Okay, the model above is from Hamilton Beach TM, but they're all the same practically speaking. A slow cooker is electric, so if there's no electrical outages, you're good to go, of course make sure your electric bills are paid on time.
How does a slow cooker work? It works on low heat, think of it as a slow sweating process, that's a slow cooker, but hot enough to really heat up meats and other proteins, and breaks up all the tissues in meats and poultry, ligament, muscles, it is hot enough to tenderize the healthiest of briskets, shanks etc. Oh yeah it can.
So my female friend who wants to cook for her family, here is what you do. Cook your meals before you go to bed, then cool it, and refrigerate it overnight for the next day's dinner.
Here is how I envision your life.
5:30 am, you awake to make coffee, watch the morning show, read the paper, your husband is getting ready for the office, where ever that may be.
6:00am you take the dog for a bathroom walk.
6:30 am, you wake the kids, (if it's school time) get them set for school.
7:00am, your husband drives off for the office, as you wait another 15 minutes to take the kids to school.
8:00am, you're back home to freshen up, do a little yoga or whatever, and then shower, drink another cup of coffee and hit the road by 9:00am, to get to the office by 9:30 am. Your shift ends at 6:00pm.
Okay, let's say you get home by 7:00pm, your husband is already home, the kids are home because your kid brother picks them up because he is unemployed and he's 30 years old. He just can't seem to get it going, I can relate. I'm him. ha ha. Okay, you get your slow cooker at the ready.
Buy the biggest slow cooker in case you need it to feed more than your husband and kids.
Let's say you got 2 kids ages 8, and 11. one boy who loves to eat, one girl that eats daintilee. And of course hubby can nail a cattle in two shakes.:)
Beef Meal.
4 lbs. of Chuck Roast. (from the shoulder of the cattle)... this cut is chewy and great for slow cooking, because slow cooking softens up a chewy piece of beef. You don't have to buy prime cuts, choice or select is great for this.
3 large Russet potatoes, cut into cubes
4 stalks of celery cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths
3 large carrots sliced 1 inch lenghts
1/2 can of beef broth
1 small head cabbage cut into fourths
1 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. pepper
1/2 cup of red wine
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1. Sear the chuck roast over a large skillet (stainless steel) no nonstick pans. Put a little oil over high heat, brown the meat on both sides, then set it into the slow cooker.
2. Arrange all of the veggies towards the sides of the pot in the slow cooker.
3. Add in the beef broth, this is to help with flavor, and to create steam, remember steam will help soften the meat and the veggies.
4. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the ingredients, with red wine and soy sauce.
5. Cover the slow cooker, and turn it on, if your slow cooker is like mine, there's a timer, set it so it goes for a good 10 hours. So if it's in by 8pm, it should be done by 6:00am when you awake, ready to eat even for breakfast.
You get up and the meat is done, the veggies are fork tender, maybe mushy but who cares, this ain't chef's work at Wolf Gang Puck's! this is true comfort foods babe!
Take out the meat, and veggies and set it in a nice bowl, let it rest and cool for about an hour, or before you take the kids to school, you put the stuff in the refrigerator, covered, and when you get home later that evening, all you have to do is place the food in the conventional oven to heat up, or the microwave. All the hard work was done the night before, it was cooking slowly as you slept, what a freekin concept! Viola! Food!
Good luck on your foodie adventures!
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