Making a successful meal in the slow cooker means knowing how it works and how to stop potential disasters from happening. Many people enjoy the benefits of a hot meal slowly cooking all day. This can only happen if you are careful to put the ingredients together properly.
Slow cooker meals turn out to be watery when there is too much liquid added at the beginning of the preparation. During the cooking process, the water does not evaporate, and, when added to the natural liquid in the food, produces a soupy consistency.
Although much of slow cooking is about trial and error, there are some things that you can do to ensure your meal does not end in disaster. To discover ways to keep your meal from going watery in the slow cooker and what you can do if it does, keep reading.
How To Stop Slow Cooker Meals From Going Watery
Stopping a slow cooker meal from going watery begins before you even add the ingredients to the pot. You will need to make sure that you are following a recipe that has a reputation for turning out with positive results.
Since most ingredients that go into a slow cooker will produce a certain amount of liquid, it is important that you do not add any more than a recipe calls for. Meats and vegetables both have natural liquids that will come out during cooking. Knowing this can make all the difference.
When it comes to adding meats to your slow cooker, many experts recommend that you sear the meat on the stove first. Doing this will lock in the juice and reduce the amount that will be added to the slow cooker. In addition, it will keep your meat from having a boiled taste and texture.
Additionally, most vegetables have a fair amount of liquid that will come out during the cooking process. Knowing this, you can always adjust the amount of water or other liquid you add at the beginning. Some vegetables like onions can be sauteed on the stove before adding them.
When adding anything that comes from a can, such as tomatoes or beans, you will need to drain them before putting them into the slow cooker. This will ensure that extra liquid does not interfere with your meal.
Once you have made the appropriate adjustments to your ingredients, you will be ready to start the process of adding them to the slow cooker. Knowing how much water you should add is the next important step in creating a successful meal.
How Much Water Should You Put In a Slow Cooker?
Knowing how much water you should put in a slow cooker depends on the recipe you are using, however, most experts recommend little to no water to start. While making a soup or stew may require more water, other recipes do not need as much.
When using a traditional recipe, you will need to be extremely careful not to add too much water. In fact, many people suggest that you only use about half the liquid that the recipe calls for. This is because traditional recipes are cooked differently and the water is allowed to evaporate during the cooking process.
There is nothing better at the end of a long, chilly fall or winter day than to have a slow cooker full of hot soup or stew waiting for you to devour. The success of the meal depends on finding a recipe that is suitable for slow cooking so you will get the water measurements right. While you want the soupy consistency, you still need to make sure that it is not too thin.
Other traditional recipes that are not supposed to have a lot of liquid at the end of the cooking time, should not start with much water. As stated above, using about half the recommended liquid is best. This will protect the flavor of your meal and keep the meat from tasting boiled.
Using a recipe that is specifically designed for a slow cooker is recommended because, in most cases, the water to food ratios have been sorted out already. You will still need to use your best judgment when using to prevent your meals from having too much water.
Many slow cooker enthusiasts suggest making some meat products without any liquid at all. While it seems like a risky thing to do, many meals such as pot roast or even a whole chicken will cook nicely and produce the right amount of liquid naturally.
Whether you are using a traditional or a tried and true slow cooker recipe, it is important to remember that sometimes disaster strikes even when you are careful. Knowing what to do when you end up with too much liquid will help you save your slow cooker meal.
How Do You Thicken a Sauce in the Slow Cooker?
The sauce can be thickened in a slow cooker by using a variety of agents that work together to add some density to your meal. The most common of these are flour, cornstarch, and various types of cream.
Using flour to thicken the sauce can be done in a few different ways. Some slow cooker experts suggest that you coat the meat in flour before adding it to the pot. Others recommend creating a roux by mixing butter and flour together on the stovetop and then adding it in during the last thirty minutes of the cooking time.
If you are looking for a faster way to thicken your sauce, cornstarch can be used as well. Mixing cornstarch with water to make a paste, then adding it in during the last thirty minutes will thicken your sauce quickly.
When you are slowly cooking a meal that is meant to have a creamy sauce, you can use either heavy whipping cream or even sour cream to thicken it. It should be noted that you will need to keep a watch on the meal since cream added to a hot dish can curdle sometimes.
Keep in mind that thickening your sauce should only be done at the end, or as close to the end, of the cooking process as possible. Doing this too soon can end up with you having too much water when the meal is finished, which defeats the purpose of thickening the sauce.
Can You Get Rid of Excess Water in a Slow Cooker?
There are several methods to get rid of excess water in a slow cooker but some of the most popular ways include reducing it either in the slow cooker or the stovetop. These methods will ensure that most of the flavoring stays intact.
There are times that you will get to the middle or end of the cooking cycle and realize the slow cooker has too much water. This can result in food that has a very bland flavoring and meat that tastes boiled. To avoid these issues, you will need to find a method that works best for you.
Many people who use a slow cooker suggest that keeping an eye on your meal, if at all possible, is a good way to prevent disaster from happening. Should you find that there is too much water, simply remove the lid and turn the slow cooker to high heat for thirty minutes to an hour. Of course, you will want to keep a watchful eye out so it does not reduce completely.
If you find that your meal has an excessive amount of liquid when the cooking time is over, keep in mind that all is not lost. You can remove the liquid from the slow cooker and reduce it in a pan on the stovetop. This will not only get rid of the extra water but also concentrate the liquid down and help with maintaining the flavor.
Whichever method you choose, it should be noted that the seasoning of the meal may be affected by the excess water. This may be a good time to add some flavorful herbs or spices so you will not end up with a meal that is tasteless.
Overall, while preparing a meal in the slow cooker can save quite a bit of time, it may also take some trial and error to get it just right. It is important to keep in mind that, in most cases, if you make a mistake such as adding too much water you can remedy the problem without losing your entire meal.