Finished results: the tenderness of the meat and vegetables, the consistency of the cooked sauce and the heat of the food when serving A lot of people swear by slow cooker liners so I decided to test them out myself. If you’re new to slow cooker liners too, let me explain exactly what they are and if I think they’re worth it. A ceramic inner pot is easier to clean than one with an aluminum inner. Ceramic inner pots are 100% natural with a tough lead-free glaze, which helps make cleaning the pot a breeze. I share a method in below.

Yes, you can use slow cooker liners in an instant pot, but only when the appliance is set to slow cooking. They are not suitable for pressure cooking mode. Bottom line Parchment paper is not ideal to use in a slow cooker when you are cooking something that has high water content. This means that it does not necessarily work well for soups, stews, and casseroles.Liners designed to be used for slow cookers are made from heat-resistant nylon, which is BPA-free. These are safe to cook with for temperatures up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which your slow cooker should not reach anyway. Can You Use a Ziploc Bag in a Slow Cooker? Pre-bagged slow cooker meals come with all the ingredients needed for the meal in a slow cooker-safe bag. You pop this bag into the slow cooker and let it cook.

You can buy pre-bagged slow cooker meals that come in plastic bags, but these are certified safe to use at high temperatures and made for the purpose of being used in a slow cooker. Overall, I think pre-bagged slow cooker meals are a really cool idea, but they would cost you more than buying regular liners. 6. My Favorite Liner Alternative The reason it works so well for these types of foods, is because that is pretty close to what parchment paper was originally designed to do (line cookware for baking).A liner helps with cleaning as it prevents the actual pot from becoming dirty. You can simply serve your food straight out of the liner without ever dirtying the slow cooker pot. This method of keeping your slow cooker clean is excellent if you find yourself having to spend ages soaking or scrubbing the slow cooker. Design: Are you looking for a simple, budget-friendly option that just slow-cooks (but does it extremely well) or something more versatile that sous-vides, pressure cooks, bakes and roasts too? Do bear in mind that the more technological the slow cooker, the higher the price. Using slow cooker liners makes life easier and you’re likely to enjoy using this way of preparing meals more frequently! This then equates to more nutritious home-cooked meals and fewer take-outs. Cook more than one meal at once However, if your slow cooker is harder or more cumbersome to clean, a silicone insert could be a great improvement during clean-up. The one con to using aluminum foil is that there might be a potential health risk involved with using it at high heat, especially with acidic foods.

The biggest benefit is that they line your slow cooker so there is no mess left to clean up. When you’re done eating, you simply remove the bag and throw it away. There will be some moisture left in the slow cooker, but all you need to do is wipe it out – no soaking or scrubbing necessary! Aluminum foil is another common alternative to slow cooker liners. It’s easy to use and can fit any slow cooker size. Fold a long piece of aluminum foil, making sure it is wide enough to cover the sides of your slow cooker. Place the folded aluminum foil in the slow cooker, pressing it against the sides. Depending on your recipe, you may be able to skip this step and just cook directly on the foil.

🍪 Privacy & Transparency

Bon Appetit says “you should sous vide only if you’re comfortable with the gray area surrounding the effect of chemicals in non-BPA plastics.” Once it has cooked for the right amount of time, you open the bag and the meal is ready. No cleaning needed! What Are Slow Cooker Liners Made From? Yet, a 2011 study detected quantities of other chemicals similar to natural estrogen leaching from even the BPA-free ones. The risk of this with the liners is unknown. But, according to Reynolds Kitchen “At notime should the liner be lifted from the bowl with food inside.” Personally, I’m not a fan of using aluminum foil as a slow cooker liner. Let me explain. Research has shown that aluminum can leach into food in certain circumstances. And high temperatures and acidic foods (which can both be involved when slow cooking) can increase leaching.