Quality of material: the material and the construction of the machines.Versatility: does the cooker make a range of dishes?.Functions: additional functions on the slow cooker including browning, reheating, reducing and whether it is hob or oven-safe.Ease of use: how easy it is to assemble and use.Heat retention: how the cooker holds heat for safety on the worktop and whether the food catches or burns.Capacity and size: the bowl capacity and the footprint for using and storing in the kitchen.We also scored the slow cookers against the following criteria: Flavours won't become more concentrated because the liquid doesn't reduce, so try to pack in as much flavour as you can. Slow cookers tend to leach meat of its colour, so it’s important for appearance and flavour that they are well browned to start with. Take time to brown your meat really well.Always use easy-cook rice, rinsed well first – the more starch you rinse from the rice, the better the finished result. Rice and pasta dishes work best cooked on high for the shortest time possible. Slow cookers vary considerably, so follow your manufacturer's manual for guidelines on temperatures and cooking times.If you've kept a slow cooker dish in the fridge, you must wait for it to warm up before turning it on. The inner pot needs to be at room temperature before you start cooking.Don't remove the lid too often to avoid heat loss.No liquid escapes from a slow cooker, so when adapting a recipe not specifically written for a slow cooker, reduce any added liquid by a third.There are two shapes, the round and tall, which has less of a footprint, and the oval, which takes up more room but can be more versatile. Space: A slow cooker takes up space on the worktop and in the cupboard.It's also worth bearing in mind that the capacity stated on the sales blurb is the size of the bowl, not the working capacity, which can sometimes be half that. 3-litres to 4.5-litres (one of the most popular sizes on the market) serve four, and the large 6-6.5-litre models are super for families and batch cooking. The smallest sizes are suitable when cooking for one or two. Size: With sizes starting at 1-litre through to a whopping 6.5-litres, choosing the right size for you is imperative.Design: Are you looking for a simple, budget-friendly option that just slow-cooks (but does it extremely well) or something more versatile that sous-vides, pressure cooks, bakes and roasts too? Do bear in mind that the more technological the slow cooker, the higher the price.Here are a few questions you might want to consider. With so many different slow cookers out there, choosing the right one for you can be confusing. What to look out for when buying a slow cooker Salter EK2842 chalkboard 3.5-litre slow cooker, £29.99.Morphy Richards Sear, Stew and Stir slow cooker, £41.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |