Using Beans in Slow Cooker Recipes

!±8± Using Beans in Slow Cooker Recipes

It might interest you to know that beans played a major role in the development of the crockpot. This was because beans take a long time to cook and many people resort to buying pre-cooked beans rather than cooking their own.

However, other people are not happy with the preservatives and salt added to pre-cooked beans and would prefer to make their own recipes using fresh beans instead of canned ones.

How to Prepare Beans for Slow Cooking

You should prepare beans, lentils and peas in advance and then use them in tasty slow cooker recipes. You usually need to soak and cook them before adding them to the crockpot though.

This is because the low setting tends to be too low and the cooking time would be too long. If the beans are old and the water is hard they might not soften up at all. The high setting is normally too high and the cooking liquid evaporates very fast.

A lot of types of beans must be soaked for a few hours or overnight before cooking them. You need to boil these soaked beans with seasonings for an hour or more and then use them for slow cooker recipes which call for beans. This is certainly the simplest way to prepare your beans before slow cooking them and then you can add your beans to crockpot recipes. You can also use a slow cooker to keep stews or bean soup warm while you finish off other dishes.

Cooking Beans in a Crockpot

It is possible to cook beans in the crockpot but it can be tricky. If you want to have a go, cook soaked beans for a few hours on high, checking the liquid frequently and adding more if it is evaporating quickly. When the beans start to soften, turn the setting to low and give them another six to eight hours of cooking time.

You can have success with beans by cooking them in this way but it depends on the hardness of your water, the type of beans you choose and the age of the beans in question. They are not guaranteed to come out perfectly, even though the crockpot was designed with beans in mind in the first place.

For beans which are soft, juicy and full of flavor, it is recommended that you prepare them in the conventional way, by soaking them and then boiling them on the stove. After that you can add them to your favorite slow cooker recipes and they will come out nicely.

Beans are nutritious and most people love their flavor. There are many kinds of beans you can experiment with in your crockpot recipes, including navy beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans and more.

If you have not cooked with beans before, apart from the canned variety, why not try using fresh beans in your slow cooker recipes? You will be delighted with the flavor, texture and overall consistency of the dish.

Using Beans in Slow Cooker Recipes

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KitchenAid KSC700SS 7-Quart Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel

!±8±KitchenAid KSC700SS 7-Quart Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel

Brand : KitchenAid
Rate :
Price : $110.06
Post Date : Nov 26, 2011 15:11:30
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New KitchenAid Slow Cooker offers unparalled food safety and convenience. Programmable electronic timer with 5 cooking settings provide users with the flexibility to Keep Warm, Simmer or cook on Low, High or Auto settings. Cooker switch automatically to Keep Warm mode after program timer expires. LED lights provide a 3 Digit display with countdown cook timer for easy to program functions. 400 Watts of power and electronic temperature sensor deliver accurate temperature setting and a rapid warm up of food for safety. Ob-round, ergonomic flared rim ceramic insert helps capture condensation while providing an elegant look and solid grip area. Quart markings on interior of cooking insert easily measure food servings. Glass lid with silicone soft seal to maintain moisture during cooking and prevent edge chipping. Ergonomic cool-touch handle assures a confident grip.

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Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

!±8± Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

I love spaghetti with meat sauce. The best thing about the sauce is that the more it cooks the better it gets. I used to make spaghetti sauce only on the weekend because I would start it in the morning and then watch it simmer until early evening. Recently I came across a meat sauce recipe that combines my favorite ingredients but cooks in a crockpot.

CROCKPOT SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Ingredients

1/2  pound Italian sausage

1/2  pound ground beef

1 1/2 medium onions, chopped (1 1/4 cups)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (14 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1 Tbsp. dried basil leaves

1 1/2 Tsp. dried oregano leaves

1 1/2 Tsp. sugar

1/2 Tsp. salt

1/4 Tsp. pepper

1/4 Tsp. crushed red pepper

Directions

In a large skillet, cook sausage, ground beef, onions, mushrooms, and garlic over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Stir occasionally. Drain.

Spoon sausage and beef mixture into 5 quart crockpot. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix.

Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8 to 9 hours.  

This recipe make 12 1/2 cup servings.

Quick Tips

Coat crockpot with cooking spray for easier cleanup.

Use pre-cut onions and minced garlic.

Use pre-sliced mushrooms in a jar or frozen mushrooms.

Spaghetti and meat sauce is a special meal at my house. We like to pair it with a fresh garden salad made with romaine lettuce and crunchy garden vegetables (carrots, radishes, and celery) and garlic bread. Since this recipe serves 12,  I usually take some to work the next day and share it with my staff.

Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

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Slow Cooker Reviews - Best Slow Cooker, Cheap Crock Pot

!±8± Slow Cooker Reviews - Best Slow Cooker, Cheap Crock Pot

It turns out the best slow cooker is also a cheap crock pot!

The clear winner across three categories, the best selling slow cooker, the best selling crock pot and the best selling programmable slow cooker; it was awarded 4 or more Stars by 85% of customer reviewers, and can be purchased online (free shipping included) at an affordable price!

It has several note worthy unique features, it has automatic cook and switch to warm mode, power interrupt protection, a clip-tight gasket lid (to avoid spills in on the upholstery on the way to the gathering), and a thermometer probe that enables you to cook your roast or recipe until an exact temperature is reached and then the unit switches automatically to warm mode. You will never again have to worry about under done, unsafe or over cooked, dry, stringy meat - your roasts will be cooked to perfection every time and then kept warm until you are ready to carve. Plus you will never need to worry about your dinner spoiling if you are later home than when the meal is due to finish cooking, with the cook and hold feature.

This popular model is a 6 quart programmable slow cooker, which is a popular size for both one person cooking and families. A 6 quart cooks up 9 servings of soup, chili or casserole style dishes, or one or two roast weighing up to 7 pounds together. The programmable part of this description means you program into the LED display how long you want the recipe to cook for and then it cooks it and holds it in warm mode until you are ready to eat. Singles and smaller families enjoy the benefits of being able to have several meals worth cooked at once, with the left overs being frozen for serving later - a smart use of electricity and a great time saver.

So if you lead a busy life an need to come home to the main part of the meal already done, and sometimes you can't guarantee you will be home exactly when you think you will, the cook and hold function will be an essential feature you will enjoy.

If you need to take hot food to pot luck dinners or for family holiday dinners, tail gating or to the football, the locking gasket lid will be a feature you need.

Do you family prefer to eat roast meats rather than casseroles? Cooking with this slow cooker in probe mode is going to cook the meat perfectly and then hold it on warm until you are ready to serve it. What a great feature!

Or maybe you live in an area that is prone to power fluctuations, in which case the power interruption protection offered with this model may give some peace of mind. The unit remembers its settings and returns to them if the power interruption is 5 seconds or less.

To find out which of the hundreds of slow cookers on the market today is the magnificent model I've reviewed, check out Slow Cooker Reviews here.

Slow Cooker Reviews - Best Slow Cooker, Cheap Crock Pot

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