You've remembered to prep your ingredients the night before, everything is in the slow cooker ready to go and you're looking forward to a hearty meal after work. What could possibly go wrong? Quite a lot, as it happens. While the slow cooker is a fantastic, relatively simple-to-use piece of kitchen kit, you could be making these common mistakes.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the most common slow cooker pitfalls and discover how to get the most out of your slow cooker, every time.
Too much in the slow cooker results in the contents spilling out and stops the ingredients from cooking evenly. It can also affect the flavour. When you cook meat and vegetables, they produce liquid, so make sure your cooker is large enough to accommodate the extra volume. As a rule, aim to fill your slow cooker no more than two-thirds full for optimum results.
If you have this problem, it's likely you've under-filled your slow cooker to less than half full. Try to always keep it two-thirds full. Your slow cooker may also be too big for the recipe, so think about doubling up, then freezing half of it. Using the correct meat matters, too. Generally, slightly fattier (and often cheaper) cuts cook better. For example, chicken breasts are more likely to dry out than legs or thighs.
Incorrectly layering ingredients can cause uneven cooking. Begin with denser ingredients such as root vegetables at the base, which will be closer to the heat of the slow cooker. Adding browned meat and more finely chopped vegetables on top ensures everything is fully cooked at the same time.
If you consistently end up with unevenly cooked meat or poultry, it's likely that your ingredients haven't been equally layered or submerged in sufficient liquid. Make sure any denser ingredients, that'll take longer to cook, are at the bottom of the slow cooker, and add just enough liquid to cover everything.
Vegetables that are relatively quick to cook on the hob should be added to the slow cooker around half an hour before the end of cooking time. Otherwise, they'll be overcooked, mushy and soggy. This includes courgettes, mushrooms, peas, broad beans and French beans. More robust root vegetables generally work better in slow cooker recipes.
Any liquid should just cover the ingredients in your slow cooker. If you add too much to your recipe, the liquid will cause excess condensation as it heats and, as it can't escape, will drip back from the lid into your dish making it too watery. Ladle out any excess liquid before cooking, to make sure you don't have too much liquid to begin with.
If you want to make a classic oven-cooked recipe in your slow cooker, you should reduce the liquid content by about half. Otherwise, the result may be too watery. If you're relatively new to slow cooking, though, it may be best to start with recipes specifically written for a slow cooker.
You'll have a much better flavour if you sauté the onions for your recipe first, before adding them to the slow cooker. Otherwise, you may end up with the taste of boiled onions, rather than the soft sweetness you are looking for. For curry dishes, try sautéing the onions with spices to intensify the flavour, then add to your slow cooker.
Some slow cookers have a browning or sautéing function built in, though older models may not. Browning meat adds texture, colour and flavour, so remember to brown the meat over a high heat first, whether on the hob or in your slow cooker. If you skip this step, it's likely the meat will just taste boiled and bland.
You were so looking forward to that meltingly tender, slow-cooked piece of meat, but it's as tough as old boots. Luckily, there's a simple solution to this problem. You probably cooked it on too high a setting for insufficient time. Remember, long and slow is the key here.
When cooking chicken pieces in a slow cooker dish, you won't have that deliciously crisp skin you find with a roast or grill. There are two options here – remove the skin before cooking and blast in an oven separately or, once your slow cooker has done its bit, put the chicken under a grill until the skin has crisped up.
Keep your fillet and sirloin for the grill! The beauty of the slow cooker is that you use cheaper cuts of meat, such as beef chuck or shin, or chicken drumsticks, which need long, slow cooking to become tender. Expensive cuts will just dry out and become tough with an extended cooking time.
If you forget to defrost the meat for your slow cooker recipe don't be tempted to throw it in anyway and increase the cooking time. The slow cooker temperature isn't hot enough to kill potentially harmful bacteria and you also may end up with meat that is raw in the middle.
If you have a large slick of oil on the surface of your finished dish, there are a couple of options to remedy it. Firstly, you could skim it off with a large spoon. Otherwise, you could trim some fat off the meat before cooking. Make sure you're using a cut of meat which lends itself to slow cooking, too.
Dairy such as cream or yogurt will curdle – leaving your recipe in a lumpy mess – if you add them at the start of cooking. Instead, add dairy products (or alternatives such as coconut milk) around half an hour before the end of your cooking time to allow them to heat through fully without curdling. Full-fat versions tend to hold their consistency better when heated.
You can smell your slow cooker meal bubbling away, so you lift the lid for a quick peek to check how it's cooking. We've all been there – but removing the lid too often causes all the heat that had built up inside to escape, making your meal take longer to cook. You should only take the lid off if your recipe requires you to add an ingredient, or to give the mixture a stir.
Be careful if you're adding alcohol, such as wine, to your slow cooker recipe. As your dish is covered while it cooks, any evaporating alcohol has nowhere to escape. Instead, it returns to the mixture, giving it an unpleasant taste. A slow cooker also usually doesn't reach the temperature required to burn off alcohol. It's best to bring your alcohol to the boil in a saucepan on the hob first, letting it bubble and reduce slightly before adding it to the slow cooker.
If all your slow cooker recipes are consistently coming out overcooked, it's highly likely your slow cooker is operating at too high a temperature. This happens with domestic ovens, too, which often have hot spots. Experiment by turning your slow cooker down to a lower setting than stated in the recipe – and your problem should be solved.
As condensation or steam builds up on you slow cooker's lid, it drips back onto the surface of your recipe, making a breadcrumb topping, for example, soggy. To avoid this, line the lid of your slow cooker with two layers of kitchen paper to absorb the steam. You may need to replace it during cooking if it becomes too wet. Alternatively, leave off the topping, add it when the dish is cooked and flash it under a hot grill instead. You'll have a better texture this way.
This problem may be down to a couple of issues. Firstly, don't forget to set the timer! It could also be that you need to adjust your recipe. Some slow cooker dishes need a certain amount of time on low, then extra time on high. This is to firstly tenderise, then to speed up the cooking process for less dense ingredients. You may need to experiment but, as a general rule, cooking low and slow is your safest bet for consistent results.
Often end up with a thin, watery sauce? There could be a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, you may have added too much liquid which dilutes the flavour. Remember that the vegetables and meat release their juices, too, and condensation builds up on the lid, dripping back into the dish. If your meal is too watery, try adding an extra stock cube at the end. You could also thicken it with cornflour mixed with cold water, then bring it to the boil on the hob. Tossing meat in flour before browning will also thicken the sauce.
Not all foods are cooked to perfection in a slow cooker and pasta is one of them (along with asparagus and fillets of fish). Instead, cook pasta on the hob until it's al dente, then drain it and run under cold water. Add to your slow-cooked sauce just at the end, to heat it through. Or follow a specific slow cooker recipe, where the pasta is cooked quickly in a sauce, at a high temperature.
When cooking a dish for such a long time, you may lose the flavour of any dried herbs you've added, especially if using a recipe which hasn't been adjusted specifically for a slow cooker. As a general rule, add an extra 50% on top of what your recipe calls for. So, if it asks for a 2 tsp oregano, make it a full tablespoon.
Adding fresh herbs too early in the recipe will take away that delicate, aromatic flavour. So, wait until your dish is fully cooked, then stir them in. The only exception is if your recipe asks for a bouquet garni – a bunch of bay leaves, thyme and parsley with stalks. This is typically tied up and cooked in the sauce to add more flavour, and removed at the end of cooking.
Long, slow cooking can take its toll when it comes to washing up. Make sure you thoroughly clean your slow cooker every time you use it. To prevent ingredients sticking during cooking, use an oil spray or kitchen paper dipped in oil to fully coat the inside bowl.