Crock Pot: A Quick Look At The Slow Cooker

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This isn't your mother's Crock Pot.

Well, maybe it IS your mother's Crock Pot, but it isn't your mother's Crock Pot cooking. No more chunks of rubbery gray meat and mushy vegetables. No more chili that tastes gruel or gravy with the texture of kindergarten paste. We've learned a few things about how to produce meals from a slow cooker that are both convenient AND edible, so you might consider hauling your pot out of the box in the bottom of the closet and giving it another try.

Or, if in fact that is your mother's cooker in the bottom of the closet, you might treat yourself to one of the newer models. If you have a household full of hungry people, look at the larger 5- or 6-quart units. There are even slow cookers with two or three pots that can simmer different dishes simultaneously.

On the other hand, if it's just you and your Honey Muffin, it's a very good idea to invest in a smaller slow-cooker, maybe as small as two quarts.  I have a big 6-quart unit (above) that sits quietly in storage until the clans descend upon us demanding food. The oval 3.5-quart comes out when I'm making a meal for just the two of us, for example, the Quick & Easy Crock Pot Pork that makes me hungry just thinking about it.

The advantage of the slow cooker (which is the generic term for these appliances; "Crock-Pot" is a brand name) is its ability to safely cook meat, vegetables, soups and other things so slowly that you totally forget about it until your nose tells you dinner is ready. You toss ingredients into the cooker on your way out the door in the morning then return home after a long day at work to the aroma of a perfectly finished hot meal. At least that's the theory.

That "toss it in and forget it" mentality was responsible for many of the gray tasteless Crock Pot meals of the '70s. Now we've learned that a few extra steps like browning the meat, arranging food properly rather than just tossing it in the pot, and adjusting the sauce an hour or so before serving can make a huge difference in the results.

There's no point going any further without acknowledging Beth Hensperger's contributions to the slow-cooker revival. Her "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker" series persuaded me to drag out the old Crock Pot, and I'm glad I did.  

After mentioning that Crock Pot Pork, I'm tempted to make it again. But I've already defrosted sausage for tonight, so let's do something different. Here's a riff on a Spanish Rice recipe from Beth Hensperger's "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook." The original uses brown rice, but I'm using my own Salsa Verdi instead of tomatoes and chicken broth in place of water.  Either version is terrific, so drag out your slow cooker and give it a try.



Recipe: Spanish Brown Rice with a Twist

Use a 3.5- to 4-quart size slow cooker for these amounts, and remember to sharpen that knife before tackling the onion, garlic and celery.  If nopalitos (cactus pads) are not available in your area, use sweet bell peppers. But do look for the nopalitos, sold as whole pads with spines removed or chopped in bags, because they are a lovely vegetable and perfect in this spicy rice.

1/2 c. onion, coarsely chopped
1 - 2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cups Salsa Verdi (or 16 oz. jar)
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
2 tsp. ground chilies or chili powder
3/4 c. short-grain brown rice
1/2 lb. fresh chorizo or Italian sausage (smoked chorizo or leftover cooked sausage also work well.)
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. cider vinegar
3/4 c. (about 1/3 lb.) nopalitos (cactus pads), chopped
1/2 c. onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. slice jalepenos, (optional)
Salt & Pepper, additional Tbs. cider vinegar, or to taste

Spray or brush the slow cooker interior with olive oil.
Combine the first 7 ingredients in the pot and set cooker to High.

Heat olive oil in a small skillet.

Slice the sausage crosswise into coins and brown well with olive oil in the hot skillet. (Skip this step if using smoked or cooked sausage.)

Add sausage to slow cooker.

In same skillet, brown nopalitos and additional chopped onions, adding a bit more olive oil if needed. When nicely browned, remove to refrigerator container and chill. Leave any juices in the skillet.
Pour about 1/2 c. water into the hot skillet, and warm briefly to de-glaze the pan. Add the water with juices any brown bits from the skillet to the slow cooker.

Reduce the slow cooker setting to Low now or in about an hour, depending on whether you're in a hurry.

About an hour before serving, add cider vinegar and the browned vegetables. Taste for seasoning. If needed, add salt and pepper or perhaps another Tbs. vinegar.

Serve in broad bowls with corn sticks or corn chips and  a variety of toppings. Fresh chopped cilantro, colorful thinly sliced bell peppers, green onions and tomatoes all make nice toppings.

And keep that Crock Pot where you can reach it more easily next time.