The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking and steam created within the tightly-covered container combine to destroy bacteria and make the slow cooker a safe process for cooking foods.

Q: You said that “if I use the slower cooker correctly, it’s safe.” What do I need to do to make it safe?

A: First, begin with a clean cooker, clean utensils and a clean work area. Wash your hands before and during food preparation. Keep perishable foods refrigerated until preparation time. If you cut up meat and vegetables in advance, store them separately in the refrigerator. The slow cooker may take several hours to reach a safe, bacteria-killing temperature. Constant refrigeration assures that bacteria, which multiply rapidly at room temperature, won’t get a “head start” during the first few hours of cooking.

Make sure you always defrost meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker. Choose to make foods with a high moisture content such as chili, soup, stew or spaghetti sauce.

It’s also important to cut food into chunks or small pieces to ensure thorough cooking. Do not use the slow cooker for large pieces like roast or whole chicken because the food will cook so slowly it could remain in the bacterial danger zone too long.

Q: How much food should I put in the slow cooker?

A: Fill the cooker no less than half full and no more than two-thirds full. Vegetables cook slower than meat and poultry in a slow cooker so if using them, put the vegetables in first, at the bottom and around the sides of the utensil. Then add meat and cover the food with liquid such as broth, water or barbecue sauce. Keep the lid in place, removing only to stir the food or check for doneness.

Q: Should I use the low- or high-temperature setting?

A: Foods take different times to cook depending upon the setting used. Certainly, foods will cook faster on high than on low. However, for all-day cooking or for less-tender cuts, you may want to use the low setting.

If possible, turn the cooker on the highest setting for the first hour of cooking time and then to low or the setting called for in your recipe. However, it’s safe to cook foods on low the entire time  if you’re leaving for work, for example, and preparation time is limited.

While food is cooking and once it’s done, food will stay safe as long as the cooker is operating.

Q: What should I do if the power goes out when using my slow cooker?

A: If you are not at home during the entire slow-cooking process and the power goes out, throw away the food even if it looks done.

If you are at home, finish cooking the ingredients immediately by some other means, such as on a gas stove, on the outdoor grill or at a house where the power is on.

When you are at home, and if the food was completely cooked before the power went out, the food should remain safe up to two hours in the cooker with the power off.

Q: Can I reheat leftovers in a slow cooker?

A: Reheating leftovers in a slow cooker is not recommended. However, cooked food can be brought to steaming on the stove top or in a microwave oven and then put into a preheated slow cooker to keep hot for serving.

Q: I need some new ways to prepare main dishes in the slow cooker. Any ideas?

A: The Rival Company has shared the following recipes that may give you a new twist for using round steak and pork.

Savory Pepper Steak

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2 1/2 pounds beef round steak, about 1/2-inch thick

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small clove garlic, minced

2 large green peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch strips

1 tomato, chopped

1 tablespoon beef flavor granules

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Cut steak into strips. Combine flour, salt and pepper; toss with steak strips to coat thoroughly. Add to pot with onion, garlic and half of pepper strips; stir. Combine tomatoes with beef granules, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Pour into pot, moistening meat well.

Cover; cook on low 10 to 12 hours or high 5 to 6 hours. One hour before serving, stir in remaining green pepper strips. Serve over hot rice.

Pork and Mushrooms with Shallots

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1 tablespoon olive oil

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of fat and sliced into strips

1 cup shallots, coarsely chopped

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the pork and cook until browned. Remove and drain excess oil. Place the pork in the pot. Add the remaining ingredients and stir slightly to combine. Cover; cook on low 7 to 9 hours or on high 4 to 5 hours. Serve over rice.