Slow cooker

[Uncooperativefingers]

Does anyone who works full time actually use a slow cooker through the week?!

I have one that I use a bit at weekends in winter for stew & dumplings / curry style dishes. However, people always say it's big selling point is that you prep it in the morning / night before and then just turn it on through the day.

But most recipes are for 5-6 hours, or 8 on low. But my working day is 8.5-9 hours + commute, so I'm out of the house for 10 hours a day. Would an extra two hours of cooking make a difference?

My sc doesn't have a delay timer function, is that how everyone else manages?

An extra 2 hours won't matter so long as it's on low and you make sure there is plenty of liquid.
If you have a large capacity slow cooker it'll be absolutely fine.
I have a 3.5ltr slow cooker and often cook small portions in it, I wouldn't leave a small amount in for that long because it would be done to death but big portions of stew or chili would be fine. Large meat joints would do very nicely in that time too.

Get a timer plug

I don't. Mines crap.

Absolutely fine as long at it's on low. I have a big one and often pop it on first thing in the morning. In fact I have a loin of pork for it tomorrow - it will go on at 7am and we will be home just after 5pmish...I know it wont probably slice but not too bothered about that it will be delish! If you're concerned at the weekendd test it out whilst yr in the house

also...I do prep night before. Everything is int he fridge ready to thrown in at 7am

I use a timer plug.

I have it on for longer for most things and it doesn't make a difference.

Occasionally my pork in apple sauce gravy has fallen to pieces and I've renamed it pulled pork and apple casserole but meh!

I have two toddlers and they need food within 4 seconds of getting home from nursery.

Thanks guys, this gives me hope!

Through a catalogue of errors we've been without a working oven for the last two weeks and it looks like at least another weeks before it's fixed. So this could be the perfect time to master my slow cooker!

Any favourite recipes please ping them my way!

overseas yep, it'll be night before here too: I'm not getting up 30mins earlier to chop veg & brown meat...

Timerplug

I have roast pork cooking in mine now while I’m at work.

Chicken Cacciatore is a favorite in our house - I swap thighs for chicken breast. Serve with rice.

Dp did a beef stew in ours last week - did us 4 servings

Ours id normally on for about 10 hours. Doesn't make a difference for the things we cook, which is generally stews, curries, adobo, that sort of thing. Yeah everything breaks down quite a bit but that's not necessarily a negative I don't think.

Mine switches to warm for two hours after the cooking time is up. I then flick it on hot for half an hour when i get in.

Facebook have a slow cooker recipes and tips page. It's amazing... these folk make bread, cakes, lasagne, all sorts in their slow cookers. I made spaghetti and meatballs in mine not so long ago. I think I got that recipe from a website called delish. They have a fb page too xx

I agree with PP 10 hours is fine as long as there is enough stock. Esp if you are using barley , I boil my barley in a bit of stock for 10/15 mins first just so it doesn't 'drink' all the liquid .
If I know I am going to use my SC a couple of times in a week a chop up lots of veg that can be used in both meals .
Ie if I plan on making oxtail soup and beef stew I chop lots of carrots, onions, spuds etc, one half in the SC the other half in the fridge till I need it.
Oxtail is one of my favs and def benefits from long cooking ( 8 hrs min , 10 hrs ok 12 better )

I use mine more when I'm at work. I put all the bon-meat ingredients in the night before and just leave it out in the kitchen. I put the meat in first thing in the morning, stir and leave on low all day. It usually goes on around 7:30am and we eat tea at 7pm. It's always fine.

2 extra hrs would be fine! I just chuck everything in in the morning (don’t bother with browning or par boiling) and it’s ready by dinner time! Today there are low fat meatballs in passata with lots of chopped up veggies in mine.