Slow cooker has become an absolute hit among people who don’t have too much time on their hands. The performance of the slow cooker depends largely on the brand and West Bend is one of the top ones. Still, the users complain about West Bend slow cooker problems but you can fix them pretty easily by following instructions from this article!
West Bend Slow Cooker Problems
1) There Is Too Much Liquid
When you are using the West Bend slow cooker, you must choose the correct amount of water or liquid to ensure your food has enough thickness. With slow cooking, very little moisture is evaporated, so you have to reduce the amount of liquid (to be honest, one cup of liquid is more than enough for slow cookers).
On the other hand, if you are cooking the soups, you should only add water for covering the ingredients (yes, not more than that!).
If you already added the minimal amount of the liquid in your West Bend slow cooker but there is still too much liquid, you might have added fresh spices and herbs. This is because fresh herbs and spices release water. So, if you have to add the spices and herbs, add them in ground or dry form.
However, you can also add fresh herbs but add them once the food is ready.
2) Meat Is Mushy
The meat must have the right texture if you want to devour the flavor. You must keep in mind that tender meat is not suitable for slow cookers. However, some people complain about mushy meat and it’ primarily because you chose the longer cooking cycles (start with on-house cycle only).
In addition, you can sear the meat before adding it to the West Bend slow cooker to ensure it remains crispy and doesn’t get mushy during slow cooking.
3) The Green Vegetables Are Too Dark
People often use West Bend slow cookers for cooking strong-flavored veggies like collard greens, eggplant, spinach, and okra. However, if they are turning out too dark, you must precook them before adding them to the unit.
Also, try to add vegetables in the end because it ensures the fresh texture of the vegetables. Moreover, if you have to cook the Chinese veggies or mushrooms, make sure to add them while they are partially frozen.
4) Undercooked Meat
West Bend slow cookers will “slowly” cook the meats, so if the meat is undercooked, you must have set incorrect time sessions. In the case of red meat, choose a seven to ten hours cycle with low temperature while high temperature settings need four to six cooking hours. On the other hand, if you are cooking seafood and fish, they cannot withstand long cooking hours (just opt for the one-hour cooking cycle at high temperature and it will come our perfectly tender).
5) Cheese Is Not Giving The Right Flavor
You might not believe it but cheese is a delicate ingredient and it cannot withstand long cooking hours. So, if your recipe involves sour cream, milk, or cheese, add them to your slow cooker before dishing out the food.
This is because if these dairy products are cooked for so long, the taste will be lost. Moreover, West Bend slow cookers work better with processed cheese rather than aged cheese, so be mindful about the dairy products.
6) Soggy Dumplings
To be honest, cooking dumplings in a West Bend slow cooker is a gamble but you can cook them. To ensure that your dumplings aren’t soggy, make sure that the gravy or broth is cooking at a high temperature when you add the dumplings. The dumplings only need half an hour for proper cooking, so put on the alarm to ensure the dumplings are cooked properly.
7) Unable To Retain Heat
It’s an obvious fact that West Bend slow cooker will retain heat when you keep the lid on properly. That being said, you must not remove the cover/lid again and again because it lets the heat and steam escape away. Moreover, ensure that the lid’s rubber band is intact, so it is properly fixed into the rim. Also, you should only remove the lid when you have to add the important ingredients.
8) Nonstick Coverage Is Coming Off
To be honest, if the nonstick coverage is coming off, it is primarily your mistake. That’s because when you use sharp-edged cooking tools, such as masers, forks, and knives in slow cooking, it damages the nonstick cover. So, only use the plastic, wooden, or silicone cooking tools with your West Bend slow cooker.