Soul Food and Southern Cooking in a Crockpot

Soul Food is a term that arose during the American civil rights movement, referring to protein rich meals from the African American tradition. Sometimes called Southern Cooking, these meals can also generally be called Comfort Food.

Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a spicy stew that uses more or less whatever ingredients are to hand. Based on rice, tomatoes, peppers and onions, other ingredients can be ham, chicken, and duck. Shrimp and other seafood can also be added - but only towards the end of cooking time.

Bayou Gumbo

Bayou Gumbo starts with a roux of flour and oil prepared in a frying pan and placed first into the slow cooker. Based on smoked sausage, it also traditionally contains okra.

Bayou Chicken

Bayou Chicken is a gloriously rich chicken stew with ham, artichokes and shallots seasoned with white wine, tarragon, turmeric.

Cajun Red Beans

Cajun Red Beans uses kidney beans as the base, and includes smoke sausage and a hambone for added flavour. Spicy or not depending on whether you add jalapeno peppers

Not all southern recipes have to be cooked for a long time. Chicken Creole can be ready in about twenty minutes. For details of this and other delicious soul food recipes, please have a look at Soulfoodandsoutherncooking.com

Slow Cooker Tips

Fill cooker to at least half full, but not more than two thirds

Almost cover the ingredients with liquid for good transfer of heat

Lifting the lid during cooking will lose heat, increasing cooking time, and causing moisture loss

If using sugary ingredients, either use a liner or non-stick spray to make cleaning easier

Defrost ingredients before cooking

Place ingredients that are slower to cook, such as root vegetables, at the bottom of the cooker

Cooking on 'high' takes half as long as cooking on 'low'

If you had a power cut, there is no way of knowing if food is cooked properly. Throw it out

Don't re-heat food in a slow cooker

Cheaper, tougher cuts of meat will be tenderised in a slow cooker

Soak dried beans for twelve hours and boil for ten minutes before adding to the cooker to remove toxins

Adding a little liquid and pre-heating the cooker gives food a fast start