Hints For Slow Cooking; User Maintenance Instructions; Cleaning Instructions - Bella 6qt Instruction Manual

hiNTS FOr SLOW COOKiNg

• Less tender, cheaper cuts of meat are better candidates for slow cooking
than more expensive varieties.
• Meats will not brown during the cooking process. Browning fatty meats will reduce
the amount of fat and help to preserve color while adding richer flavor. Heat a small
amount of oil in a skillet and brown meats prior to putting into the stoneware liner.
• Whole herbs and spices flavor better in slow cooking than crushed or ground.
• When cooking in a Slow Cooker, remember that liquids do not boil away like they
do in conventional cooking. Reduce the amount of liquid in any recipe that is not designed
for a Slow Cooker. The exceptions to this rule would be rice and soups. Remember,
liquids can always be added at a later time if necessary. If a recipe results in too much
liquid at the end of the cooking time, remove the cover and re-program the Slow Cooker
to continue to cook HIGH for 1 hour (1:00). Check every 15 minutes until the amount
of liquid is reduced. Press the STOP button when the desired consistency is achieved.
• Most recipes that call for uncooked meat and vegetables require about 6-8 hours
on LOW temperature.
• The higher the fat content, the less liquid needed. If cooking meat with a high fat content,
use thick onion slices under it so that the meat will not sit and cook in the fat. If necessary,
use a slice of bread, a spoon, or a straining spoon to skim off excess fat from top of foods
before serving.
• Foods cut into uniform pieces will cook faster and more evenly than foods left whole
such as roast or poultry.
• Always use a meat thermometer to determine if meats have been cooked to proper
temperature.
• Root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, turnips and beets require longer cooking time
than many meats. Place them on the bottom of the Slow Cooker and cover with liquid.
Check to see they are fork-tender when meat temperature is reached. Remove meat
and continue cooking vegetables if necessary.
• Add fresh dairy products (milk, sour cream or yogurt) prior to serving. Evaporated milk
or condensed creamed soups may be added at the start of cooking.
• Rice, noodles and pasta are not recommended for long cooking periods. Cook them
separately and then add to the Slow Cooker during the last 30 minutes.

uSEr mAiNTENANCE iNSTruCTiONS

This appliance requires little maintenance. It contains no user serviceable parts. Do not try
to repair it yourself. Any servicing requiring disassembly other than cleaning, must be performed
by a qualified appliance repair technician.

CLEANiNg iNSTruCTiONS

CAUTION: NEVER IMMERSE BASE UNIT OR CORD IN WATER OR OTHER LIQUID.
1. Always unplug and allow to cool completely before cleaning.
2. Remove the locking lid. Press both the front and rear lid lock buttons.
Lift the lid up and off the base unit.
Figure 3
SO-309562_13722 BELLA 6qt Programmable Slow cooker IM r9.indd 7
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2013-09-06 2:15 PM