Slow cooker

corblimey

Does anyone use a slow cooker regularly? Looking at getting something like this for stews, sautee, etc. Is there anything you can do with a slow cooker that just can't be done without one? Would you recommend it for things like stews and sauteeing?

Also: I have no concept of that size of that example, 3.5l: would a regular whole chicken fit in it?

Dizzyblonde

I have THIS one and I use it regularly for stews and soups. It's great because I can put everything into it in the morning and forget about it. If you slice your potatoes thinly and put them on the bottom they'll cook in it too.
There are thousands of recipes on the net, and one thing I'm going to try in it is PULLED PORK.

You wouldn't sautee food in a slow cooker, you'd have to do that in a pan and then transfer it. I don't think there's anything you can do in a slow cooker that you couldn't do in an oven but it uses a lot less electricity and doesn't heat the room, which is handy in warm weather.

villamar

Very interested to read about slow cookers. Got one for Christmas and used it yesterday for the first time. It took a really long time to make soup, almost 7 hours. Am going to try lamb knuckles in it, any receipes available? Would it take forever?

corblimey

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

You wouldn't sautee food in a slow cooker, you'd have to do that in a pan and then transfer it. I don't think there's anything you can do in a slow cooker that you couldn't do in an oven but it uses a lot less electricity and doesn't heat the room, which is handy in warm weather.

Yeah, I had sautee on my mind for some reason, who knows. Reading more about these slow cookers, and it seems that one that switches to keep warm when finished cooking is a lot better and safer - does yours do that?

Dizzyblonde

corblimey wrote: »

Yeah, I had sautee on my mind for some reason, who knows. Reading more about these slow cookers, and it seems that one that switches to keep warm when finished cooking is a lot better and safer - does yours do that?

No, I'd have to switch it myself. I think it would take a week for them to boil dry though, lol.

Dizzyblonde

villamar wrote: »

Very interested to read about slow cookers. Got one for Christmas and used it yesterday for the first time. It took a really long time to make soup, almost 7 hours. Am going to try lamb knuckles in it, any receipes available? Would it take forever?

There are lots of recipes for lamb shanks/knuckles on the net. I haven't used any myself yet.
Also, the point of a slow cooker is that it takes ages to cook - you can put your food in and go out for the day, and when you come home dinner is ready.

catho_monster

I just got a present of a slow cooker for christmas too, and was just wondering what to do with it when i saw this thread.
Very interested in the pulled pork recipe, I already make pulled pork for 6 hours in the oven, so i'd be interested to see how it turns out from this.
i know stew is an obvious recipe to use, but does anyone have any good slowcooker adapted stew recipes?

P. Breathnach

I have used a slow cooker for years, but not very often. It's great for boeuf bourgignon, using proper stewing beef like shin. Put it on in the morning for an evening dinner.

My adapted recipe (quantities not critical):
Put chunks of onion and carrot in the cooker, and a couple of cloves of garlic. Toss large pieces of shin beef in seasoned flour. Brown them in a hot pan with some lardons (or chop up some streaky smoked bacon). Transfer to slow cooker. Deglaze pan with a glass of red wine and add to cooker. Add perhaps another glass of wine, enough to be sure that the meat is at least part-covered. Throw in a couple of bay leaves. One hour at the highest setting for the slow cooker (helps the carrots along), then turn down. Leave for six hours or more. This is where you get a great bonus: wonderful smells.

I serve it most usually with steamed potatoes and green beans.

I'd love to slow-cook lamb shanks, but my cooker is too small.

neuro-praxis

I love my slow cooker and use it on a fairly regular basis.

My staple dishes in it are chilli con carne, beef and Guinness stew, Mammy's stew (with a packet of oxtail soup in it ),moroccan style lamb (with tomatoes, spices, dried fruits etc.) and ghoulash.

At Christmas time I leave mulled wine simmering in it during parties, or hot spiced apple juice for the designated drivers.

There's nothing much you can do in it that you can't do with a large stove-top dish, or a casserole dish in the oven, but I find it immensely convenient when serving large numbers of people to make a tasty dish in the morning and leave it to cook all day. The meat is very succulent and I can relax rather than be freaking out at the last minute.

CJhaughey

The biggest advantage with slow cookers is that you can buy cheap cuts of meat and turn them into fantastic dishes, Things like oxtail,shin beef, lamb shanks, and other cuts that are fairly cheap are the best to use as the reason they are cheap is that they need long slow cooking to break the connective tissue down.
Most people value convenience and speed over taste and texture, thats why steaks and mince are so expensive and commonly used.

corblimey

Here's my issue with this slow cooker idea. I'm out of the house most days for at least 10 hours 9am to 7pm. Now to come back to nice bubbling stew on a cold winter's night would be fantastic, but the 10 hours worries me. Most recipes I've seen, even on low, things take at most 8 hours, depending. So I'm considering getting one with a timer that switches to keep warm when time is up. But then I think what happens if the meal is not ready after say 8 hours, it spends 2 hours on keep warm, now you've got undercooked meat being kept warm for 2 hours, can you put the cooker back up to high and finish it off, or is bacteria setting up a nice little home in there?

I'm leaning towards getting just a cheap one to start with and just using it at weekends, where I can keep an eye on it, and when it's ready, take the meat out and start using it immediately.

Kat1170

Corblimey; You could use a timer on the socket that would turn on 2 hours after you leave, so that it would finish cooking as you arrive home.

CJhaughey

Corblimey
2hrs won't make much difference on low heat. Just leave it for the 10hrs

stevoman

had ham in the mother last night. she was working all day and put it in the slow cooker. it was delicous i have to say. i find them great for cooking game such a venison, woodcock or rabbit. if you add to the meat the strong tatse really comes through.

corblimey

CJhaughey wrote: »

Corblimey
2hrs won't make much difference on low heat. Just leave it for the 10hrs

I guess that's true. Like most new things, I'll run it while I'm around (or just popping out now and then) the first few times, that way I'll know how long it takes to cook say a whole frozen chicken. If an extra 2-3 hours makes little difference, then I'm sorted. If not, then the timer is a great idea.

Right, gonna buy one this weekend, Argos sale is over on Friday, so might pick up a bargain.

P. Breathnach

corblimey wrote: »

...I'll know how long it takes to cook say a whole frozen chicken...

I don't like the sound of that. I'd thaw it first.

P. Breathnach

stevoman wrote: »

had ham in the mother last night...

Recipe, please!

CJhaughey

corblimey wrote: »

I guess that's true. Like most new things, I'll run it while I'm around (or just popping out now and then) the first few times, that way I'll know how long it takes to cook say a whole frozen chicken. If an extra 2-3 hours makes little difference, then I'm sorted. If not, then the timer is a great idea.

Right, gonna buy one this weekend, Argos sale is over on Friday, so might pick up a bargain.

I wouldn't cook a whole frozen chicken in it!
You are much better off defrosting and portioning it.
The food has to be submerged in the cooking liquid or it doesn't work, a whole chicken would be sticking out of the liquid and only half cook.
The other thing is that you should really brown the meat before you put it in,the flavour is much better if you do this.

Peig Sayers

Got a nice slow cooker in Argos up the north two weeks ago for £12. It was half price.

Dizzyblonde

CJhaughey wrote: »

The food has to be submerged in the cooking liquid or it doesn't work, a whole chicken would be sticking out of the liquid and only half cook.

Not true. Vegetables need to be submerged in the liquid, or sauteed first. Chicken and meat can sit on the top and cook perfectly with just a little liquid in the bottom. For instance, in recipes for pulled pork only one and a half cups of water is used for a 4lb shoulder of pork.

Another thing about slow cookers - you generally use less liquid for stews etc because there's no evaporation.

corblimey

CJhaughey wrote: »

I wouldn't cook a whole frozen chicken in it!
You are much better off defrosting and portioning it.
The food has to be submerged in the cooking liquid or it doesn't work, a whole chicken would be sticking out of the liquid and only half cook.
The other thing is that you should really brown the meat before you put it in,the flavour is much better if you do this.

Yeah, I was being overly dramatic. Looking around, it seems that the likes of thighs and drumsticks work (and taste) better (so portion first maybe or just buy portions as is). Looking at various recipes, I think it depends on what else you're doing to the meat before putting it in the cooker that determines whether you brown or not. A lot of recipes I've found call for just lopping in say the chicken breasts while still frozen...!

ETA: Not to say that cooking a whole chicken in it isn't possible: http://www.momswhothink.com/crock-pot-recipes/crock-pot-whole-chicken-recipe.html

CJhaughey

I have a slowcooker recipe book and looking through it last night, it appears you can braise and pot-roast a chicken whole in it.
So I stand corrected, but I still think covering things with the liquid is better as I have found vegetables shrivel to an unappetising size and texture if they are left exposed.
There is also a fantastic recipe for bean casserole with cornbread topping which I have made before and is a true one pot meal.
If anyone wants it I will copy it out and post it?

catho_monster

Yes please! i've a heap of polenta i've been looking to find a use for!

CJhaughey

catho_monster wrote: »

Yes please! i've a heap of polenta i've been looking to find a use for!

You got a breadmaker? I use a lot of it in baking, and also sprinkled on the oiled crust of homemade pizzas to add interest.
I will put the recipe up when I get home.

catho_monster

Fantastic! I've got a breadmaker!
Thanks!!

MJOR

they have a 3.5 litre one in tesco for 14.99 atm

MissThing

corblimey wrote: »

Does anyone use a slow cooker regularly? Looking at getting something like this for stews, sautee, etc. Is there anything you can do with a slow cooker that just can't be done without one? Would you recommend it for things like stews and sauteeing?

Also: I have no concept of that size of that example, 3.5l: would a regular whole chicken fit in it?

Hi, I just clicked on the slow cooker link but it doesn't work - can you tell me what one you have so I can see, am thinking of getting one thanks.

Dizzyblonde

THIS is the newer version of the one I have (the dial is a little different) and it's a very good size. I noticed there's a Russell Hobbs one in Argos too that has a timer.

fugazied

My mother just got one from Argos, man the beef stew she makes in it is delicious

rubadub

Sort of opposite to a slow cooker, but a pressure cooker will also make meat nice and tender in a fraction of the time of normal cooking, very economical energy wise.

This is the only one I would get.
http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/8610351/Trail/searchtext%3EPRESSURE+COOKER.htm

most in argos only to to 12psi, that goes to 15psi and has better seals than the more expensive ones, which are far to gimmicky.