What a Crock! (Pot)
Yes, and Thank Heaven for It!
With the exception of Southern California, where the sun shines relentlessly (some CA natives would say idiotically) day after day, much of the nation is swept up in a cold snap this time of year.
Shorter, colder days beg for warming meals that stick to your ribs and give you something to look forward to after a long work day. These images bring comfort:
• In a pioneer homesteader’s log cabin: a cast-iron pot of bubbling venison stew hanging over the blazing open hearth
• In Little Italy: a long-simmered, garlic-fragrant, rich-tasting tomato sauce with sausage and meatballs for pasta
• Anywhere in America: a creamy split pea soup with tender chunks of smoked ham or Polish Kielbasa and finished with a bright sprinkling of crunchy diced carrot.
The modern slow cooker, aka crock-pot, has made all these warming meals possible, and in a fraction of the time for modern, busy lives.
When Mr. Irving Naxon, head of the Naxon Utilities Corporation in Chicago developed the Naxon Beanery All-Purpose Cooker, he had beans in mind. The inspiration came from his Jewish-Lithuanian grandmother who remembered her mother preparing a stew that required hours of slow oven cooking. In 1970, The Rival Company bought Naxon out, streamlined the design, and by 1971, America was awash in a sea of bright orange Crock-Pot®(s), just in time for the waves of women entering the workforce. Dinner could be plugged in at 7am and by the time the family arrived home at 6pm, not only was the meal cooked and ready, but a wonderful aroma greeted anyone coming through the door. That psychological lift was priceless. By 1974, Rival had introduced a removable stoneware insert, making the appliance far easier to clean.
Yes, we are talking about that life raft for working families: the crockpot (or slow cooker). Always an ideal wedding gift for young newlyweds just starting out and, conversely, often seen dust-covered, at nearly any garage sale in the country. But for all their migrations through the generations, slow cookers have never really gone out of style. The orange Crock-Pot®’s have given up the ghost for “smart” slow cookers with more heating variation controls and (thank heaven!) a stop & warm option. While perhaps in lesser use during the summer, they are a fixture at potluck gatherings and sports parties year-round.
If time is money, and many people think it is, the slow cooker remains an amazing economic asset. Not only is preparation time cut to a fraction, but the slow cooker responds best to those cheaper cuts of meat that require long, steady heat: stew, shoulder, round, etc. A fine filet mignon is bred and cut for quick grilling or sautéing. Drowning in a crock would only cause ruin, leaving it tough and juiceless. Preparation can easily be done the night before, the stoneware crock chilled overnight in the fridge, and plugged in first thing early morning. Fortunately, a whole host of dishes were made for perfection using the slow cooker, and here is but a sampling:
• Swedish Meatballs
• Cheese dip for nachos
• Soup
• Chili
• Spaghetti sauce
• Beef , pork or lamb stew
• (Tip: for optimum flavor, brown meats in a skillet prior to adding to the crock.)
Use chicken only if you are around to control the cooking process. Chicken, especially white meat, cooks very quickly and can become dry & stringy if left in the crock too long. Legs, thighs & wings lose their skin & they become slimy strands in the sauce. Shredded, flavorless meat is unappealing. The meat should still have some texture remaining to it.
Disadvantages of Slow Cooking
If there is a common complaint lodged against slow cooking, it is that many dishes seem to taste the same. Legitimately, this result comes from the popular use of canned soups to provide the sauce or “gravy” in which the meat cooks. Popular recipes for the slow cooker has often involved the use of canned soups (cream of mushroom, chicken, celery, etc.) to provide a sauce for the meat or poultry to cook. While they do emit some flavor, over the hours, the similar ingredient contents often cause the end result to end up tasting like nothing much. Plus, the sodium content is through the roof. In using a packaged soup, consider trying the newer, low-sodium packaged gourmet soups or broths on the market as a foundation in the slow cooker. The results will taste more individual and will be healthier.
Other Options for the Slow Cooker
Remember why Mr. Naxon invented the original Beanery All-Purpose Cooker: he wanted tender ingredients with a maximum flavor component.
So, while you sleep or work, let the slow cooker work these miracles for you:
Broth
Before you toss these ingredients in the garbage, consider what can result in a full-flavored broth if you relax and let this appliance do the heavy lifting:
• Chicken parts (discarded wing tips, hearts, gizzards),
• Beef, pork or lamb (gristly trimmings)
• Onion, garlic, leeks (toss in the crock before you throw them out, for extra mileage)
• Mixed fresh herbs (even those “going to seed”)
These can be tossed into the crock with a half-and-half solution of water and a purchased broth to simmer all day (or night) to produce a beautiful flavoring for future dishes. Simply strain off the contents and freeze in jelly or olive jars and you have a full-flavored broth at the ready for soups, stews, sautés, or virtually anything you want to prepare.
A Cautionary Tale
Fresh vegetables do not fare well long-term in the crock; frozen ones turn instantly to mush. Fresh veggies should be added in the last hour of cooking to retain their color, crunch and nutrient value.
Finishing the Slow Cooked Meal
To freshen up the long stewed meal consider these finishing touches:
• Add more fresh herbs
• Add a splash of port, sherry, Madeira or Marsala
• Add more broth to thin the sauce or gravy
• Add a stream of heavy cream
• A few tablespoons of salsa, for heat and color
• Color the gravy to a more caramelized hue with a splash of Kitchen Bouquet
• A squeeze of lemon or lime juice
• Add heat: Tabasco, Worcestershire, hot sauce, dried red pepper, diced jalapenos
• Top with minced, colorful raw vegetables
• Garnish with toasted slivered almonds, pecans or cashews for crunch and texture
It’s safe to say the slow cooker is no longer a recurring fad, like the Fondue Pot or the split-pan Omelet Maker. Through its evolving improvements and permutations, the crock is here to stay. It makes sense in today’s modern world, yet recalls that human desire for comfort, flavor, hearth, warmth, family and home, just enough, to ever go away.
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