Calphalon has become the ultimate brand for everyone who wants a slow cooker. That’s because Calphalon has various slow cooker models available but there are some Calphalon slow cooker problems bugging the users. With this article, we are outlining the common problems as well as the solutions. Are you ready to find out?
Calphalon Slow Cooker Problems
1) Slow Cooker Is Not Heating Up
Why would you have the slow cooker if it doesn’t heat up? There are several reasons behind the heating issue. First of all, you have to check the power cord of the slow cord and make sure that it’s properly plugged into the power outlet. You must ensure that the power cord is firmly connected to the power outlet as well as at the back of the cooker.
There are always chances of damages to the power cord, so take out the multimeter and check if there are any continuity issues. If there is some issue with the power cord, replace them and buy the replacement cable from the reputed hardware store. On the other hand, if the power cord is working fine, you need to consider the cooking mode.
This is because if you don’t use the right time range or cooking mode, it will cause heating issues. You have to choose the cooking mode according to the recipe (consult the slow cooker manual for this). Also, when you choose the cooking mode, don’t forget to press the cancel/start button because it’s needed to start the cooking function.
2) Food Is Not Hot
Slow cooking is often preferred by people who love steaming hot food because it heats the food to the core. However, if your food isn’t hot enough, it might be because you started cooking with the frozen food ingredients. If you have to cook frozen food ingredients, you must thaw them before you place them in the slow cooker.
On the other hand, if you aren’t cooking frozen food ingredients, you might have overloaded the cooker. When using the Calphalon slow cooker, you can only fill the slow cooker by ¾ or ½ to ensure the food is properly cooked and is hot. Last but not least, make sure that the food is cut into smaller pieces (yes, the Calphalon slow cooker cannot handle large meat or vegetable pieces).
3) Cracking
Cracking is a lethal issue when we are talking about Calphalon slow cookers. This is because it can impact the durability and performance of the slow cooker. That being said, there are five primary reasons behind slow cooker cracking. First of all, if your slow cooker goes through extreme temperature changes, it can lead to cracking (don’t put the hot cooker directly into the refrigerator).
Secondly, the slow cooker can crack down if you place the frozen food items in the slow cooker while it’s hot. For this reason, you must make sure that the food ingredients are at room temperature before you add them to the slow cooker. Thirdly, you must never submerge the slow cooker or its hot insert into the cold water, so you must cool down the insert before you add it to the sink.
Also, you cannot use the insert directly on the burner because it has extremely high temperatures that can crack the insert. Lastly, whenever you have to put down the slow cooker, make sure that you are gentle because if you put it down too hard, it can result in small cracks.
4) Meat Is Tough & Dry
People generally use larger meat cuts in slow cookers because it makes the meat juicy and tender. However, if the meat is coming out tough and dry, it might be because you cooked the meat for too long. With Calphalon slow cookers, you must start with a one to one-and-half-house cycle for one pound of meat (if you are using the high-temperature settings). In addition to the cooking cycle, don’t use tender meats in the slow cooker because it can toughen the meat.
5) Unevenly Cooked Food
If the food is coming out unevenly and isn’t properly cooked, it might be because you cut the food ingredients into uneven shapes. So, it’s best to take out the ingredients and cut them into even size to ensure an even cooking outcome.