...to think there’s nothing that a slow cooker does better?

[Bebepoor]

Cheaper running costs maybe. More convenient with timer etc, granted. But not better tasting than the traditional way of simmering for hours on hob or sitting in low oven.

Feeling the need to defend myself against the slow cooker lovers are shit cooks meme. Like many competent cooks I choose to cook from scratch when I have time and happily take short cuts when I don’t.

So yes, i’ll make a curry from scratch, starting with dry frying the spices and sweating the onions for half an hour or so, if I have time to stand and stir. And when I don’t, I’ll use a jar of sauce or curry paste. I’ve never believed that being a good cook requires martyrdom.

For those saying they don’t like cornflour thickened sauces, I tend to agree that thickening a sauce with cornflour at the last minute tastes shit. But that’s because it’s not cooked. It would be as bad in a speedy stir fry as it is in a slow cooker sauce.

Try to reverse the valoute process. Add flour to the meat at the start and stir in a small amount of liquid, then thicken the sauce with a knob of butter 10 minutes or so before serving.

We had a joint of beef yesterday cooked with half a jar of left over onion relish and about 100 mls of water. Was fully of flavour and the gravy was lush.

Can you prepare browning the meat the night before, refrigerate whole thing then put on in morning itms

Yes, but don't put the sc pot in the fridge, it needs to get warm quickly. If you do this I would use a liner, prep and put in the liner and put that in the fridge then put the whole bag in the sc.

I think slow cooker is good for limited number of recipes which you can do on hob or oven. so I gave mine away, no space for storage.

I inherited a crap electric cooker with new house. The oven is slow and takes hours, often cooked only on outside.

The hob, one actually up to temp, cannot then be adjusted so you have to watch and stir continually or cook on number 1!

My slowcooker has saved the day making chillis, bolognese, curries and soup. My ratatouille goes watery but this thread has taught me to only use the tinned tomatoes rather than juice - I imagine fresh tomatoes could be equally watery?

I use fresh toms in SC curry and it's not too watery but perhaps that's down to using potatoes as well- excellent moisture absorber (as well as being just excellent- I heart potatoes).

What are the liners. Never heard of this?

How do you keep food hygienic overnight? Put in container then tip in pot?

Never had any luck with slow-cookers: watery & stringy results. A pressure cooker is infinitely preferable. 10 minutes of prep, followed by 20 minutes to have a glass of something, followed by by a delicious casserole.

One issue I have with the pressure cooker is tomato catching on the base. That prevents me making quite a few things...

I have two Le Creuset casseroles and use them, but some things work fine in the SC, some you can't tell the difference and sometimes I can't be bothered with lifting them in and out the oven, then washing them, they're beautiful but bloody heavy!

@picklemepopcorn the only time I had a problem with sauces catching in my pressure cooker was when the gas was too high.

I tend to have it on a high heat until it gets up to pressure, then put it on my smallest gas ring on the lowest setting for the rest of the cooking time.

Once it's up to pressure you need very little additional heat to keep it there.

The only thing I disagree with in that is chicken in the slow cooker. I find it goes slushy? Everything else though is much better done in the slow cooker

That only happens if you overcook it, and yes, I've been there, with a SC full of mushy grey meat and disintegrating bones, bleeeeeuuurgh.
It's fine if you watch the timings, I find 5 hours on high is about right.

I take it out, let the surface cool enough to remove the skin, I keep this to deep fry another time.

Then use the breasts to make dinner, always use the breasts first as they can dry out when being reheated.

Once dinner is finished it'll be cool enough to strip the meat from.
I use foil tubs and write roughly on them how much and what it's for, eg chicken thigh, pasta for two, small chicken scraps, risotto.

Then you chuck the bones back in with a carrot, an onion, peppercorns and a bay leaf, a glass of water and put on high for four hours.
Cool, strain, freeze.

What are the liners. Never heard of this?

A heatproof plastic bag - saves on the washing up but also you can store things in them.

www.amazon.co.uk/Sealapack-Cooker-Liners-Cooking-Cookers/dp/B01AZ80NQC?tag=mumsnetforum-21

I love my slow cooker...
stews, curries, chillie, loaded potatoes, sweet & sour chicken, pasta/rice bakes saves loads on the electric as well
I don't add water to mine thou just add more sauce ie 2 jars of sweet & sour sauce never comes out watery...
My cooker on the other hand I tried to do the loaded potatoes on low and it was dry as a bone (went in the bin) in a quater of the time

Thanks Sash

Oh my god, mummytoboo, you've just admitted to using JARS OF SAUCE!!!!!!!!

Great for chicken stock & cooking gammon.

Anything where you'll be out of the house suits me-I work every day & wouldn't leave job on.

Not tried anything else that is consistently amazing but once-thrice made a fab red wine beef stew. Next time will do the tea towel thing-maybe try a double!

mommytoboo can you tell me, please, how to do loaded potatoes in the slow cooker?

@archeryannie sorry hun only just saw ur post
I personally use small normal potatoes peeled but u can also use unpeeled new potatoes it's down to personal preference...
line the slow cooker with tin foil (enough to be able to cover over the top of ur food like a parcel)
spray 1 cal oil spray around the foil (this is essential as otherwise it sticks badly and u lose about 8 potatoes chunks)
potatoes cut into chunks (about calpol lid size or if using new potties just in half) and place enough to cover the bottom in the slow cooker
top with either crispy bacon or pre cooked sausages (as much as u want ) then add garlic (I use granuals as it's easier but fresh works too)
followed by a a layer of grated hard cheese like cheddar.
then repeat with a second layer (add a third layer if u want and it will fit)
then add some fresh chopped chives to the top layer of cheese (the chives are optional)
fold the tin foil over and lightly squash it down a bit to ensure the steam/heat can't escape
then pop on the lid and cook on high for 5 hours (I personally check it after about 4.5 hours and do the knife check on the potatoes)
The cheese will cook down quite a bit so if u want u can add just a sprinkling of fresh grated cheese to the top once served.
It is very filling and this easily feeds me, hubby and my 4.5 yo with plenty left over for seconds 🙈 so if I use sausages I don't add anything apart from a side salad but if I use bacon I do a small chicken breast with salad
x

mommytoboo86 that sounds delicious, thank you! I think my DS will love it too.

I worship my slow cooker! There have been times ive emptied a pack of chicken in, thrown in some lemon slices from the night before, chucked in the last shitty bits of rosemary from the back of the fridge (how'd it end up there?!) And flicked the switch and left with the baby for a few hours. 4 hours later ive come home to the most amazing smelling and most amazing tasting meal ready to eat.

Ive found it brilliant whilst having a baby. DD has the same nightly routine but acfually falling asleep can happen anywhere between 7-8:30pm. I had making a meal before as itll get cold, and making something after just takes too lpng and i hate eating late.
This way i can leave whatever is made on low and it just stews to perfection.
I use it weekly. Chuck in whatever veg ive had left over thats not been eaten (sprouts last week!)

@mommytoboo86

That whole post sounds like some serious food porn. Ive screen shotted so i can send to DH who will most likely then head to buy potatoes

Thank you!