My mother used to make the most tender stews for my family. She cooked the meat slowly, until it was soft and succulent, and the juices and spices complemented each other. Her stews make me feel at ease.
Mom no longer uses pots for stews or soups since she has a slow cooker, yet she continues to get the highest praise for her cooking.
Using a slow cooker is the simplest way to get meat this tender and juicy. Slow-cooking tough meat is the best way to soften it up in everything from casseroles to chili to roasts. And the one we'll be featuring in our KitchenAid Slow Cooker Review is an excellent choice if you're looking for one.
What is the purpose of a slow cooker?
Slow cooking softens the meat. Therefore, even the hardest meat can melt in your mouth since the lengthy, slow braise breaks down the connective tissue and fat, making your tough meat incredibly tender.
The correct herbs, spices, and ingredients will enhance the flavor of your food. Over a few hours, your meal is slowly cooked at a low, steady temperature, and all of the flavors blend in perfect harmony.
But it's capable of so much more!
Unfortunately, some individuals restrict themselves to stews or soups, which is almost sad given the variety of food possibilities available in a slow cooker.
The dessert! Cakes, bread, fudge, roasts, pumpkin butter, and even beef or chicken tacos! Meatloaf? Sure. You can even try that chocolate fondue you've been dying to try. You may prepare a brunch dish or even create a custard! Simply spoon the custard into oven-safe ramekins and place them in the steamer's heated water.
Refresh exhausted foods...
Slow cookers are extremely flexible and have a plethora of uses that you may not be aware of.
By using your slow cooker, you may revive chips and crackers by leaving them on low for two to four hours with the lid off. With little effort, you can go from stale to crispy. Baked potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil for four hours on high or six to eight hours on low.
How Does it Work?
Cooking with this requires no expertise or flair; it's just so basic.
Because potatoes, carrots, and root vegetables take the longest time to cook, you place them at the bottom, closest to the source of heat. Set it and forget it; the kitchenaid slow cooker will slowly perform all the work for you for a totally hands-off experience.
Slow cooking brings out the flavors...
The porcelain crock retains a lot of heat and gently transmits it through your meal for hours. Thicker beef slices should be cooked slowly for six to nine hours, and you may set the time in 30-minute increments for up to 24 hours. When it's finished, the kitchenaid slow cooker will switch to the warming setting for four hours.
The colorful digital display begins to count down, allowing you to know how long it has been on warm. So, if your friends show up and you want to spend your time enjoying yourself rather than preparing the food, this slow cooker has your back.
It keeps it warm...
You may also use the warming option after you've finished cooking your dinner. There's no need to use a warming tray or the oven; the kitchenaid slow cooker will maintain your food at the perfect temperature until it's ready to serve.
You could prepare your oxtail and go to work, and supper would be cooked when you got home. Slow cookers were popular as women began to enter the labor field; women could set meals on them before leaving for work, and their families would return home to a hot, ready dinner.
Don't use too much liquid...
The majority of recipes call for a small amount of liquid to prevent food from drying out. Nevertheless, many chefs make the error of adding too much liquid to the slow cooker because it doesn't evaporate as quickly as stovetop pots or ovens. But its charm is that it holds the steam.
The added benefit of retaining all of the liquid is that it is significantly more nutritious. Since the natural juices from your vegetables and meat are not drained, the minerals and vitamins are all kept. Your components are usually wet, and because the lid creates a seal, all the juice is trapped within.
Sear it quickly...
A nice tip I learnt from my mother is to sear your meat in a pan before placing it in the slow cooker; this gives it that lovely meaty flavor. It's also a good idea to chop your ingredients into comparable sizes to ensure an even cook. Using mushrooms or eggplant instead of beef works great for folks with various tastes or food restrictions.
Using less pricey cuts of meat saves money.
But that's not the only way to save money!
Slow cookers consume far less energy than most standard ovens. You save on cleaning because you're just using one crock to cook with rather than a whole bunch of pots and pans.
One disadvantage of utilizing cheap cuts of meat is that they may leave an oily film on the pan. If this is the case, simply place a piece of bread on top to soak up any extra grease. Of course, there is another simple way for a slow cooker to save money: cheaper pieces of meat that are just as tender and delectable as the more expensive ones.
The strong ceramic crock can be removed for easy cleaning and can be placed in the dishwasher. And it's a huge plus that food doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot, as it does with most decent slow cookers.
Don't Open The Lid!
For the most part, the see-through glass cover allows you to easily monitor the cooking of your food. Try to avoid checking on your meal as much as possible. Slow cookers take a long time to reach the ideal temperature, so each peek will add 30 minutes or more to your cooking time.
Because there is no leaking on the floor when cooking, not opening the cover allows for safer cooking and less clean up.
There will be no delay...
However, unlike some slow cookers, the timer cannot be changed to start later. However, this isn't always a negative thing because keeping uncooked food, particularly chicken, out for several hours before cooking might pose a serious health risk. Bacteria are eliminated by the hot steam, tight seal, and direct heat, resulting in a safer overall cooking experience.
The colors are compatible in all kitchens, and the shortish cable is stored beneath the KitchenAid slow cooker. The nonslip feet increase its safety and stability in the kitchen.
When you use your kitchen aid slow cooker, it will not heat up your entire kitchen. This is especially great news for individuals who live in hotter places, particularly during the summer. With its lighted timer display and big numerals, this digital timer is extremely easy to see.
Maintain cleanliness...
The only inconvenience is the lid's handle. This handle is connected to the glass lid by a screw, and there's a little gap there, as well as around the rim between the glass and steel rim, making those parts difficult to clean. If you have the patience, unscrewing the handle makes cleaning easier.
Crock-Pots and slow cookers have caused some misunderstandings. Crock-Pot is a slow cooker brand, so all Crock-Pots are slow cookers, but not all slow cookers are Crock-Pots. The ceramic bowl inside the crock is the crock itself.
Versatile uses...
Despite the fact that slow cookers are often used for cooking, they can also be used for other purposes. It's also possible to make soap, candles, or dye yarn, but please don't use the same slow cooker for food after you've used it for inedible arts and crafts.
Features
Pros and Cons of the KitchenAid Slow Cooker
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
Nothing beats your own mother's cooking, but friends have told me that my mother's cooking is superior to their mothers', with her slow-cooked beef stew a definite favorite.
This is a real slow cooker; there are several on the market, some of which cook more quickly due to their high heat setting being extremely hot. It cooks faster as a result, but it is no longer a slow cooker and more of a cooker.
Cooking this should be slow and long, but the end result is well worth the wait. When you purchase this KitchenAid slow cooker, here's a tip: browse the internet for various KitchenAid slow cooker recipes. Most likely, you don't even know half of them.
Enjoy your slow cooking!
