How To Make The Best Slow Cooker Meals

10 Tips to Make the Best Slow Cooker Meals
Every slow cooker behaves differently—you may have to adjust cooking times depending on whether yours runs hotter, cooler, faster, or slower. You'll get to know your own machine the more you use it. In any case, these tips will help you get better results no matter what make or model you're using.

1. Browning is better. Slow cooker recipes don't always instruct you to brown meat before adding it to the pot, but there are some advantages to doing so. If you sear meat to a crusty brown with a little oil in a hot skillet, the meat develops more complex flavors and improves the dish. And if you dredge the meat in flour before you brown it, your sauce will thicken up to make a gravy. You should always brown ground beef or any ground meat in a skillet before adding it to your slow cooker to prevent the meat from clumping up or from adding excess grease to your cooked dish.