Crockpot Cooking – Advantages and Disadvantages

In my ‘un-biased’ opinion, the crockpot / slow cooker

is one of the most convenient and easy to use appliances

in my kitchen. The time savings features of the

slow cooker and the delicious dinners that have

resulted more than offset any minor drawbacks.

Before I list my top reasons why the crockpot is the

most useful appliance in any kitchen, I will list

a few of the areas where it does not perform as well.

– Large cuts of meat such as boneless prime rib or

leg of lamb are still best when oven roasted.

– Except for stews and chowders, the slow cooker

does not cook fish very well.

– The slow cooker collects a lot of the juices

since the steam does not escape during cooking and these

juices can become diluted and watery, which can affect

the flavoring of the food.

– If not careful, a slow cooker can overcook food -especially

some of the more tender meats and poultry.

These drawbacks are relatively minor compared to the

positives which I will list now.

– The slow cooker needs virtually no tending while

it cooks, freeing you up to do other chores or recipes.

– The slow cooker will tenderize less expensive, tough

cuts of meat and make great stews out of them.

– The slow cooker allows you to be out of the kitchen

for extended periods of time -sometimes even all day.

– Burning your food is rarely a problem. The slow cooker

will make many dishes for you better than any other

appliance -especially those that tend to stick to

the bottom of a pan.

In my opinion the slow cooker is one of the most

under-utilized and yet superior of kitchen appliances.

When used for what it does best, you will find that you

are able to prepare great dishes in less time than you

though possible!