Minced beef hotpot in the slow cooker?

[nappyaddict]

Does anyone have any decent recipes? I want a nice thick one, worried it might go a bit watery.

I don't have an actual recipe , but use my slow cooker a lot.... would brown your mince/soften onion in a frying pan first, then scatter over a tablespoon of flour and stir to cook it in. Then add whatever else you want to add (stock, beer, tomatoes, herbs, spices etc), heat through til it starts to thicken then put in slow cooker.

(or you can thicken after cooking with cornflour if needed)

Do you put the sliced potatoes on top of the slower cooker pot, then brown the whole thing just before serving?

If you want to brown the top of your hotpot do make sure your slow cooker pot is oven proof, many are not and my DM cracked hers putting it in the oven! I would cook the mince in the slow cooker and transfer it to something oven proof before topping with the potatoes and finishing in the oven. A handful of pearl barley in with the mince with help to thicken it nicely.

Where does one find pearl barley in the supermarket?

In our Sainsbury's, it's next to the tins of beans (kidney, cannellini etc) and the packets of dried beans and pulses are next to them. Have rediscovered barley recently and it's fab in stews.