One of the first appliances my mom bought me when I moved into my own apartment in my 20's was a Crock Pot. Although I appreciated the kind gesture, it didn't get much use from me, who as a single person at the time lived frugally on ramen noodles, mac & cheese, and PB&J sandwiches. I think somewhere along the line I gave the forlorn Crock Pot away. However, fast forward to my life now as a stay-at-home mom of 2 and Crock Pot cooking looks mighty attractive. Practically every food magazine has issues devoted to this slow-cooking method, along with pre-packaged mixes and frozen foods to make it even simpler. But what slow-cooker to get? Along with a variety of sizes and shapes, many come with timers and programmable cooking options. Ultimately, I went for a simple, but stylish 4 quart stainless steel
Rival Crock Pot Slow Cooker, #3040-BC.
My reasons for selecting the Rival 3040-BC Slow Cooker
First of all, I liked the stainless steel look. While not a high grade stainless steel, it still matches better with my other appliances than say, a white or floral pattern. It also happens to have black stoneware, matching my black granite countertop (okay, I'm a little bit anal about these things!).
The 4 quart size was also perfect for my family of 4 and didn't take up all of my counter and storage space. It measures about 9 inches high, with a diameter of 9 inches. Most of my roasts tend to be in the 2-3 pound range and this size works well with those cuts. Anything larger you'd probably be better off with a larger oval slow-cooker.
I also decided not to go with a programmable slow cooker since I'm home most of the day and didn't really need this extra feature. If I were still working, I would seriously consider it, but for me, the knob with two heat setting (low/high) is all I basically need.
One feature I didn't realize it had until I got home and used it was the removable stoneware. My first Crock Pot didn't have this and I was quite pleasantly surprised. I haven't looked at slow cookers in quite a few years and think this is an excellent feature. I anticipated that this would make cleaning a whole lot easier. It even came with an insulated carrying case to pop the stoneware into in case you want to take your dish to a potluck or such.
The tempered glass lid with black handle and protective stainless steel edge is also not too heavy. My only little complaint is that the handle sometimes gets a little loose and has to be tightened with a screwdriver.
Finally, the price was right, at $19.99 at Wal*Mart. Even its suggested retail price is $24.99 is quite reasonable.
Usage
I love experimenting and trying new recipes in my slow cooker because it's so easy to use. I especially like using it for making soups and roasts (which I tend to overcook in the oven). For example, my husband loves corned beef. I simply put the beef and seasoning packet in the Crock Pot, fat side up, pour in a couple cups water, and cook on low for about 6-7 hours. Nothing could be easier. If adding vegetables, I'll typically wait until the last hour or two so as not to overcook them. Another favorite of my husbands is a traditional Chinese soup made by slow cooking pork neck pones all day to get a nice rich, flavorful broth.
One thing I noticed right away is that the Low setting does get quite warm after a few hours. I've had to adjust recipe times by cutting off an hour or so least the dish get overcooked. I recently started making Char Sui Pork (a Chinese dish) in my Crock Pot. The recipe calls for it be cooked 8 hours but I found that 7 hours is more than enough.
Additionally, I wish it did have a "keep warm" setting. My husband gets home late from work and there are times when I wish I could just keep something warm for him rather than reheating. While the residual heat will keep most dishes warm for about an hour, anything longer I will usually reheat on the stove or microwave.
I rarely use the High setting unless I decide to make something in 4 hours or less. Typically recipes call for cutting the time in half if you use on high, but I find that 2 1/2 hours on high, followed by an hour or two on low is more than enough for more dishes. If the meat is cut up in small pieces like for a stew, you can probably get done in less than 4 hours easily. Usually I try to cook at low heat as it does allow for the flavors to develop and sink in.
I usually don't take the stoneware out of the Crock Pot for serving. If I'm cooking a roast, I'll transfer the meat to a serving plate and if I'm having soup, we'll just serve it directly from there. However, I have noticed that the stoneware handles do get warm as does the side of the slow cooker. You'll definitely need hot pads or gloves if removing the stoneware to serve directly at the table.
When it comes to cleaning I just put the cooled stoneware directly into my
Bosch dishwasher. Nothing could be easier. No more scrubbing, no more soaking. I also wash the lid in the dishwasher as well.
The stainless steel wipes down easily with any glass or stainless steel cleaner. I should warn, however, that it scratches very easily. I store mine in a cabinet and accidentally scratched in one day when I shoved it in next to my
Pampered Chef stoneware. Oops!
Final Thoughts
The
Rival Crock Pot Slow Cooker works well and gets the job done. The 3040-BC is not the fanciest model out there but is a good entry level product. I especially like its looks and easy cleaning. Perhaps one day I'll get a slow cooker with more bells and whistles, but in the meantime this one serves me well. 4 stars.
