To put tomorrow's casserole in the slow cooker this evening.

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid]

Sorry really dull subject but everytime I see people on here talking about slow cookers, the cooker goes on in the morning.

There's no way I'm up for that, I'm not a morning person and throwing things in a slow cooker at 7am is completely beyond me.

Could I do it tonight and leave it cooking all night and day? Is it a health risk?

[swoonmacaroon]

Chop and prepare everything and put it in the dish and refrigerate and then just turn on in the morning.

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid]

That did occur to me. But I was just curious as to whether of not it would be safe cooked for so long.

[TowerRavenSeven]

Yes do it the night before. It will be hash the next day if you leave it for that long!

[OnionKnight]

It will turn to mush if you leave it on overnight until the next evening.

[TheBiscuitStrikesBack]

It would be safe but it would be a safe bowl of mush!

[Spam88]

I prep it all the night before and put the dish in the fridge (honestly, it's a miracle I manage to dress myself in the mornings, there's no way I'm peeling veg). I don't think it'd be unsafe to leave it cooking that long, it's just be a bit overdone.

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid]

spam nice to know it's not just me who struggles with mornings. I honestly don't trust myself to remember in the mornings. I'm pretty useless till 9am.

[Sparrowlegs248]

Agree just prep it tonight then put it on tomorrow. Or cook it overnight and reheat tomorrow.

[Youcantscaremeihavechildren]

I always used to forget to get the dish out of the fridge in the rush to get out in the morning, hence lots of buying last minute microwave meals..
Now what I do is prepared the food, freeze it and then bung it in the slow cooker the night before, frozen. By the morning it's defrosted and then the slow cooker has a timer on the plug..starts cooking about 10 on low and ready by 5. It's still cold enough overnight and as long as it's really hot through I reckon it's safe.

[Crispbutty]

Put it in now, turn off in the morning and reheat tomorrow night.

[J0kersSmile]

I wouldn't reheat frozen food in the slow cooker from a food poisoning pov as it won't get hot enough quickly enough to kill the bacteria.

Can't you set a phone alarm for ten minutes before you leave that reminds you to take it out of the fridge and put it on?

[SeenYourArse]

DONT put the actual pot that goes into the slow cooker in the fridge,if you then put it into the slow cooker and turn it on to get hot it will crack! Happened to me :( just chop and prep the veg and meat then stick it in the fridge in a resealable bag or a normal bowl.

[QuoteMeYouFuckers]

We prep the night before (I don't bother chopping and peeling veg though. I'm lazy and just buy the ready prepped stuff), heat until we go to bed and then switch it back on the following day. It doesn't turn to mush because the chunks are big. If it makes a difference though I don't use any meat.

[JsOtherHalf]

Get an instant pot duo instead of a slow cooker, and cook it the same evening you need it?
I've never used it, but lots of people rave about them.

www.amazon.co.uk/Instant-Pot-Electric-Pressure-Stainless/dp/B00OP26T4K/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1478633541&sr=1-2&keywords=electric%20pressure%20cooker&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[Seren85]

I chop and prep everything (brown meat too) then stick in on high for an hour, turn it off and low as I leave in the morning. Comes out fine.