Iv just bought a slow cooker, but the instructions dont say how to use the 'auto' function. can anyone help

Answer 1

You put all your ingredients into the slow cooker then turn it to auto and go out for the day. Stews will cook on low in 8-10hours or 4-6hours on high. Ps try using soup instead of stock in a stew for a nice change of flavour.
According to the instructions on my crockpot 'Rival' it is safe to leave on while you are out, that's part of the idea of a slowcooker and I have done this often and gone to work for the day. Just make sure it is placed on a safe heatproof tabletop.

Answer 2

If you're used to using a pressure cooker, then a slow cooker will take some getting used to. The first thing I noticed was that when making soups and stews, water doesn't boil off like it does in a pressure cooker or regular big pot. The trick is to initally put in the amount of liquid you want to end up with. Other than that, they're great. Just chunk everything in, cover, plug in, and forget.

Answer 3

Prima Slow Cooker

Answer 4

Slow Cooker

Cooking in these appliances is done at atmospheric pressure since the lid is not pressure-tight (and indeed is 'sealed' only by condensed vapors and gravity); thus, as long as liquid (usually water, stock, wine or a mixture) remains in the pot, internal temperatures can go no higher than the boiling point of the fluid (212 °F or 100 °C for water at sea level). The physics of boiling prohibit a temperature of the contents above the boiling point while there is still liquid changing into vapor (most of which condenses back into the crock and so returns moisture to the contents). In this respect, a slow cooker is very different from a pressure cooker, which, though it also cooks using vapor, has both elevated pressures (steam in this case) and temperatures. There is some danger of explosion from the increased pressure, which is why maintenance of the pressure relief valve is critical for pressure cookers; in contrast, no correctly used slow cooker can explode since no increase in internal pressure occurs. The outside temperature of a slow cooker can be expected to exceed the boiling point of water to facilitate heat transfer to the crock and to the food.

In use, the food is placed inside the pot and covered with liquid, the lid is applied, and the unit is switched on. Cooking times vary with the recipe and with the food quantity, but are typically several hours. Temperatures are low compared to traditional ovens, usually 175 to 200 °F or 80 to 95 °C. This may be compared to ovens used for broiling (typically 600 °F or 320 °C or higher) or baking (typically 300 to 500 °F or 150 to 260 °C). Cooking is sufficiently slow that, if the food is not removed promptly at the specified time, little harm is done.

The liquid and its proper level is important, for it serves both as the heat conduction mechanism between the pot walls and the food, and as the flavoring (herbs and spices) distribution method and a 'basting' mechanism. No stirring is required (or recommended) since removing the lid during cooking causes significant cooking delays. The lid is important as it prevents escape of hot vapor which would, if permitted, lead to lowering the internal liquid level, loss of heat and drying out of the contents.

Recipes for these cookers must be adjusted to compensate for the nature of the cooking: often water must be decreased. Some come with recipe booklets; many cookbooks with slow cooker recipes are available and there are numerous recipes on the Web. A small number of cookbooks seek to make complete dishes in a slow cooker using fewer than five ingredients while others treat the slow cooker as a serious piece of culinary equipment capable of producing gourmet meals. With some experience, timings and recipe adjustments can be successfully made for many recipes not originally intended for these cookers. The long, moist nature of the cooking method allows for lower quality cuts to be used.

Answer 5

the auto cook will cook to a certain temp then revert to low setting automatically.its main function is to get the casserole up and cooking quicker.it is safe to leave that is the whole idea,no one stays in watching a slow cooker cooking.chuck in an oxo it cannot be beat

Answer 6

Hi, on my slow cooker, you put it on 'auto', it will cook on high for a while then it automatically changes to a low setting. I wouldn't leave it on if you are not home. Ask yourself if you would leave your iron on?

Answer 7

You could contact the manufacturer for information.

Answer 8

read the instructions slower

Answer 9

Mark is right on this