Slow cookers have been on the kitchen scene since the early 1970s, when home economists raved about how they revolutionized the way Americans cooked for their families. Electric stoneware cookers, first marketed by Rival under the trademarked name Crock-Pot, maintain relatively low temperatures for several hours without human attention. This convenience, along with the ability to provide nutritious, economical meals made slow cooking a popular preparation method for generations of home cooks who churned out stews, soups, roasts and meatballs galore.

After nearly 40 years, the enduring popularity of slow cookers is surging in a trend that shows no signs of stopping, thanks to renewed interest in economical home meal preparation and healthy eating.

Consumers’ growing interest in using slow cookers was the catalyst for author Richard Stewart to develop the “Joe Simmer’s Slow Cookin’” cookbooks. The series aims to reinvent classic recipes that often featured condensed soups and packaged seasonings. “All American Slow Cookin’” is the latest cookbook in the series, which includes “Healthy Slow Cookin’” and “Creole Slow Cookin.’”

“The recipes are a step beyond the older, typical ones consumers are used to. With a little preparation using fresh ingredients, you can easily create healthy, delicious meals using the slow cooker,” Stewart told Foodie News.

The slow cooker’s reputation for making culinary stars out of tougher (and cheaper) cuts of meat is well-deserved, according to Stewart.

“The slow, gentle heat doesn’t ‘beat up’ what you’re cooking, making slow cookers ideal for meat cuts like beef or lamb shanks, beef pot roast and pork roasts,” Stewart said. Recipes featuring beans, lentils and other legumes also turn out tender and tasty when prepared using a slow cooker.

Any type or size slow cooker can get the job done, although newer models with automatic temperature shut-off controls and “warm” settings win out for convenience over basic manual types. Even the largest model uses just a few cents worth of electricity over 10 hours, with an added bonus of not heating up the kitchen.

Stewart suggests using an oval slow cooker when preparing most meat cuts. Although you can use large round slow cookers for just about any dish, roasts and even whole chickens fit easily in oval ones, he explained.

At the age of nearly 40, it appears that the slow cooker may be on the verge of revolutionizing the way America cooks, yet again.