We live in a world of immediate responses and fast-foods, so the idea of slow cooking sounds old-fashioned and inconvenient.
But, the reality is the art of slow cooking is gaining popularity because it actually saves time, is a healthy way to eat, provides absolutely delicious foods that take very little time to prepare and save on the expenses of heating up your range and your kitchen! Convenient: When preparing meals in the oven or on the stove-top, you need to spend time preparing the food - perhaps browning or coating the meat, preparing multiple ingredients in multiple ways (boiling, searing, etc.
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With slow cooking, simply put the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning - including any spices you may wish to use - and the meal is ready when you come home.
There is no need to keep turning the food, or watching the burner - crock pots are self-regulating.
In today's computer age, crock pots and slow cookers also come with programmable controls, for an even more precise cooking process-and when the food is done, the heat will be turned down.
If traffic keeps you from getting home on time, the slow cooker will continue to keep your dinner freshly prepared.
Healthy: Also, unlike stove-top meals, the ingredients stay together during the cooking process and the healthy nutrients in your food stays in the slow cooker - rather than being released into the air as steam.
By cooking meats slowly, the connective tissue is broken down, and the meat is much tenderer when it is completed.
Whether you use lean meats or the more economical cuts, the meat will be tender and nutritious.
Delicious: The ingredients you use in the crock pot will blend together during the long cooking process and produce a taste sensation! Use the spices your family enjoys (only in a smaller amount) and the spices will combine with the other ingredients to enhance their flavor.
If you like your vegetables crunchier and you are able, put them in later in the cooking process.
I like to put carrots in for 2-3 hours before mealtime when I am able to - this produces delicious cooked carrots that are not mushy.
Economical: One hundred years ago or so, houses often had summer kitchens in order to prepare meals without heating up the entire house.
Today, with air conditioning, you do not see separate buildings for kitchens, but in today's economy, it is essential to find a way to save energy.
By using a slow cooker, you do not have to turn on your oven or range and generate the heat required to cook foods in this way.
You can also purchase the less expensive cuts of meat and know that by cooking them slowly, the chuck steak will be just as tender as that rib-eye! You don't need to use as much of the expensive spices in your cupboard because the flavors blend together throughout the cooking process.
As we rush through our everyday world, slow cooking allows us to actually save some of that precious time and prepare for our families an economical and nutritious meal that is ready when you are! Now, you can spend the time you usually take to prepare meals at the end of the workday and do the things you want to do! Enjoy!