Top tips for slow cooking in your oven
If you’re craving some delicious slow-cooked food you might be tempted to purchase a slow cooker. But you can save your bench space and make the most of your oven with these tips.
Whether you want a roast that melts in your mouth or a casserole that’s packed full of flavour, cooking low and slow can deliver some amazing results with very little effort. Slow cooking in your oven is a method that is easy to master and, if you follow these tips, will turn your mouth-watering recipes into firm family favourites.
Always seal your meat first
By searing your meat in a hot pan, the surface areas begin to caramelise, which we can see as it browns. Once you transfer the meat into your oven for its slow cooking time, these caramelised portions will help ensure your recipe is full of rich flavours and deeper colours. If you’re able to brown the meat in the same pan you’ll be using in the oven, you’ll also have a delicious flavour foundation to build your sauce upon.
Monitor your meat
While we tend to associate low temperature cooking with stews and casseroles where the meat pieces should fall apart at the suggestion of your cutlery, you can also get fantastic results slow cooking larger cuts – such as roasts. To ensure your meat is cooked properly, use a meat thermometer to test the core temperature.
If you have a NEFF oven, your MultiPoint® MeatProbe can take the guesswork out of the cooking process. Simply insert it into your meat, enter the details of your cut (type and weight) and it will monitor your dish as it cooks and will switch to warming mode once the meat is properly cooked.
Inject some steam
Don’t worry, adding a little steam to your oven routine doesn’t make your recipes turn soggy. In fact, bread cooked in a steam oven tends to have perfectly crusty bread and deliciously soft crumb on the inside. Using a NEFF oven with VarioSteam functionality can ensure your slow-cooked recipes maintain a juicy, tender interior and you’ll see minimal shrinkage or liquid loss throughout the cooking process.
Click here to find out more about using steam in your oven.
Warm your plates
As slow cooking in your oven happens at lower temperatures, your meat may not be as hot to the touch and also should not need to be rested prior to serving. To help counteract this, heat your plates prior to serving to ensure the food stays hotter for longer. And the same applies to your sauces and gravies. Anything that goes on the plate should be kept nice and warm to maintain a consistent temperature as your guests eat – something your NEFF warming drawer can also do with ease.