Slow Cooker_ The Best Cookbook Ever - Diane Phillips [6]
11. Separate pre-prepped meats and veggies into zipper-top plastic bags and refrigerate before using.
12. Browning meats and poultry before adding them to a slow cooker will give a deeper flavor to the finished dish.
13. Don’t forget to use your slow cooker as a warmer for gravy, mashed potatoes, or other side dishes on a buffet table for entertaining or holiday meals.
THE LINGO
There are a few terms that will help you when using this book, and I think it’s important to read through this section so you know what I’m talking about.
UNTIL TENDER
When something is tender, the tip of a knife inserted into it will go through easily without any resistance.
UNTIL FORK TENDER
Fork tender means that a fork can shred the meat when inserted into the meat.
FIRM TO THE TOUCH
When you push a finger into the meat, it doesn’t feel squishy or wobbly.
DOUBLE-STRENGTH BROTH
Also called “condensed,” this broth is usually diluted with an equal amount of water. For stronger flavors, don’t dilute it.
CHOPPING
One medium onion yields about ½ cup chopped. One lare onion yields about ¾ to 1 cup chopped.
FINELY CHOPPED
¼- to ½-inch pieces
COARSELY CHOPPED
1- to 2-inch pieces (the veggies will either retain their shape or be pureed later into a smooth soup or sauce)
WINE
White wines used in cooking should be crisp and dry without a lot of oak flavor; therefore, I don’t recommend Chardonnay because the oak flavor will overwhelm any dish. Try for a Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, or Sauvignon Blanc. If you are out of white wine, dry vermouth makes an adequate substitute and keeps in your pantry for months.
For most braises, a medium- or full-bodied red wine is what is needed to draw out the flavor of the ingredients. Medium-bodied wines would be Chianti, Pinot Noir, and some wines from the Burgundy region. Full-bodied wines would include Merlot, Syrah (or Shiraz), Zinfandel, Bordeaux (older vintages), Cabernet Sauvignon, and Barolo.
Many people would prefer not to add wine to their braises, and for them I would recommend adding an equal amount of broth to the braise in place of the wine called for in the recipe.
YOU SAY “SLOW COOKER,” I SAY “CROCK-POT”
“Crock-Pot” is a trademark owned by the Rival Corporation, who introduced the cooking vessel to America in 1971. If you buy a Rival-brand pot, it’s truly a Crock-Pot; but if you buy a different brand, it’s a “slow cooker.” Either way, they do essentially the same thing: low and slow cooking.
{What’s in a Slow-Cooker Pantry?}
REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER
Unsalted butter
Heavy cream
Cheeses: your favorites here, but Parmigiano-Reggiano, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Swiss or Gruyere are staples in my home.
Whole milk
Frozen veggies: keep an assortment, including white and yellow corn, frozen chopped spinach, petite peas, and artichoke hearts.
Fruits: fresh or frozen berries, mango, and rhubarb.
Fresh citrus: lemons, limes, and oranges. You can’t get zest from that plastic lemon at the supermarket.
BUYING FROZEN VEGGIES
When you put your hand in the freezer case at the supermarket, make sure that the veggies you buy aren’t frozen in a block. They should be somewhat loose in the bag. If they are frozen solid, that means at some point they have defrosted a bit (in transit) and may have some freezer burn. Also make sure to thoroughly defrost vegetables before adding them to the slow cooker, because frozen vegetables will lower the temperature of the cooker, adding to the cooking time and adding extra moisture as well.
DRY PANTRY
Vegetable oil: use it to start dishes when you want the sauteed ingredients to have the starring role. Vegetable oils offer a flat palate and are used when you want a neutral base for starting a saute or braise. Canola and safflower oils are my choices; corn oil can sometimes have too strong a flavor, and peanut oil has a very strong flavor.
Extra-virgin olive oil: if a recipe specifies extra-virgin olive oil, it is to flavor the dish. Extra-virgin olive oil has a strong taste, so use it when its flavor won’t overpower the other