Slow cooker and method of operation

A cooking appliance for cooking a foodstuff over a period of time including a shell having a heating cavity and a heating element to heat the heating cavity. A container is removably positionable within the heating cavity and includes a food cavity for receiving the foodstuff. A temperature probe is removably insertable into the foodstuff and a controller is mounted to the shell. The controller controls operation of the cooking appliance in a probe mode wherein the temperature probe is inserted into the foodstuff and transmits foodstuff temperatures to the controller for controlling the heating of the foodstuff, a program mode wherein the controller actuates the heating element to heat the container at a temperature for a selected amount of time and subsequently at a lower temperature and a manual mode wherein the controller actuates the heating element to heat the container at a selected temperature.