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Original poster

Slow cooker-what do you do with yours?

61 replies

PatTheHammer · 31/12/2011 12:00

So Dh has just been out and bought a slow cooker in the sales, been meaning to get one for ages and then my lovely (if a little batty) grandmother gave us a slow cooker recipe book for christmas so we decided to get one.

I think what clinched it for DH was the energy saving as he is a tight bastard.

Anyhow, is it really as complex as the book makes out to cook things in it? I was just envisaging chucking all my stew or casserole ingredients in it before I go to work, turning it on and having a lovely dinner made for when we all get in. Now I notice there is talk of browning stuff and reducing the amount of liquid you put in and timings and such..............its making head hurt!

So, people of MN, what do you cook in yours? any good tips? Anything so easy i can do in 10 minutes in the morning? Anything i most definitely shouldn't do?!

OP posts:

MariaCallous · 31/12/2011 14:05

I haven't a bloody clue but do have a slow cooker so just watching the answers...

deemented · 31/12/2011 14:13

I do everything in mine!

I have three, of varying sizes and make everything from soups, stews and casseroles, to whole chickens, desserts and puds.

Basicly, the general rule is use only a little bit of liquid - about a quarter of what you think you'll need.

Will be back later to add more...

MyCatHasStaff · 31/12/2011 14:20

I used to do all the browning and faff when I first got one years ago, but I have a newer one that seems to be a bit more efficient, so now I find as long as food is at room temperature (def not straight out of the fridge) I can get away with just chucking it all in with hot liquid (stock etc) and it's fine. For stews/casseroles I use enough liquid to just cover.

brabbinsandfyffe · 31/12/2011 14:28

I do porridge, veg soup, stews, curries and guess wildly about the liquid, seems to work okay. Found some good recipes on here

ThompsonTwins · 31/12/2011 14:37

Mine seems to need more liquid than recipes suggest. Sometimes I remove some before serving ans thicken it before serving the dish with a sauce. Have tried leaving all day but unless I use lots of liquid I come home to charcoal. Slow cookers cook at a higher temp even when on low than they did years ago - there were lots of instances of food poisoning as the low temp was not high enough to kill anything harmful.

Birdiegirl · 31/12/2011 14:49

I use mine a couple of times a week and it is brilliant. Nothing like coming home after a days work to find your dinner cooked and waiting for you.

I normally prepare everything the night before, keep in the fridge overnight and then just pop it in the slow cooker before going to work.

You don't have to brown the meat if you don't want, just chuck everything in and go for it. Personally I think it gives a nicer finish if the meat is browned first but each to their own. Also as others say it doesn't need very much liquid.

Try a couple of different things and see how it goes. Good luck.

Original poster

PatTheHammer · 31/12/2011 15:31

Oh thank you all, great tips. I never thought about leaving stuff to get to room temperature but I guess you have to if its all going to cook evenly. guess I am going to have to cut my veggies a lot more evenly too!

I will have a play with it this week as was going to do some sort of pork and apple thingy so will see how it turns out.

Brabbins-great link, I have saved that in my favourites and will have a proper look later.

Dee- So how do you do a whole chicken? I have heard this and curious as to what people recommend as the best way. Its not covered in the recipe book I have got.

Also, curries- I usually use quite a lot of liquid (say a whole can of coconut milk and maybe a bit of stock or tomatoes depending on what the curry is). Would you use say half of what you would usually use cooking the traditional way?

OP posts:

GlaikitFizzEggNog · 31/12/2011 15:36

Currently have stovies in mine for a party tonight!

I did a silverside and ham for xmas too! I font really follow recipes, I'm of the chuck it in and hope for the best school of slow cooking. If I think is too liquidy just before serving I take the lid off and let it bubble down a bit.

Original poster

PatTheHammer · 31/12/2011 15:39

How did you do your Ham Glaikit?
I have a smallish one in the fridge that I could experiment with on sunday...

OP posts:

Mibby · 31/12/2011 15:45

We did the xmas pud in ours, half full of boiling water, pop pud in, 3 hours on 'high', came out perfect :)

Have also done several caseroles, most of the packet mix sauce makers put the slow cooker instructions on the packet or on their website and also do these www.schwartz.co.uk/Products/Recipe-Mixes/Slow-Cookers.aspx. Curry also works well, either with a jar of sauce as a base or totally from scratch

GlaikitFizzEggNog · 31/12/2011 15:46

In cider with clove and a cinnamon stick, then 20 mins in the oven with maple syrup to glaze and finish it. Yummy!!!

GlaikitFizzEggNog · 31/12/2011 15:48

Cloves! One clove wouldn't go very far! I just use one can of what ever cider we have in and turn it at least once.

drcrab · 31/12/2011 15:50

We do stews and it's really easy. If you want to brown the meat that's fine but you can just chuck it all in with the onions carrots celery vege stuff, add some water and cover it. The slow cooker should have come with its own recipe book so you can experiment.

I also did nigella's ham in coke in my slow cooker this week and it was brilliant. Easy too. Put gammon in cooker, add 1 onion and coke. Viola. Yums.

andaPontyinaPearTreeeeee · 31/12/2011 15:53

What do I do with my slow cooker?

Buy it (a decent large one)
Put on worktop
Watch it gather dust/batteries/bag clips/random kitchen shite for several months
Put it in the cupboard

Dee03 · 31/12/2011 15:59

I too brought a slow cooker just before Christmas and I've used it 3 times already! I love it.

I brought a receipe book from The Works for £2 plus I've downloaded 2 apps onto my iPhone!
So far I've cooked a beef casserole, chicken noodle soup and chicken with dumplings!
The chicken one is very easy.... A chicken breast for each person, sliced onion, carrots, and peas them cover with chicken gravy and heat on low for 5 hours. An hour b4 the end chuck in some dumplings and cook on high for last hour! It is delicious!!!

MarkStretch · 31/12/2011 16:03

Love my slow cooker- this is a brilliant book to get you started.

openyerlugholes · 31/12/2011 16:08

My tip - don't cook broccoli in it - it stinks to high heaven! And turns into liquid mush. Not nice.

Is great for curries.

MrsvWoolf · 31/12/2011 16:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FlossieFromCrapstonVillas · 31/12/2011 16:16

I do shoulder of pork with a cup of apple juice, shred and mic with
BBQ sauce (we like Paul Newman's) eat with jacket potatoes, salad or just in floury bread rolls.

Original poster

PatTheHammer · 31/12/2011 16:35

Thanks again all, some great sounding recipes!

Thats the book I got Markstretch, just a shame my gran didn't buy me the cooker to go with it.

That ham sounds delicious, we don't have cider in the house but no doubt i can steal some from next door, or use apple juice at a push. Also will try the chicken with dumplings as thats one of Dh's faves. The pork shoulder sounds nice too, good value as well as pork shoulder is always on offer.

Drcrab-how much coke do you use for the Nigella thing?

OP posts:

Original poster

PatTheHammer · 31/12/2011 16:37

Just added that book to my amazon basket too MrsVWoolf, ta very much!

Think my family will be very well fed in January

OP posts:

FlossieFromCrapstonVillas · 31/12/2011 16:40

I did try a chicken, it was okay but literally fell apart, this might be the selling point but I like a little crispyness, it was quite 'slimy'

MigratingCoconutsInTheNewYear · 31/12/2011 16:42

Just used mine (new chrissy pressie) for the first time yesterday. It was fab!

This website is good:

good ideas right here!

FlossieFromCrapstonVillas · 31/12/2011 16:42

Just to add, I don't brown anything now. Jamie Oliver clinched it for me when he said he'd tried both browning and not (admittedly this was reffering to his Jules' Favourite Stew recipe) and found not browning gave a cleaner taste. I agree!

Fizzylemonade · 31/12/2011 16:52

I use mine loads, have never bought a book just googled.

I tend to brown off sausages as they don't colour so look like little willies in the slow cooker and stewing steak if I'm making a casserole.

I recently did a beef bourguignon, try this

There is also a wide variety of stuff on youtube, Americans call it a crock pot. I am a SAHM so cook stuff in the morning for dinner.

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