Slow Cooker recipes

cobham

I always do ham in a slow cooker.... bring up to heat on hob then transfer. You might be in trouble with a very big ham and getting it to fit into slow cooker. It does not have to be completely covered in liquid.

I might use slowcooker to keep "gluhwien" warm....I suppose could use to keep veggies warm on a low setting? bring nearer to table, plug in and have handy for extra servings? like a hostess trolley.

Only other time/labour/free up hob tip is to reheat the christmas pud in microwave.... can even cook one in it also.

cobham

I make porridge on whole oats or groats and they take a loooong time to cook but perfect for slowcooker. One cup groats to 5 cups on boiled water and into warm slowcooker for a bit on high then turn down to low.... I have left it on overnight to no harm. You can toss in some dried fruit with it at start. This will keep in fridge for week and reheats well in microwave. Serve with greek yogurt and molasses brown sugar

cadesin

I can't get the hang of slow cooker meals everything turns to mush.

katydid

cadesin wrote: »

I can't get the hang of slow cooker meals everything turns to mush.

Some things are meant to turn to mush...

OU812

Have used it three times now, once for mines in gravy (for mince & mash) - was devoured, second for Irish stew, I found the potatoes a tiny bit underdone, but the (stewing) steak was literally melt in your mouth. Delicious & a big hit.

Finally, Spaghetti Bolognese (didn't put the spaghetti in, but will next time), again was absolutely devoured. This one was a real winner, because I made my "secret sauce", basically every vegetable I could get my hands on blitzed up together because the kids won't eat them. There was absolutely no sign of anything by the time it was ready apart from the most succulent meat & the richest heartiest tomato sauce you could think of, everything else "dissolved" - onion, garlic, carrots, sweet potatoes, beans - all gone.

I'm not kidding or doing internet bravado or karma hunting etc. when I say this, but... the kids literally licked their plates clean.

We can't get them to eat anything that has even the remotest hint of vegetable apart from potato or tomato in it, no herb flecks, nothing. We were all sitting round eating & talking & noticed they were talking less, because they were eating faster, then even before we'd got to finish, they were licking the plates & asking for more.

Best €20 ever !

Lovely Bloke

Haha, there is something great about your kids loving the food you cook. My 18m/o has started "mmmmmmmm"-ing at some stuff I make, actually making a point of going "dada....MMMMMMM", it's great!

Dizzyblonde

cadesin wrote: »

I can't get the hang of slow cooker meals everything turns to mush.

Don't give up - you'll get the hang of it. If you're using recipes you'd normally cook in the oven or on the hob then halve the amount of liquid for the slow cooker. Also, if it's on for 8-10 hours make sure you're using the low setting and not the high.

talking_walnut

cobham wrote: »

I make porridge on whole oats or groats and they take a loooong
time to cook but perfect for slowcooker.
One cup groats to 5 cups on boiled water and into
warm slowcooker for a bit on high then turn down to low....
I
have left it on overnight to no
harm.
You can toss in some dried fruit with it at start.
This will keep in fridge for week and
reheats well in microwave.
Serve with greek yogurt and molasses brown sugar

Oh you just reminded me to post my favourite slow cooker recipe. Pinhead oats overnight. They
take about an hour to cook on the hob so you might as well leave them on for 6-8hrs. Basically
you mix 1 measure of pinhead oats, 2 measures of milk, 4 measures of water and a pinch of salt
in a bowl, place the bowl in the slow cooker and fill the slow cooker with water until it's about
half way up the bowl. Leave on Low overnight and the slow cooker acts as a double boiler/bain-
marie and you wake up to delicious porridge in the morning.
http://food52.com/recipes/3062-overnight-steel-cut-oats-with-almond-butter-honey
Tips:
- 1/4 cup oats makes about enough for 1 person (so add 1/2 cup milk and 1 cup water).
- Add the water to the slow cooker before adding the bowl .
- If you make loads and store it, I find the best way to reheat is simply to add warm milk. It gets
absorbed by the porridge, giving it a new lease of life. Tastes like it just came out of the slow
cooker.
- Almond butter and honey are optional. Tastes great without. Just use your normal preferred
porridge topping.
- You don't need a huge amount of water in the slow cooker. There won't be much evaporation.
Bonus benefit: Slow cooker doesn't need much of a clean. Mess is contained in the bowl you
put inside.

6541

Can anyone give me a simple but good recipe for curry ? Now I mean simple ! Thanks

Kat1170

6541 wrote: »

Can anyone give me a simple but good recipe for curry ? Now I mean simple ! Thanks

You won't get much simpler than the jars of sauce with the spices in separate compartment on top in Aldi.

Stir Fry/Fry meat and veg, add spices then add sauce. Done.

THESE

Alun

Kat1170 wrote: »

You won't get much simpler than the jars of sauce with the spices in separate compartment on top in Aldi.

Stir Fry/Fry meat and veg, add spices then add sauce. Done.

THESE

Worth noting that they also do 3 mild ones as well ...

https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/product-range/exclusive-to-aldi/specially-selected/specially-selected-product-range/specially-selected-product-range/ps/p/specially-selected-curry-sauces/

OU812

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

If you're using recipes you'd normally cook in the oven or on the hob then halve the amount of liquid for the slow cooker.

Does it matter if veggies etc are not submerged ?

mjp

Quick question. Have a breville slow cooker which I bought recently in argos. Can I put the pot into oven or will it crack. Can't find the original manual I bought it with to check and there seem to be differing opinions when I look online. Wouldn't be putting lid in with it as plastic on it would melt

maggiepip

6541 wrote: »

Can anyone give me a simple but good recipe for curry ? Now I mean simple ! Thanks

Heres mine, really is simple and just bung it in the slow cooker after frying:

1lb stewing beef or chicken breasts
Large desert spoon curry powder (schwartz hot curry powder)
Flour
Water
Half a chicken stock cube
1 large apple
1 onion
A handful of sultanas or rasins
2 tblsp tomato ketchup


Toss the meat in the flour, fry in some oil, add onions and add curry powder (takes about 10 mins)
After the 10 mins add chopped apple sultanas, tomato ketchup and about two mugs of boiling water with chicken stock disolved. Cook for about another 5 to 10 mins or until it thickens into a nice textured curry.
Put into slow cooker and cook for about 5 or 6 hours.
Its delicious!

katydid

mjp wrote: »

Quick question. Have a breville slow cooker which I bought recently in argos. Can I put the pot into oven or will it crack. Can't find the original manual I bought it with to check and there seem to be differing opinions when I look online. Wouldn't be putting lid in with it as plastic on it would melt

I wouldn't...

onlineness

Thanks for the porridge tips folks!

cadesin

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

Don't give up - you'll get the hang of it. If you're using recipes you'd normally cook in the oven or on the hob then halve the amount of liquid for the slow cooker. Also, if it's on for 8-10 hours make sure you're using the low setting and not the high.

Thanks, I shall try that. Halve the amount of liquid and use the low setting, great advice!

Dizzyblonde

OU812 wrote: »

Does it matter if veggies etc are not submerged ?

Yes it does, because veggies take longer than meat to cook in a slow cooker.

MissFlitworth

katydid wrote: »

I wouldn't...

Me neither. I think the pot part of mine is similar and it does not look suitable for direct heat. Breville publish a lot of their manuals on their site and if this is your slowcooker it looks to me to be a no

Position your slow cooker on a dry, flat, stable surface away from any potential heat source (hob, oven, etc.)

toadfly

Beef casserole gone in this morning, cant wait for dinner tonight

RuckingSwimmer

Hungarian goulash in mine for tonight

toadfly

RuckingSwimmer wrote: »

Hungarian goulash in mine for tonight

Sounds more exotic than mine! I love my slow cooker, its so handy for lazy me!

OU812

I bought a couple of pork shanks to test with over the weekend. Couple of questions

1) Anyone any suggested recipes?

2) Anyone know what the expected yield would be off them?

3) They're skin on & bone in - dog is getting the bones after but , should I remove the skin beforehand or after cooking?

4) Butcher said there's absolutely no need to brown them in a pan first as long as they're going to cook for between 6-8 hours. Thoughts ?

toadfly

OU812 wrote: »

I bought a couple of pork shanks to test with over the weekend. Couple of questions

1) Anyone any suggested recipes?

2) Anyone know what the expected yield would be off them?

3) They're skin on & bone in - dog is getting the bones after but , should I remove the skin beforehand or after cooking?

4) Butcher said there's absolutely no need to brown them in a pan first as long as they're going to cook for between 6-8 hours. Thoughts ?

1) http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=69309519

3) Dont give cooked bones to your dog!

bluecherry74

As above, don't give cooked bones to your dog as they're potentially dangerous. Only ever give raw.

This recipe is delicious, I've made it several times. The sauce is quite rich so it's best served with something plain and light. I usually have it with stir fried greens and boiled rice.

http://www.pork.co.nz/recipes/braised-chinese-pork-hocks/index41da.html

OU812

OK, so do I de-bone them first (mutt benefits) or are they tastier cooked with the bone in (tough luck mutt)?

& what about the skin if cooked bone in?

the beer revolu

OU812 wrote: »

OK, so do I de-bone them first (mutt benefits) or are they tastier cooked with the bone in (tough luck mutt)?

& what about the skin if cooked bone in?

You'll never efficiently get the meat off the bone when raw.
I'd cook them skin on - i love all that gelatinous stuff. Again probably much easier to remove skin when cooked if it's not your thing.
Expect one hock to serve 2 people depending on how big they are cut. Quite a lot of meat on them usually.
They will cook fine without browning but I reckon you'll get better flavour with a good hot sear.

foodaholic

Butter chicken curry gone in mine this morning

Zelda247

foodaholic wrote: »

Butter chicken curry gone in mine this morning

How long will you cook it for? I find chicken cooked on slow for 8hours loses its favour and goes stringy.

foodaholic

Zelda247 wrote: »

How long will you cook it for? I find chicken cooked on slow for 8hours loses its favour and goes stringy.

I use thighs and legs. Usually 3-4 hours on high or 7-8 on low

toadfly

Zelda247 wrote: »

How long will you cook it for? I find chicken cooked on slow for 8hours loses its favour and goes stringy.

I make Thai Red Curry in mine all the time without issue, chicken really soft and not stringy.

katydid

toadfly wrote: »

I make Thai Red Curry in mine all the time without issue, chicken really soft and not stringy.

I use the slow cooker a lot, but I've been put off making curries and spicy dishes, because I read somewhere that that the long cooking process means you lose a lot of the flavour of the spices. Is this a myth?

cadesin

Are meat, veg and potato the only things that turn out well in a slow cooker? Do other starches like rice or noodles work?

toadfly

katydid wrote: »

I use the slow cooker a lot, but I've been put off making curries and spicy dishes, because I read somewhere that that the long cooking process means you lose a lot of the flavour of the spices. Is this a myth?

It definitely doesn't lose the flavour, not in my experience anyway. I much prefer it done in the slow cooker.

Kat1170

cadesin wrote: »

Are meat, veg and potato the only things that turn out well in a slow cooker? Do other starches like rice or noodles work?

Not quite what you mean but the nicest rich pudding you can make is in a slow cooker.

One cup pudding rice
Two liters milk
One large spoon of sugar, or more if you wish.

Place all in slow cooker, cook on high for four to five hours stirring every hour or so.

It's the only slow cooker recipe I have come across that requires you to stir regularly during cooking.

cadesin

Nice, thanks! I will definitely try, it sounds yummy comfort food!

I am wondering if noodles or pasta are too fragile to be used in slow cooker recipes. I'd like to try a Beef Stroganoff but worry the noodles would turn to mush quickly.

cadesin

cadesin wrote: »

Nice, thanks! I will definitely try, it sounds yummy comfort food!

I am wondering if noodles or pasta are too fragile to be used in slow cooker recipes. I'd like to try a Beef Stroganoff but worry the noodles would turn to mush quickly.

I can't seem to edit my post. Lasagna sounds like it might be feasible in the slow cooker, not sure.

Zelda247

I only have the problem of chicken losing is flavour and texture when cooked for 8hours, the meat and veg and spices dishes are all fine.

curiousb

6541 wrote: »

Can anyone give me a simple but good recipe for curry ? Now I mean simple ! Thanks

2 jars of Green Saffron curry sauce (Dunnes) and a 1/2 leg of lamb.

Bung in slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low. Shred lamb, stir, serve,

Can't get simpler and it is delicious.

Name Changed

Kat1170 wrote: »

You won't get much simpler than the jars of sauce with the spices in separate compartment on top in Aldi.

Stir Fry/Fry meat and veg, add spices then add sauce. Done.

THESE

Is the Aldi stuff as good as Uncle Bens or home made sauces though, do you reckon?

katydid

Name Changed wrote: »

Is the Aldi stuff as good as Uncle Bens or home made sauces though, do you reckon?

As good as Uncle Bens????????

Name Changed

katydid wrote: »

As good as Uncle Bens????????

Well maybe I should have said as bad as....

Basically though if I was choosing a shop sauce, I'm not sure Aldi would be top of my list. I'd normally go with a named brand, such as Uncle Bens or Llyod Grossman or any of them. Maybe I'm wrong re Aldi/Lidl/Tesco etc.

katydid

Name Changed wrote: »

Well maybe I should have said as bad as....

Basically though if I was choosing a shop sauce, I'm not sure Aldi would be top of my list. I'd normally go with a named brand, such as Uncle Bens or Llyod Grossman or any of them. Maybe I'm wrong re Aldi/Lidl/Tesco etc.

You'll find that a lot of the own brand stuff is made by reputable suppliers. Look for the number on the label that shows the origin, and it will lead you to the supplier. I've googled several of them out of curiosity - it turns out, for example, that Lidl's Ardagh cheese is made by a company in West Cork.

You'll find the number on the back of the tin/packet and it usually as a few digits, a country code and more digits.

I've used the Aldi sauce, and in my view it's way better than Uncle Bens or Lloyd Grossman, although I'd pick Grossman over Uncle Bens any day

OU812

Did a whole chicken yesterday. Was absolutely fab. Literally fell apart coming out & had it deboned in minutes. Seemed to get a whole lot more out of the chicken than oven roast as the meat was a lot more moist.

However, I don't think it added much to it & was more trouble than it was worth prepping it earlier in the day. Probably won't do again.

katydid

OU812 wrote: »

Did a whole chicken yesterday. Was absolutely fab. Literally fell apart coming out & had it deboned in minutes. Seemed to get a whole lot more out of the chicken than oven roast as the meat was a lot more moist.

However, I don't think it added much to it & was more trouble than it was worth prepping it earlier in the day. Probably won't do again.

What did you prep? I just whack the chicken in, no water or anything, and leave it all day.

OU812

katydid wrote: »

What did you prep? I just whack the chicken in, no water or anything, and leave it all day.

Did this

Caramelised Onions were delish though...

katydid

OU812 wrote: »

Did this

Caramelised Onions were delish though...

ooh, sounds lovely

Dubl07

Has anyone tried cooking a pickled tongue in the slow cooker? Come to that, any intrepid home-picklers with advice on same?

Kat1170

katydid wrote: »

You'll find that a lot of the own brand stuff is made by reputable suppliers. Look for the number on the label that shows the origin, and it will lead you to the supplier. I've googled several of them out of curiosity - it turns out, for example, that Lidl's Ardagh cheese is made by a company in West Cork.

I'd say they would be pretty emphatic that all their suppliers are reputable :D

Toots

I made this Chickpea Curry on Wednesday night and it was unbelievable! There's only 3 in my family (me, hubby and 4 year old son) so we ended up getting dinner for 3 nights out of it, so not only was it delicious, it worked out super economical. Only change I'd make is I'd swap out a regular potato for a sweet potato, but that's mainly cos I'm not keen on potato anyway. I used mini peppers from Lidl instead of green bell pepper, and a regular old chilli instead of a serrano chilli (because I don't know what that is haha), I also substituted chilli flakes instead of ground red pepper. It was mild enough for a 4 year old to eat, so if you want something spicy I'd say double up on the spices. I served it with a small portion of rice on the side, but it doesn't really need it - you could have it on its own.