What Is a Thermo Cooker and How to Use It
You may have heard of the thermo cooker and wondered what new contraption it may be. In that case, it may surprise you to learn that the technology behind thermo cookers is far from being an innovation. In fact, it’s simply a reinterpretation of an age-old cooking method that uses retained heat.
Keep reading to learn more about what a thermo cooker is, how to use it, and what thermo cooker Australia loves best.
What Is a Thermo Cooker?
A thermo cooker is a cooking appliance typically consisting of two pots. The outer pot is basically an insulation container. The stainless steel inner pot is the cooking pot.
The main principle behind how thermo cookers work is that they trap heat inside and use it to slowly cook food. Therefore, these cookers do not require a continuous source of outside heat or electricity to cook food. All you need to do is bring the food to a boil and let the cooker do the rest of the job by itself.
Some modern thermal cooker models do more than simply trap heat and use it to cook the food. They also reflect infrared heat back into the food. Others also come with a second inner pot that you can use to cook separate dishes simultaneously.
The main advantages of a thermo cooker are:
- It saves you the money you would otherwise spend on gas and electricity
- It cooks food slowly, maintaining more of the nutrients in your ingredients
- It makes food more savoury as it is slow-cooked
- It keeps the food from overcooking and releases no smoke or odour
- It is easily transportable
Ways to Use a Thermo Cooker
The number of ways you can use a thermo cooker will depend on the model.
You can use a basic one to make stews, soups, porridge, pulled pork, and curries. It’s a very versatile and practical appliance you can use at home and also on camping trips or in your RV.
On the other hand, if you use a modern all-in-one model, you can do even more. The thermo cooker Australia is famous for, the Thermocook Pro M 2.0, can blend, whip, mix, emulsify, mill, knead, cook, stir, steam, puree, saute, mince, whisk, boil, and stew the ingredients of your choice.
With 20 convenient functions, it is the best appliance to take your cooking to the next level and make your list of thermo cooker recipes endless.
Top Reasons Why You’ll Love Your Thermo Cooker
Its versatility and numerous practical uses make a thermo cooker a great addition to any kitchen, be it indoor or outdoor as many outdoor enthusiasts consider it an essential appliance for camping and picnics.
The other reasons why you’ll love a thermo cooker include the nutritional value of the meals it can prepare and the awesomely yummy taste. On top of this, it can help you save on your utility bills and prevent overcooking.
And there’s more where that came from. Let’s take a closer look at other main benefits of a thermo cooker:
Portable
A thermo cooker functions pretty much the same way a thermos does. This means that it can be transported easily as well as keep foods both warm and cold.
Therefore, you can easily use it to make stew and keep it warm but also keep ice cream cold on camping trips or when you have a picnic. Or, to transport food to and from events or venues.
No Overcooking
When you cook using a slow cooker, you need to tend to it and stir the food once in a while to prevent it from sticking to the bottom or overcooking. With a thermo cooker, you can simply throw in all the ingredients and forget about them until it’s time to take them out as there is no risk of the food burning, drying up, or overcooking.
Nutritious Meals
A thermo cooker helps you prepare more nutritious and delicious meals. It tenderises meat and vegetables to perfection and, because it uses less heat, it also keeps all the vitamins and minerals in your ingredients inside.
Cost-Saving
While buying a thermo cooker will set you back a few bucks (ok, more than a few), it’s a smart long-term investment as it requires no electricity or gas to keep cooking your foods once you bring them to a boil.
This means lower electricity and gas bills in the long run with the added benefit of healthier and more savoury meals.
A Simple Breakdown of How to Use a Thermo Cooker
The simple technology the thermo cooker uses is also reflected in how easy it is to use. Here’s a simple breakdown:
- Place all your thermo cook recipe ingredients in the appliance’s inner pot
- Place the inner pot on your stovetop
- Bring the contents to a boil
- Remove the inner pot from the stovetop
- Put the lid on the inner pot
- Place it in the outer pot
- Close the outer pot’s lid and let it do its job of continuing to cook the food with the heat it retains
- Cook the ingredients for as long as necessary (this will depend on the ingredients in your thermo cooker recipes)
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When the food is cooked, open the lid of the outer pot and then the lid of the inner pot and enjoy
Some Important Things to Be Aware Of
As amazing as this appliance is, there are a few things to be aware of when buying one. Here’s what you should know:
Certain Foods Take Longer
How long certain ingredients need to boil will depend on what you are cooking. Vegetables will, of, course, cook faster than beef, for instance.
Average cooking times include:
- rice 30 min
- chicken stock 2 hrs
- beef brisket 3.5 hrs
Cleaning
You should also be aware of the fact that only certain parts of a thermo cooker can be washed in a dishwasher. The inner pot is, typically, dishwasher friendly as it is made from stainless steel, while the outer pot cannot be submerged in water or put in the dishwasher and should be cleaned using only a wet cloth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyJTLup1GOM
Differences Between Different Thermo Cookers
As already mentioned, different cookers have different functions.
Basic ones have more limited functions, while all-in-one thermo cookers like the Thermocook Pro M, the Thermocook Pro M 2.0, or Thermomix Australia can also weigh your ingredients and steam, slow cook, saute, knead, crush, blend, grind, emulsify, whip, mix, stir, and shred veggies, meats, and grains.
Thermo Cooker Best Buy
When it comes to the thermo cooker Australia loves most, we have a hard time deciding between the Thermocook Pro M and the Thermocook Pro M 2.0 (2023 Productreview Award Winner). Both of them can take the cake and can also help make a cake, for that matter.
With multiple accessories, a host of practical functions for making anything from soups and stews to milkshakes and kneading dough plus a thermo cook recipe book and a 2-year warranty, it’s difficult to beat the benefits of these two awesome appliances.
If you want to check out even more options, check out our entire home cooking appliance collection here.
Summary
All in all, the thermo cooker is a wonderful appliance to have in your kitchen and a reliable cooking assistant that can save you money and free up the time you would otherwise waste stirring and checking on your food.
We definitely recommend adding one to your shopping list to discover a new way of cooking incredibly delicious and nutritious meals.