow cooking. Fast cooking takes 3-4 hours, and slow cooking up to 12 hours. However, the main advantage of slow cookers is their almost complete automaticity. To prepare any dish, simply immerse the food in a container, close the lid of the appliance and select the appropriate mode. Slow cookers are completely safe, so you can safely go about your business while they work. After cooking, the appliance will automatically turn off, but special materials of construction will not allow the food to cool down. In addition, slow cookers are one of the few appliances that do not need to be completely sealed, so during their operation you can open the lid, monitor the cooking process, or add the necessary ingredients to the dish.

In a slow cooker, you can cook any dishes that need a long stew - meat, poultry, roasts, cabbage rolls, stuffed pepper, cereals, etc. In addition to the fact that slow cooking improves taste qualities dishes, in products prepared in this way, all nutritional properties. Also, this device is ideal for blanks - jam or preserves.

The slow cooking function is also present in some other kitchen appliances, such as slow cookers and pressure cookers. However, in these devices, slow quenching is only additional function, so not all dishes can be cooked in them. In addition, when cooking about pressure cookers and, during the preparation of some dishes, you will have to monitor the process and change the mode from time to time, unless you have a multi-stage multi-cook function (multi-cook plus).

What to look for when choosing a slow cooker

When choosing a slow cooker, the first thing you should pay attention to is its capacity. Now you can find devices, the capacity of which is from 3 to 25 liters. In slow cookers with a minimum volume, you can cook no more than 2-3 servings at a time, respectively, they will only work small families. Slow cookers with a capacity of more than 15 liters are semi-professional appliances suitable for cooking a large number of dishes. Also, these units can come in handy if you are used to cooking a large number of jam or jam. Optimally, if the capacity of the slow cooker is 5-6 liters. In this case, you can cook from 2 to 6-8 or more servings at the same time.

Also, when choosing one or another model of a slow cooker, pay attention to the control panel of the device, which can be either touch or mechanical. The touch control panel is more convenient to use, but the mechanical one is considered more reliable and durable.

In addition, it is very important that the slow cooker has a timer with which you can set a specific cooking time for a particular dish.

Slow cookers are very easy to use and maintain. Caring for them consists only in washing the ceramic container, which is easily removed from the device and then mounted back.

Summarizing

Based on all the listed qualities of a slow cooker, we can conclude that its uniqueness is precisely unusual way cooking. In fact, this device has become a modern analogue of an old stove. The products in it are not even stewed, but languish for many hours, thanks to which the dishes are especially soft and juicy. A slow cooker is not just another appliance that simplifies the process of cooking. Due to the special stewing (languishing) of products, it is possible to cook dishes “in own juice”, without the use of oils and fat, which is indispensable for dietary nutrition.

If we compare a slow cooker and a multicooker, then we can safely say that a slow cooker will become an indispensable assistant in a family with small children and the elderly. In addition to the fact that this appliance is able to soften even the toughest food, and the products cooked in it do not lose their nutritious and vitamin value. And especially tasty and healthy are baby formulas and mashed potatoes, which will become useful alternative purchased baby food.

This device is also suitable for you if you preserve a lot, especially slow cookers of large volumes (15-25 liters), which is not yet found in a slow cooker.

“And who heard what kind of slow cooker this is?
- A slow cooker is a pressure cooker with a hangover!
- And then there is the Yoghurt Maker... What kind of garbage they don't come up with...
- What useless inventions of mankind... Steam-, fast-, multi-, egg-... and all COOKING! And why not Parks and not Frying ..?

From the expanses of Runet

Such conversations are usually led by people who can never be persuaded to buy anything more complicated than an electric kettle for the kitchen. And no matter how many laudatory reviews sound in honor of this or that kitchen gadget, the answer of such skeptics will be the same: “If only you don’t cook!”

And that's not true! It is for those who like to tinker in the kitchen, for those who are always looking for something new, who want to cook not only tasty, but also healthy, and kitchen novelties are invented. One such device will be discussed in our material.

To be honest, the slow cooker is nothing new on the market. kitchen appliances. In the 80s of the last century, the Sverdlovsk NPO Kalinin Machine-Building Plant created the Parenka slow cooker. The Urals created a device similar to the Russian stove, with the same temperature conditions and principles of preparation. The instructions for the slow cooker were written by V.V. Pokhlebkin! And if it weren’t for the “dashing nineties”, the domestic miracle saucepan would have flaunted on the shelves of our stores for 30 years.

Well, let's get acquainted with imported slow cookers, which are gradually gaining their niche in the market of kitchen appliances. Fans of multicookers can argue - they say, you can cook slowly in cartoons, it makes no sense to buy a saucepan with a minimum of functionality. At first glance, a slow cooker really does not differ much from a slow cooker. The same plastic or metal case, the same bowl, except that there are not enough buttons on the “control panel”.

In fact, there are many differences. The design of the slow cooker has a 3D heating function, in which the products in the bowl are heated not only from below, but also from the sides. Only a few manufacturers of multicookers can boast of such a heating mode. The bowl of the slow cooker is made of ceramic - a material that is absolutely safe for health. No non-stick coatings, scratching which you can say goodbye to the old bowl and go to the store for a new one. Bowl sizes range from 3 to 6 liters - not bad for big family! By the way, the bowl can be used for a microwave oven.

Slow cookers on our market are usually equipped with a transparent lid made of impact-resistant glass, the body is metal, with handles that do not heat up during the cooking process. The case is equipped with rubber feet that protect the countertop from overheating. Almost all models of slow cookers, with rare exceptions, have electronic control. A display is built into the case, as in a multicooker.

The maximum cooking time for different models of slow cookers varies between 10 and 12 hours, pay attention to this aspect when choosing a new assistant for your kitchen. Most often, there are only two modes in the slow cooker - “slow” and “fast”, but there are models with an intermediate “medium” mode. The power is about 350 W, the temperature range is not too wide, only 50-140 ° C, and more is not needed, because the slow cooker is good at doing only one thing - to simmer, but how good!

Simmering is perhaps the most gentle way to cook food. The temperature during cooking in this way rarely rises above 80-90 ° C, which allows you to preserve vitamins and trace elements as fully as possible. In addition, the name itself contains the most main principle- not just languishing, but slow languishing, for quite a long time, sometimes for 10-12 hours! The advantages of this cooking method are obvious:
. Products simply, in principle, cannot burn;
. The aromas of the food being prepared are mixed in the best possible way;
. Vegetables do not boil soft, retaining color, structure and smell;
. Porridges in a slow cooker are crumbly;
. Almost any, even the most unfortunate, tough meat will turn out tender, juicy and fragrant;
. Dishes in a slow cooker can be prepared without salt, adding it later to the plates to taste. Thus, salt intake is significantly reduced, which is very important for hypertensive patients and losing weight citizens;
. Dishes that require constant attention are perfectly prepared in a slow cooker: jam, jam, salads for the winter, lecho, adjika, etc. - they will not burn and will not be digested;
. In a slow cooker, you can cook using the technology " sous vide” when the products are sealed in vacuum bags and are prepared at a temperature of no more than 80 ° C, in fact, languish in their own juice;
. The slow cooker is ideal for cooking jelly and aspic;
. baked milk and homemade condensed milk they turn out great in a slow cooker;
. And finally, the slow cooker is an opportunity to taste real National dishes, traditionally prepared by the method of long languor.

There are no particular difficulties in handling a slow cooker, but a few rules still need to be remembered. So, for example, do not put frozen foods in the bowl, it is better to defrost them in advance. Cut vegetables into even-sized pieces. Be sure to cut off all visible fat from the meat before placing it in the bowl, as it does not evaporate and does not render during such a gentle heat treatment. The meat can be pre-fried to preserve the flavor and at the same time render excess fat. Onions and carrots can also be sautéed before putting them into the bowl, but if there is no time, you can do without frying. When preparing first courses, accurately calculate the amount of water, since the liquid practically does not evaporate. For best result fill the bowl at least halfway, but not to the top, leave at least 5 cm to the lid. All products should be almost completely covered with liquid (broth, sauce, gravy, etc.). When modifying conventional slow cooker recipes, remember to quadruple the cooking time. Remember that vegetables take the longest to cook, followed by poultry and meat, and seafood takes the longest to cook. Therefore, vegetables should be at the very bottom.

During cooking, try not to open the lid, as the temperature, already low, drops, and the cooking time increases by 10-20 minutes with each opening.

Here is such an assistant - slow, but so necessary! Perfect option for those who are not interested in multifunctionality, but in “narrow specialization”, reliability and usefulness.

Larisa Shuftaykina

The principle of operation of the slow cooker and the design features of the device. Benefits of cooking in a slow cooker What kind of food can be cooked in a slow cooker?

Nowadays, in the store you will not find domestic slow cookers, which have been completely replaced by foreign models of equipment, known as slow cookers, long cookers, samovars, and porridge cookers. Abroad, this technique is called "crock pot" or "slow cooker".

Essentially, a slow cooker is ceramic pan with a lid, which is located in the form of a pan, which is connected to electricity. Outside it is made of plastic, inside of iron. We can say that this is a special heater that produces a uniform and relatively low temperature on all sides.

This temperature allows the dish not to boil, but to languish during cooking. There is no need to monitor the cooking process. Usually, the time allotted for cooking depends on the dish. As a rule, it will take from 4 to 12 hours. The temperature regime is designed for 76-140 ° C.

The advantage of slow cooker cooking over low heat cooking on the stove is that the pot heats up evenly on all sides, just like in a Russian oven.

With a glass lid, you can see how the food is being prepared. The lid can be opened if necessary. This is especially useful when you need to add something in the cooking process or try the dish.

At the same time, you should not get carried away with this either, as manufacturers warn, as this will lead to a decrease in temperature.

Some slow cookers have two settings. The low mode is the usual one, allowing 6 to 8 hours for cooking. The high setting is a "quick" cooking setting, allowing 3-5 hours to cook.

When cooking is finished, the device will automatically switch to keep warm mode. However, you can keep the dish in it for no more than two hours.

Benefits of using a slow cooker

Most importantly, slow cooker meals are suitable for everyone. According to reviews, long cooking at low temperatures, it has the following advantages:

• the possibility of burning products is excluded,
• the flavors of the ingredients mix better,
• even incredibly tough meat can become gentle
• vegetables perfectly preserve the structure,
• porridge is perfectly boiled soft, becoming crumbly, but not “smeary”.

With the help of a slow cooker, you can cook the same dishes as in a Russian oven. You can also cook national dishes that involve languishing. It can be either Armenian kchuch, or Moldavian moussaka, or Uzbek shavlya, Georgian chanakhi, Tajik pilaf And so on.

Such an assistant, among other things, can be used for cooking in non-standard situations, for example, if you urgently need to distract yourself while cooking pasta or potatoes. Undercooked food can be transferred to the device, select the desired mode and go about your business. The dish will cook itself without overcooking.

Thinking about the benefits of the food consumed, the preservation of vitamins and minerals in it, in combination with exquisite taste and in addition the prospect of getting rid of overweight, more and more people are turning to the origins healthy cuisine. At the same time, hardly anyone is ready to stand at the stove all day even for the sake of it.

With the preparation of delicious and healthy meals without your participation, a modern pan - a slow cooker will cope. Dolgovarka / Crock pot / slow cooker / works on the principle of a pot in a Russian oven. Food in it is not boiled, not fried, but languishes like in a cast-iron dish. The slow cooker is designed for slow cooking of any kind of food. The slower the food is cooked, the tastier and richer it is. And all the vitamins remain. The slow cooker is filled, programmed, and it cooks for itself, day or night.
The main advantage of the slow cooker is the ability not to participate in the process: I loaded the products and disappeared to work (or went to bed, or went to visit, go shopping, go to the cinema ...) The slow cooker will turn off by itself, after cooking, and a warm lunch (breakfast, even a front dinner, if you like) will please you by the time you arrive. And besides, it’s tastier than usual (we don’t even talk about the benefits) - the meat just melts in your mouth, well, or any “long-term” dish - stew, cereal, roast, baked milk. All spices, all products during the languor will give the maximum possible to the future dish.
low temperature and for a long time cooking allows you to use cheaper varieties of meat for stewing. Ideal for jelly, strong broth.
Here are the advantages of the Russian stove - due to a longer and more permanent temperature regime tough meat fibers are well softened and food is cooked more evenly.
Another advantage of longevity is constant control process. You can access the dish being prepared at any time and check how it feels there.

What is a slow cooker

- this is a desktop electrical appliance, in the form of a closed pot with a lid, usually ceramic, installed in a special case that cooks food at a very low temperature - from 76 C to 140 C. This does not allow the dish to boil, but at the same time it cooks - languishes for 4-12 hours. main feature: the pan heats up from all sides, as in a Russian stove, since the heating elements are evenly distributed along the walls and bottom of the appliance.
The top just closes with a glass lid. Unlike many other appliances, sealing is not required, so the lid can be removed during cooking to stir the dish or add some ingredients.

Benefits of a debt cooker:

• The extended cooking time allows for better development and blending of food flavors.
• Low temperatures reduce the possibility of burning to the bottom.
• Cheaper, tougher meats can be used.
• Good for cooking game dishes.
• Frees up the oven for a variety of other dishes,
• You can cook dishes of real healthy cuisine, which have fallen into disuse due to the lack of a Russian oven with its falling temperature, and any dishes national cuisine that require prolonged languor. These include, in particular, moussaka, chanakhi; cereals; shawl; pilaf; bean dishes;
• It is very convenient to cook in a slow cooker what often burns and requires constant stirring - jam, cabbage, pieces of meat, game.
• Allows you to prepare festive dishes, like pudding and haggis, having outstanding taste qualities.
• It has several temporary cooking modes, which allows you not only to cook it for different amount time, but reheat as needed.
• Vegetables retain their structure (with such a long stew they do not turn into porridge).

Choose a slow cooker that is large enough for all family members. A slow cooker with a capacity of 2-3 liters (SeaBreeze 430) is suitable for a family of four. If guests often run into your fire, the SeaBreeze 431 6.5 l slow cooker will come in handy. Well, for big parties and holiday food designed with a capacity of 25 liters, which will free the oven for many other dishes. In many appliances, you can adjust the heat and select the high or low mode. Food will cook faster on the high setting (3-5 hours), but if you plan to leave the pot all day, use the low setting (6-8 hours).
Of course, keeping the dish warm is part of her job.
Exhausted by surrealism modern kitchen, fed up with dishes cooked on grills, wok-ahs, raclettes and deep fryers, we are increasingly dreaming of natural and healthy food close to us in culture and traditions. At any time of the year, a slow cooker can make life a little more convenient and economical. Do not stand at the stove, making sure that the food does not burn, does not run away, is not digested and does not dry out ...

IN Lately I tend to cook more and more in slow cookers. I became interested in such cooking, as it is more environmentally friendly, safe for health and healthy cooking food. I even started a special section on the blog Slow Cooker Recipes. If you also want to cook healthy, not overcooked, fortified food, join us.

If you have at your disposal this wonderful device - a slow cooker with a slow cooking mode, it will give you many pleasant minutes in your kitchen, free up your personal time, save you from unnecessary work, and your family will enjoy delicious and healthy food.

Instead, this electric pan requires you to be careful and proper care. Subject to these simple terms, it will serve you for a long time and reliably, because Philips multicookers are one of the best on the market for this product.

Below I will tell you how to properly use the Philips slow cooker with a ceramic bowl, so that it works properly for many years.

What is a slow cooker?

The slow cooker is an electronic casing (like a thermos) with a removable pan (bowl). The device has different modes use, for example, can cook food at a relatively low temperature for a long period of time.

Multicookers are a popular appliance and type of so-called. slow cookers (slow cookers). Products in the slow cooker are cooked for 4 to 12 hours at a temperature of 79 to 82 degrees Celsius.

Below is how to properly use a slow cooker with a ceramic bowl.

Preparing the multicooker for work

Remove the saucepan from the multicooker body. Wash the inside and outside of the ceramic bowl with soap or detergent And warm water. Wipe it off with a soft cotton towel.

Clear up space on your desktop. During operation, the multicooker generates heat, so it will be safe to install it so that it is surrounded by an empty space on all sides for half a meter.

Make sure there is enough empty space around the pot on all sides, including the top, so that heat can circulate freely throughout the cooking time.

The rest of the time, you can keep a clean multicooker in the closet, provided that it is unplugged. If you keep it in a closet, you must make room on your desk every time you take it out for use.

When buying a slow cooker, choose one that has a "Heat" setting if you plan to leave the appliance running when you're not at home.

Older models of multicookers cannot automatically use this setting after the end of the main program.

Read carefully the instructions or instructions for using the tile. Various brands multicookers have slightly different settings and instructions for cleaning the pots.

In the future, having learned the features of your multicooker, you can find many recipes in cookbooks or online recipes, which lists conditions, programs and cooking times along with the right amount ingredients.

But first, find the recipe for your slow cooker in your hob's manual. It will be perfect for your model.

Keep in mind that you should choose these recipes to fill at least half of your pan. This is necessary so that the electronic system of the stove correctly selects the cooking parameters.

If you have a very large or, conversely, a very small saucepan, you can proportionally change the amount of ingredients. Most recipes are for pots ranging from 4.7 to 5.7 liters.

Find a slow-cooking recipe that suits you. You can also adapt your usual favorite recipes for the multicooker. If the recipe you choose is for regular cooking, you will need to cut the liquid ingredients in half because the liquid won't evaporate in the slow cooker as it would with regular cooking.

If the foods in a regular recipe are fried or baked over high heat, select the "High" register for them when slow cooking. If food is simply boiled or stewed over low heat during normal cooking, the “Low” register is suitable for cooking.

You will need to experiment with cooking times, but in any case, cook meals for at least 4 to 6 hours.

Choosing products for slow cooking

Cooking in slow mode takes a long time (up to 12 hours!), so better meals plan ahead. If you leave for work in the morning and want the dish to be ready when you arrive, start preparing the food better evening the day before.
Prepare the ingredients in the evening if you want to load them into the slow cooker in the morning before work.

You can cut vegetables or meat and make the sauce ahead of time. This will allow you to load the ingredients into the pot in the morning and set the slow cooking program to cook the dish all day.
cut vegetables big chunks if the recipe calls for them to cook for more than 6 hours on a low register. If you want to cook more small pieces, it is better to add vegetables later, 4-5 hours before the end of cooking.

Lightly brown the meat before adding it to the pot.
Put a piece of meat on hot pan With a small amount vegetable oil and fry until golden brown on all sides. This will give the dish a richer flavor.
Fry chopped meat in the same way. Make sure the pieces are browned on all sides.

Heat the sauce (or broth, or water - whatever liquid you intend to stew the meat in) in the microwave or on the stovetop before adding it to the multipot.
Since the slow cooker will heat up slowly, this step will reduce the cooking time and ensure that the sauce blends properly with the rest of the ingredients.

One of the benefits of slow cooking is that you can use cheaper meat.
Pork shoulder and chicken thighs cheaper than pork chops and chicken breast. The long, slow cooking of the meat allows the fat to leave the meat pulp, making it as tasty as it is more. expensive varieties meat.
For slow cooking, feel free to buy cheaper "marbled" pieces of pork and beef. When cooked slowly, they will not be as "dry" as fillets, and just as tasty.

Reduce the amount of herbs and spices you usually put in your dish (this is also a significant savings). long time cooking makes the aroma and taste of spices stronger. This is especially important if you are adapting regular recipe for use in a slow cooker.
If you are using slow cooker recipes from the Internet, please note that they have already been adapted and tested by the authors of culinary sites. But at the same time, use only reliable sites so as not to damage expensive kitchen appliances.

To keep the temperature stable while cooking, do not open the pot frequently. Remember that by lifting the lid, you drop the temperature in the pan by a dozen degrees.
Therefore, resist the temptation to open the pot during cooking more than is necessary in order to add the right ingredients or check the dish for doneness..

In addition to the fact that frequently dropping the temperature will increase the cooking time, it can also prevent you from killing all the bacteria in the dish (at least the manufacturers of the multicooker say so!).
Since the temperature in the pot is relatively low, foods such as chicken, meat or fish must be cooked long enough at an even temperature to kill the bacteria.

You will have to master each recipe by trial and error. Start with the recommended cooking time in the instructions. Later, you can adjust the cooking time according to your products and own experience. (Mistresses know that, for example, different varieties potatoes can be cooked for 20 minutes or an hour. The same applies to other products).

Set the pot to “warm” if the dish is cooked before you are ready to serve it.
Do not leave the cooked dish in the pan for a long time: pour soups into tureens, drinks into jars, main dishes and cereals into separate dishes with lids for storage in the refrigerator.
Unplug the pot after use. Let it cool completely before washing and storing it.

Multicooker Care

Remove leftover food from your pan. It is recommended to allow the dish to cool slightly, pour into a storage dish, and start cleaning the pan after it has completely cooled down.

If your slow cooker has a removable ceramic bowl, remove it from the heating section so it can cool down. If you are unable to remove the inside of the multicooker, you must ensure that the device is unplugged and completely cool before cleaning.

Wash the pot with warm water and soap. Multipots are fairly easy to clean. If you baked a cake or bread in a slow cooker, pour water into a saucepan and let it stand for 5-10 minutes in a warm soapy water.

Removable ceramic containers can also be washed in the dishwasher.

If you are having trouble removing food residue, you may be overcooking your food.

Do not use sponges to clean the pan as this may damage the surface.

Wipe your pan with a soft cloth dampened with warm soapy water. Rinse with water and wipe with a dry cloth.

To avoid water stains on the surface of the pot, rinse it with water and a little vinegar, and then wipe it with a dry cloth to reduce the chance of stains.

Fold the pan into the multicooker, wipe the body with a clean cloth, roll up the cord and put the appliance in a storage cabinet.