Slow Cooker recipes

vibe666

BaZmO* wrote: »

You're missing the point.

missing the sweet, sticky delicious point.

hmmmm. :P

I think the point BaZmO and others are trying to make is, as a similar example I hate celery in anything, so I either choose recipes without celery in them, or just don't put it in in the first place in the bit of the recipe where it says "put in celery" and that's working out fine for me so far.

if you're choosing recipes that require the sweetness of brown sugar, you'll have to put something sweet in them regardless if you want them to taste right and most things sweet enough to give the sweetness of brown sugar that isn't actually brown sugar is going to be as bad or worse for you than just putting the brown sugar in in the first place.

if you feel that strongly about it, just put in half a measure of brown sugar and see how that goes. if it's sweet enough for your tastes then great, if not then experiment with alternatives.

jam_mac_jam

A_Sober_Paddy wrote: »

So I've been looking at a couple of slow cooker recipes and a lot of them seem to call for brown sugar, is there really a need for this is Teriyaki Chicken, Cashew Chicken and even Sesame chicken?

If there is, is there a healthier alternative?

Teriyaki should have some sugar but not a lot. Cahew Chicken or Sesame Chicken I wouldn't think so.

I find that it's American recipes, try UK sites you will get much less cans of soup and loads of sugar.

BaZmO*

vibe666 wrote: »

missing the sweet, sticky delicious point.

hmmmm. :P

I think the point BaZmO and others are trying to make is, as a similar example I hate celery in anything, so I either choose recipes without celery in them, or just don't put it in in the first place in the bit of the recipe where it says "put in celery" and that's working out fine for me so far.

if you're choosing recipes that require the sweetness of brown sugar, you'll have to put something sweet in them regardless if you want them to taste right and most things sweet enough to give the sweetness of brown sugar that isn't actually brown sugar is going to be as bad or worse for you than just putting the brown sugar in in the first place.

if you feel that strongly about it, just put in half a measure of brown sugar and see how that goes. if it's sweet enough for your tastes then great, if not then experiment with alternatives.

The point I was actually trying to make was the bad recipe -v- bad diet one. People get too caught up with what's bad and what's good when it comes to ingredients, which is silly, as there is no such thing as a bad ingredient. Food is food.

However, there is such thing as a bad diet, that's why I brought up the point about coke. People will quite easily spend a day eating low fat this, that, and the other while all the while drinking coke all the day. As thegreatiam said previously, you know the look at your food intake as a whole, not get bogged down in single dishes, that's why diets always tend to fail. A little of what you fancy is much better than total abstinence.

Aaaaaanyway.....we're dragging this thread waaay off topic. Lets get back to discussing Slow Cooker Recipes.

A_Sober_Paddy, as others have said, it's probably best to stay away from the American based sites if you want to cut down on the more calorific recipes/ingredients.

stevenmu

With brown sugar, most of it will run off with the juices and fat anyway, so unless you're consuming all of that as well, you're not actually getting all that much sugar.

If you're still worried about it, you could try some honey instead, you could add much much less, while still adding a good bit of flavour.

Or, just thinking out loud here, some ground saffron might add in some of the savoury-ness you would get from brown sugar. Not quite the same of course, but would add a little something to it.

Actually, does anyone know if saffron infused honey is a thing? That would be delicious.

Glebee

Had some lamb shanks earlier this evening from the slow cooker. Mashed potatoes to go along with the onion / red wine / beef stock / carrot gravey that went with it. Delishious. Could have reduced the grave ya bit more but it was fine for first attempt. Unbelievable easy to make.

A full ham is the next attempt I think. Not too sure about trying the cola ham though.

Edit: any other cuts of meat similar to the shanks that turn or similar.?

Muahahaha

Just made up the oxtail stew recipe in the OP and it on high for 6 hours, will report back later on how delish it is:)

A_Sober_Paddy

Just made this today, it tastes nice just a little too saltly in taste

http://utah.todaysmama.com/2012/11/22/recipe-for-slow-cooker-cashew-chicken/

Now i didn't use any flour could that explain the taste?

Pistachios & cream

A_Sober_Paddy wrote: »

Just made this today, it tastes nice just a little too saltly in taste

http://utah.todaysmama.com/2012/11/22/recipe-for-slow-cooker-cashew-chicken/

Now i didn't use any flour could that explain the taste?

Did you use salted cashews by any chance? I would use unsalted nuts in cooking

thegreatiam

ahayes84 wrote: »

Did you use salted cashews by any chance? I would use unsalted nuts in cooking

id guess thats the reason. the only other salt in the recipe isthe soy sauce. what type did you use?
the flour is only there to coat the chicken and thicken the sauce, it wont really have a flavour when its cooked

casio4

why not chicken breast?

A_Sober_Paddy

ahayes84 wrote: »

Did you use salted cashews by any chance? I would use unsalted nuts in cooking

Unsalted

thegreatiam wrote: »

id guess thats the reason. the only other salt in the recipe isthe soy sauce. what type did you use?
the flour is only there to coat the chicken and thicken the sauce, it wont really have a flavour when its cooked

Low Sodium Soy Sauce

the beer revolu

casio4 wrote: »

why not chicken breast?

Cause it would come out dry and bland.

thegreatiam

A_Sober_Paddy wrote: »

Unsalted



Low Sodium Soy Sauce

Ive no idea what the salt is then, maybe something else but really the only salt there comes from those ingredients.

The chicken thighs can be quite a strong flavour.

the beer revolu wrote: »

Cause it would come out dry and bland.

in a slow cooker? It would just fall to pieces. Thighs are tougher so hold their shape better over long cooking periods.

A_Sober_Paddy

thegreatiam wrote: »

Ive no idea what the salt is then, maybe something else but really the only salt there comes from those ingredients.

The chicken thighs can be quite a strong flavour.



in a slow cooker? It would just fall to pieces. Thighs are tougher so hold their shape better over long cooking periods.

Just looked at the link it was chicken breast with around 200mls of water with some sugar snaps but other than that the same...

rick_fantastic

put half shoulder of pork in the slow cooker yesterday, wish i had pics now got butcher to split it in half and vac pack other have - €15 for 3.4kg shoulder

dry rubbed it day before in bbq spice mix - packet from tesco (was getting it prepped at lunchtime)

threw it in slow cooker yesterday morning with a can of fosters and took it out ataround 5.20pm last night...

removed fat and pulled with 2 forks... added back some of the leftover beer broth and some bbq sauce

simple easy and was gone in 10mins

other half of shoulder is defrosting atm

never done it in the slow cooker before, usually do it on the bbq for 4 hours then in over for another 4 hours..

ordered some liquid smoke there to see if that improved the flavour by much - was still very nice...

frag420

I have a shoulder of beef in the freezer. Was thinking of doing similar with it, would it work with the beer? Was going to make a home made BBQ sauce for it too!

the beer revolu

frag420 wrote: »

I have a shoulder of beef in the freezer. Was thinking of doing similar with it, would it work with the beer? Was going to make a home made BBQ sauce for it too!

Absolutely.
I've been doing chilli shin beef with beer that gets shredded after long cooking for years - long before I ever heard the term "pulled" which seems to be omnipresent at the moment.

frag420

the beer revolu wrote: »

Absolutely.
I've been doing chilli shin beef with beer that gets shredded after long cooking for years - long before I ever heard the term "pulled" which seems to be omnipresent at the moment.

Dont suppose you have a recipe for that?

the beer revolu

frag420 wrote: »

Dont suppose you have a recipe for that?

No never used a recipe but there is a really good chilli recipe in the cooking club which is not dissimilar.

Think onions, garlic, chillies (decent Mexican ones like chipotle or anchos - available in larger tescos and the likes of Fallon and Byrne), cumin, thyme, pepper, brown sugar, sundried tomatoes, salt, beer, mustard and the like.

BaZmO*

the beer revolu wrote: »

Absolutely.
I've been doing chilli shin beef with beer that gets shredded after long cooking for years - long before I ever heard the term "pulled" which seems to be omnipresent at the moment.

That's some commitment! How many years do you cook it for? I have a party coming up in 2017.

trmartin

I did a half pork shoulder in the slow cooker yesterday and was disappointed with the results (the meat was tough and certainly not falling off the bone).

I cooked it for 8 hours on low with onions, apples, garlic, salt, pepper and 500ml of chicken stock. I left it for 15 minutes before trying to shred it with a fork.

I wonder whether because it was rolled up by the butcher who had never heard of pulled pork that the heat did not penetrate properly or that I should have taken off the thick coat of fat on one side of it?

Had great results cooking ham with coke in the slow cooker which the family liked.

thegreatiam

What difference would the butchers knowledge of pulled pork make in cooking it?
If it was tied and rolled then yes untie it and remove the fat and skin. Your butcher cap probably do this. It is to be pulled apart so tieing it is redundant.

Once you have removed the fat rub it in spices. Place onions, aoples etc or whatever veg you have in a layer on the bottom and sit the pork on top. Pour in liquid, stock or bbq sauce. Cook with lid on for correct time. Dont remove the lid.
No need to let it sit before pulling it, you can do that right from the cooker or take it out and place on a tray and use your fingers or cutlery. Remove any large peices of fat that may still be there

catho_monster

trmartin wrote: »

I did a half pork shoulder in the slow cooker yesterday and was disappointed with the results (the meat was tough and certainly not falling off the bone).

I cooked it for 8 hours on low with onions, apples, garlic, salt, pepper and 500ml of chicken stock. I left it for 15 minutes before trying to shred it with a fork.

I wonder whether because it was rolled up by the butcher who had never heard of pulled pork that the heat did not penetrate properly or that I should have taken off the thick coat of fat on one side of it?

Had great results cooking ham with coke in the slow cooker which the family liked.

I've found the times needed to get it to "pulled" can vary massively. Anywhere from 6 hours to 12 hours. Or even more...

Glebee

Over the weekend I put a ham shank into the slow cooker with veg and a bit of stock. Soaked it over night and gave it 8 hours on low. Took of the fat near and end and put the meat back in hoping to make a bit of a stew/broth. To say what came out of it at the end of the day was putrid is an understatement. It was vile... Im actually gagging here thinking about it. Diont know what went wrong, maybe the meat was off but I surely would have smelt bad going in.... Think ill stick to lamb shanks and give the ham shanks a wide berth.. Vomit..:(

Dizzyblonde

I've never liked ham shanks, they seem to taste too strong. I buy a whole ham on the bone every Christmas and get the butcher to cut off the shank, which I usually end up throwing out. I tried cooking it a few times but it was never nice.

frag420

HI folks,

I tried to make a beef rendang last night in the slow cooker. What I found this morning was not bad, tasted ok, the beef seemed tender but it was wet. Now I know by keeping the lid on it keeps all the steam in so it cant reduce.

So what are my options now? Do I remove all the meat and put the sauce in a pan and reduce it? Also I used beef shin and I noticed that the fatty bits didnt break down as much as I would have liked?

I cooked it on low for six hrs.

Suggestions please?

beertons

Pearl barley or corn flour to thicken the sauce, cook for another 30-60 mins.

I don't know what to do with the fat though. Just cut it off when you take it out I suppose.

Faith

Cook it for longer. Generally 8 hours on low is recommended. Then if you want your sauce reduced and thickened, you'll need to do it separately.

frag420

beertons wrote: »

Pearl barley or corn flour to thicken the sauce, cook for another 30-60 mins.

I don't know what to do with the fat though. Just cut it off when you take it out I suppose.

Does the corn flour have any effect on the taste of the sauce? Will it feel more powdery in texture?

the beer revolu

Put the whole lot in a non stick frying pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring carefully until it is to your desired dryness.

thegreatiam

frag420 wrote: »

Does the corn flour have any effect on the taste of the sauce? Will it feel more powdery in texture?

no, but youll need to get it up to boiling to cook it off and thicken it.

beertons

And siv it into the mix, don't spoon it from the bag coz it might stay in lumps.

the beer revolu

frag420 wrote: »

Does the corn flour have any effect on the taste of the sauce? Will it feel more powdery in texture?

Cornflour will completely change the texture of the sauce. It will make it gloopy - like a Chinese takeaway.
Also, reducing it will intensify the flavour of the dish and further cook the beef.

thegreatiam

mix it with a little cold water or some cold sauce from the dish first.

A_Sober_Paddy

frag420 wrote: »

Does the corn flour have any effect on the taste of the sauce? Will it feel more powdery in texture?

Mix it with water before adding it into the dish and it'll be grand

Toast4532

Does anyone have or can recommend a nice recipe for lamb balti in the slow cooker please?

the beer revolu

frag420 wrote: »

HI folks,

I tried to make a beef rendang last night in the slow cooker. What I found this morning was not bad, tasted ok, the beef seemed tender but it was wet. Now I know by keeping the lid on it keeps all the steam in so it cant reduce.

So what are my options now? Do I remove all the meat and put the sauce in a pan and reduce it? Also I used beef shin and I noticed that the fatty bits didnt break down as much as I would have liked?

I cooked it on low for six hrs.

Suggestions please?

what did you do in the end?

frag420

the beer revolu wrote: »

what did you do in the end?

I separated the sauce and meet and reduced the sauce over a high heat in a pot. I did that as feared if I kept the meat in it would go tough!! Have not tried it yet as it is in the freezer, will try tomorrow eve and let you know how it tasted.

hardCopy

frag420 wrote: »

I separated the sauce and meet and reduced the sauce over a high heat in a pot. I did that as feared if I kept the meat in it would go tough!! Have not tried it yet as it is in the freezer, will try tomorrow eve and let you know how it tasted.

You were right, I've ruined a couple of beef stews because I got impatient with my watery sauce.

Wexy86

Has anyone ever used one of the Green Saffron spice mixes in the slow cooker? I'm thinking just fry up the veg and meat with the spice mix and then pop into the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients for 8 hours or so on low??.....any wisdom or suggestions is much appreciated!!

stoutykid

Wexy86 wrote: »

Has anyone ever used one of the Green Saffron spice mixes in the slow cooker? I'm thinking just fry up the veg and meat with the spice mix and then pop into the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients for 8 hours or so on low??.....any wisdom or suggestions is much appreciated!!

I did a few years ago and I felt that the spice mix seperated in the slow cooker. The curry had a very grainy texture so I usually only use the Green Saffron mix on the stove now. Now it could have been the way I prepared the curry. I don't always brown my meat when I use the slow cooker.

BaZmO*

Has anybody ever made porridge in a slow cooker?

I was reading something earlier about it and it sounded like a great idea, especially if you could make enough for 2 or more people in the morning and just have it when you're ready, i.e. Not all at the same time.

stevenmu

I haven't tried it, but have seen it mentioned a few times on /r/Slowcooking. The conventional wisdom seems to be to use steel cut oats, the regular porridge oats will go too gloopy if left all night.

I've seen a few nice recipes around that include things like sliced apples and cinnamon or raisins or cocoa powder etc.

sillymoo

I am hoping to make this in the slow cooker tomorrow

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1940689/beef-and-vegetable-casserole-

I am worried that it will be very fluid and won't have a nice thickish gravy. I don't want soup in the end! I was thinking of maybe only adding 300ml of water and I have some cornflower in the press - could add that in the end if not thick enough?

sillymoo

BaZmO* wrote: »

Has anybody ever made porridge in a slow cooker?

I was reading something earlier about it and it sounded like a great idea, especially if you could make enough for 2 or more people in the morning and just have it when you're ready, i.e. Not all at the same time.

Yes I have made porridge! It has come out gloppy though. Marginally better with jumbo oats. Where would one get steel cut oats?

stevenmu

sillymoo wrote: »

Where would one get steel cut oats?

Any supermarket should have them I think, I bought some in a Mace before even.

sandy_c

My husband made porridge last weekend in the slow cooker, put a socket timer on the slow cooker so it was ready when we got up - apples, cinnamon and a few raisins thrown in at the end. It was made with pinhead oats, half water half milk and a bit of brown sugar. Felt more stuffed after a bowl of that than the usual microwave porridge. Worth a try! We did reheat left overs the following morning with a drop of milk, a bit stodgier but still nice!

the beer revolu

sillymoo wrote: »

Where would one get steel cut oats?

I think, as mentioned, it might be pinhead oats you'd be after.
The only oats I've seen labelled as steel cut were sold in tins in airports at crazy money. I think pin head oatmeal is much the same thing.

frag420

frag420 wrote: »

I separated the sauce and meet and reduced the sauce over a high heat in a pot. I did that as feared if I kept the meat in it would go tough!! Have not tried it yet as it is in the freezer, will try tomorrow eve and let you know how it tasted.

Ok so I just had some for my lunch just now. Firstly the initial flavour is there but thats it. It comes and goes, no lingering aftertaste. It seems to be missing a bit of sweetness perhaps as its tasted slightly bitter. Secondly the fat on the beef did not render down so while most of the beef was tender it still had fatty lumps in it so I was picking more of it out than I was eating. In the end I had about three mouthfulls and the rest went in the bin, very dissapointing.

Any advice folks?

thegreatiam

before you go into the slow cooker you should remove as much of the large pieces of fat as possible.

did you brown the meat first? I find this helps a lot, but some say it doesn't make a difference.

be really careful how much liquid ingredients you use, always add as little as possible.

I would also suggest longer than 6 hours in the slow cooker. most of the stuff I have is done at least 8 hours.