Food for thought Some do’s and don’ts for your slow cooker

Slow cookers make delicious meals for the entire family easy. Although just chopping up a few ingredients and setting an alarm might seem like the only steps you need, there are a few do’s and don’ts, according to TheSpruceEats. com:

Do

• Use the right size slow cooker: The slow cooker should be filled between one-half and two-thirds.

• Add dairy at the

end: Dairy products can break down and coagulate if overheated. Stir these items into the slow cooker in the last 15-30 minutes, so they have just enough time to heat through.

• Brown meat before adding it to the slow cooker: This step isn’t mandatory for safety reasons, but it does increase the flavor and complexity of the dish. Because slow cookers retain moisture so well, meat will not brown once it is in the slow cooker.

Don’t

• Place frozen food directly into the slow

cooker: Frozen foods can increase the amount of time needed for the contents of the slow cooker to come up to a safe temperature (140 F) and increase the risk of foodborne illnesses.

• Add too much liquid: Remember, meat and vegetables often give off a lot of liquid while cooking in a slow cooker, and the lid prevents it from evaporating away. If you add too much liquid, it can be reduced by cooking on high without the lid for 1-2 hours.

• Don’t store cooked food using the ceramic slow cooker liner in the fridge: The ceramic liner is meant to retain heat and will not allow the food to cool quickly enough in the refrigerator. Always transfer your food to a separate container for storage.