Can you make any one pot recipe in a slow cooker?

[Leafy3]

Stupid question...I've been given a slow cooker and just wondering if I can cook any of my one-pot recipes in it or is there something in particular about slow cooker recipes?

They don't save you effort at all, because the prep is the same as for any other cooking method but they probably save you on electricity and are definitely convenient if you want to eat when you get in from being out of the house. They don't save on electricity for things like the pasta dish someone up thread described that can otherwise be cooked really quickly.

I’ve stopped using my slow cooker because everything tastes better cooked in the oven or hob. Flavours don’t develop properly and everything is just meh in comparison.

I do have cast iron le Creuset casserole pans though so dishes come out far more delicious than the slow cooker.

I did end up using it mainly to cook gammon joints to use as ham during the week. It does cook a whole chicken so it’s very soft and moist and nice in a wrap for instance.

Because of the timing of that 15m, and because of the washing up etc, and in part because of the size of the dish.

To make four portions, I'd have needed at least two pans to fry the veg before adding to the pasta and passata.

15m on the hob would require active attention for 15m to move the veg, whereas with the slow cooker it was 2m chopping and seasoning, 1m stirring and adding pasta, 1m stirring again.

Plus those 4m.can be spread out over the course of my son's bath/bedtime routine.

I really like the fresher taste of non-caramelised veg too sometimes, very suited to summer. It produces a different flavour to the hob or the oven. All good in their own way.

I would love to use our slow cooker more but DS17 says everything tastes the same. It's a ceramic one so no metal. I don't know what he means!

The beauty is the cooking time doesn't much matter. PP's guide of 6 hours on medium or 8 on low is a good guideline but my two slow cookers cook at different rates! It works overnight on low too, tasty enough but edges towards falling apart which my husband is less keen on.

The main selling point is you can walk away from it. That is a meaningless benefit to some, but powerful when you're unwell, or your energy levels flag in the early evening.

If washing up is difficult, you could consider buying disposable or washable liners.

Yes, I wouldn't get too hung up on cooking times for certain dishes.

The key benefits of the slow cooker to me are definitely volume and the level of inattention you can take.

It's lovely to bung in 5-6 different tins, packs of frozen veg etc and come away with 6 meals without ever thinking about the specific timing.

Oh, and it's a big bonus for summer hot cooking - throws off less heat than the oven.

I find it’s most useful for making a meal to come home to rather than if I’m around, as others have said, reduce liquid, adjust seasoning.

my favourite recipe is pork shoulder (browned) veg and a can of cider, stock cube and herbs to taste.