Crock pot cooking or slow cooking can really amplify the juices and flavors of food making those taste buds go crazy. A slow cooker cooks foods very slow and steady infusing the flavors. While it’s cooking it can be left unattended.  This allows more free time. Yet is everything about slow cooking good? There are highs and lows when it comes to slow cooked foods.

The Highs

A lot of foods benefit from being slow cooked. A good example would be those “cheaper” cuts of meat. They are going to be more suitable for the crock pot because long simmering will soften not toughen the meat. Slow cooking enhances the meat giving it that mouth watering taste.

Another plus with slow cooking is that it eliminates overcooking foods and keeps food from becoming bland. With a crock pot it’s off to work while your dinner is cooking at the same time. Talk about multi tasking.

In today’s work world crock pot cooking is the norm for many. Here are a few ideas of things that can be made in the crock pot. Pot roasts, meatballs, ham, turkey, stews, soups, chili, dips, vegetables, fruits and even desserts can be made into slow cooked delights.

Everybody hates when the house gets all smoky and hot while dinner is cooking. That’s just one of the many pluses of using a slow cooker. Because of its design it keeps smoke in the pot and the heat around your food not around your house.

Slow cooking is also a safer method of cooking. Since you’re using a lower temperature to cook the food it’s not going to be such a hazard. The lid stays over the food so there is no popping, sizzling or chances of someone being burnt.

The Lows

When you slow cook food many of the vitamins and nutrients get lost. This occurs mostly when cooking vegetables. Slow cookers cook below the boiling point. More often than not vegetables have already been exposed to some form of water. Sitting them in more water and cooking them slowly can promote the loss of the nutrients our bodies need.

It also presents a challenge when trying to cook all your food equally. When cooking stews and soups there are many ingredients involved and everything is cooking at different speeds. There is a way around this challenge. Vegetables take longer to cook than meat, since the crock pot is a long slow cooking process the vegetables should be placed on the bottom and lay the meat over the vegetables. This will give vegetables a head start and keep them cooking at the right temperature along with meat.

Another downfall of slow cooking is the time it takes for your food is ready to eat. If you’re looking for something quick then a slow cooker isn’t going to be your best bet.

There are times when a slow cooker isn’t safe. The crock might crack or break.  There’s also the chance steam can escape around the lid. Keep an eye on the crock and make sure the lid fits snuggly and this will be a very low possibility.

There are highs and lows when it comes to slow cooking foods. No matter which way you look at it there’s something to be said about throwing it all into one pot and walking away only to have a delicious meal waiting hours later. Try slow cooking and determine if the highs are worth the lows at the end of the day.  Win your race on creating delicious meals at a slow and steady pace.