Mumsnet Talk

I made a stew in the new slow Cooker, what did I do wrong?

I made it to my normal cook in the oven recipe, and it wasn't nice and fall apart as normal.

You probably just didnt cook it long enough. TBH, I tend to have to put my ancient slow cooker on highest temp too to get a truely melt in the mouth result.

How long did you cook it for, and at what setting?

Also there may have been a bit too much liquid if you used your usual recipe- I always find that you can safely reduce the amount of liquid by at least a third in some cases even half.

What was the recipe?

I started it at 4pm on low, I don't brown meat, so all cold, although boiling water for stock cube. By 7 I realised there was no hope, it ended up taking 24 hours. I kept checking, carrots etc needed that long.

I used 3/4 bottle of red wine alcohol boiled off, half pint of stock as liquid.

I leave mine all day - on around 8am to eat around 5/6pm.
3 hours no where near long enough.
Probably too much liquid as well, slow cooker needs much less.

could have doubled that time quite safely.

I would have used maybe half a bottle of the wine and half the amount of stock.

oh an dI didn't realise until after my second time using mine that for every time you take the lid off, you increase the cooking time by between 20 and 30 minutes

You need all day for tender meat.
Also, I take the lid off for the last couple of hours to concentrate the sauce.

Ok I took lid off that is a good tip, did you see I cooked it for 24 hours in the end?

The Mouse - this I think is your real problem.

"I don't brown meat, so all cold, although boiling water for stock cube."

I always brown my meat and veg first and put the mixture into the slow cooker already very hot.

Slow cooking is really just a different name for a cooking technique called braising. As you will see from that wiki page it involves dry heat (eg browning the meat) and moist heat (ie slow cooking in a covered pot).

Thanks, I will give it another go then.

Brown meat and get it all hot on high heat setting? Less fluids and don't lift the lid? Then put on low and leave for the day?