To wonder if you can overcome that slow cooker taste?

[AStitchInTimeSavesN1ne]

When slow cooking goes wrong, there is an identifiable taste to it.. I don’t know how or why it goes wrong.

AIBU to wonder if you can overcome that weird taste it develops?

It's really hard to describe isn't it? Almost metallicy/plasticky and just odd. You don't get it an oven-cooked dish.

I also think there is a slow-cooker taste. It has put me off certain dishes I used to do on repeat in the slow cooker when DH and I were working long days with long commutes. I had slow cooker recipe books and understand about using less liquid etc, so it’s not about competence or suitable recipes.

I do still do occasional dishes in the SC, mainly casseroles, occasionally curry, and the following makes it taste better (but I still think it’s detectable it’s been slow cookered):-
I use a slow cooker with a metal, not ceramic, inside now (hated the ceramic one)
I always brown meat and soffritto etc, always toast spices (and can do this in the metal dish so easy)
Put a teatowel or paper towel under the lid to absorb moisture
And finally, if time allows, I always try to finish off for 20-30 mins in the oven (which is possibly “cheating”) and this gives a depth of flavour.

But on the whole, if I have the option, I’d choose to use the oven or hob over the slow cooker.

I pretty much only use my slow cooker for 3 things - chilli con carne, curries and mulled wine. They all come out OK.
But dishes that aren't spicy... nope. The flavour and texture doesn't seem right.

Yes, I know exactly what you mean. I got a slow cooker as a wedding present and there was a definite odd slightly metallic taste to everything I made in it, even with pre browning etc. I really didn’t like it and ended up giving it away. I got an instant pot which can be used similarly - food can be pressure cooked and then left on keep warm. It has all the convenience without the weird taste.

I've tried slow cooking a few times as people say such good things about it, I've given up now for this reason.

Yep, always tastes of slow cooker. I can't describe it but it's a definite taste, and I'm really not keen on it. The only time I've known anything else come out similar was when I left some potatoes baking in the normal oven on very low for a whole day - they had the same taste when we ate them! So it must be to do with the length of time the starches are cooked for or something.

Yuk.

Hate slow cooker food. Whatever you make it tastes kind of ‘stewed’

Tried so many times but just don’t like the taste. I’m very sensitive to taste though.

Same herw.

I have no idea what a "slow cooker taste" is.

Mind you, I always brown everything before it goes in the slow cooker, and the results taste the same as something that has been oven cooked.

I agree there is something very different not in a good way.I have a new Lakeland one which goes on the hob to brown before the slow cook.Much prefer my pressure cooker or the oven.

I wonder if it is just the absence of the taste produced by the Maillard reaction rather than a distinct 'slowcooker' taste?

In short no. It you like the flavour of condensation use one. They are rubbish

I don’t taste anything strange or metallic like but bloody everything comes out too runny, even when I use less liquid and put a tea towel under the lid. It’s turning me off to be honest.
Oh and I’m talking about actual slow cooker recipes from cook books. Don’t know what on earth I’m doing wrong.

My dd complains of this. I don't notice it.

Yes this is why we gave up using a slow cooker. And I'm not fussy. But everything has that taste to it. Have now gone in the opposite direction and air fry almost everything, and it's nicer and easier.

Yes I didn’t do this. I threw it all in!

I don’t have one. But I ate a friends recently and the sausages all tasted like old Tupperware in the sausage casserole. Like a stale sort of old mush taste and it was from a slow cocker

Some of the things have that odd taste and some don’t. I can taste it sometimes in processed food too. It doesn’t always happen on the slow cooker. I have owned multiple slow cookers and various instant pots so I know it’s a thing not exclusive to one pot.

Yes when it goes wrong it’s a slightly funny smell and taste.

No I don’t think so as I have mixed results and rarely ever fry things before throwing them in.

if you’ve used plastic spoons to stir my soup I can taste it.

I love MN 😂😂😂

I browned nothing. Usually I get away with this bit sometimes it seems to go wrong.

DD is having none of it. “It’s not as good as your last soup… Actually I am not very hungry…”

I’m not sure if I know the exact taste you mean but I do find all my slow cooked meals used to taste the same. Whether I was doing a stew or a curry, it would have the taste of the main ingredients of that thing, but the background taste was always the same. Almost like very strong water which sounds insane.

However, I’ve never tried those American social media slow cooker recipes where they use cans of soup, three types of grated cheese and several blocks of cream cheese (do we even get it in blocks here?) so perhaps I am simply not adding enough fat and flavour!

I absolutely hate the taste of food from a slow cooker, it really does have a distinctive taste, funny thing is only one other here can taste it too, the other 4 can't.

It's the same cooking, same ingredients etc I can tell immediately if something has been cooked in it be it here or someone else's house. I even started just doing meats in it and sauces separately and while it wasn't as strong I could still taste it.

Last week I rooted out my huge casserole dish that I used years ago, made a casserole with all the same ingredients and omg it was absolutely gorgeous if I say so myself, everyone loved it too.

I gave mine away as everything smelled and tasted the same!

Stuff does taste better cooked in a cast iron oven dish, in the oven

But obviously that's not a slow cooker