Slow cook your way to a crock full of food with a few tips

More than 50 years after being introduced to consumers, slow cookers' popularity is surging again. And not just with the older generations. Videos that feature slow cooker tutorials and recipes on TikTok snag more than 8 billion views.

Some 14 million slow cookers were sold at their peak moment in 2016 and 2017. That's just before instant pots and air fryers came into the cultural zeitgeist. And even though those more novel food preparation trends have taken the crown, for those into a vintage approach, there's no way better than to set it in the morning and enjoy by dinnertime.

Along with time savers, slow cookers are money savers, with a lower initial price tag than a standard oven and significantly lower power consumption. Compared to the 2,000 to 5,000 watts a conventional oven needs, Crock-Pots average closer to 180 to 360 watts. A slow cooker would need to run for approximately 11 to 13 hours to match the oven's wattage for one hour.

Despite being budget-friendly, Crock-Pots are versatile countertop appliances that can produce elaborate and delicious meals. Anyone willing to experiment can extract a lot of flavor from a slow cooker recipe, sometimes more so than something cooked faster in a conventional oven.

Why are Crock-Pots so popular?

Before the Crock-Pot brand debuted in luncheonettes in the 1950s, the revolutionary gadget was known throughout the '40s as a slower cooker. When Rival brought the slow cooker to homes as part of the 1951 National Housewares Show, interest exploded. Pretty soon, like many household brands, the name Crock-Pot became synonymous with appliances, much as Kleenex had with tissues and Band-Aid for adhesive bandages.

Original slow cookers existed in various capacities, modeled after simmer pots and old-school cauldrons. As kitchen automation grew in popularity, making it easier to multitask, they needed to evolve. The Crock-Pot was the answer for the home cook who also needed to do laundry, catch up on vacuuming and tidy the home.

The contemporary movement toward healthier eating also pairs well with the Crock-Pot brand, ensuring longevity into the smart age of gadgetry. The slow cookers simplify even time-consuming but healthier foods like beans or lentils, allowing for a convenient "set it and forget it" routine without concerns of a burning flame or exposed oven coil.

Convenience of slow cooking

For anyone who enjoys planning meals out throughout the week, batch cooking can be a helpful timesaver. Meal prep typically involves a day full of dicing, slicing, sautéing and storing. With batch cooking, home chefs can whip up a large batch of a base ingredient, be it grain, bean, meat, soup or sauce.

Large quantities of slow-cooked food can be portioned out and frozen for accessible meals throughout the week. This is especially helpful for office workers who have access to a microwave or to keep school-aged children from coming home and eating junk instead of a hearty meal.

Affordable and budget-friendly meals

Meal planning and cooking in large batches help stretch ingredients into more weekly dinners. Using cheaper cuts of meat and affordable ingredients like rice and pasta still makes good, filling meals when slow-cooked. Forget trying to pan-fry expensive steaks to perfection. Instead, opt for tougher cuts like chuck roast or pork shoulder. Slow cooking transforms them into melt-in-your-mouth delicacies, maximizing flavor and value.

For vegetarians or on nights when meat doesn't sound good, unlock the power of slow-cooking beans and lentils. These protein powerhouses are budget superstars and cook down nicely over time. Incorporate them into stews, soups and chilis for a hearty and affordable base.

Another wonderful and essential base is a broth. Skip the pricey pre-made stocks and simmer your own flavorful broth with leftover chicken bones, vegetables and herbs. A slow-cooked concoction adds depth to your Crock-Pot dishes without breaking the bank for premium flavor.

Slow cookers favor experimentation and unique blends of flavors and ingredients. Combine your favorite vegetables, grains and spices with a protein of choice for endless flavorful and budget-friendly variations. Variety is, after all, the spice of life.

Picking the right slow cooker for your lifestyle

With so many slow cooker models and sizes on the market, how does one choose the best for their household? Although affordability offers understandable appeal, choosing a cheaper model might mean losing helpful features. Today's countertop cookers are much more advanced than original models, sometimes even linking with our smartphones for convenient control over temperature and cook times.

Lower-cost slow cookers are more than capable of feeding a family. Of course, professionals are going to suggest a higher-grade alternative, like the Magimix Cook Expert. Recommended by Chief David Bitton, the thermocooker is a multifaceted cooking tool with a thermocooking bowl, slow cooker attachment and food processor functionality.

Multifunctional cookers are a luxury, but replacing other appliances makes them necessary for the proper budget. Smart home slow cookers offer even more convenience but have steeper prices. Then again, why overcomplicate things? The basic slow cooker hasn't changed for generations for a reason - it works.

This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.