Foods to Cook

FOODS TO COOK
Foods which take a long time to cook are the obvious choices. Beans, grains, soups, stews, and tough cuts of meat. Vegetables which require a short cooking time or things that can easily over-cook, like pasta, are better when cooked the conventional way.

ADAPTING RECIPES
Favorite stew and soup recipes can easily be adapted to the slow cooker. Follow your favorite recipe until you get to the point where it says something like, "simmer for 1-2 hours". Soups and stews are simmered on the stove for 20-30 minutes, then put in the fireless cooker for one and a half the amount of time the original recipe required. For example, simmer for 1-2 hrs. in the original recipe would mean 1½ to 3 hrs. in the slow cooker. An original cooking time of 3 hrs. would be upped to 4½ hours, and so on. The cooking time is longer in the slow cooker, but your fuel source is only being used for 20-30 minutes rather than the original 3 hours. Actually, it's fine to leave the food in the slow cooker for much longer, even up to 8-12 hrs. It can't over cook. If the cooking box is properly insulated, the food should remain hot for a long time.

FOOD SAFETY
Pathogens can grow in food that has dropped below 140° F. I've never had any problems with food that has been in the fireless cooker for 5 hrs. or so. It's usually still steaming when I take it out. If it seems to have cooled off, I bring it back to a simmer on top of the stove for 5 minutes before tasting it. I've often cooked things all day or over night, leaving food in the cooker for 12-16 hours. Any food left in the cooker for longer than 18 hours, I would throw out to be on the safe side.
When cooking meat or poultry that has been frozen, you need to be sure that it is completely defrosted before cooking it. For example, a pot roast that is still frozen in the center isn't going to defrost in the 30 minutes of simmering before putting it in the fireless cooker. It would be gradually defrosting in the slow cooker itself and possibly releasing bacteria from the raw meat.
It's always best to check the food about 15 minutes before you intend to serve it.That gives you time to correct seasonings or bring the food to a simmer if it has cooled.

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