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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 bastardGrin.

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:
mumzy · 31/12/2011 16:53

Use mine to Make stock with roast chicken carcasses. Put into plastic drinks bottles and freeze

bytheMoonlight · 31/12/2011 16:58

I don't brown either, everything goes in, with just quite a lot of stock as I'm leaving it on all day. I use it for stews at least once a week in the winter.

Cooked a ham in there the monday after boxing day, as already said I just pushed some cloves into it, enough liqued to cover about a quater of the ham and half an onion for flavour. Turned once. Job done.

I had the slimy problem with a whole chicken as well, and it also just fell apart. Was a complete mess when I finished fishing everything out! I was told maybe I had cooked it too long but I thought the main point of slow cookers was not to worry about timings Confused

Haven't tried a curry but will do now and and have added both linked recipe books to my amazon basket, thanks Smile

Original poster
PatTheHammer · 31/12/2011 16:59

Thanks for the tips Flossie, you sound like a proGrin

Great website too, will spend my NYE reading up on it and planning recipes.....wild!

OP posts:
bytheMoonlight · 31/12/2011 16:59

Oh fab idea about the stock!

I also used mine to steam last years Christmas pud which was much easier than the constant topping up with water for the usual steamer

Original poster
PatTheHammer · 31/12/2011 17:00

PMSL at 'little willies'Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
PatTheHammer · 31/12/2011 17:01

Oh yes, never thought to use it for stock, I usually don't have time to make it in a saucepan.

OP posts:
Alliwantisaroomsomewhere · 31/12/2011 23:23

I even do "bolognese" type sauce in mine. I don't defrost the mince first: cut up onion, celery, peppers, tin chopped tomatoes, block of stock, minced beef and tomato puree. After about 4 hours on high, it is done - I work from home as a childminder so this really helps me enormously. I would definitely not leave the mince in all day, though.

Also do veg soup, curries, stews. but have yet to do a whole piece of meat like a chicken or ham!

chickenfeet · 31/12/2011 23:54

Mine has been gathering dust for a while as I could never find recipes for it. The instructions for it say that the liquid must completely cover the ingredients - how come your cookers don't have to (someone mentioned just half-covering a ham)? Mine is about 10 years old....could that be why? Are there newer and better ones now?

drcrab · 01/01/2012 00:31

The recipe called for 2 liter of Cole but
My cooker wasn't that big so I just stuck in as much coke as i could to cover it. It was fine! Smile

stripygiraffe · 01/01/2012 00:38

I got the Hamlyn book for Christmas. Have done the korma and the beef and root veg hotpot. Sweet and sour chicken is next. I have success just chucking it all in but do find it is a nicer consistency and fuller taste if I brown and fry things first.

OneLittleBabyGirl · 01/01/2012 06:48

The thing I don't get about slow cooker is it doesn't actually save time does it? It takes less than 10min after work stir fry s sweet & sour chicken for example. So why would you need to use the slow cooker? You still would take the same time to make the sauce.

SantaIsAnAnagramOfSatan · 01/01/2012 07:12

you can do both. the chucking things in business does work and works fine.

however recently i used mine to make a steak and guiness casserole and did the faffing and it was THE most delicious thing i ever cooked and everyone loved it.

biggest trick i found was that i cooked it very low forever and then put the casserole dish part out in the barn and let it cool completely. the next day put it back on low and god it was lush. much like how stews etc are better the next day.

if you want quick and easy it's good for sausage casseroles where you just have to brown the sausages quick in the frying pan and then chuck everything in.

missmartha · 01/01/2012 10:13

I am very careful with the liquid I add to mine. It just seems to create juice.

No matter how mean I am with, water, stock, wine etc, I end up with way more juice that I know what to do with. Heaven knows, it could herald the end to the world water shortage.

I tend to be a meat browner myself, but after reading so many posts from people who don't bother, I'm going to give chucking it all in raw a try.

DonkeyTeapot · 01/01/2012 12:02

Great thread, I also have a slow cooker but have only done a couple of sausage casseroles and was looking for ideas. I didn't know about using less liquid, it explains why mine weren't all thick and rich like I was expecting. I did buy a recipe book but it was rubbish, all the recipes suggested putting tinned soups in as sauce, which to me negates the point in cooking from scratch. I'll check out those books, thanks for the links.

boredandrestless · 01/01/2012 12:04

My favourite slow cooker 'recipe'
1 joint of beef
2 small or 1 large, red onions sliced
2 large mushrooms sliced
1 small bottle or large glass of red wine.

Put it all in and cook for at least 6 hours. Meat just falls apart and melts in your mouth. Smile

I use my slow cooker for all sorts, just chuck in what I have for casseroles, stews, curries, etc - I love it.

WholeLottaRosie · 01/01/2012 17:05

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Original poster
PatTheHammer · 01/01/2012 18:22

Good point Rosie.

the thing for me as well is cost, if you do lots of 10-15 minute meals every night of the week you have to buy good cuts of meat or things like chicken, prawns, salmon that can be cooked quickly and all that sort of stuff is expensive. Stews, casseroles etc then would be reserved for the weekend only. I like to have those sort of things on a weeknight, especially in the winter, don't want stir-fry or pasta every night of the week. I also don't want to spend all weekend cooking as we are quite busy usually and also need some down-time.

Well, after all this good advice I got as far today as getting the thing out of the box, washing and drying the lid and crock-pot, clearing a space for it on the side and reading the instruction booklet. Good work I feel but not so successful in the cooking department, will try harder tomorrow!

OP posts:
deemented · 01/01/2012 20:15

Sorry for just getting back to this now.

Whole chickens.

I use my big 6.5ltr SC, and then i get three balls of tin foil and put them in the bottom of the SC in a triangular shape. Then i plonk the chicken on top of them, rub some salt and pepper and maybe some sage or thyme into the skin, then cook on high for an ahour, then on low for five to six hours. The meat literally falls off the bones, and i find i get much more off it doing it that way then normal roasting.

OneLittleBabyGirl · 01/01/2012 20:31

Pat you have my cooking down to a tee Grin. We only eat chicken, seafood and vegetarian. Lots of stir fries and pasta. I never would cook a joint of pork or leave anything in the oven for hours.

SantaIsAnAnagramOfSatan · 01/01/2012 21:28

i'm going to try the whole chicken. there is one sat in the freezer that i can never be bothered to cook. ds won't eat chicken and i find it dull and dry - used to love chicken but gone off of it.

if i do it in the slow cooker i can have some whilst it's all hot and yum and juicy and then take the rest off for making other things with. i get the feeling it will be tastier done like that and the garlic etc you rub on it/stuff it with will actually flavour it - just seems to disappear in the oven.

deemented · 01/01/2012 21:30

Oh, it'll be lovely and moist and succulent.

Only thing is, it won't go as lovely a golden brown as it does in the oven, but i never eat the skin anyways.

Original poster
PatTheHammer · 01/01/2012 21:56

Oh see, you are very good then Dee as I luuuurrrve the skin and its very bad for me and my wasitlineBlush.

Hmm, perhaps cooking it in the slow cooker would help with this problem too!

OP posts:
deemented · 01/01/2012 22:16

If not then this will - the skin of the chicken is the bit that all the fleas and tics and horrid little beasties crawl all over! Wink

So said my Slimming World consultant.....

smithster · 01/01/2012 22:28

i make chilli, curry, casseroles, cook joints like brisket and gammon. you can also make puddings. sausages are nice in it as are chicken thighs and cheaper cuts of beef. watch out, mine can be a bit fierce, even on low, but i do leave it for 8 hours and it is normally fine if a little more cooked than you'd like. try www.allrecipes.co.uk

GlaikitFizzEggNog · 02/01/2012 07:52

She sounds like a right marjorie dawes Dee! But I could hear my sw consultant saying that!