Hard durum wheat pastas, which are best for the slow cooker

       Brown, white, wild, arborio, and jasmine rices

       Grains such as barley, bulgur, and millet

       Dried beans, peas and lentils

       Allspice

       Basil

       Bay leaves (always remove these before serving, as they can be a choking hazard)

       Cayenne pepper

       Chili powder

       Cinnamon (both ground and whole sticks)

       Cloves

       Coriander

       Cumin (ground)

       Curry powder

       Fennel seeds

       Herbs de Provence

       Jerk seasoning

       Marjoram

       Powdered mustard

       Nutmeg

       Oregano

       Paprika

       Rosemary

       Saffron (it’s expensive, but a little goes a long way)

       Sage

       Thyme

       Tough cuts of meat such as whole chuck roasts, pork roasts, chicken breasts and thighs, lamb, and veal

       Hearty vegetables including potatoes, carrots, turnips, beets, and celery

       Greens including spinach, kale, collards, and mustard greens

       Cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower

       Beans and lentils

       Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and sour cream, all of which should be added just before serving or they are likely to curdle. Some dairy products may be added in the beginning but cooked on the low setting.

       Fresh herbs, which should be added in the last 15 minutes of cook time, with the exception of rosemary, which can be added at the beginning.

       Seafood and shellfish, which will overcook if left for too long and will become chewy and rubbery.

       Slow cookers come in a variety of sizes, and, yes, size does matter. If you don’t already have one, you should ask yourself how many people you are going to feed on a regular basis, and buy accordingly. For the best results, you do not want to fill the pot less than half or more than three-quarters full. This means if you buy an extra-large pot, you’ll be making extra-large amounts of food. If you’re not sure what capacity to get, or you think you will alternate the amount of food you cook in it, get two. They’re not that expensive, and the quality of your dishes will be worth it. On average, a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker will generously feed a family of four. This is the size of the slow cooker that will be used for the recipes in this book, unless otherwise noted.

       There are only two settings on a slow cooker: high and low. The low setting is what you’ll use if you plan on leaving for an entire day (eight hours or more) and want to have dinner ready when you come home. You can cut your time by about half with the high setting; in general, one hour on high equals two hours on low. While some cookers have extra features such as timers and warming functions, all you need for fabulous meals are those two settings: high and low.

       The cooker has a lid, and this is one of the fundamentals of slow cooking. When you put a lid on the pot, you are trapping in the steam and aroma of your dish. You should not take the lid off unless instructed to do so in the recipe, and even then, only when necessary. Removing it before the dish is finished will result in a much longer cooking time, and possibly the loss of flavor.

       Do not put frozen foods in a slow cooker; in fact, it’s best if all food is at room temperature. Remember, a cooker does not get super hot, so adding super cold foods will dramatically slow down an already lengthy process.

       Some foods should not go in until near the end. Fish and shellfish, dairy products, and fresh herbs will not benefit from extra-long cooking time, no matter how low the temperature. Shorter cooking times (4 hours) on low are usually okay. Dried herbs, on the other hand, are fine to simmer in a sauce for hours on end. To liven it up, simply add fresh herbs near the end.

       The order in which the ingredients go into the pot is important, so when following the recipes in this book, make sure to pay attention to the correct order. In general, extremely dense foods such as potatoes or root vegetables and those that take the longest to cook will go on the bottom, with lighter ingredients on top.

       When chopping and prepping vegetables and other ingredients, cut them to the same size to ensure that everything is cooked evenly.

       You don’t have to brown meat before cooking it in a slow cooker, but if you sear it with a little oil in a skillet, the meat will have a more complex flavor. Always brown any ground meat before adding it to a slow cooker, otherwise the meat will clump and add too much grease to the dish.

       Like most cooking, slow cooking is not an exact science. Many things will affect the results of your dish, even if you follow the recipes exactly. Just as every vegetable and piece of meat is not exactly the same, neither will be the results of your meal. Don’t worry. If you follow the directions and keep the general principles of a slow cooker in mind, you will have no problems. Just be aware that sometimes you’ll need to make adjustments.