I’m sure you know what a crock-pot is so, if you don’t mind, I’m going to skip the long introduction. Now, when it comes to this useful thingy, there is no heated debate – you are either a proud, happy owner, or a proud, happy owner-to-be. I fall into the first category, so let me tell you why I love it so much:
Photo Credit: emdot
Anybody using a crock-pot will tell you this is the first and the most obvious of its many benefits. One of the things I hate about regular cooking is having to be around the stove all the time! That means that, if I want to cook something really special or I’ve made a mistake and picked some of the tough meats, I can say goodbye to the next 2-3 hours of my day. However, his majesty, the crock-pot, doesn’t require any looking-over. Just throw the food inside, turn it on and come back after an hour or two. Or, if you have a fancy version that automatically switches to “keep warm” mode, you don’t have to bother to check it until you get hungry!
You have to try the food from the crock-pot because you have nothing to lose. And I mean literally! Since crock-pot is basically a sealed dish you don’t need to open until the meal is ready, all the flavors released from the food that’s being cooked remain inside. The food absorbs its juices and the flavors mix creating a completely different, I dare to say much better, taste.
Now, I know you love those crunchy brown things that appear on meat and potatoes during baking or frying but scientists say we should avoid them because they are can cause many diseases including cancer and heart disease. Honestly, the hole in the ozone layer, and the fact that every once in awhile a big chemical company gets slapped for leaking toxic waste, are enough to get me worried. I don’t need an extra risk.
When you’re cooking the food the old fashioned way, you have to open the lid and stir every now and then. That’s makes the vapors escape and you have to add water… Well, to make the long story short – this prolongs the cooking time. Now, with crock pot, you don’t need to do all this. The hot vapors stay inside, the food gets cooked in the optimal amount of time and you don’t have to make your delicate hands tired. Now, isn’t that a win-win situation? You tell me.
My dear fiancé owned this crock-pot I’m currently using way before he met me, but he only used it to make steak and vegetables. I, in the other hand, managed to find some delicious recipes for making really complex, gourmet meals in it. For, example, did you know that you can make a sauce out of the liquid left over from cooking meat and vegetables? It’s completely safe to use and you don’t waste any of those wonderful flavors!
Where I live, every day from May to September can be described as “unbearably hot.” And spending the afternoon making lunch on such a day is my vision of hell! That’s where the crock-pot comes handy because it doesn’t heat up the entire kitchen!
Come on, this one made you blink in disbelief, just admit it. Now, if I hadn’t already have a personal view on what hell might look like, scrubbing the pots for eternity would be my second guess. Luckily, the crock-pot can be disassembled into smaller pieces that easily fit in the dishwasher. Hurray!
Come on, crock-pot lovers, I’ve just told you why I love mine now you let me know why you love yours. What has inspired you to buy it? And, one question for all of you who don’t have one yet – are there any special reasons for which you don’t want to buy it?