Temperature conditions in the Polaris multicooker. Multicooker - rational use of the device

The Pilaf mode is intended for cooking rice and any variants of pilaf: with meat, with vegetables, with seafood, with dried fruits. The principle of its operation is the same as that of the Grechka mode. However, there is one caveat: in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, the intensive frying function is activated.

First, the program boils, evaporates the moisture, and then lightly fries the bottom layer (zirvak), for example, meat and onions. Using this mode, you can prepare not only pilaf from rice and its substitutes (wheat, noodles, buckwheat), but also baked potatoes, navy pasta, and fried dumplings. In a word, a wide variety of dishes, the preparation of which combines boiling and baking (frying). Pilaf cooked in a slow cooker is especially tasty. It even provides a special mode - Pilaf.

Manual modes

Manual modes in multicookers appeared as a response to ever-increasing user requests to move away from standard modes and recipes. The Redmond brand became a pioneer in satisfying the wishes of “multi-devices”, and then manual modes appeared in models from other manufacturers.
Setting the parameters manually makes it possible to arbitrarily set the cooking time and temperature. This mode is called differently by different manufacturers: Manual, Your choice, Your own recipe, Multicook. They all have different temperature ranges and time steps.

First of all, differences in manual modes appear in the temperature range. Its lower limit for such programs is almost the same - 25-40°C. This temperature may be needed for preparing yoghurts and proofing yeast dough.
But the upper limit varies greatly among different brands. It can be either 100 or 180°C. The latter temperature allows deep frying and high-quality baking of dough products. It should be remembered that the ideal temperature for cooking varies from 35 to 160°C, so you should not set the temperature above 160°C for a long time, as this may pose a danger to the multicooker body. In addition, different models of multicookers have their own characteristics in this mode. So, there are devices with steps of 5, and others with steps of 20°C.

The smaller the step and the larger the temperature range, the more possibilities.
Changes in cooking time settings for different models of multicookers are also different.
The most commonly used range is from 5 minutes to 16 hours with changing steps: in the range from 5 minutes to 1 hour - 1 minute; in the range from 1 hour to 16 hours - 5 minutes.

It turns out that the manual mode allows you to cook all dishes as on the stove. Are you used to cooking a portion of porridge in 20 minutes on the stove? The same method and recipe can be used in a slow cooker, setting the optimal temperature so that the milk does not “run away” to 70°C, for example. Also, the main modes of the multicooker include six built-in programs: Pilaf, Buckwheat, Baking, Steaming, Stewing and Milk porridge. The most commonly used ones are Baking and Stewing. How do the modes work?

Extinguishing
The Stewing mode, by its nature, resembles conventional cooking in an oven at low temperature. It is great for preparing jellied meats, broths and any cereals that need to be “simmered”. In this mode, all dishes turn out whole and incredibly aromatic, which is achieved precisely due to the low temperature. The stewing time of the dish can be set from one to twelve hours. Although the manufacturers clearly overdid it with time: it would be much more convenient if the stewing time started from ten minutes. Expensive multicooker models have more flexible time settings.

Bakery
The Baking mode can please the happy owner of a multicooker by preparing not only biscuits or casseroles, but also frying meat, borscht, chops and fried products that will be used for subsequent stewing. In this mode, the minimum cooking time is twenty minutes, and the maximum is sixty-five minutes. Some multicooker models do not have a Baking mode. In addition, multicookers with the Baking mode are more expensive than those without it.

Pilaf, Milk porridge and Buckwheat
These are automatic cooking modes that prepare a dish using special technology. That is, during the cooking process, the multicooker itself changes the operating temperature, following a certain technology. For example, if you decide to cook buckwheat or rice separately on the stove, then you first need to bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat, leaving the porridge to simmer. For a multicooker, it is enough to set the Buckwheat or Cereal porridge program and it will bring the porridge to a boil, and then lower the temperature itself. What if the multicooker does not have a Pilaf mode? The Pilaf, Milk porridge and Buckwheat modes can be replaced by the Stew mode, but then the possibility of using the timer to delay the start of cooking is eliminated. Cooking a dish in the Pilaf and Milk porridge modes takes one hour, and in the Buckwheat mode - forty minutes.

“Steam” mode.
As a rule, low-calorie steamed foods are prepared in this mode (it is important for those who are watching a diet): vegetables, meat, fish, steamed dumplings, manti, eggs in a steam basket, various side dishes. Also convenient for heating food. “Steaming” is also preferred by those who have small children. Children under 3 years of age are not recommended to eat fried foods. There is no alternative to this mode; it can only be partially replaced by the “Cooking” mode.

"Multi-cook" mode.
This is a rather rare mode, but it contains very wide cooking possibilities. Using Multicook you can make dishes that need to be cooked at high temperatures and for a very long time. It works at temperatures from 40 to 160 degrees, and the operating time of the mode is from 5 to 12 hours. Includes 18 different modes.

Paste mode.
Using this multicooker mode, you can cook dough dishes: pasta, spaghetti, macaroni, dumplings, dumplings. “Pasta” can be replaced with the “Cooking”, “Buckwheat”, “Porridge” or “Rice” modes.

So, you decided that you should buy a multicooker, and now you already have it in your kitchen.
I wrote earlier about how to make a decision to buy it (or, conversely, refuse).

How did you decide to start using it - by searching for recipes on the Internet?

You will find that there are many types and models of multicookers, recipes often correspond to a specific model, and how much these recipes can be trusted is also unknown...

I will tell you a secret, a terrible secret that only those who write recipe books that come with the devices know!

Here it is, the secret (are you ready?):

There are no special recipes for a multicooker.

Any recipe can be adapted to be cooked in a slow cooker.

Moreover, all recipes “especially for multicookers” from books and the Internet are divided into two unequal parts.
Most of the recipes are illiterate from the point of view of culinary technology and often result in a dish that does not correspond to the name at all.
The minority are recipes that are based on the real capabilities of the device, are competent and produce a high-quality dish as a result.

In order to cook well and tasty in a slow cooker, you need:
- be able to cook in a regular saucepan/frying pan, on a regular stove/oven;
- find out all the information about the technical parameters and all modes of a particular model;
- forget everything that you have so far read on the Internet about the wonders of a multicooker (“tastier than...”, “cooks it yourself...”, “put everything together and left...”) because this is a bluff;
- roll up your sleeves, stock up on time and patience, master a new device in order to get the maximum benefit from it.

Shall we get started?

First of all, find a suitable location for your slow cooker.
As a matter of fact, you should have thought about this before the purchase, and not after.

My experience is that if an appliance is intended for constant use, it should be positioned so that it is always accessible - not in the pantry, not in the closet, but on the kitchen counter.

In addition, you must have an outlet for connecting the device, to which you have constant access, since the device will need to be regularly unplugged from the network (this is a design feature of most multicookers from all brands).

And finally, the multicooker should be positioned so that the steam valve is not under a wall cabinet. The steam from the valve is at high temperature and pressure, when it hits the kitchen cabinet, it turns into condensation and will cause significant damage to your furniture over time.

So, the device is standing and connected to the network.

You opened the instructions, and there... Nothing is clear!

In any case, the instructions for my multicooker give a minimum of information, which at first reading seems like gobbledygook.
As for the recipe book that comes with the device, it doesn’t so much answer questions as provoke new ones.

Put the papers aside for now, let's figure out for ourselves what the multicooker can do using the example of the Philips HD3039 model.

The multicooker model Philips HD3039 is very typical and differs little from multicookers produced by other companies; the difference may only lie in the name of the modes.

The multicooker has simple controls (a big plus) and has the bonus of 3D heating.

A simple control panel makes the price more affordable, and the device is more reliable and durable in operation.

3D heating means that the bottom, walls and lid are heated. The wall and lid heaters are not very strong, but, nevertheless, the heating is more uniform. However, a multicooker, even with 3D heating, does not produce a baked crust on top due to the weakness of the upper spiral, so the usual baking (as in an oven) will not work in a pan.

In order to find out how this or that mode works, I stocked up on a bottle of the cheapest vegetable oil and a cooking thermometer.
In all multicookers, there are buttons for automatic modes on the left, so let’s start on this side.

1. Heating mode.
I poured water, turned it on for 20 minutes, opened it and measured the water temperature.

60 degrees C is exactly the temperature at which it is usually recommended to store ready-made dishes before serving. The mode turns on automatically upon completion of any program and runs for 2 hours.

Is it good or bad?

Let me remind you that multicookers in their other reincarnation were rice cookers. A temperature of 60 degrees C prevents the development of pathogenic bacteria and does not impair the quality of finished rice or other cereals.

However, the multicooker is an excellent thermos, so if you do not open it immediately after the end of the program, the temperature inside the pan will drop gradually and slowly and will remain above 60C for quite a long time.

This should be taken into account when setting the cooking time or leaving the appliance in automatic mode if you are cooking fish, meat or vegetables.
Their presence for such a long time under heating conditions (even gentle ones) leads to a deterioration in the quality of the finished dish, because the cooking process continues!

2. Rice/buckwheat mode (and any other cereals that require long-term cooking).
This is the main mode for which the device was created.

Automatic mode. The device stops working at the moment when all the water boils away and the temperature inside the pan rises.
The multicooker perfectly cooks fluffy rice and buckwheat (which is mistakenly considered a quickly boiled grain).

At first glance, everything is very simple and really “he fell asleep and went for a walk.”

But in fact, you should understand that each type of cereal requires its own amount of water so that the porridge comes out both ready and crumbly.
For example, for red, black and brown rice, you need to take 20% more water than indicated in the instructions in the program. Let's say, pour water into 4 measuring cups of cereal to the 5 mark, not 4, as for buckwheat and white rice.

3. Spaghetti.
There is nothing at all in the instructions about this mode. The name doesn't say anything. The program runs until all the liquid has boiled away (you can only learn about this from the recipe book that comes with the multicooker).

It was not possible to find out what is the difference between this program and the “rice/buckwheat” program, although I tried to compare the results when using the “rice” and “spaghetti” programs.

I took the same amount of paste, added the same amount of water, both programs worked for the same amount of time until completion, the result was also the same: the paste was ready, but due to the small amount of water it stuck together in a lump and was covered with a sticky shell of starch. I had to rinse it, after which, of course, the taste of the paste deteriorated sharply.

Conclusion: there is no point in using the program. If necessary, the same thing can be prepared using the “rice/buckwheat” program.

4. Boiling.
Everything is clear here: active heating, vigorous boiling. The default running time of the program is 10 minutes, but you can set the time in the range from 5 to 30 minutes. The countdown timer starts after the water boils, so the program time is the actual boiling time.

However, if you need to quickly bring the liquid to a boil during cooking, this can be done in the fry or steam mode.

Conclusion: the program has practical application only if there is no kettle in the house or there is a need to boil something for a specific specified time.

5. Steamer.
Everything is clear too. The ability to choose between vegetables, fish and meat actually means choosing the cooking time.
The same mode can be used for cooking in a water bath.

In the “steamer” mode, vegetables, fish and meat are prepared, as well as various steam souffles (forms for them need to be purchased additionally).

6. Frying.
I checked by pouring oil and measuring the temperature after 20 minutes of warming up.
Oil heating temperature is 160C with an open pan, 180C with a closed pan.

Considering the small bottom area, high walls and relatively low heating temperature, I think it is correct to use the mode only for frying a small amount of vegetables (the so-called “frying” for soup) or frying spices and/or cereals in oil before adding water.

However, this mode is convenient to use for deep frying - the oil will not heat up above the set value and, therefore, will not burn.
Fans of French fries and other joys of the unhealthy diet condemned by doctors can buy a special wire basket and fry whatever they want.

7. Baking.
I checked by pouring oil and letting the program run for 20 minutes.
The program time is fixed - 45 minutes. Temperature in the range of 130-160C.

It’s a stretch to call the process baking. The main heating comes only from the bottom, while the pan is hermetically sealed and there is almost no evaporation of moisture.
However, we all know that protein coagulation occurs with any heating, be it the dry heat of an oven or the moist heat of a steam bath.

You can “bake” the pie in a regular microwave oven or in a frying pan over a fire. The question is - what kind of pie will it be...

However, if we are talking about the fact that there is no oven, but you still want some kind of dessert, then it is quite possible to use a slow cooker for this purpose.
“Muffins” and “cakes” made from dough containing cottage cheese and/or a large number of eggs are especially good in it, since the temperature for such “baking” is precisely in the range of 160 - 180C.

8. Braising.
In this mode, the multicooker maintains a heating temperature of approximately 100 degrees C. The duration of the program is controlled by a timer, the minimum program time is 1 hour, the maximum is 8 hours.

However, the broth turns out to be quite cloudy, because the boil is vigorous and the pan is tightly closed.

The situation is better with pureed soups, since the vegetables should still be completely boiled in them.

When stewing meat, the sauce should be added in very small quantities, since the evaporation of liquid is minimal and a large amount of sauce will make the meat boiled rather than stewed.

For the same reason - a tightly closed lid and little evaporation of water - stewed vegetables turn out to be too watery.
To evaporate excess water after opening the lid, you need to keep them in the “frying” mode for another 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly. Total - 1 hour 20 minutes, in my opinion - too long for cooking vegetables.

Stewing fish for an hour is generally nonsense.

And don’t forget that you won’t be able to simply leave the pan to simmer vegetables or meat and leave the house, because at the end of the program the multicooker will switch to the heating mode, which I wrote about above.

In order to “fight” the device’s automatic transition to heating mode, you can buy an additional socket-clock and program it so that the device is disconnected from the network immediately after the program ends from the network at a given time.

9. Warm up.
Active heating, time can be set from 8 to 25 minutes.

As I wrote above, a multicooker has the properties of a good thermos.
If you put a bowl of food in the refrigerator in the evening (so that everything cools together), in the morning you move it into the multicooker and program a delayed start, then the food will not spoil and will be hot at the right time.

But I don’t know who needs it today.
A microwave oven will heat up a dish in a few minutes, while a slow cooker will work for 30 minutes, using 10 times more electricity...

Even if we assume that you need to heat up food for an elderly person or a small child, who are afraid to let near the stove, the question remains - how will they then be able to get food out of a hot pan?!

My conclusion: the mode has no practical use.

That's probably all about the multicooker modes.

Next time I will talk about specific dishes prepared in a slow cooker and how to adapt any dish to cooking in it.

Baking program Baking - works at a temperature of 118 - 122 degrees, the temperature is not adjustable, the program is designed for 50 minutes, it cannot be reduced or added in any way unless you press the “Cancel” button. Biscuits, cakes, pies with batter, and pizza are more successful in this program.

The program is ideal, the signature dish at home is charlotte with apples, from the same charlotte dough you can make any other pie with fruits and berries. Just a great dessert for kids.

Steaming - 115-120 degrees, cooking time is adjustable from 5 minutes to 1 hour.

Frying – temperature is adjustable from 100 to 160 degrees, time is adjustable from 10 minutes to 1 hour. You can fry with the lid open. Quite a powerful program, start with a low temperature, and then increase until the best result, otherwise there is a risk that everything will burn. Fried potatoes, ideal in a slow cooker.

Paste 118-120 degrees, time from 8 minutes to 20 minutes. You can prepare sauces, gravies, pasta.

Cereals - 110 degrees, time 25 minutes, nothing is adjustable. An ideal program indeed. I had problems with the first cartoon with this program, everything was browned in it, but then it turned out to be a perfectly crumbly porridge.

Milk porridge - 95 degrees, from 10 minutes to 30 minutes. Sometimes 30 minutes is not enough, for corn grits you need all 50 minutes, you have to add it later. And so the program is ideal, you can cook any milk porridge.

Braising - 93 degrees, from 2 to 8 hours. The program is unsuccessful, it takes a very long time to cook, so I often replace it with the “multi-cook” program, with the time set (40 minutes) and the temperature at 110 degrees), so it’s faster to simmer.

Soup - 93 degrees, 1 hour to 8 hours. I don’t know what kind of soup can be cooked for so long, but I don’t have enough patience, the temperature is low, I replace this program with a multi-cooker with a time setting (30 minutes) and a temperature of 140 degrees.

Yogurt – temperature 38-40 degrees, constantly maintains it. I watched the multicooker in this mode for some time. Every about 20-30 minutes, the multi automatically turns on and warms up, then sleeps and turns on again, and so on for the whole 8 hours. How to make yogurt is written here.

Multicook - temperature from 40 degrees to 160, time from 5 minutes to 12 hours, my favorite program in which you can cook anything, from soups to baked goods.

Pizza – time from 20 minutes to 50 minutes. A terrible program, pizza comes out on it, in general, the crust burns on this program. And eat it as if it were a cracker. I do not recommend it for raw pizza; it is better to make the pizza in the baking mode for 40 minutes. I don’t know the temperature, but it’s definitely above 120.

Oatmeal (for quick cooking oatmeal, 10-30 minutes),

Dessert (for making jams, preserves, caramel, sweets, marmalade, etc., cooking time 1-4 hours, adjustable).

Baking, time from 10 minutes to 30 minutes. The program helps bake vegetables, meat, mushrooms, etc.

Crust, time from 1-2 hours, adjustable. Helps create a crust on any dish. That is, it cooks until golden brown.

Beans, time 1-4 hours, adjustable, intended for cooking legumes: peas, beans, lentils, etc. There is also a heating program and a separate button that helps keep the dish warm.

Cooking temperatures in the “Multi-cook” mode

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How to use the multicooker

All about multicookers> how to use a multicooker

To use a multicooker correctly, you need to know what temperature to choose for cooking. Redmond provides a temperature table for the multicooker in the instructions for its multicookers. You can use it as a guide when you use a multicooker in other multicookers. See the table at the bottom of the article. General recommendations are as follows

What to cook in multicooker mode at a temperature of 35-45 degrees

Low temperatures from 35 to 45 in some cases up to 50 degrees are used where it is necessary to preserve living crops. We deal with live cultures when preparing dairy products - such as yogurt, sour cream, and the second case is when we prepare yeast dough. (In detail - the secrets of yeast dough).

Redmond also suggests making vinegar at 35 degrees. This is the right temperature for making vinegar, but it's not very clear how you can actually use a slow cooker to make vinegar, since it takes several days to prepare. It is difficult to imagine a housewife who would use a multicooker for vinegar for several days, however, such a theoretical possibility of preparing vinegar in a multicooker exists.

What to cook in multicooker mode at a temperature of 50-80 degrees

At temperatures above 50 degrees it is convenient to prepare all sorts of confectionery products - melt chocolate, make fudge

Temperatures of 70 - 80 degrees are good for preparing wine drinks - such as punch, mulled wine Redmond also suggests preparing tea at these temperatures. Of course, under normal conditions, when you have an electric kettle, it makes more sense to use it to heat water. However, a multicooker for making tea can be used in semi-camping conditions - for example, in the country.

These same temperatures are suitable for pasteurization. We remind you that pasteurization is a method of destroying harmful microbes by heating liquids (wine, beer, milk, marinades, sour compotes for canning) to temperatures below 100 degrees, which allows you to preserve useful substances.

What to cook in multicooker mode at a temperature of 85-100 degrees

At temperatures of 85-95 degrees, products are prepared according to the principle of slow simmering, that is, the temperature is high, but below the boiling point of water. Temperatures of almost 100 degrees are good for milk porridges. But, as a rule, in modern multicookers, porridge is prepared using special milk porridge programs, and not using a multicooker. See the list of programs for multicookers. At 100 degrees, jam is prepared - that is, at a constant boil, and for baking, a temperature of 100-110 degrees is good for making meringue.

What you need to know when using temperatures in a multicooker above 100 degrees.

Temperatures above 100 degrees are baking and frying temperatures. That is, the preparation of solid foods. If you want to cook soups, stew vegetables or meat at temperatures above 100 degrees, then your multicooker should be a multicooker pressure cooker. That is, working under pressure. It is pressure that can ensure liquid boils at temperatures above 100 degrees, and thus speed up cooking. And this cooking takes place with the lid locked. If you do not have a pressure cooker function in your multicooker, then use temperatures above 100 degrees only for baking and frying.

At a temperature of 130 degrees - it’s good to fry foods - for example, frying soup

Steaks and poultry are fried at a temperature of about 160 degrees. The pies are baked at the same temperature. A temperature of 170-180 degrees is used for deep frying, when it is necessary for the vegetable oil to boil.

Temperature table for a multicooker (from the instructions for Redmond multicookers)

	proofing dough, preparing vinegar
	preparing yoghurts
	leaven
	fermentation
	making fudge
	preparing green tea or baby food
	cooking meat in vacuum packaging
	making punch
	pasteurization, white tea preparation
	preparing mulled wine
	preparing cottage cheese or dishes that require a long cooking time
	making red tea
	preparing milk porridges
	making meringue or jam
	cooking jellied meat
	sterilization
	making sugar syrup
	preparing shanks
	cooking stew
	cooking casseroles
	frying prepared foods to give them a crispy crust
	smoking
	roasting vegetables and fish (in foil)
	roasting meat (in foil)
	baking products from yeast dough
	frying poultry
	frying steaks
	frying in batter, preparing nuggets and French fries

Recipes for multicookers You might be interested in

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Stewing mode in a multicooker - how it works and cooks

Many housewives have appreciated the “stewing” mode in a multicooker, due to the fact that cooked dishes retain maximum of their taste and aroma. In fact, this mode is reminiscent of cooking in a Russian oven, where food simmers in a pot for a long time in its own juice. The longer a dish is stewed, the softer, more aromatic and tastier it turns out as a result.

The principle of extinguishing or how it works

The secret of stewing is that the slow cooker heats up slowly and cooks food for a long time at a low temperature, never bringing it to a boil. Dishes prepared in this way are not only more aromatic, but also healthier, because there is no need to add oil during the cooking process. Products simmer mainly in their own juice or with a small addition of water.

Cooking time depends on the dish, the quality of the ingredients and the specifics of the recipe. For example, to cook jellied meat in a slow cooker you will need more time than to prepare soup or broth. You also need to take into account the quality of the meat (young or old), its size (small pieces will cook much faster than large pieces), etc.

Typically, a multicooker gives you the right to choose the time for stewing within a strictly limited framework (from 1 hour to 12 hours). The exception is those multicookers that have a multicooker function, which allows you to independently set not only the cooking time, but also the desired temperature. However, for inexperienced or inexperienced users, the automatic program is preferable, as it guarantees a good result.

Some housewives complain that the stewing process takes too long. However, the very idea of ​​cooking in a slow cooker means that you do not need to be constantly nearby and control the process! After finishing cooking in the stewing mode, the multicooker will automatically start the auto-heating mode.

However, if it is vital for you to reduce the cooking time in the stewing mode, you can resort to the following trick. Start preparing dishes as usual, choosing the minimum time for the multicooker, and at the right moment, turn off the mode yourself or change it to heating.

If the multicooker does not have a stewing mode, do not despair. First, look at the recipes for your multicooker model; perhaps the stewing mode is replaced by another mode. Or you can experiment on your own with selecting a similar mode. The “soup” cooking mode is very similar to the stewing mode and is also suitable for preparing many dishes. The only difference between these two modes is that for cooking soups the temperature is brought to a boil, but after that a constant low cooking temperature is also maintained.

What to cook

You can cook almost any meat dish in the stewing mode: even the oldest or toughest meat, after prolonged simmering, becomes soft, tender and melts in your mouth.

In addition to meat, stewing is great for cooking:

1. Aspic
2. Stew
3. Baked milk
4. Jellied
5. Stuffed cabbage rolls

To appreciate all the capabilities of a multicooker in stewing mode, prepare one of these simple dishes.

• Chicken stewed with garlic in sour cream

Place the chicken in small portions on the bottom of the bowl and start simmering for 1 hour. No need to add water. After half an hour, add sour cream (100 g) and half a head of finely chopped garlic to the bowl. Mix all ingredients and continue simmering for another 30 minutes.

• Potatoes stewed with meat

Cut the pork (800 gr.) into small pieces, add salt, and fry on the “fry” mode for several minutes under a closed lid. If the meat is not fatty, add a little olive oil. After 10 minutes, add peeled carrots and finely chopped onions and fry for another 10 minutes. Add diced potatoes and a little water (1 multi-cup) and simmer for 1 hour. After completion, add spices, herbs, sour cream.

Cut the beef (500 gr.) into large pieces. Vegetables: zucchini, carrots, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, cut into pieces as you wish. Place all the ingredients inside the bowl and stir, add salt and pepper. You don't have to add water, because... tomatoes, peppers, zucchini will release their juice. Then set the simmer mode to 35 minutes. After finishing cooking, add fresh herbs and spices at your discretion.

Before starting the stewing mode, make sure that the food in the bowl can release water, due to which the simmering will occur. Otherwise, you need to add water yourself, but just a little bit, because our goal is to stew the dish, not cook it. Instead of water, you can add milk, cream, red wine or broth - this will add a new twist to your favorite dishes, adding sophistication and piquancy to them.

It is better to add seasoning or salt at the end of cooking, so the dish will retain the aroma of herbs and spices as much as possible. After the multicooker has finished cooking the dish, do not rush to open the multicooker faster, but let the dish “cook” for another 10-15 minutes.

Previously, in order to prepare such a dish, the housewife had to spend the whole weekend on it, but now the multicooker takes on all the worries. Pamper your loved ones with the incredible taste and aroma of dishes prepared using the stew mode.

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Temperature in the multicooker - heating during stewing, baking

Experienced housewives know that in order for a dish to turn out tasty, you need not only to choose the right cooking temperature, but also the time, because otherwise the dish will turn out overdried or raw. Temperature conditions and cooking time in a multicooker are set automatically when you select a specific program, which greatly simplifies the cooking process and guarantees an appetizing result. This is precisely the secret of the enormous popularity of multicookers.

The benefits and harms of temperature processing food in a slow cooker

Human development is continuously connected with fire: as soon as the caveman learned to get it, he conquered nature and changed his destiny. Food cooked over fire was absorbed by the body much easier and faster, which contributed to the restructuring of the entire digestive system and made it possible to direct the freed potential to the development of the brain.

Today there are a huge number of different methods for pre-processing products in a slow cooker:

• Cooking;
• Frying;
• Baking;
• Extinguishing;
• Cold and hot smoking;
• Steam cooking;
• Vacuum cooking;
• Languishment, etc.

In any case, food is exposed to a certain temperature for a certain time.

By heating food to 50-60C, harmful microbes and bacteria die in it, and toxic substances break down into safe components.

In addition, it is heat treatment that facilitates and accelerates the absorption of many useful substances and vitamins.

However, this heat treatment also has disadvantages:

1. Vitamins and macroelements are destroyed and poorly absorbed by the body;
2. Enzymes die (in other words, enzymes that accelerate chemical processes in the body);
3. When frying, dietary fiber and plant fiber are destroyed;
4. When heated, fats form harmful substances: carcinogens, trans fats, free radicals, etc.;

You need to understand that each type of heat treatment has its own advantages and disadvantages: steamed food retains most of the nutrients and vitamins, and does not use oil during the cooking process, but many people consider this cooking method to be more time-consuming and effort-consuming. People's taste preferences also play a role.

How does a multicooker cook?

Multicookers from different manufacturers prepare the same dish in different ways. Both the temperature in the multicooker modes and the duration of the cooking itself may differ. However, the approximate temperature range at which a particular dish is prepared is always the same, as is the approximate cooking time.

In addition, knowing what temperatures are used in a multicooker in a particular cooking mode will help you use the “multicook” function correctly and independently set the appropriate temperature values ​​and cooking duration.

"Porridge" mode

This mode is used for preparing porridge from milk (or a combination of milk and water). The temperature is set in the range of 95-100C, and the cooking time can take from 20 to 60 minutes. At the same time, it is important to follow the recommended proportions of cereal and liquid, because each porridge is boiled differently and, due to inexperience, you can end up with either too boiled or too dry porridge.

“Extinguishing” mode

In the stewing mode, the products are initially gradually heated to a temperature above 100C, and then also gradually lowered, and continue to cook at a temperature of 90-95C. If you do not lower the temperature in time, the water will quickly boil away and the dish will fry instead of stewing. When you select the automatic program, the multicooker will independently monitor the readings of temperature sensors and lower the temperature in time. The extinguishing time can vary from 1-2 hours to 8-10 hours if necessary.

“Frying” mode

Temperature 150-155C is good for baking and frying. In this case, you need to consider the type of product you are going to fry: meat, vegetables or fish. Depending on this, you should set the frying time: for vegetables - an average of 10 minutes, for fish - 15 minutes, meat - 30-40 minutes. Thanks to the non-stick properties of the bowl, you can do without the use of oil.

Temperatures above 160C-170C are ideal for deep frying when the oil needs to boil.

Steam mode

One of the healthiest methods of cooking, which allows you to preserve all valuable vitamins and elements, and cooking without oil makes the prepared dish low-calorie, juicy and aromatic. Products are cooked at a temperature of 115-120C, and the cooking time depends on the type of product: vegetables and fish need 10-15 minutes, and meat will need 40-60 minutes. At the same time, it is better to avoid pieces of meat that are too large; they may not be completely steamed and remain raw inside.

Why do we need to know temperature conditions?

The choice of cooking method depends on many things: taste preferences, health, effort and cooking time. Having a multicooker at home minimizes the importance of the last two factors - the entire cooking process takes place autonomously, and your participation will only be needed at the stage of placing the prepared products into the bowl.

Cooking time doesn’t matter now, since while the porridge is simmering for 4 hours, you can easily go shopping or go on a visit, and the reliable protection system in the multicooker will prevent any troubles in your absence.

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Manufacturers of multicookers are trying to create a device that can perform the functions of several devices at once. The modes in a multicooker are becoming more varied and complex. An ordinary home multicooker can cook almost any dish: grill, pasta, boil food in the classic way or steam it like a double boiler. Cooking modes differ in complexity and functionality. Let's figure out how different programs and modes work in a typical multicooker.

Home use of the product

Manual modes

Such programs are a response to user requests. Those who are used to cooking according to their own recipes want the multicooker program to be able to set the heating temperature and cooking time manually.

The manufacturer Redmond was the first to provide this opportunity, then other manufacturers followed suit.

In multicookers of different brands, this cooking option may be called differently, and the basic characteristics will also differ. The minimum temperature that this mode allows you to set is about 30 degrees Celsius. It is convenient for making yoghurts and preparing yeast dough. The upper limit will be different for each manufacturer. The range is 100–200 degrees.

Manual cooking program names: multicook, manual, your mode, multichef and other options. It makes sense to experiment with manual cooking if the owner of the device has a good understanding of the process of preparing a dish and understands what and how to do it. If you have little experience, it is better to start by trusting the standard automatic modes, the results of which will be consistently successful.

Using manual mode without proper experience is fraught with unexpected consequences

Automatic modes

There are several automatic modes that ensure high quality dishes.

"Warming" program. A fairly simple option that allows you to keep a ready-made dish warm while waiting for lunch or dinner. Some housewives use this mode to defrost or melt butter. In most multicooker models, heating turns on automatically after cooking.

The multicooker mode is very similar to conventional oven cooking at low temperatures. Well suited for cooking porridges, jellied meats, broths, in a word, those dishes that require simmering. The finished product is aromatic and uniform in structure. The timer can be set from half an hour to twelve hours.

The baking or baking option is convenient for those who like to prepare biscuits and sweet pastries. Non-trivial options for using “baking” include using this program for frying vegetables or meat products.

Baking mode in a multicooker

The mode configured for cooking porridge may differ in name and temperature settings. This program is also suitable for pilaf, crumbly porridges, and porridges with milk. Cooking time varies from forty minutes to an hour.

Some models for pilaf have a special mode, in which the food is browned on the bottom and the rice turns out crumbly. In this mode you can bake potatoes or fry dumplings.

The “Krupa” or “Buckwheat” programs are intended for preparing crumbly, but not browned porridges. In this case, the liquid is thoroughly evaporated. It should be remembered that the multicooker will begin counting the cooking time after it has heated the internal contents of the bowl to operating temperature. Depending on the volume of the bowl and the power of the device, this will take an additional 10–20 minutes.

Preset program options

Double boiler. This program allows you to cook food using steam. The dishes are specific in taste, but more healthy than those prepared in the traditional way. To use this mode, you will need an additional plastic container on which to place the food. Water is poured into the bottom of the bowl, then a plastic stand with food is inserted. The mode works when the lid is closed.

Almost all multicookers have a frying mode. Some models combine frying with a baking program. The program allows you to fry meat, eggs and other foods. Manufacturers usually recommend using the lid-open mode to constantly monitor the process - just like in a frying pan.

The Pasta program allows you to prepare dough dishes such as dumplings, pasta, dumplings. Resourceful housewives note the similarity of this mode with modes like “Porridge” and use them if “Pasta” is not in the multicooker’s arsenal. Using this functionality is not possible with delayed start.

Options for dishes that can be prepared in a slow cooker

Another of the automatic modes – “express” – is used for quickly preparing simple dishes in a multicooker. The device quickly evaporates the liquid from the stored products and intensively fries at the end of the cycle. When using this program, classic navy pasta, fried potatoes and similar dishes are perfectly prepared.

Smoking program - not available in all multicookers, allows you to smoke meat, fish, sausages. To smoke, you need to place a small container with cherry or other wood chips in a special bowl and place the products on the grates. Two smoking options are available: hot and cold. Hot occurs at a temperature of about 125 degrees, cold - at 30. For cold, only products specially prepared by marinating are used. The process occurs more intensively than when using traditional technologies. When using this mode, you should take care of ventilation in the room, since either during the process or when opening the multicooker after cooking, the smell of smoking will enter the kitchen.

Pressure cooker - this option allows you to cook dishes by creating excess pressure in the multicooker pan. The disadvantage of such a program is the inability to add ingredients during the cooking process without an emergency release of pressure. This mode is convenient for preparing jellied meat or other dishes that require a long cooking time.

The delayed start function is not a pure cooking mode, but it has a great impact on convenience. The program allows you to postpone cooking for up to a day. However, the function is not available for baking and frying.

Sterilization and pasteurization. These programs can be distinguished as separate, although in some models they are presented under other names. Pasteurization involves heating to 70 degrees to preserve the freshness of products and get rid of unwanted microflora, which are killed during heat treatment. Sterilization is intended for processing dishes - children's or intended for canning. The process occurs at a temperature of about 100 degrees. In fact, this mode duplicates the “steamer”, since sterilization occurs under the influence of hot steam.

The “Dessert” mode is not present in all models; it is intended for preparing sweets such as candies and caramel.

Operating principle of the pressure cooker mode

Temperature in the multicooker under different modes and features of each program

Each manufacturer supplies the device with instructions that allow you to understand the basic parameters of use. The lowest temperatures are used when creating yoghurts and heating dishes, the highest temperatures are used when frying and deep-frying. 35–40 degrees ensures normal preparation of yogurt and preparation of yeast dough. At temperatures of 50-80 degrees, excellent drinks such as punch, tea, and mulled wine are obtained.

80-100 degrees is the most common range for most dishes. Porridges, soups, jams and other dishes that require simmering are perfectly cooked at these temperatures.

Temperatures over 100 degrees are used when cooking meat, baking, and roasting vegetables. If the device has a pressure cooker function, then various soups can be cooked at high temperatures.

The highest temperature - 170 degrees - is used for cooking meat in batter and French fries.

Differences between modes in different models

Options for cooking programs are provided by manufacturers. Naturally, more expensive and multifunctional models have greater variability and a range of tasks to be solved.

Thus, Mulinex multicookers offer up to one hundred automatic operating programs; the Scarlett brand has about twenty of them. The same option can be called differently.

To clarify, when purchasing, be sure to look at the characteristics of the product, without getting carried away by the attractive names that manufacturers come up with for the simplest programs.

Cooking meat dishes

So, the options “Stew”, “Soup”, “Milk porridge” are almost the same. They involve cooking the dish at a temperature of about 90 degrees Celsius for a long time.

Some multicookers have a “Crust” program, which allows you to fry the prepared dish with a crispy crust. In some ways, this mode is reminiscent of frying, but, according to reviews from consumers who have used both, there is still a difference.

Manufacturers do not advertise the intricacies of a specific program; the user sees only general characteristics: temperature, cooking time, presence of excess pressure. If you do not cook for gourmets, then small differences in the taste of the finished dishes are insignificant.

Conclusion

When choosing a multicooker for your home, you need to imagine what it is for. This is not only a kitchen decoration, but also a real assistant in daily cooking. More budget models have fewer modes and functions and are made from cheaper materials, but their consumer qualities are often in no way inferior to products from leading brands. It is worth considering whether you need to overpay for the “grill” or “deep frying” functions if the multicooker is purchased mainly for preparing children's porridge.

Updated 09/21/2017

Multicookers are versatile devices that have many different functions. They know how to boil, fry and stew food, as well as steam. Each process has a specific program, and each of these programs has a specific temperature. More on this below...

Baking mode. When this mode is activated, the system sets the temperature in the range of 118-122 degrees (this value may differ slightly in different models). In this case, the user will not be able to set his own temperature parameter. In this mode, it is set by the program, and it can no longer be changed during the cooking process. This mode with this temperature is perfect for cooking pies, pizza and various sponge cakes. Do you want to make a delicious charlotte with apples? Choose the baking mode – that’s what it’s designed for.

Steam cooking is the second program. Don't confuse it with a steamer. There are many differences between a multicooker and a double boiler, and it makes no sense to compare these devices. The steam mode operates at a temperature of 115-120 degrees. Depending on the type of dish, the cooking process lasts from 10 to 60 minutes. This mode is suitable for preparing dietary food, steamed cutlets, for example.

Frying. In this mode, the heating temperature is 100-160 degrees. Unlike other modes, this one works when the lid is open. This program is powerful, so you need to handle it carefully. It is better to start frying at low temperatures and increase it as it cooks. Otherwise, the dish may simply burn.

Pasta – The program operates at a temperature of 116-120 degrees and can last 8-20 minutes. Suitable for making sauces and gravies.

Special mode for cereals – 110 degrees. It does not allow you to adjust any parameters, but the program itself is correct. With its help you can make the perfect crumbly porridge.

Milk porridge - program with heating up to 95 degrees. Usually the mode works for 30 minutes, but for some porridges this is not enough. You can simply reactivate the mode or add minutes if the functionality supports it.

Braising – 95 degrees. This function assumes operation from 2 to 8 hours. Judging by the reviews, this program is not the best, because... works for a long time. Its excellent analogue is “multi-cook” - this is a similar mode that copes with the carcass much faster.

Soup – a program for cooking soup, which assumes a temperature of 95 degrees. It works for 8 hours. You should already be convinced that a multicooker is not for quick cooking.

Yogurt – works at a low temperature of 38-40 degrees. In fact, the device only maintains this parameter and activates or deactivates heating every 20-30 minutes. Preparation of yogurt is described in the recipe book included with the multicooker.

“Multi-cook” mode at a temperature of 40-160 degrees with the ability to adjust. This is a universal program that allows you to cook anything: baked goods, soups, stews, etc.

Dessert– for making caramel, sweets and other sweets. Temperature can be adjusted according to recipe.

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