The Slow Cooker Equality
- cheap cuts and baked potatoes

When was the last time you used a slow cooker ?

The slow cooker, or crock pot, is nothing new. It's been around for ages. But even today, the slow cooker is still one of the best kitchen appliances ever. And no matter how long you've lived without this great invention, once you start using one, you won't want to ever stop.

Not surprisingly, the slow cooker gets its name from the fact that it cooks food over a long period of time, using a much lower temperature than a conventional oven. It's not uncommon for cook times to run 6 to 8 hours.

By the way, slow cooker is the generic name, while crock pot is the brand. It's sort of like facial tissues and kleenex.

Anyway, there are 3 fantastic things about the slow cooker that everyone who cooks should know. The first has to do with the dramatic amount of electricity you can save.

But that is another article.
[see The Cooking Method Variability]

The second great thing about the slow cooker involves buying cheaper cuts of meat without loss of quality. One main problem with cheaper cuts is that they are tough to chew. But the slow cooker solves this issue completely.

The slow cooker uses lower temperatures and long cook times to marinate the meat in its own juices. You don't add water, so the flavor is not diluted. And after 8 hours, even the cheapest cuts practically melt in your mouth.

It's so much easier to cook in the slow cooker, too. Just set it and forget it. No more checking and adding water every hour. Load it in the morning, go about your day, and by dinner time it's ready.

Don't lift the lid for the first 2 hours. If you really want to flip it after 4 hours, go ahead, but it's not really essential.

Since expensive cuts can easily cost as much 3 times more, going cheap and using the slow cooker can save a ton of money on food. Once you taste the difference, or rather the lack thereof, you'll be pleasantly astonished.

While the slow cooker is most famous for pot roast, you can use it for all sorts of dishes. Don't limit yourself to conventional thinking here. Experiment to see what works.

slow cooker ideas
Dish	Time	Notes
baked potato	3-4 hours	cook 4-6 potatoes together
chili	3-4 hours	stir once after 2 hours
burgers	3-4 hours	stack 4 completely flat patties
french fries	2-3 hours	cook longer for more crispy
** don't add water unless otherwise noted **