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Food/recipes

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Original poster

Have decided to embrace Autumn and purchase a slow cooker, now tell me your favourite recipes

294 replies

Katyathegringa · 06/09/2010 17:07

I know there are loads of sites out there on the internet but I would appreciate some recommendations on the best slow cooker recipes/tips.

OP posts:

Danthe4th · 08/09/2010 22:15

Leg of Lamb with a cup of red wine and a stock cube and chopped root veg.
None of my children are that keen on stews, but I find the slow cooker fab for a joint of meat or a chicken and not much liquid, just enough to make gravy.

zipzap · 08/09/2010 22:18

If you're cooking recipes that are supposed to have meat browned and/or onions softened beforehand, don't bother, just add a spoonful of onion marmalade instead. (in addition to the meat and/or onions!).

It's basically caramelised onions so you get all the good flavours and none of the hassle of browning stuff.

I have this slow cooker recipe book - Ultimate Slow Cooker recipes by Sara Lewis which has got some really good recipes in, both savoury and sweet.

It also has some good hints on translating your favourite recipes into slow cooker recipes which is handy. Things like don't use as much liquid as you would when cooking on the hob or in the oven as there steam escapes and things dry out. In a slow cooker water is released from things you are cooking but doesn't escape so sauces can be more watery. And don't keep lifting the lid to check or stir as it can significantly increase cooking times...

Other things I've found handy - if you want to roast something dry-ish, rough chop an onion in quite big bits and sprinkle across the bottom of the cooker to act as a bed for the meat - also good for flavouring - and providing a bit of moisture afterwards.

If you like sauces with a bit of a boozy kick, a slug of sherry does wonders.

Scuttlebutter · 08/09/2010 23:42

I use the Ultimate Slow Cooker book, my MIL got it for me for last Christmas. The mango chutney in there is brilliant, and I did the butterscotch bananas, which were gorgeous. Often use mine for doing chicken casserole and beef brisket is superb. yes, I do brown that and add a tiny bit of water, veggies, and a generous slug of madeira. DH loves it. Sausage casserole is great too. In fact, it's been a godsend and is something I would really recommend. Mine cost £10 from Tesco about a year ago - so pleased I got it. Actually also prefer spag bol sauce cooked in it - seems to improve the flavour. Only thing I wasn't happy with was some jam which was odd as the chutney was a roaring success. Poached chicken breasts are very succulent too.

PurpleOne · 09/09/2010 01:14

mines in storage - i miss it so much. one of the most used gadgets in my kitchen, when i had a proper one.

MostlyLurking · 09/09/2010 08:25

Got a Sara Lewis slow cooking book from library yesterday, recipes look gorgeous, I HAVE to get one now

chimchar · 09/09/2010 21:55

what does a sausage casserole involve??? that would be good for my bloody fussy kids!

deemented · 10/09/2010 11:32

You can put anything in a Sausage casserole - i do two different ones, a veg one and a beany one.

Veg one i brown my sausages - have to brown them otherwise they look remarkably like flacid penis's - put in the SC with a chopped onion, some carrots, some mushrooms, some red and yellow peppers and then a packet sausage casserole mix.

The beany one, i put brown sausages in SC with chopped onion, some chopped up smokey bacon and two tins of beans, maybe a little water too.

Both yummity.

letsgoflo · 10/09/2010 20:16

Because of this thread I have bought one. Thank you for making life easier. These are kind of threads I love :)

chimchar · 10/09/2010 21:07

Oh Jesus dee!!! I just nearly wet myself then at the flacid penis thing

most appetizing!!!!! Lol

deemented · 10/09/2010 21:11

But it's true though!!!!

I once forgot to brown them and just chucked them in and i couldn't eat them for laughing....

ChippyMinton · 10/09/2010 22:23

You need bigger meatier sausages, deemented

I did the sausage & green lentil casserole that was 'recipe of the week' on here the other day. Didn't bother precooking anything, substituted a jar of tomato passatta for some of the stock, and it came out gorgeous.

PigletJohn · 10/09/2010 22:33

I like minestrone. You have to include celery or it just takes like chunky vegetable soup with bacon, despite the other herbs and spices. I usually make it with those cheap off-cuts of bacon, which are irregular shapes but usually thick, or for a smarter one, a piece of gammon cut up. A ham bone is probavly better but more expensive. I always brown my meat first, as I consider it improves taste and texture as well as appearance, and usually the onions and other vegs as well.

I also do pot roast with browned brisket. However in the slow cooker the fat does not cook away, and some people don't like visible fat. I don't mind it. I find them more succulent that done in the oven.

Boston Bean Hot Pot is good, it needs lumps of bacon and some black treacle, though, tyo get the taste right, and you have to boil the beans first (or they are poisonous)

CheekyLittleSox · 11/09/2010 11:00

If making chicken casserole, do i have to cook the meat before hand or can i do what i do when i cook it in the oven and just bung the raw chicken in the ovendish with the ingrediants?

My cousins boyfriend is given me one of his brand new slow cookers today.

also how long does sausage casserole take to cook? if i brown the sausages, add my peppers and my mix, in the SC, would it take about an hour or more?

deemented · 11/09/2010 14:04

Just bung the chicken in raw.

I usually let my casseroles cook all day, tbh. Put it on low at about 9am, then ready to eat about 4ish. You could put it on high for less time though.

deemented · 11/09/2010 14:05

Oh, meant to say - Asda are selling 3ltr slow cookers for just £7 atm.

CheekyLittleSox · 11/09/2010 16:59

IV just been given a brand new morphy Richards 6.5ltr SC for free :) I'll be using it tomorrow :)

CheekyLittleSox · 11/09/2010 16:59

IV just been given a brand new morphy Richards 6.5ltr SC for free :) I'll be using it tomorrow :)

deemented · 11/09/2010 17:25

Twice?

What are you going to be making? I've got a lovely piece of brisket for mine and the in laws are coming...

CheekyLittleSox · 11/09/2010 19:11

Well think I might make a sausage casserole first which will be on Monday :) as were having a turkey leg joint tomorrow and its a Bernard Matthews one so cook from frozen (oooh I'm a cheat lol)

BalloonSlayer · 11/09/2010 19:21

I had a slow cooker twenty years ago - used it once to make a meal for the people who had bought it for me. (I hadn't asked for it)

This thread is making me wonder whether to get another one.

Any ideas for vegetarian recipes please . . . to help me decide.

sunfunandmum · 11/09/2010 19:23

MIL bought us one and it has been a total revelation. Agree it's brilliant, and thanks for the tips and links everyone.

One of the best things is that it really suits dp's cooking style, which is chuck everything in together and leave for hours (which sometimes went a big wrong in the normal oven)

deemented · 11/09/2010 19:33

TBH I use mine most days - we had stew yesterday, boloneise today, will be brisket tomorrow in big one and rice pud in small one...

I'd urge anyone to buy one.

TBH i don't know many veggie recipes - but a quick google came up with these

chimchar · 12/09/2010 18:40

ok...here's one for you..... can you overcook food in a slowcooker?? and how do you know how long to cook stuff for?

deemented · 12/09/2010 19:40

Yes, you can. I once did a chicken casserole on high for ten hours = brown mush. Might have been ok had it been on low.

I think a lot of it is trial and error tbh, and just common sense.

NormaSknockers · 14/09/2010 07:07

This thread is great (thank you to deemented for pointing me this way ) & I'm getting the cookworks 6.5 litre one today that was linked to earlier. One question, can you under fill a SC? I'm looking at the 6.5 litre one because although the DC are only little obviously they will grow as will their appetites & I often cook a little extra to freeze but if I were to cook just an average sized meal will that mean it won't come out as well as I haven't used up the capacity of the SC? Should be thinking of getting a 3.5 instead?

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