You use too much liquid.

You add dairy products too soon.

If you simmer them for hours, they can curdle or break, DiGregorio says.

empty slow cooker with leeks and onions on cutting board

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You lift the lid.

You add uncooked pasta and rice.

The slow cooker is a very versatile cooking tool.

Crock pot

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However, some ingredientslike pasta and riceare best cooked separately.

Instead, addpastaand rice to your slow cooker recipe at the end of its cooking time.

You add herbs too soon.

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Wait until the end of the cooking time to add soft herbs like parsley and chives, DiGregorio says.

Instead, think about layering the ingredients over time so you get a nice blend of textures and flavors.

Things like herbs, nuts, seeds, and soft vegetables all make great last-minute additions.

Crock pot slow cooker beef stew

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You overcook the recipe.

Many slow cooker recipes like roasts and soups can take eight or more hours to cook.

(It’s called a “slow cooker” for a reason.)

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Save these dishes for your day off so you don’t come home to a burnt dinner.

You use it to cook chicken breasts.

In general, skinless chicken breast is a versatile cooking meat.

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DiGregorio recommends saving the slow cooker for chicken legs and thighs and cooking chicken breast another way.

The easy way to make healthier comfort foods.

You overcook vegetables.

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Few things wreck a dish like mushy, flavorless veggies.

“Just leave them in there long enough to be heated through,” DiGregorio says.

You overfill the pot.

slow cooker irish stew

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You don’t add enough flavorful ingredients.

We’ve already established that slow cooking mellows out flavors over time.

You reheat your food.

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Reheating food in your slow cooker is not only unnecessary (that’s what ovens and microwaves are for!

), but it can also be a food safety hazard depending on the throw in of food.

You cook raw meat.

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You don’t use a food thermometer.

This is a food safety issue, especially when your recipe involves meat.

You only make soups or stews.

vegetables and herbs in slow cooker

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Many people assume slow cookers are only for making soups and stews.

Yes, slow cookers are great for this, but they’re much more versatile than that.

“It’s a great foolproof way to get beautiful custards,” DiGregorio says.

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ingredients in slow cooker with wooden spoon

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Raw ground beef

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Meat thermometer cooking temperatures

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bowl of stew with wooden spoon

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