DH brought home a slow cooker. it's zn ex product sample so no instructions/recipes. How does it work?

[LackaDAISYcal]

It has high, low and keep warm settings and is 4.5 litres, and that's all I know.

Help!

Ps I put some sewing steak in at 3.45 on high. How long will it take?

Possibly around 4 hours but I think with a slow cooker the idea is not to work out how long before its ready, but to stick it on in the morning and whatever your cooking will be done for evening meal.

Thanks Pat :)
I guess we won't be eating it for tea then :o

I've seen a few recipe books on Amazon, but bewildered over which one to choose.

Recommendations gratefully received :)

Hopeful bump :)

Have just eaten the quickly hobbled together boeuf bourgignon, with (hand-grown) crushed potatoes with horseradish and mangetout and it. was bloody delicious.

Looking forward to getting to know it better.

Get this book

www.amazon.co.uk/Slow-Cooking-Properly-Explained-Paperfronts/dp/0716006472/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1346382845&sr=8-3

If the link doesn't work, it is called 'Slow Cooking Properly Explained' - it's the size of a paperback but is really good, I had the origional 1979 version (friend borrowed it and won't give it back) but it has been updated since then.

It gives you recipes but also explains how the slow cooker works and how to develop your own recipes / convert familiar recipes.

there a lots of slow cooker recipe books. Just make sure you have enough liquid in as they do dry out a bit.

in my experience, the veggies cook fine on low, meat tends to do better on high.

Also, you can use lower grade cuts as they will stay tender in the slow cooker.

Beans don't do well in a SC, in my experience.

Have a look at this blog

crockpot365.blogspot.co.uk/

Generally with SC's it's high for 4hrs, medium for 6hrs and low for 8hrs, tends to work with meats such as pork, lamb and beef

I find chicken left on low for 8hrs does break down a bit too much (happened to me the other day) so in future i'll reduce the times for chicken by about an hour

I found SC doesn't work with chicken if left for a full day at work + commute. That is nearly 9-10 hours for most people. It's only good for legumes and red meat if you work full time.

i tend to use my normal recipes and just not add the liquid, or just a tiny bit. eg spag bolognese - i just add the stock cube and a tablespoon of liquid. if anything is too runny then you can add cornflour dissolved in some cold water

I find it better to use it overnight rather than in the day as I dont have more than 8hrs kip a night so the SC is not left on too long for everything to go stringy, apart from my chicken the other night!.

I do prefer to brown meat and (at least) onions before putting in the slow cooker.

You must use very little fat, as is does not burn away like in an oven. You might skim it off to add flour and cook to thicken the gravy, though.

Ooh, thanks :)
Tried bolognese sauce today. Cooked too long I think as it came out too mushy, like ready meal spag bol. The DC loved it though

The things I grew up eating from the slow cooker have all been red meat. We did a beef stew, which I love and still make to this day, chilli, and pot roast. Chilli is obviously chilli con carne and pot roast is just like a hunk of beef that you put in with potatoes and veg, but I never did like the meat from there (the potatoes were lovely though!). We never really did side dishes or chicken though. Hope you enjoy your new slow cooker! :)

Also a quick tip is when you add meat for stews and the like if you coat them in a thin layer of flour and then saute them until they are brown on the outside and then add them to the slow cooker it adds flavor and the flour helps to thicken the sauce!

Imo, a pot roast needs the meat cooked longer than the vegs. Otherwise you can take out the vegs and juices to whiz up into a gravy or sauce with extra seaoning and stuff. The vegs will be mush by the time the meat is at its best.