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

[Katyathegringa]

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.

I've just popped my sausage casserole in but a little concerned about the liquid side of things as it's not covering everything will that matter? It's the same quantity of liguid I use when I usually pop it in the oven but obviously it's a bigger pot when in the oven so more room in the bottom if that makes sense. I was hoping to put dumplings in, in the last 20 minutes but if the liquids not there it won't work will it?

I came unstuck yesterday with too little liquid. I'd make sure that the meat is covered or the exposed part gets dry.

Yep, i'd go with more liquid too - and cornflour is your friend if it's too liquidy...

Bum, I don't have anymore of the casserole mix (I cheat & always use a packet) & I don't have any conrflour either :( Off to try & squish everything under the liquid....

Stick some water in it and then nip to shop to get your cornflour - though i suppose you could use normal flour, i think.

I've chucked in some more water but it will just have to be runny unless I can use normal flour....mind you would the dumplings absorb some of the liquid?

Deem, can you talk me through how to cook a lamb joint in my slow cooker. I did one a couple of weeks ago and it was a disaster, all dried out and not even able to slice it, it was like string. I cooked it on high for about 4 hours and only added a cup of water. Do I need to be covering it all in water before I cook it?

Also, how do I do bolognaise? I am new to this, but already love my slow cooker!

I'm really interested in getting a slow cooker after reading this... However DD1 not keen on anything too tomatoey.

Are there recipes that have minimal tomatoes or no toms at all?

scratch with my bolognese the other day I just browned off the mince & onions then popped them in the SC with some courgettes, a jar of pasta sauce & a tin of toms & cooked on low for about 8 hours. It was delicious!

Christiana there so looooooads of recipes out there, I've done a nice garlic chicken in mine, sausage casserole, going to do a sweet & sour pork too soon. Just have a google for SC recipes & you'll get loads, this site has some lovely recipes :)

Thanks norma, that's great

don't cook rhubarb in your slow cooker - it rips o the glaze around the inside of the croak and although your dd can use it 20 years later she will have trouble cleaning as lack of glaze

seriously the rhubarb acts like an acid

I am now drooling on my keyboard as I have no kitchen at the moment - all my slow cooker recipes involve browning/pre-cooking - could someone please post or link to something that can easily be achieved with just a slow cooker and no browning? My kitchen at the moment consists of a table with a microwave and a chopping board, I can easily get the slow cooker out though!

Housemum what kind of meat would you prefer?

This one looks lovely & would be a big hit with children I think!

I did a brisket pot roast the other week and it was delicous! (I wasn't expecting it to be as remmeber cooking a pot roast before and the meat ending up dry). THe brisket this time was lovely and juicy as well as being tender. Did it with acople of packs of ready chopped casserole veg, red wine and a beef stock cube.
A tip - if you are worried that it will be cooking too long, use one of these plug in timers you can buy.

housemum i recently discovered that browning meat makes absolutely no difference to flavour if it is beef/ lamb etc - only to something like chicken skin which needs to be bronzed up. So I never brown meat any more. I think it actually tastes better and is way less hassle.

mmmmm, chicken or beef would be good. DD2 won't eat cooked tomatoes.

Could I do Nigella's ham in Cherry Coke in my slow cooker, does anyone know?

On the chicken front, I've made a Normandy chicken casserole with chicken breasts, pears, cider, etc, in the slow cooker that didn't dry out. It was delicious, in fact...

Those bad-ass beans looked good, but crisping the bacon would be a problem - one to save for a few weeks.

Christiana - I'm such a rule follower, will give it a go tomorrow with a basic casserole. Anything to avoid yet another jacket potato from the microwave...

Sorry Housemum that was just a general post as I like the look of the recipe, will have a look for a recipe for you :)

How about Chicken Noodle Soup housemum?

Is there a kind of slow cooker that can be used on the hob to brown things first?

Thanks Normas, looks like one to try. It says to boil the noodles but I'll use those straight-to-wok ones and that should work fine. Yum.

Thanks Norma, I'll have a go with the bolognaise.

Just need to know how to do a joint now! I followed a receipe that I found but it was no good, so would rather do it the way that someone else recommends iyswim!

The gammon with coke sounds good too!

yes dinah - look on amazon