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Food/Recipes

It's the annual "I got a slow cooker for Christmas, please come and share your best recipes/recipe book suggestions" thread

218 replies

BlatherskitedaboutChristmas · 26/12/2012 09:33

MIL has bought be an enormous Crock Pot slow cooker. It looks lovely but I have no clue what to make in it. It's 5.7 litres but there's only me, DH, 5 yo DS and a very, very picky 3 yo DD.

Suggestions would be very welcome otherwise it's probably going to end up stashed in a cupboard and forgotten about and that would be sad.

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Sickandsad · 26/12/2012 10:28

I'm using mine today to make pulled pork in ginger ale. I just slice up some onions place the pork joint on top and pour a bottle of Fentimans ginger ale over the top. Then I leave to cook for 8 hours and will serve stuffed into hot bread rolls with salad, coleslaw and bourbon barbecue sauce for those that want it.Grin

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Piemother · 26/12/2012 12:59

Oh good I was about the start this thread.
I'm
Going to buy one if I like what you lot cook in it Grin

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wannabedomesticgoddess · 26/12/2012 19:56

I was just coming on to look for some recipes. I just bought myself one in asda for £19. Might be crap as its so cheap, but hey ho!

Cant wait to get started tomorrow!

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BlatherskitedaboutChristmas · 26/12/2012 20:07

Hooray, replies :)

I've seen MIL today and apparently there is a recipe book hidden in the box so I'll scour it for things that look tasty and report back.

Pork sounds good. I did Nigella's Cherry coke on a couple of years ago that might work in a slow cooker

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WingDefence · 26/12/2012 20:08

Haha - I'm also in this position (not unwanted but still a surprise)! Luckily only a 3.5 litre one though for the three of us (plus bump in the future).

sick that sounds amazing! What size joint and bottle of Fentimans do you use?

I have just ordered this book on Amazon which looks good for complete novices, which I am.

One thing my BF told me, when I was admiring her slow cooker in the summer, was that liquids don't reduce e.g. when I make a bolognaise sauce on the hob, I add extra stock, wine etc and reduce it down for a while. With a slow cooker you can't do the same unless you add some form of thickening agent to the mix because it'll stay very liquidy.

The book I've ordered above is meant to have some good general hints and tips for using slow cookers (like the one my BF gave me, I hope) as well as recipes.

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wannabedomesticgoddess · 26/12/2012 21:06

If that book is any good Wing please let us know!

Someone on another thread recommended this one. Im still undecided. I might try The Works tomorrow, they do good recipe books!

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BlatherskitedaboutChristmas · 26/12/2012 21:10

I bought my MIL that one when we got her the exact same one she's just bought us 2 years ago.

The one she's put in the box with ours hasn't filled me with inspiration to be honest, I can't even find it on Amazon!

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sashh · 26/12/2012 22:50

I got this book (the old edition in about 1990)

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0716022214/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1356561436&sr=8-3&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

It doesn't just have recipes but also tells you how to adapt your own.

OP you can do a pot roast that will feed anyone. With a large pot you can put other pots in so you could do a suet pudding in a pyrex bowl and veg cooked around it.

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41notTrendy · 26/12/2012 22:58

Sickandsad what cut of pork do you use? Sounds a great recipe.

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Jayne266 · 26/12/2012 23:24

I make soups, curry, BBQ pulled pork, I have seen a thread on here for gammon and brown sugar ( might have that wrong), scouse (stew) and beef chilli (with stewing steak) I borrowed mine from my mum a year ago and since having my DS I love it so easy when DS is being lets call it challenging. Smile

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BlatherskitedaboutChristmas · 27/12/2012 09:16

Someone on Twitter suggested a Gammon and brown sugar one - 400g soft brown sugar, sit the gammon on top, cook on low for 8hrs. No liquid. She said it was lovely. Is that the one Jayne?

I made a really good Lamb shoulder in the oven once that was cooked for hours and hours, I bet that would go in the slow cooker...

Are they good for steaming Christmas puddings do you think?

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BlatherskitedaboutChristmas · 27/12/2012 09:19

Here's the book MIL got for us. I should have guessed it would be from John Lewis.

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sashh · 27/12/2012 09:37

Are they good for steaming Christmas puddings do you think?

They are good for steaming any pudding.

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feetheart · 27/12/2012 09:47

We had gammon done with brown sugar yesterday - DC (7 and 9) asked if we could have it every week :)

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BlatherskitedaboutChristmas · 27/12/2012 09:49

Will definitely try that one then feetheart. With all these sticky sauces, I think I'm going to be glad that the crock in my crock pot is dishwasherable :)

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BlatherskitedaboutChristmas · 27/12/2012 09:51

How big a joint of gammon did you use feetheart?

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feetheart · 27/12/2012 09:57

750g Co-op one that was on offer.
Did use half dark brown and half light brown sugar as last time found just dark brown was a bit too 'treacly' tasting. Also only cooked it for about 3.5 hours on low as had cooked it too long last time and it was dry. Turned it over a few times.
Just before serving I took out half the juice and reduced it in saucepan for very sweet sticky sauce - HUGE success :)

Also do a great rice pudding - 150g pudding rice, 150g caster sugar, 1 400g tin evaporated milk, 2 pints ordinary milk, grating of nutmeg. Stir once or twice during cooking and try not to eat all at once!

Definitely great for all steamed puddings :)

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wannabedomesticgoddess · 27/12/2012 10:05

Would caster sugar work do you think?

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Sickandsad · 27/12/2012 13:07

I used a 750ml bottle of Fentimans Ginger Ale and the pork joint was about 800g leg joint that was half price on Christmas Eve. Once its finished its 8 hours cooking time, drain off the cooking liquid and shred the meat with two forks.

I made some chunky coleslaw and this bourbon barbeque sauce to go with - if everyone likes it I would have mixed the shredded meat into the sauce and shoved back into the slow cooker with the onions for another hour or so but DD doesn't like sauce so we kept them separate.

www.recipes4us.co.uk/Sauces/Bourbon%20BBQ%20Sauce%20%20%20HT%20%20CD%20%20ACC%20%2045mins.

It was soooo delicious, everyone ate loads and there still a huge lot of pork leftover. Grin

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Sickandsad · 27/12/2012 13:09
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frenchfancy · 27/12/2012 13:12

I use pinterest to find slow cooker recipes. There are 1000's on there. Many use the term crock-pot rather than slow cooker.

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Jayne266 · 27/12/2012 16:09

Yeah gammon and brown sugar haven't tried it yet but sounds interesting

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BlatherskitedaboutChristmas · 27/12/2012 18:14

I think I might try this recipe it looks yummy.

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WingDefence · 28/12/2012 09:00

Ooh all those recipes look fantastic :)

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BlatherskitedaboutChristmas · 28/12/2012 22:06

I've just found this recipe that I think Dr Pepper mad DH might love.

Served with some green salad, flat breads and mayo maybe?

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