A Reptilian Addition to the Kitchen Menagerie

[rp2813]

My oval shaped Farberware has an "Automatic" setting that works like Auto-Shift, but I timed it (easily done because it has indicator lights for high and low) and it switched from the high setting to low after about 20 minutes.  Barely long enough to get the cooking process started, and more like a pre-heat function.  I think the HB cookers remain on the high setting for a significantly longer period before automatically bumping down to low.

 

[sudsmaster]

Which reminds me... I haven't done a crock pork shoulder or cushion for a while now... might be time... what with the colder weather and all...

 

[rp2813]

I almost got a pork shoulder out of the freezer over the weekend but it's too big to fit in the Crock-A-Dial so I'm opting to make beef stew instead.  I'll save the shoulder for another time, and either use the oval Farberware or put it in the oven and use Emeril's kalua pork recipe, which is just as easy.

 

Just FYI, I had a flashback to the previously documented GE roaster oven issue when I tested out the Crock-A-Dial.  I felt a cold spot on the inside liner located behind the controls.  I decided to check my 6-quart HB to see if it did the same thing -- and it did.  I guess the HB's are designed with a gap in the heating element in that location.

 

[sudsmaster]

The cold spot is probably because that's where the heating element wires are changed over to low resistance wires leading to the controls. Probably they also don't want to melt the insulation on the normal wires or overheat the control section.

PS-I checked HB "Take 'N Go" today. It is programmable, but you still need to select high or low. Usually I've used it with the probe on the low setting, but the last time I used it I was in more of a hurry and selected high. I think I liked the results on high better. Although the low setting is convenient if one is going to be out of the house for, say, eight hours while it's cooking.

A small pork cushion chunk is now slow thawing in the fridge. It will probably be ready for roasting later in the week.

 

[petek]

I think the whole auto shift feature came about because there were concerns coming to light about food not reaching a safe enough temperature quick enough when set on low to kill any bacteria present in the food and even hastening it's growth during the slow process.. Auto shift eliminated that by quickly bring the contents to a boil and then shifting down to a simmer. All the new ones probably do it even when set initially on low.