Nothing hits the spot quite like a nice warm meal. Even just the smell wafting through your home is wholesome. While some meals are perfect to make in a slow cooker, you should stick to making certain meals in an oven or on a stovetop.
Things you should never make in a slow cooker
Pasta
Noodles continue to absorb liquid as the dish sits, so making pasta in a slow cooker will result in mushy noodles.
Fresh herbs
When cooked for a long time, herbs become wilted, brown, and flavourless. It’s best to add fresh herbs to your dish at the very end.
Rice
Cooking rice in your slow cooker results in brittle rice around the edges and undercooked grains in the centre. It’s best to stick to making rice in a saucepan and serve it with your dish after.
Raw meat
Although technically, you can prepare raw meat in your slow cooker, it’s best not to. Your cut of meat will lack flavour. Instead, sear it first before adding it to the cooker.
Wine
Unlike cooking with wine on a stovetop, wine has no way of escaping in a slow cooker. That means the alcohol won’t cook off, and may saturate your dish with an unpleasant flavour.
Dairy products
If you add dairy to your slow cooker, it will likely curdle. If your recipe calls for dairy, it’s best to add it in the last few minutes of cooking.
Delicate vegetables
Delicate vegetables like asparagus, spinach, tomatoes, and peas, will overcook in a slow cooker. It’s best to stick to sturdier vegetables like carrots and potatoes.
Couscous
If cooked this way, couscous can get super mushy. Much like rice, it’s best to cook it separately and add it to the dish right before you serve it.
Seafood
It takes very little time for fish to cook, so preparing it in a slow cooker will overcook it — making your fish taste rubbery. It’s best to stick to preparing seafood on the stove top.
Boneless chicken breast
When lean meats are cooked for a long time, they can dry out easily. Leave the bones in the chicken to achieve fall-off-the-bone tenderness.
This article has been updated since its original publication.
[Via Business Insider]
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