How to Stop Slow Cooker Meals Going Watery

Slow cookers are great additions to kitchens because you just don’t have to do any work at all. If you are a lazy cook or even someone who doesn’t stay home as much, this appliance would be a miracle worker for you, as it will self-cook your dishes to perfection. With the benefits, slow cookers also come with a fault; which is- the gravy ends up watery! 

To avoid your slow cooker meals from ending up kind of wet, you can follow several techniques. The most common method is, adding flour or cornstarch slurry at the end and adding less liquid than the recipe originally calls for. Apart from these, you can also let your dish evaporate and add extra vegetables at the end.

There are some common mistakes people make while cooking in the slow cooker, which leaves them with disappointing results. However, those are easily solvable if you can remember them while cooking. In this article, you will find the answer to how to stop slow cooker meals going watery, with several unique tips and tricks. So keep reading to unravel them!  

Why Is There So Much Liquid in Your Slow Cooked Meals?

Remember one thing, the more food you put into the slow cooker, the more steam it will create. Usually, the lids of these pots don’t have air ventilation holes. As a result, the steam gets trapped inside the cooker. After a few minutes, this steam converts to water through the condensation process and mixes up with your gravy. Hence, the result is always a watery and flavorless mess.

Also, when you are cooking for 10-12 hours straight, the ingredients release their essential oil and juices into the dish. Those also work as additional liquid, with the stock or water you had used for gravy in the beginning. So avoid cooking your meals for too long. Again, when you cook meat for more time than required, they tend to dry out, losing all the juicy bits. 

Preventing food From Getting Watery in A Slow Cooker 

The first step would be to pick the right size of pot. If you pick a larger pot than you need, you might add more liquid than necessary. And, if you end up choosing a smaller pot, your food will steam too much and create more liquid at the end. After you have the right size, you can follow any of the listed tricks as per your needs. 

Trim off the Excess Fat from Meat 

When you put meat into a slow cooker, at first, it starts to steam and create stock. When the meat has fat attached to it, it doesn’t get dissolved into the gravy properly. Whereas, it creates an oily texture and slows down the process of water evaporation. So, always trim off any extra fat, before you start cooking. You can save those pieces in the freezer for other dishes.

Again, you shouldn’t ever put raw meat into a slow cooker, be it beef or chicken. Always brown them so they are sealed, and don’t lose their flavors in the process. Drenching them in plain flour is also very useful if you are not following a keto or gluten-free diet. It will allow your meat to absorb flavors better, and thicken your sauce at the end without additional ingredients. 

Use Less Water

What many people fail to realize is, slow cookers don’t require a lot of water like other traditional cooking methods. This appliance holds on to the moisture and juices that come out of the ingredients and cooks the meal without further help. However, you do need water or stock to get the cooking started and to enhance the flavors. 

Whatever you cook in your slow cooker, always use 50% less liquid than what the recipe calls for. You’ll be left with a much flavorful and thick gravy if you follow this. You can also try cooking without any liquid; for example, try cooking a whole chicken. At first, your cooker will steam the chicken, and the juices released from the meat and bones will make it taste extra delicious. 

Add Flour, Cornstarch, or Tapioca

This is one of the oldest methods! Whenever your gravy or sauce comes out too watery, just add flour. You can add it directly into the dish, or even make a slurry. Nobody would know the difference. However, slurries are easier to mix into the dishes which have lots of ingredients in them. While plain flour might leave dry bits into the food if not mixed well. 

So to make a slurry, just add 2 tablespoons of water, and 1 tablespoon of flour or cornstarch. Mix it up, and slowly drizzle over your dish at the last minute of cooking. If you’re new to tapioca starch, it’s used the same way as the flour and cornstarch slurry. Always cook additional 5 minutes for everything to dissolve nicely and get mixed. 

Let Your Dish Evaporate 

The reason we have the perfect gravy consistency when we cook on stovetops and ovens is, evaporation! While cooking, the steam escapes from the pan and so does the excess water with it. This process thickens the gravy and enhances its flavors to the max. In contrast, slow cookers don’t have that option. So the meal stays watery.

You can easily fix this situation. At the last hour, by keeping your lid a bit open on one side. It will allow the steam to escape, while also ensuring you don’t get splatters all over your kitchen. Keep the heat low, so your dish doesn’t get burned at the bottom. Keep an eye on the gravy by stirring occasionally, so you can manage the consistency of your choice. 

Turn the Heat to High

This is another way to release steam and cook fast. At the last 15 minutes of your cooking time, crank up the heat to the maximum setting, and leave your pot unattained. 

After 10-12 minutes, check on it by stirring and see if you like the gravy’s texture. This process will fully depend on your cooker, as not all of them have the same settings. 

Add More Vegetables at the End

Adding raw vegetables in between cooking would also soak up the extra water from the gravy. You can cut some vegetables of your choice into cubes (potatoes, carrots, long beans soak water fast) and put them directly into the pot. Give them at least 30 minutes to soften, before serving. Starchy vegetables work best in this method. 

You can also try adding rice, chickpeas, noodles, or pasta depending on your dish. It’ll add additional substances, so you can easily store them in your refrigerator for later consumption. Pureed vegetables will also help you to thicken your sauces, and will add extra flavors and umami. There are also packaged instant potato flakes available in grocery stores.

Never Put Frozen Food into the Slow Cooker 

As slow cookers cook at very low heat, it will take hours for your frozen meat, vegetables, or other food items to melt. Meanwhile, it will also release extra water from the ice.

Plus, there are chances that your food would not cook through within the time limit set in the cooker. So it’s wise to defrost before cooking. 

Conclusion

Given everything, it is not that difficult to follow these tips on how to stop slow cooker meals from going watery. Not only will it help to thicken your gravies, but it also will ensure that your dishes turn out just the way you want them to.