Slow cooker virgin

[Redshoesandtheblues]

I've had a slow cooker for a few years now and it's still in its box.

For some reason, I have a mental block as far as it's concerned.

Having seen how often they have been mentioned on another thread, I feel I need to get over myself and use the poor neglected thing. I also need to rearrange cupboards, so its a timely exercise to drag it out from the depths of a cupboard and do something with it.

Any hints, tips for this novice and her appliance?

Ta.

Use a lot less liquid that you think you'll need

*than

All that browning and cooking shit that goes on before you transfer it to the slow cooker? Bullshit. Lob your ingredients in, turn it on.

It's that easy?

Yup, that easy.
Just bung everything in. Go out. Come home to a lovely smell of dinner being ready.

Another vote for just bunging everything in, it really is that easy. Everything turns out tender and delicious. But agree use less liquid than normal - you can always top up if it needs more gravy.

We use ours all the time, especially this last year when we didn't have a cooker - it really saved the day (and my sanity and waistline cos it could have been a year of takeaways).

What liquid are we talking about?
Vegetable stock? Water?

Im feeling now.

humblebumblebees oven has gone kaput......so I'm even more interested.

I'd do something like eight chicken thighs, four chopped rashers of bacon, one chopped red and yellow pepper, one roughly chopped onion, tin of chopped tomatoes, herbes de Provence and salt) more than you'd use in a casserole).

That's would be plenty of liquid, in fact I might thicken that with a bit of cornflour.

All I’ve ever managed is curry in mine so please MN share your ‘throw it in and go’ recipes please

I don't get the slow cooker love so am following for tips. I put it on low when I leave for work and when I come home it smells wonderful but is tasteless. I tried setting the timer for later but still the same. No flavour at all.

Basically it doesn't cook down and thicken the way a casserole would (that's the same reason you need more seasoning).

There are some things that are equally as nice cooked in the slow cooker, and some recipes that I'd never ever do in it.

@PolkadotsAndMoonbeams, I think I/we need need more of your know how!

Slow cookers are great for chilli, soups, roasts, refried beans, etc. I use mine a lot.

Cheap stewing beef, cover with tinned tomatoes and a heaped spoon of red pesto ( blend the tomatoes and pesto first if possible) When its nearly ready add a block of cream cheese and stir it in well. Divine 😁

I put a whole chicken in mine, leave it for hours and come back to the tenderest chicken. I put it in the oven while I do the potatoes, veg etc to brown it up as it looks a bit white, but it’s so tasty.

I also do lamb in it, chops, anything that does well with a long slow cook (tough meat). I can’t make mine make a nice stew though, i find it too wet.

If you're on FB, then look up slow cooked wonders. Its a great group with almost a thousand recipes in the files section.

OP you are missing a treat not using the slow cooker. Some really nice meals can be made as other pp’s said just bung everything in, reduce the liquid amount slightly so its not too watery, turn on and walk away. 4-8 hours later a fantastic one pot dish or a nicely cooked joint. We use ours a-lot at this time if year, slow cooker chicken curry, casseroles, full chicken, turkey joints, pork you name it. Give it a try

I agree with PP don't worry about growing meat , use about a quart less liquid ( stock, wine, beer, water . ) if it needs thickening use a bit of Cornflour mixed with a bit of cold water 1st for a quick result or lentils if you are going to Cook it for a few more hrs.
Proper oxtail is one of my favourite - one large piece per person plus as many smaller pieces that you can get in.
Onions carrot barley veg or chicken stock and stout. ( about a pint and half in total)
Bung it all in and leave on low for about 10 hrs

Thx for the recipies - saved. (I think the slow cooker handbook advice about "browning" meat is just legal cover, in case some idiot puts chicken in the cooker on "warm", or does'nt cook it properly and gets ill.)

You can add some pulses without soaking or precooking them - maybe not chickpeas because they're quite big and dense textured, not kidney beans which need fast boiling to kill toxins, but I have used raw haricots, after several hours they are perfectly tender. I do think you need to use more seasoning, herbs and spices than you would on a hob or in oven.

Like others - the best advice I’ve heard is that it doesn’t lose liquid like cooking in a pan so you need to make the consistency at the start the same as what you want it to be in the end. Or if that fails I add lentils/pearl barley/quinoa to soak up some liquid.
Also feel that it needs more spicing/flavour or things tend to end up tasting a bit

2 packs Chicken (thighs) and whole ring chorizo big chunks with lots of onions/pepper/celery, chickpeas or butter beans, one tin tomatoes and smoked paprika/thyme/salt and pepper is a favourite.

Chilli made with chunks of stewing beef and mince (you do need to brown the mince imo) and chorizo with veg/peppers etc. Add coffee, cocoa powder and tinned tomatoes/kidney beans with paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, rosemary.

A simple recipe is layer of onions/mushrooms sliced on base of slow cooker, lay chicken fillets on top, sprinkle over cajun spices and then pour over can of campbells/erin chicken soup and cook for 4 hours on high

I agree mince needs to be browned

I made a delicious pulled pork in mine yesterday. Slice a brown onion and place on the bottom. Then dice up some capsicum, throw that in too, as well as a can of black beans, well rinsed. Cut the fat off the pork shoulder (we made it into crackling later) and place the pork shoulder on top of everything. After that, add about a cup and a half of bbq sauce (I make my own, yum). Rub it all over the pork and then pop on the lid and let it go on low for 8 hrs. When it’s ready, pull the pork apart with forks, stir it in the sauce and turn up to high for 5-10 mins without the lid. Thickens up nicely!! I add some corn at this stage too just to make it a bit healthier.

Make tacos or pulled pork burgers with this. Or roast a sweet potato and have this with cheese, sour cream and tomato etc on top. Love it!!