Slow cookers apply heat gently, cooking ingredients over periods of hours. This extended cooking allows dishes to become infused with flavour in ways that can't be achieved via other cooking methods. It also means that food can be left to cook while chefs are out, while generally resulting in nutritious meals as well. So the increasing popularity of slow cooking is no mystery.
The technique isn't new, but household slow cookers are. So-called “crock” pots appeared in America from the 1950s onward, using electricity and modern manufacturing methods. Nowadays, slow cookers are everywhere, and many variants are available.
Let's help you find a model that ticks every box and a great price through slow cooker deals. Read on to find out more.
Stuck for ideas when it comes for slow cooker models? Take a look at these:
This recipe applies to basic slow cooked chicken, offering a healthy alternative to roasts. If you want to make a casserole or curry, you'll need to sautee the chicken beforehand, ensuring that the meat is properly sealed.
There are many ways to slow cook chicken, but here's a popular method to cook a whole chicken which always seems to hit the spot. Firstly chop up some carrots and onions and add them to the container vessel. Now add 100ml of water to the vessel as well.
Mix a little salt and butter. Now take the chicken, and try to separate the skin from the breast. Using a knife, apply the butter mix underneath the skin. Add a bay leaf inside the chicken and place it in the slow cooker.
Set your slow cooker to “low” and heat the chicken and vegetables for 5 hours.
After 5 hours, turn the chicken upside down and allow any fluid from inside to escape. Place it back in the container and cook for another half an hour.
Check to see whether the chicken is cooked through. If not, turn the heat up and cook for 45-60 minutes.
When it's done, sieve the ingredients to remove any excess gravy and retain it in a separate container. Serve the chicken and vegetables on a plate, and pour the gravy over the top. Simple.
