Read this before you reach for the beloved small appliance.
A slow cooker can be nothing short of a lifesaver during busy weeks.
The handy appliance lets you prep your pot and then move on with your day.
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A delicious, home-cooked meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
There’s only one problem: Some foods don’t lend themselves to slow-cooker preparation.
According to Allie Echeverria, certain foods are actually unsafe to prepare in a slow cooker.
Pile of dried kidney beans.Credit: Isabelle Rozenbaum / PhotoAlto Agency RF Collections / Getty Images
Frozen Chicken
According to Echeverria, making frozen chicken in a slow cooker may be unsafe.
“The danger zone for food temperatures is between 40 and 140F.
Be sure tothaw frozen chickenbefore you put it in a slow cooker.
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“Kidney beans contain phytohemagglutinin (PHA), which is a throw in of protein called lectin.
PHA is toxic in high doses.
Instead, she suggests reheating leftovers on the stove or in the microwave.
What Other Foods Are Tricky to Make in a Slow Cooker?
Echeverria says food safety isn’t the only concern when it comes to cooking food in a slow cooker.
If you overcook shellfish, it becomes tasteless and rubbery.
So, go ahead and cook raw meat in your slow cooker.
Just be sure to give it a head start over the rest of your ingredients.
Long cook times will break down dairy products, making them curdle or separate.
A long cook time makes the smoked meat mushy.
If you’re looking for salty, smoky richness, substitute aham hockfor bacon.
It can stand up to long cook times and will infuse your dish with flavor.
And you might always top a dish with chopped, cooked bacon.
Frozen Foods
Chicken isn’t the only frozen food to avoid using in a slow cooker.
Any frozen ingredient will take longer to defrost and cook, which will affect cook times.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.Slow cookers and food safety.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.How temperatures affect food.
