I refuse to put anything in my slow cooker without first lining it with a slow cooker liner. My discovery of these beauties came about because I purchased some Reynold's oven bags to help with the business of roasting a chicken. It worked wonderfully! And in the box was a coupon for a similar item--Slow Cooker Bags. These things are darn useful and you can bet I keep a stock of them.
They can be pricey, though. The ones I buy are made by a company called PanSaver and I get them in bulk online. The ones that fit my 4 quart oval slow cooker are the Third & Quarter Pan - Medium & Deep size which you can find on the product list. There is also a Slow Cooker Conversion Chart on the site that helps you determine which size you need to buy for your slow cooker. I love this company.
Pros and Cons of Slow Cooker liners:
Cons:
- Cost. If you're not careful, you can spend around $0.50/liner. (Go with PanSaver. I spent around $0.27/liner)
- NO soaking. NO scrubbing. NO clean-up. Unnecessary labor is eliminated.
- Can withstand high temperatures. (up to 400°F)
- Creates a better seal around the rim of the slow cooker and reduces loss of moisture.
- Stops the lid of the slow cooker from "sputtering".
- Reduces waste. Food doesn't get caked on and burned to the bag like it does against the stoneware.
- Grease is contained and can go into the trash rather than down the drain. Better for the environment.
- You can marinate something in the bag in the refrigerator overnight and put it directly into the slow cooker.
- Leftovers? No problem. Just lift out the bag, close with a twist-tie and store in the refrigerator. Return to the slow cooker for reheating.
- They stay impressively intact even with all the heat and stirring.
The price, in my opinion, is a small one to pay for the convenience and the time saved.
