Does Anyone Use a Crock Pot/Slow Cooker?

Thargor

I got this in Argos today for a fiver:

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/4228613/Trail/searchtext%3ESLOW+COOKER.htm

Always wanted one, anyone got any good tips/recipes for them, I know I could Google for them but its all very American, Im looking for bacon/lamb/stew type stuff. How much liquid should there be roughly in it for a 6-7 hour slow cook of a bit of steak or chicken does anyone know.

Sparks

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055947680
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055880439
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055468379
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055854161

...in fact, just search the forum for "slow cooker". There's something like 75 threads on slow cookers in here

Thargor

I didnt think anyone in this country used them tbh, Ive explained the principle to 4 different people already today and they all looked at me like Id had a breakdown or something, thanks Sparks.

Dizzyblonde

I love my slow cooker and use it a lot. The one you've linked is a bit on the small side though, you're better off going for a bigger one.
Aldi have a good one on this Thursday's specials list http://aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/special_buys3_13435.htm

Thargor

Im only cooking for myself so theres no point wasting electricity, stuff will stew better in the bottom of a small pot anyway instead of spread out over a large surface of a big one when you're only cooking one meal in it, I just put the ingreadients of an Irish stew in one there 2 minutes ago, we'll see how it goes in 7 hours time.

Dizzyblonde

Ah I see. Stews are particularly good from the slow cooker

El_Dangeroso

Pork ribs are good too, needs about 10hrs on low.

Thargor

Oh wow no matter what happens with the other recipes I can now make an awesome Irish stew whenever I want, its perfect and all it is is potato, carrot, onion and diced lamb with half an Oxo cube and some bisto, I cant believe how well it turns out.

Dizzyblonde

It's amazing isn't it? You gave me a longing for stew so I've got the makings of one in for Saturday. Perfect for this weather.

There's a thing called pulled pork that you can do in the slow cooker. You cook a fatty piece of pork such as shoulder for around 10 hours, then take it out and literally pull it apart with two forks, then put the lean meat back in for a while with a nice barbecue sauce then serve it on baps. I did it with a char siu sauce and it was very nice.

Thargor

Sounds excellent, will give it a try thanks, Im going for bacon, cabbage, ribs and potatoes next though to see what happens.

BluePlanet

Anybody know if Slow Cookers are hard on the ol ESB?
Couldn't be as bad as running a cooker all day surely?

Thargor

Its discussed in the thread I made about this slow cooker in Bargain Alerts:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055966260

The one I posted up there is the same as leaving the light on in the bathroom basically, a bigger one will be worse though and you'll need bigger if you have a family.

catho_monster

Can ye post the recipes for the ribs and the pulled pork please?
I love making stews in my slow cooker, but I'm always afraid to do anything else, I don't know how to get the liquid measurements right...

Dizzyblonde

catho_monster wrote: »

Can ye post the recipes for the ribs and the pulled pork please?
I love making stews in my slow cooker, but I'm always afraid to do anything else, I don't know how to get the liquid measurements right...

For the pulled pork I just put the joint (around 2 lbs in weight) in with very little liquid -a cupful or so of water or stock would do, and you cook it on low for 10 hours or high for 5 hours. Then you take it out, discard the liquid and pull the pork apart using two forks. Throw away the fat etc, and put the lean meat back into the slow cooker with any barbecue sauce you like for about half an hour to an hour.

Here's the char siu sauce I used - just mix it together and throw it in with the meat. The recipe said to slow cook the meat in the sauce from scratch but the meat rendered so much liquid that it was yucky so it works better to add it for the last while when the fat etc is gone.

4 tablespoons of hoi sin sauce
4 tablespoons of light soy sauce
3 tablespoons of honey
3 tablespoons of ketchup
2 teaspoons of crushed garlic
2 teaspoons of grated ginger
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
Half a teaspoon of five spice powder

Thargor

Does anyone have any tips for going about making bacon and cabbage in this thing please? Stock/liquids/prep/times etc please?