To ask about your views on slow cookers and recipes

[oldishladyinashoebox]

Okay I'm sure this has been done a lot but I just wanted to ask

.what do you think of slow cookers ?
. Do have any favourite recipes to share?

I like my slow cooker but I don't love it. To me, meals cooked in the oven do taste nicer but it's a nice( and smug ) feeling to throw something in the SC at the start of the day and come home to a nice hot meal without having to get an awful takeaway.
Recipes that work for us so far are.

1. Vietnamese chicken curry
2. Butternut squash risotto

3.a whole chicken ( not as nice as oven roasted but still nice)

1. Mumsnet cowgirl stew
2. Homemade baked beans

A Korean style beef stew 5 ratatouille

1. Baked potatoes
2. Soup stock

The biggest total flop was mac and cheese . That was awful, resembled 🐱 sick 🤢.

It's also nice to not turn the oven on when it's really hot outside

Thanks everyone

A 1/2 shoulder of lamb is great in a SC, still pink wut the layer of fat melts and bastes the meat.

I also make steak and kidney pudding in it.

Rather than a SC recipe book you need a book that tells you how to slow cook. I had the original - Slow Cooking Properly Explained from the 1980s, it was updated in 2005 and 2009.

www.amazon.co.uk/Slow-Cooking-Properly-Explained-Favourite/dp/0716022214/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?s=books&keywords=slow+cooker+recipe+books+uk+paperback+black+and+white&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1557669479&sr=1-2-fkmrnull

Most people who hate their slow cooker seem to think they can use any old stew recipe and it doesn't work like that, you have to reduce the liquid and adjust seasoning.

You wouldn't judge a deep fat fryer on its ability to steamand a sc is a different method of cooking.

Elphaba

Give the porridge another go but instead of cooking it directly in the SC put i a pyrex bowl on a folded tea towel and then pour boiling water around it.

sashh I'm sure some have done that but I bought a cookbook with recipes specifically for a slow cooker.

sashh I did exactly that in one of the many methods I tried and it still came out as burned wallpaper paste. This was in two different slow cookers on their lowest settings, using giant oats, not the cheap stuff. I suspect it may have worked if not left overnight, but I’m not setting an alarm in the middle of the night for porridge, and it kind of defeats the purpose.

SilverySurfer I’m with you. I’ve only ever used slow cooker specific recipes either from a SC cookbook or SC websites, or SC recipes recommended on here, and they all turn out as homogeneous muck.

ElphabaTheGreen homogeneous muck is spot on.

Actually, I still use my slow cooker but not for food - I use it to make scented candles and it's perfect for that.

@TheKitchenWitch I just use this one

allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/42628/slow-cooker-creme-brulee.aspx

I've never managed a successful creme brûlée in the oven but this one always works for me

Thank you @HippyChickMama ! I shall be trying that ASAP, it’s one of my favourite desserts.

I use my slow cooker at least 6 nights a week. I found early on to slide a teaspoon handle under the lid, this will let enough steam out to get meat browned, sauce to thicken etc
This is one weeks menu.
Paprika pork burgers
Moroccan Chicken
Coq au vin
Sausages
Chicken and potatoes (raw whole chicken in pot first, then tumble in small whole potatoes) lemon juice and olive oil and salt
Taiwanese Belly pork
Chicken Korma

All yummy

I would have to leave it on from leaving at 7.30am to getting back around 7pm (but would really need to keep it warm until I'm ready to eat at 7.30ish) - I never know if this is too long as the few recipes I've looked at have said things like 5 or 6 hours, etc but not 12!

People who dont want to leave s/c on all night, buy an analogue timer which turns on half way through the day/night.

@ElphabaTheGreen I make porridge in mine and it works quite well.but you need loads of liquid and whole oats. But don't even think of adding peanut butter( bitter) or banana (brown and slimy )to the porridge in the SC

@willowmelangell could you post some recipes please?

@sashh I have that book but it's quite basic info that's only useful if you buy a slow cooker without knowing anything at all about them, plus the recipes are quite old fashioned.

Soups and chillies and thinga with small bits of meat are fine. Anything with big hunks of meat taste much better slow cooked oven.

oldishladyinashoebox

I did buy it in the 1980s so yes the recipes are oldfashioned.

@oldladyinashoebox thank you! I'm doing Moroccan Chicken with Couscous tonight so I shall start with that. Serves 4.
a small lemon or orange, quartered.
nice chicken stock cube or stock pot in boiling water. 250ml for sauce, plus whatever you need for your couscous.
a small diced brown onion.
25g diced apricots or sultanas/raisins
2 sliced garlic cloves.
4 chicken thighs or legs or 2 breasts.
2 tsp ras el hanout.
couscous for 4
almonds for serving.
pre heat on high your slow cooker.
Put the spice, ras el hanout in slow cooker, lid on until you can smell the aroma.
Add 2 tbl spoons olive oil, onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Stir. Put lid on. Wait 5 mins.
Add raw chicken and apricots/raisins and 2 pieces lemon/orange.
Pour over 250ml of the chicken stock. Cover and leave for 2 hours.
Use a fork to extract the lemon/orange, squeeze pulp into sauce and discard the rind. Stir sauce.
Make up couscous with the rest of the hot(microwaved?) chicken stock and other lemon/ orange quarters. Stir well and cover for 8 mins.
Meanwhile toast in a dry small pan the almonds for serving.
Discard lemon/orange from couscous.
Arrange couscous, chicken on plate and spoon over the fruity sauce.
Top with almonds.
I serve with a hearty green salad.

oldlady, was there a particular recipe that caught your eye?

I am also trying something new today. Brown bread made in the slow cooker, first peek is very promising.....

@willowmelangell coq au vin and pork belly would be good please.

@willowmelangell where are you? Are you out there somewhere making the lovely sounding pork belly?

Oh! Tip for getting around the weird onion taste/ lack of depth from caramelisation: when I have the oven on a while, I've just started slicing up a few onions, drizzle with a bit of oil and leave in until brown, only stirring now and again. These can be frozen in portions and used in stews etc, saving a bit of time. I'd not thought to use them in the slow cooker but might give it another go!

I’ve just had roast chicken dinner that I did in mine today.
Stuck the chicken in on a low heat with carrot onion and celery base. Perfectly cooked when I came home. Put it in the oven the crisp up the skin.
Only downside to cooking it in the slow cooker is that it does fall apart but the upside is you have home made bone broth in the cooker that you can use to make gravy or soup.

I don't love mine either but things I cook in it that have worked for us are pulled bbq brisket, pulled pork, mince chilli,lentil chilli, Dahl, rice pudding and banana oatmeal (porridge).

@iamweringasombrero
You have picked my 2 favourites!
Taiwanese Slow Cooked Pork Belly.
For thrift, I buy a small belly joint and slice thickly. 4 or 6 pieces.
1 tsp five spice mix.
2 sliced garlic cloves or 1 tsp granules.
2 tbl spoons light soy sauce.
15g root ginger in match sticks or 1 tsp powdered ginger.
1 tbsp rice vinegar.
2 tbl spoons hoisin sauce.
(original recipe called for chilli and a star anise, I don't like these so don't add them.)
150ml boiling water.
Basmati rice for serving.
Peanuts for serving.
Salt, a pinch.

Heat up your slow cooker on high. 20 mins.
Dust the five-spice and salt over the raw sliced pork to coat.
Place in hot slow-cooker with fat side against the side of the pot.
Shake over the ginger, garlic, splash in the soy, rice vinegar and hoisin. (if you like the chilli and anise, add now)
Pour 150ml boiling water in the middle of the pork slices.
Lid on, slide the handle of a tea spoon under the lid to give a small steam vent.
Turn down to Low heat.
Leave alone for 2 hours. Check. Maybe turn the pork over if you wish.
Leave another hour, the sauce should be reduced by now and the meat browned.
Cook your rice.
Crush peanuts in a bag then dry fry to toast them.
I like long, fine green beans and salad on the side.
Serve up and sprinkle with nuts.

I have been known to serve this 3 times in one week, changing rice for sweet potato fries or baked potatoes.
Tip 1) if you are going out for 6 hours or so, use cold water.
Tip 2) if you want a more intense flavour, marinade with the spice, ginger, garlic, soy, vinegar and hoisin for 2 hours in the fridge.

My daughter loves this and she doesn't like spices or sauces!

Is it a problem when the lid of your slow cooker is loose I. E. doesn't fit snugly?

Thank you willow I shall report back when they are sampled

@managedmis I think it will stop the Sc from reaching the correct temperature that keeps the bugs away.

Has anybody tried rice pudding in the slow cooker? Does anybody have a recipe?