Slow cooker help

[Pudding2be]

When I cook a stew in the sc the meat always comes out tough

My sc is a cookworks one, and has three settings, low high and warm

I've tried browning the meat, not browning the meat. I've tried cooking on high or cooking on low

The one I'm cooking now has been on since 12 and the beef is tough as old boots

Any tips?

I would cook my stew [using braising steak and veg] from 8am til about 5 ish on high

Well, I'm a veggie so don't know much but it sounds to me as though:
a) you're not giving it long enough and
b) you're maybe poking around with it too much and instead you just need to leave it alone to keep cooking!
I'd expect it to cook for a good 6 or 7 hours at least.

depends on the heat settings

my recently exploded with a bang last slowpot will cook something in about 3 hours if it's on full whack.

but the one before seemed to need all day no matter what setting.

and Remus has a point, if it isn't one of the hotter ones and you keep poking about in it you are letting all the heat out and increasing the cooking time.

I think you need to add another half hour cooking time everytime you take the lids off so try not too.

Make sure the meat is covered with liquid, any bits that stick out will be dry.

I do keep stirring it, I think that's where I'm going wrong

Thanks for the advice

I never stir.

Mmm I'd cook meat for 7 or 8 hours too. My instruction book specifically says not to take the lid off.

It's all about keeping the moisture inside so you should never open the pot. Put browned meat into the pot first, then add the hot liquid (eg stock) then add the veg on the top. The reason for this order is to maximise cooking of meat and minimise overstewed veg. Then set it going on low overnight. If this doesn't work then your pot is broken somehow, possibly it's letting too much steam out.