To think that slow cooker meals are tasteless?

[Twiz5218]

I was given a small slow cooker a couple of weeks ago. I have tried it a couple of times in an attempt to save energy by using the oven.

First time I made a chicken casserole and it was tasteless really, despite me seasoning the chicken and veg and frying them before slow cooking.

Tried to make a garlic lemon chicken recipe tonight and I couldn't tell the different between that and the casserole. It was just so bland. I added lemon juice, then the veg and chicken, and properly seasoned them with a number of spices and added garlic and butter cubes and set it off to cook. It was just tasteless. Incomparable to cooking the same in the oven.

AIBU? Am I doing something wrong?

You need much less water than you expect.

No I agree or maybe I'm doing something wrong too ,I don't have a slow cooker at the moment but have had several over the years, every time I get them I imagine tasty stews etc, but everything tastes a bit blah

Less water definitely

I did pulled pork "hog roast" style today with garlic, sage, thyme and lemon. No liquid at all. Was gorgeous.

My chilli from scratch in there is bloody fantastic (BBC good food recipe plus some tinkering) and has a bit of a fan club in family/friends circle.

Casseroles work well but I sometimes leave the lid off if it goes a bit thin, or add dumplings for extra yum.

I stopped using mine for this reason. Everything comes out very bland.

Yep, this.
Way way less.

And re browning and frying off before adding ingredients in, you have to really really brown them to get the flavour.

I really hate food from the slow cooker - it makes everything taste vile and I have no idea how. My stovetop cast iron casserole pot delivers beautifully...I like slow cooker food but omg not from a slow cooker!

No YANBU.
I got rid of mine for this reason. Proper oven is much better.

I haven’t found this at all. I’m quite surprised really.

Try the Taming Twins website for ideas! I have had the curry (AMAZING BUT SPICY), beef noodles - better than a takeaway and the chicken casserole and all have been so tasty! Key is less liquid! So the curry I used half the coconut milk like they put in the tips etc! Slow cooker is my absolute lifesaving kitchen item! Tea cooked and no time pressure at tea time!

Wow I love mine, what are you doing wrong~? Logic says something`?

Pulled pork or chicken in there is really good.

Like PP, you add no liquid to it. You flavour it accordingly and it just cooks in its own juices.

Some things aren’t good in there.

Breakfast dishes are great - porridge, rice pudding etc

Stay well clear of pasta dishes though.

Try:

Stewing steak
Onions
Carrots
Celery
A cube of veg stock
A cube of beef stock
Tin of chopped tomatoes
Sprinkle of chilli flakes
Some salf and pepper
Bottle of ale
Some water (I fill the tomato can 2/3 of the way)

Cook on high for about 6 hours then take out and pop some dumplings in and finish off in over for half hour.

Delish and makes the house smell so warming and winter

Dh does a great pulled pork and brisket in the slow cooker too.

Cook on

Slow cooker fudge is great.

I make apple butter, stewed fruit etc in there.

Don't add any liquid. None escapes in cooking. The veg and meat release all the liquid the food needs. Chicken pieces will go jammy, like confit.

So whatever seasonings and ingredients you usually use, but no liquid.

Pulled pork is pork shoulder (steaks makes it easier), paprika, garlic etc. lid on, maybe six hours. Lid off to dry up while you add BBQ sauce and shred the meat.

Chicken pieces on a bed of onions, celery and mushrooms. Seasoning. Done.

None at all for a bog standard chicken from the supermarket these days. Add in watery veg and that's how it becomes bland, IMO.

What's missing from the OP's cooking is that she usually reduces the liquid in the oven, concentrating the flavours and adding an element of caramelisation, which doesn't happen in the slowcooker. The first can be avoided by a) no water/very, very little and b) taking the lid off and leaving it on high whilst you're finishing other things in the kitchen and the second by either doing the onions/aromatics in a pan or the SC first. For lemon, I'd use whole ones in the bird along with spice pastes/rubs.

I always end up with too much liquid in mine, I don't use it very often but I always forget. The water from the onions, mushroom, peppers etc always ends up to much.
I need to learn better recipes

Is a crock pot worth it??
I might try a slow cooker again tomorrow if anyone has any decent recipes?

Use meat that likes to be slow cooked. Chicken doesn't improve by slow cooking.
Try shin beef: sear in a scorchingly hot pan until caramelised on the surface.
Fill your slow cooker with layered beef, chunky chopped onion and carrot, a sprinkling of plan flour, Salt and pepper. A small glass of wine and half a tin of tomatoes. Cook all day on low. Finish the gravy if it needs something to improve

I made the mistak of aing the amount of water recipes said.
Yup. Way less or no water and more spice and herbs than normally.

I love it to make sauces nice and slow and the flavours come out beautifully.
And broth. Beautiful.

I bought mine expecting delicious stews, instead they were watery and tasteless. I followed recipes, even the ones from my SiL who uses hers all the time, but I expect she's got used to hers, they've used it for years.

Beef short ribs and then finished on bbq are heaven

Right, this no liquid thing could be a game changer. I thought you had to use liquid or it would burn the house down or something. Why do all the recipes say to add liquid then??

YANBU

I always fry off the base vegetables (onion, celery, garlic) and brown the meat before bunging everything in- really adds the flavour in my opinion. Plus yes, hardly any water, even for a stew! A tea towel under the lid works well if it's looking too watery. I love my slow cooker and it's never bland!

I did wonder that too after I ended up having to reduce them on a cooker!