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Original poster

Lasagne in slow cooker was it right?

33 replies

Mumof21989 · 14/10/2019 17:15

Not sure why I'm asking. Reassurance basically. I wanted a fast tea for after school as it gave rain. So I put lasagne sheets, Raw mince and jarred lasagne sauces into the slow cooker. I cooked it on low for 5 and a half hours. We've eaten it and it's nice. I popped online for more recipes and noticed a few people saying you need to brown your mince to kill of anything yucky that the low temp won't kill in a slow cooker if it does not get to Reno fast enough. Any idea if I've just poisonined us all? Thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mumof21989 · 14/10/2019 17:16

Gets to the temp fast enough not Reno

OP posts:
SamBeckettslastleap · 14/10/2019 17:20

I thought Browning it off just makes it taste better as it seals in the flavour. And you can eat mince raw.. Sorry no really help, but I have been eating slow cooked mince for about 15 years and no illness.

meepmoop · 14/10/2019 17:21

I agree browning is for taste, I've Also never browned meat before and had problems

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General food
Meltedicicle · 14/10/2019 17:22

I’ve not done lasagne in a slow cooker before but done spag Bol loads and never browned the mince first. I thought it was so you could drain the fat off but I’m not bothered about that. You’ll be fine Smile

EvaHarknessRose · 14/10/2019 17:23

Browning is not necessary, some people prefer to do it. Cooking time and hot versus medium is also important I guess.

Original poster
Mumof21989 · 14/10/2019 18:20

Thanks everyone I won't have poisoned the kids then 😅 xx

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 14/10/2019 18:23

Actually I'm not sure to be honest, minced either needs to be refrigerated or cooked on a high heat. After three hours at room temp bacteria starts to grow. In this is just a warm envirment so it may have caused bacteria to grow, but not enough to kill it.

If I'm brutally honest you may have a problem. It's not about eating it raw, it's about how long it's out the fridge for and at what temp.

autumnleaves99 · 14/10/2019 18:23

I do meatballs in the slow cooker and don't brown them first. As long as it looked cooked and was hot all the way through, I'm sure it's fine.

yearinyearout · 14/10/2019 18:40

Had it reached a piping hot temperature all the way through? If so, I expect you'll be fine. Out of interest how did you do the cheesy topping?

Sunshine196 · 14/10/2019 18:54

Oh I wish I hadn't seen this post. I do my mince in the slow cooker at least once a week without browning it. I didn't know this could be a thing. Now I've obviously got the fear & will have to brown it whenever I want to cook it therefore saving myself no time. Disappointing.

thatwasMauijustmessingaround · 14/10/2019 18:57

I rarely if ever brown mince or beef or chicken or indeed anything before putting it in the slow cooker.

If it makes you feel any better, I have some Schwartz slow cooker sachets for beef stew sand casseroles and they don't mention browning the meat first either. Can't see why that'd be any different to mince! Both beef!

dementedma · 14/10/2019 19:03

Wait, what? You can do lasagne in the slow cooker? How? Layer raw mince with uncooked pasta sheets...surely not.

Original poster
Mumof21989 · 14/10/2019 19:04

I just put cheese on the top 🙂 well my mince was in the fridge then put into the slow cooker. Yes it was hot and sat to cool for 15 minutes whilst I cooked some veg. Hopefully we will be ok. Seems plenty cook it from raw on here then.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mumof21989 · 14/10/2019 19:07

Yes I just layered it up then turned it on. Mince, sauce, pasta, cheese sauce...Pasta cooked nicer than the oven actually. Just hope the meat was cooked high enough from raw. X

OP posts:
TheQueef · 14/10/2019 19:09

I chuck frozen mince in mine

Celebelly · 14/10/2019 19:10

Nope it's fine to go in raw. The only issue is that less lean mince can make things a big fatty and you might have to scoop the fat off the top. Browning stops that happening. But if it's lean mince then there's no issue. I often do bolognaise in the slow cooker and don't brown it first.

Original poster
Mumof21989 · 14/10/2019 19:13

Would you all say 5.5 hours was plenty?

OP posts:
Goldensummer · 14/10/2019 19:13

The mince should be cooked to 75 degrees or above to kill any bacteria to a safe level. As long as you have done that, however you have cooked it, there shouldn't be any problem.

Celebelly · 14/10/2019 19:15

Yep, that's plenty of time. It's fine!

Bluntness100 · 14/10/2019 21:29

Actually I think it's fine, a slow cooker on low shoild be 200 degrees.fahrenheit. Which should be more than enough to kill any bacteria.

Ohyesiam · 14/10/2019 21:37

Steak tartare? I admit I know nothing about it, but it’s basically raw mince isn’t it.

Dreamcast77 · 14/10/2019 21:39

I've never made lasagna in the slow cooker but I make a recipe for maid rite sandwiches that requires raw mince and we've never been ill. I'm sure you are absolutely fine! How did the lasagna come out? Been wanting to try it actually

Original poster
Mumof21989 · 15/10/2019 11:09

It came out nice thank you. Actually cooked the pasta better. Sometimes our pasta in the over has a hard corner. But the pasta was perfectly soft. Everyone is fine today too so far lol. Thanks everyone for reassuring me.

OP posts:
Blobby10 · 15/10/2019 12:33

Mumof21989 you've made me want to try lasagne for one in my tiny slow cooker Grin.

Original poster
Mumof21989 · 15/10/2019 14:03

@blobby10 do it. I think I will be doing it more often. Saves all that hassle of cooking with the kids under my feet at teatime x

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