on the purchase of your new Breville Banquet™ Slow Cooker
Breville recommends safety first
We at Breville are very safety conscious. We design and manufacture consumer products with the safety
of you, our valued customer, foremost in mind. In addition we ask that you exercise a degree of care
when using any electrical appliance and adhere to the following precautions:
IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS FOR YOU BREVILLE BANQUET™ SLOW COOKER
• Carefully read all instructions before operating
the Breville Banquet™ Slow Cooker for the first
time and save for future reference.
• Remove and safely discard any packaging
material and promotional labels before using the
slow cooker for the first time.
• To eliminate a choking hazard for young
children, remove and safely discard the
protective cover fitted to the power plug of this
appliance.
• Do not place the appliance near the edge of
a bench or table during operation. Ensure the
surface is level, clean and free of water and
other substances.
• Do not operate the Banquet™ Slow Cooker on a
sink drain board.
• Do not place this Banquet™ Slow Cooker on
or near a hot gas or electric burner, or where it
could touch a heated oven.
• Position the slow cooker at a minimum distance
of 20cm away from walls and provide adequate
space above and all sides for air circulation.
• The temperature of accessible surfaces will
be high when the Banquet™ Slow Cooker is
operating and for some time after use.
• Do not touch hot surfaces. Allow the slow
cooker to cool completely before moving or
cleaning any parts.
• Use only the removable crockery bowl and lid
supplied. Do not use any other bowl inside the
stainless steel housing.
• Never plug in or switch on the Banquet™ Slow
Cooker without having the removable crockery
bowl placed inside the stainless steel housing.
• Do not place food or liquid into the stainless
steel housing. Only the removable crockery bowl
is designed to contain food or liquid.
• Never operate the slow cooker without food and
liquid in the removable crockery bowl. Ensure
the removable crockery bowl is at least ½ to ¾
full of food and/or liquid before switching on the
appliance.
• Do not use a damaged or cracked removable
crockery bowl. Replace before using.
• Always have the glass lid positioned correctly
on the removable crockery bowl throughout
operation of the appliance unless stated in the
recipe to have it removed.
• The glass lid has been specially treated to
make it stronger, more durable and safer than
ordinary glass, however it is not unbreakable. If
struck extremely hard, it may break or weaken,
and could at a later time shatter into many
small pieces without apparent cause.
• Extreme caution must be used when the
appliance contains hot food and liquids. Do not
move the appliance during cooking.
• Do not touch hot surfaces. Use handles to move
Banquet™ Slow Cooker and dry oven mitts to
remove the removable crockery bowl when hot.
• Do not place the removable crockery bowl when
hot on any hot surface that may be affected by
heat.
• Avoid sudden temperature changes. Do
not place frozen or very cold foods into the
removable crockery bowl when it is hot. Do not
place removable crockery bowl when hot into
cold water.
• The removable crockery bowl is not suitable for
storing food in the freezer.
• Do not use the removable crockery bowl in a
conventional oven or microwave oven. Do not
place the removable crockery bowl onto a gas
or electric burner or any other heated surface.
4
Breville recommends safety first continued
• Avoid scalding from escaping steam when
removing the glass lid from the removable
crockery bowl when hot by carefully lifting the
lid angled away from yourself.
• Do not allow water from the lid to drip into the
stainless steel housing, only into the removable
crockery bowl.
• Do not attempt to operate the slow cooker by
any method other than those described in this
book.
• Always ensure the slow cooker is properly
assembled before operating. Follow the
instructions provided in this book.
CAUTION: HOT SURFACES DURING AND AFTER USE.
• The appliance is not intended to be operated by
means of an external timer or separate remote
control system.
• Do not place anything, other than the lid, on top
of the slow cooker when assembled, when in
use and when stored.
• Always switch the slow cooker to the ‘Off’
position, then switch off at the power outlet,
then unplug and allow to cool, if appliance is
not in use, before cleaning, before attempting
to move the appliance, dissembling, assembling
and when storing the appliance.
• Keep the slow cooker clean. Follow the cleaning
instructions provided in this book.
IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS FOR ALL ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES
• Unwind the cord before use.
• Do not let the cord hang over the edge of a
table or bench, touch hot surfaces or become
knotted.
• This appliance is not intended for use by
young children or infirm persons (including
children) with reduced physical sensory or
mental capabilities or lack of experience and
knowledge, unless they have been given
supervision or instruction concerning use of
the appliance by a person responsible for their
safety.
• Children should be supervised to ensure that
they do not play with the appliance.
• It is recommended to inspect the appliance
regularly. Do not use the appliance if power
supply cord, plug, connector or appliance
becomes damaged in anyway. Return the entire
appliance to the nearest authorised Breville
Service Centre for examination and/or repair.
• Any maintenance other than cleaning should
be performed at an authorised Breville Service
Centre.
• To protect against electric shock, do not
immerse power cord, plug or stainless steel
housing in water or any other liquid.
• This appliance is for household use only. Do not
use this appliance for other than its intended
use. Do not use in moving vehicles or boats.
Do not use outdoors.
• The installation of a residual current device
(safety switch) is recommended to provide
additional safety protection when using electrical
appliances. It is advisable that a safety switch
with a rated residual operating current not
exceeding 30mA be installed in the electrical
circuit supplying the appliance. See your
electrician for professional advice.
5
Know your Breville Banquet™ Slow Cooker
Tempered domed glass cook ‘n’ look lid
allows you to monitor food during cooking
Cool touch handles
Wrap around element
for even heating
Control dial
with off, low, high and keep
warm settings
6
Know your Breville Banquet™ Slow Cooker continued
Dishwasher safe ‘Cook and Serve’
removable crockery bowl
Extra large 6.5 litre capacity
Removable cord
for serving at the table
7
Operating your Breville Banquet™ Slow Cooker
BEFORE THE FIRST USE
Before first use, remove all promotional labels and
packing materials. Wash the removable crockery
bowl and glass lid in hot, soapy water, rinse and
dry thoroughly. Wipe the inside and outside of the
metal housing with a soft, damp cloth, then dry
thoroughly.
O PERATING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Before placing the removable crockery bowl
in the metal housing, ensure the exterior of
the bowl is clean. This will ensure proper
contact with the inner cooking surface. Insert
the removable crockery bowl into the metal
housing, then place the prepared food into the
removable crockery bowl, ensuring denser
foods are spread evenly across the bottom of
the bowl and not heaped to one side. Place
the glass lid into position.
2. With the Temperature Control Dial turned to
the OFF position, insert the connector end of
the power cord into the appliance inlet, plug
the power cord into a 230/240V power outlet
and switch the power on at the power outlet.
3. Turn the Temperature Control Dial to the
desired setting, or as recommended in the
recipe section.
4. When cooking is complete, turn the
Temperature Control Dial to the OFF position,
switch off at the power outlet, remove the
power plug and then the connector end from
the appliance inlet.
IMPORTANT
• Always use the Banquet™ Slow Cooker on a
dry, level surface.
• Never operate without food and liquid in the
removable crockery bowl.
• Never operate without the removable crockery
bowl positioned in the metal housing.
• Always have the glass lid firmly in position on
the removable crockery bowl throughout the
operation of the appliance unless where stated
in a recipe to have it removed.
• Always use dry pot holders or oven mitts to
remove the removable crockery bowl when hot.
• Do not place the removable crockery bowl
when hot on any hot surface that may be
affected by heat.
ALWAYS LIFT AND REMOVE THE GLASS LID CAREFULLY AND ANGLED AWAY FROM
YOURSELF TO AVOID SCALDING FROM ESCAPING STEAM.
8
A Beginner’s Guide to Slow Cooking
USING THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL
SETTINGS
Low setting
The Low setting gently simmers food for an
extended period of time without overcooking or
burning. No stirring is required when using this
setting.
High setting
The High setting is used when cooking dried
beans or pulses and will cook food in half the time
required for the Low Setting. Some foods may
boil when cooked on the High Setting, so it may
be necessary to add extra liquid. This will depend
on the recipe and the amount of time in which
it is cooked. Occasional stirring of stews and
casseroles will improve the flavour distribution.
Keep Warm setting
The Keep Warm setting is used to keep cooked
foods at serving temperature. It is not a cooking
setting and should only be used after first cooking
on the Low or High setting. It is not recommended
to keep food on the Keep Warm setting for more
than 4 hours.
In years gone by, food cooked in large pots, and
allowed to simmer for hours, was full of flavour,
moist and tender. The Breville Banquet™ Slow
Cooker is designed to produce these same results,
whilst leaving you time to do other things, making
it perfect for today’s busy lifestyles.
Here is a guide to help simplify the process of
slow cooking, allowing you to obtain maximum
satisfaction from your Banquet™ Slow Cooker:
It’s all in the timing
Always allow sufficient time for the food to cook. It
is almost impossible to overcook in the Banquet™
Slow Cooker particularly when using the Low
Setting. Most of the recipes contained within this
book can be cooked on the High or Low Settings,
however the cooking times will vary accordingly.
Each recipe will give specific instructions
indicating the appropriate settings and suggested
cooking times.
Adapting cooking times
Your favourite traditional recipes can be adapted
easily by halving the amount of liquid and
increasing the cooking time considerably. The
following is a guide to adjusting your favourite
recipes:
TRADITIONAL
RECIPE TIME
15-30 minutes4-6 hours on Low Setting
60 minutes6-8 hours on Low Setting
1-3 hours8-12 hours on Low Setting
These times are approximate. Times can vary
depending on ingredients and quantities in
recipes.
BANQUET MEAL MAKER
RECIPE TIME
Note
High humidity, altitude, cold tap water,
ingredients and minor fluctuations may slightly
affect the cooking times in the Banquet™
Slow Cooker.
Note
9
A Beginner’s Guide to Slow Cooking continued
Adapting liquid amounts
When food is cooking in your Banquet™ Slow
Cooker, most moisture is retained. To allow for
this when using traditional recipes it is advisable
to halve the liquid content. However, after cooking
if the liquid quantity is excessive, remove the lid
and operate the Banquet™ Slow Cooker on the
High Setting for 30-45 minutes or until the liquid
reduces by the desired amount. Alternatively, the
liquid can be thickened by adding a mixture of
cornflour and water.
Stirring the food
Little or no stirring is required when using the Low
Setting. However, stirring the food when using the
High setting ensures even flavour distribution.
Preparing meat and poultry
Select the leanest cuts when purchasing meat.
Trim the meat or poultry of any visible fat. If
possible, purchase chicken portions without the
skin. Otherwise, the slow cooking process will
result in extra liquid being formed from the fat as
it melts.
For casserole-type recipes, cut the meat into
cubes, approximately 2.5cm to 3cm. Slow cooking
allows less tender cuts of meat to be used.
Browning before slow cooking
Pre-browning meat and poultry, prior to slow
cooking, seals in the moisture, intensifies the
flavour and provides more tender results, whilst
producing richer flavours in other food, such as
onions, capsicums and leeks. Pre-browning may
take a little extra time, and whilst not strictly
necessary, the rewards are evident in the end
results. Use a non-stick pan to reduce the amount
of oil required.
Roasting
Roasting meats in the Banquet™ Slow Cooker
creates tender, flavoursome results that are
easy to slice. The long, slow, covered cooking
process breaks down and softens the connective
and muscle tissue within the meat. Cheaper cuts
of meat can be used to provide perfect results
cooked by this method. Meat will not brown during
the roasting process, so for browner results seal
in a frypan before roasting. The addition of liquid
is not required for roasting. Elevate the meat to be
roasted on an inverted, heatproof saucer or plate.
This will assist in keeping the surface of the meat
dry and free from any fat released throughout the
cooking process.
The addition of liquid is required for pot roasting.
Place sufficient liquid into the removable crockery
bowl to cover up to a third of the meat. Meat
will not brown during the pot roasting process.
For browner results, seal in a frypan before pot
roasting.
SUITABLE CUTS FOR POT ROASTING
Beef
Lamb
Veal
Pork
Preparing vegetables
Vegetables should be cut into even-sized pieces
to ensure more even cooking. Frozen vegetables
must be thawed before adding to other foods
cooking in the Banquet™ Slow Cooker.
Preparing dried beans and pulses
If time permits, overnight soaking of dried beans
and pulses is preferable. After soaking, drain and
place in the Banquet™ Slow Cooker and cover
with sufficient water to reach double their volume.
Cook beans on the High Setting for 2-4 hours or
until tender. Pre-soaked beans and pulses will
cook a little faster.