Will Hehemann | School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences
January is National Slow Cooking Month, a good time to take advantage of the benefits associated with cooking food with slow cookers, Easter H. Tucker, interim family and consumer sciences program leader for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, said.
“A slow cooker or Crock-Pot is an inexpensive kitchen appliance that is found in most homes,” she said. “Many might wonder what’s so special about a slow cooker if they haven’t been using it.”
The slow cooker is a low-temperature cooking unit that makes it possible to cook foods slowly at lower temperatures, Tucker said. During the late 20th century, it played a major role in allowing women to go back to work and still have a tasty, hot meal ready for the family.
Tucker said the website National Today offers an interesting timeline on the evolution of the invention:
- 1940 – The slow cooker revolution begins. Irving Naxon receives his U.S. patent for a slow bean cooker that was inspired by his grandmother’s cooking in Lithuania. Later, he sells his patent to the Rival Company.
- 1972 – Naxon’s product, called “The Beanery,” is rebranded. Its new name: the “Crock-Pot”.
- 1979 – The Crock-Pot survives the energy crisis. During this time, Americans relied heavily on oil from Iran. The Iranian Revolution caused a decrease in oil production.
“The slow cooker is still relevant today,” Tucker said. “In today’s fast-paced society, we are always looking for more time. The device cannot give you more time, but it certainly can help utilize time more efficiently.”
Tucker said benefits to using a slow cooker in food preparation include one-step preparation, energy savings and the ability to prepare large quantities of food. The device can tenderize less expensive cuts of meat, and it also reduces fat and calories since no oil is required.
There are many recipes developed just for slow cookers, Tucker said. She recommends the ChooseMyPlate recipefor a hearty, healthy beef stew.
“Place all ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning, let them cook all day, and then enjoy a tasty dish as soon as you get home,” she said.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients
-2 pounds stew meat (cut into 1-inch cubes)
-1/4 cup flour (all purpose)
-Salt and pepper (optional, to taste)
-2 cups water
-2 teaspoons beef bouillon (2 cubes)
-1 garlic clove (finely chopped)
-3 carrots (sliced)
-3 potatoes (diced)
-1 onion (chopped)
-1 celery stalk (sliced)
-Herbs as desired (bay leaf, basil, oregano, etc.)
Directions
- Place meat in slow cooker.
- Mix flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and pour over meat. Stir to coat.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 4 to 6 hours.
- Stir stew thoroughly before serving. If using bay leaf, discard before serving.
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