by Texas Homesteader ~ 

I’ve found a way to shorten cooking times while keeping my slow cooker set to a tiny energy-sipping ‘Low’ power. Check out this simple Homestead Hack.

Benefits To Cooking Food In A Slow Cooker

I sure love my slow cookers in my Homestead kitchen and I use them often. There are many benefits to cooking with a slow cooker: 

Low & Slow Temperatures – help tenderize less tender cuts of meat.

Healthier – Because of low heat, more nutrients are left intact in your food.

Uses Less Electricity – Much less energy used than an oven and in many cases even a cook top.

Reduces Clean-Up – One-pot meals make for easier cleanup!

Portable – During the hot & humid Texas summer months I move my slow cooker to my covered porch to keep cooking heat OUTSIDE! 

My Most Common Uses For A Slow Cooker

But my slow cooker’s not reserved only for cooking supper. Sometimes it needs to be used for a long time or even overnight cooking, such as:

Making Homemade Applesauce

Cooking down fresh tomatoes for Tomato Sauce

Simmering bones for a delicious Homemade Broth

NOTE: You can see all my Slow Cooker Posts by clicking the link below:

But no matter what I’m cooking or for how long, I want that slow cooker to do its job with the least amount of time & purchased energy possible. Don’t you?

Secret To Efficient Slow Cooking

Whether my slow cooker uses a heavy glass lid or one of those lighter-weight plasticy-looking ones, I found that insulating the slow cooker top will help it work much more efficiently.

And it oftentimes cuts the cooking time drastically, even though the dial is set to ‘Low’.

What’s this big secret? Lean closer.  (shhhhh….) I simply lay a clean kitchen towel over the top of my slow cooker’s lid.

Easy?  Yes.

Simple?  Yes.

WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT BEFORE??  Perhaps!

I’m tellin’ ya – this simple ‘why-didn’t-i-think-of-this-earlier?’  trick allows the slow cooker to heat up faster and stay at those higher temperatures longer, whether the cooking knob is turned on high or low.

Who knew??!! So simple, yet so effective.

Give it a try next time you’re running a little short on time in preparing your next slow-cooker meal. You’ll be amazed at how much more quickly it’ll cook.

~TxH~

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Other Kitchen Hacks

Low Waste Kitchen Tips

• Paper Napkins In A Paperless Kitchen
• Repurposing Mesh Bags For Scrubbers

Food Tips

• List Of Quick Ingredient Substitutions
• Keep That Broccoli Fresh
• Don’t Waste Onion Trimmings
• How To Get Free Vegetable Broth
• Easier Deviled Eggs – No Mess!
• MYO Crispy Taco Shells CHEAP
• Instant Pot Boiled Eggs WITHOUT The Shells
• Sauté & Freeze Onions For Kitchen Convenience
• Heat-Free Way to Peel Tomatoes
• How To Tell If Your Baking Powder Is Still Good
• Make Self-Rising Flour From All Purpose Flour

Kitchen Efficiency Tips

• Make Your Slow Cooker More Efficient
• Kitchen Hack To Make Filling Resealable Bags Easier
• No Cooking Fat Down The Drain
• Quick Baking Measurement Reminder System
• Easy Reminder For Kitchen Stove
• Expand Your Muffin Tin Capacity With Canning-Jar Rings
• Less Mess When Measuring Honey
• Easily Opening Those Stubborn Jars
• Sauté & Freeze Onions for Kitchen Convenience
• Roasting Peppers Quickly On Gas Stove Top
• Our Endless Soap Dispenser Setup

Cleaning/Organizing Tips

• Cleaning A Narrow-Neck Jar
• Tame Kitchen Appliance Cords
• Labeling A Glass Jar
• …and many MORE!

See All Homestead Hacks

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