Crock pot cooking

I love my crock pot, and seriously, what mom doesn't? It's used almost weekly, sometimes 2-3 times a week. It's just so simple to stick something in in the morning and it's magically done by dinner time! Easy is good! Plus, it really makes meat nice and tender, a pre-requisite for any meat that my daughter eats. If she has to chew it much, she won't eat it.

I also love it for what it yields- broth! I've discussed this before, but it's worth discussing again. That rich, tasty broth that's leftover after you've cooked the meat shouldn't be tossed! It's liquid gold in cooking terms! Canned broth doesn't match it. Plus, it's free! Tonight we had whole chicken cooked in the CP, and now I have 2 jars of golden broth cooling in the fridge for another day.

So here's the deal. Choose your weapon (chicken, pork, beef...). Stick it in the CP and add water about 1/4 way up the meat. You can salt and pepper your meat, or season it with whatever you like. Cook on low all day. If you're feeling exceptionally chefish (or lazy, whichever suits you), you can throw in some potatoes and carrots a few hours before dinner and you have an instant side dish with no extra work. I'm telling you... EASY! After you've removed the meat and anything else you've added, pour the broth into jars or bowls. I re-use old mayo and applesauce jars with screw-on lids just so that I don't use up all of my glass storage bowls. Once cooled, freeze for up to 6 months. Make sure to label the jars, because once frozen, it's hard to tell beef broth from chicken broth!

When you go to use the broth, bring to a boil before adding anything. Smell it. If it smells like the original broth, it's good. If it stinks, toss it! Homemade broth can go rancid even in the freezer. I've only had it happen to me once, and I think it was probably still good, but after getting salmonella last Christmas Eve from my grandma's special ice cream desert, I tend to err on the side of caution quite obsessively! I don't need to tell you why food poisoning is NO fun!

If you have leftover meat, shred it and freeze it in its own bowl. Shredded meat, leftover broth, and some homemade noodles make a delicious meal! Stay tuned for that tasty recipe!