SIMPLY SLOWER

BROWNING THE MEAT

It’s always best to brown your meat before slow cooking. This enhances the flavour and gives the meat a rich colour. Do this in a preheated, oiled large frying pan, adding the meat in batches and turning it so it browns evenly. Ensure there is sufficient oil in the pan so the meat caramelises rather than scorches. It’s also important to maintain the heat during the browning process; if the pan isn’t hot enough, the meat will stew rather than brown.

If you’re pushed for time, brown the meat the night before. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container along with any cooking juices.

THICKENING THE SAUCE

Coating meat in flour before browning will result in a sauce that’s thick enough to make a light coating gravy. If the recipe doesn’t suggest coating the meat, then it’s a good idea to thicken the sauce using plain flour or cornflour. Blend the flour or cornflour with butter or a cold liquid, such as water or some of the cooled juices from the cooker. This will help it to combine with the cooking juices when stirred into the pan at the end of the cooking time. Put the lid back on and leave the sauce to thicken while the cooker is on the highest setting; this will take 10–20 minutes.

Another thickening trick is to blend some of the cooked vegetables until smooth, then stir them into the