Tools and Ingredients

• A heavy skillet, such as cast-iron, distributes and holds heat well during the long cooking time. The sides of the skillet must be higher than the thickness of the meat or vegetables you are cooking. Use a skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Wash, cut and peel any vegetables before you begin, and remove meat from its storage wrapping. Select a cooking oil depending on your preferences. Canola, olive and vegetable cooking oils work well, and olive oil can help impart flavor into the food.

Begin With Browning

• Searing the meat before slow cooking gives it a nicely browned exterior and helps seal in juices. Vegetables don't require searing. Heat a small amount of cooking oil, enough to thoroughly coat the bottom of the skillet, over high heat. Add the meat and sear each side for three or four minutes, or until it's evenly browned. You don't want to cook it through, only brown the exterior of the meat. Thin skinned and skinnless meats, like some poulty and fish, don't require searing or you can sear only one side.

Braise and Boil

• After searing, lower the stove burner heat to medium and add your cooking liquid to the skillet, using enough to come halfway up the sides of the meat or vegetables. You can use water, meat or vegetable broth or a cooking wine. Add salt and pepper, fresh or dried herbs like sage or thyme, crushed garlic or chopped onions to the liquid to add a deeper flavor. Once the liquid begins to simmer, you can add chopped carrots, potatoes or other sturdy vegetables to slow cook alongside the meat. If you are only slow cooking vegetables, they don't require searing, so go straight braising.

Safe Cooking Temperatures

• Cooking times vary depending on the cut of meat. Vegetables are usually done within an hour, or when they become fork tender. Thin cuts of poultry or fish usually require an hour or less. Cook poultry to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and cook fish to a temperature of 145 F. Beef, lamb and pork can take two to 10 hours, depending on thickness and toughness. Generally, 1 1/2 to 1 inch thick cuts require two to three hours, adding an additional 30 minutes to the cooking time for each additional 1/2 inch of thickness. Monitor the temperature with a meat thermometer, and add more braising liquid as the food cooks so the skillet doesn't simmer dry. The meat is usually done when it reaches an internal temperature of 180 F.

Pan Juices

• Once cooked through, you can save the pan juices to make a sauce or gravy. Remove the meat and vegetables from the skillet. For a pan sauce, reduce the liquid over high heat while stirring constantly. If you prefer a gravy, whisk together equal parts oil and flour, and stir it into the simmering pan juices. Simmer until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly.