Slow Cooker Safety

As slow cookers increase in popularity, you too may be purchasing a new one or pulling an older model out of storage. It’s a good move – you can prepare a variety of delicious meals that will cook in your absence, and dozens of cookbooks and websites offer recipes to help you do just that. But will all of those recipes produce food that is safe for your family to eat?

A slow cooker prepares food safely when it is used correctly. Slow cooking is, in fact, the second-oldest cooking method in the world. Stews and porridges have been prepared in pots hung over fires or buried in hot coals for thousands of years. The modern slow cooker employs the same method of cooking food for a long time at low heat, but the electrical heating element is far safer than an open fire. It can be left unattended for hours.

The primary safety consideration is avoiding food contamination from bacteria growth. Bacteria are killed at 165 degrees. They cannot multiply at temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Slow cookers heat to about 200 degrees on low and 300 on high, so even if the food is prepared at the low setting, any bacteria present will be destroyed eventually. Unfortunately, slow cookers take a long time to heat up from room temperature to over 170 degrees. Food stays in the ‘danger zone’ between 40 and 140 degrees for a long time, and bacteria can flourish and result in contaminated food. This means that safe food handling is very important in slow cooking.

Before and After Cooking

Keep foods refrigerated until preparation time. Room temperature food allows bacteria to get a head start before cooking even begins. Refrigerated food is too cold for bacteria growth.

Many recipes recommend filling the ceramic crock and refrigerating it overnight to reduce work time in the morning. This delays heating, so the food remains in the bacteria danger zone for a much longer time – a risky procedure for some foods. If you prepare ingredients the night before, store them in a different container. Store meat and vegetables separately.

Do not leave food to cool in the ceramic crock or store leftovers in it. The lingering warmth of the ceramic will keep food in the bacteria danger zone for a long time.

During Cooking

The domed lid of a slow cooker fits loosely on the ceramic crock. During cooking, moisture condenses on the glass and runs down to form a water seal around the edges. The temperature drops ten to fifteen degrees when the lid is removed, so do not lift the lid unless it is absolutely necessary. Extend the cooking time one-half hour each time the lid is raised.

Meat and poultry are more vulnerable to bacterial contamination than vegetables and grains. For greater safety, defrost meat and poultry before putting it in the slow cooker. Cut meat and poultry into pieces to be sure it is heated properly in the center. Turn the cooker to the high setting for the first hour. This will heat the food to a safe temperature more quickly. Use an instant-read food thermometer to test the internal temperature before serving. Safe temperatures are:

poultry 180º F

pork 170º F

beef 170º F

Include some form of liquid in your recipes. The steam bath produced by the evaporating liquid inside the sealed crock kills bacteria. Some vegetables, like potatoes, can be cooked dry; sufficient moisture will be produced by the food itself.

Slow cooking is a safe method as long as the cooker is working properly. If you think your slow cooker may have been damaged, you can test to see if it heats to a safe temperature. Fill the cooker with half a gallon of room-temperature water. Set the cooker on low and let it heat for eight hours. Check the water temperature with an instant-read food thermometer. Do this part quickly, because the temperature drops when the lid is removed. The water should be 185 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If the temperature is lower, the cooker may not heat food quickly enough or hot enough to be safe.

A properly-working slow cooker and careful food handling procedures make slow cooking a safe method of food preparation – and its convenience can’t be matched! So go ahead and enjoy those wonderful dinners that cook in your absence, knowing that you’ve made sure they are safe as well as delicious.