The History of the Crock Pot
Sunday, 22. November 2009
Crock-pots… almost everyone has one, but do they use them? Many just stay in the cupboard, completely underused. Slow cooking has been used for hundreds of years to get the most out of food, but it used to be a lot more work than it is today.
Ancient History
People have been slow cooking their meals ever since they learned how to smelt iron and make a pot. A large kettle could be simmering over the fire throughout the day, or a small, covered Dutch oven could be set into the coals for cooking. It has long been known that slow cooking has many benefits for our food. The downside to the old methods is the constant tending needed for the fire, as well as frequent stirring of the food.
Slow cooking tenderizes even tough cuts of meat through the gradual softening of the fibers in the meat. The low heat gradually melts the natural collagen within; making a delicious, thick, and gelatin-rich meal that is full of nutrition. Long cooking times over low heat slowly breaks down the fibers in tough root crops like rutabagas, parsnips, and turnips. It also tenderizes stored crops like dried beans and lentils until they are not only tender, but also delicious.
Today’s Crock Pot
In the’50s, Naxon Utilities Corporation of Chicago created the first slow cooker. It was called the Beanery All Purpose Cooker, and it was designed to help people cook baked beans. It was basically a ceramic pot that fit inside a metal pan with heating elements around the inside. This kept the heat even all around the food, but kept it out of direct contact.
In’70, Rival bought Naxon. They took a look at the Beanery and renamed it the Crock Pot. In the early 70s, more women were working outside the home than ever before. The Crock Pot helped them to still provide a hot meal at the end of the day to their hungry families even though they were working all day.
As the years have passed, the Crock Pot has been improved. With features like removable ceramic inserts for easy cleaning and more settings, it has become more useful than ever before. Unlike older models that only had High and Low settings and were in one piece, making cleaning difficult; the newer models often feature a Warm setting as well as being easier to take care of.
Long ago, women cooked many different meals slowly over the fire. Today, our crock-pots offer even more versatility. Stews, roasts and casseroles are very common meals that are made every day in the crock pot, but you can also make dishes like lasagna, sweet and sour chicken, and even your best chicken noodle soup recipes in your slow cooker.
You can also emulate your ancestors and bake breads by slow cooking. The more you use your crock-pot, the more creative you will get. You may even try desserts and dips if you get adventurous.
When you are choosing a chicken noodle soup recipe you can choose from so many different cuisines. Almost every single one has a version of chicken soup. Do you want one like Grandma used to make? How about a Mexican version? An Asian soup?