Three TLC Tips for Your Crock Pot

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Slow-cookers and crock pots can make life much easier for busy parents and anyone else who wants to cook healthy, wholesome meals without slaving over a stove. Despite their sturdy, indestructible appearance, however, crock pots and slow cookers do require some tender, loving care if you want them to last for years. The good news is that these simple "TLC" tips don't require much time or work, and if you follow them you'll get the most out of your slow cooker for a good, long time.

Here are my three favorite tips for caring for your crock pot or slow cooker:

1.  Avoid sudden temperature changes. This is essential for slow cookers with a crockery interior like that of Grandma Gert, our decades-old crock pot shown on the left. Never put cold food or liquid in a hot crockery cooker, or immerse the hot crockery in cold water. Likewise, if you want to add hot water to the crock pot, make sure the water is NOT at or close to boiling if the crock pot is cold (room temperature should be fine). Sudden temperature changes can crack the crockery.

2.  Fill promptly with warm, soapy water for easy cleaning . The easiest way to clean your crock pot is to add warm or hot (NOT cold) soapy water after you've removed the food from it. This will help dissolve any caked-on food. If your slow cooker has a removable cooking "pot" or receptacle that's washable, go ahead and remove it before adding the soaking water and let it soak while you eat. You should be able to wash it easily by hand after soaking while you ate.

3. Never use abrasive scouring pads or cleaners. Instead, use a soft cloth dipped in soapy water or a non-abrasive, non-scratching pad or sponge.

With a little TLC, your crock pot or slow cooker should last at least as many years as Grandma Gert, who's still kickin'.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria
Carolina Sauce Company