How to Use a Slow Cooker Like a Professional Chef
Making Beef Stew in Crock Pot -Photographed on Hasselblad H1-22mb Camera iStock
Everyone who hates cooking should have a slow cooker. They're so easy! You can dump in the ingredients, leave for work, and come home to a house smelling like a 5-star restaurant.
But, slow cookers aren't just for the busy moms and recent college graduates. Professional chefs want in on the slow cooker fun, too!
Christopher M. Wilmoth, Corporate Chef at Lee Kum Kee, also sees the perks of slow cooking and has some amazing tips for us. His advice is sure to bring your slow cooker dinners to the next level.
1. Hold On the Seasoning
man sprinkling chopped parsley on to dish of Moroccan Chicken sitting on a gas hob iStock
You may have seen some recipes that call for seasoning while the dish is cooking. Chef Chris says don't do that! Wait until the dish is complete to season. Otherwise, the dish can be too salty.
2. Trim the Fat
Close up Woman Slicing Fresh Pork Into Small Pieces on Top of a Wooden Chopping Board In the Kitchen. iStock
You should use little fat when cooking with a slow cooker, so always trim the meat before combining it with the other ingredients. When the dish is done, clean the top of the pot to get rid of all the extra fat that floated to the surface.
3. Breathing Room
Making Beef Stew in Crock Pot -Photographed on Hasselblad H1-22mb Camera iStock
It's tempting to fill your slow cooker up to the brim, but Chef Chris advises against that. Protein needs space to cook evenly! He recommends filling up your slow cooker half to two-thirds full.
4. Be Patient
Close up of a slow cooker working on kitchen shelf iStock
Sometimes the hardest part of slow cooking is resisting the urge to peek under the lid and get a glimpse of whatever smells so delightful. But allowing the ingredients to cook for a proper amount of time is important. You'll be rewarded for your patience when dinner is served!
5. Make Gravy
Various sauces isolated iStock
Don't waste the broth you just cooked your pot roast in! Turn any leftover juices into a delicious, creamy gravy by adding cooked roux, flour, or cornstarch to the mix.
Thank you, Chef Chris for all the helpful tips! We can't wait to try them out this week.