got my slow cooker, now what do I cook in it?

[ditavonteesed]

cant believe I have to wait until tommorow to use it. options are sausage casserole or lemon chicken. then on friday the otehr of these or ham and cherry coke. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I can seeme getting fatter than I am already, the saving grace being that you have to wait all day for the food.

These recipes sound so lovely. My slow cooker has been used twice, both times were abit of a disaster as I ended up spending so much time trying to salvage a watery tasteless meal I may as well have spent the time cooking something on the hob. Really want to try ham in coke in the slow cooker, any tips would be very much appreciated!

justone - you are adding too much water. try curry - just add a tin of toms, the stock cube/pot and no water. all the other things like meat, curry paste/powder, chutney, onion, apple, leftover veg. this will give you a view of what it should look like at the start - you will think its very dry. you can do the same with a bolognese recipe - use your normal one just don't add the liquid.

I love my slow cooker, I think I actually need two as during the winter it is used every night...
Soup
Dahl
Roasts
Shanks
Chook
Baked Potatoes
Casserole
Bolognaise
you name it, I have prob tried it in slow cooker...
Devine

yawn - what is 'chook'? I'm looking for some new ideas as i'm getting a bit bored

sorry I am a kiwi, chook is chicken

Marking place

I have used my slow cooker three times. Still not confident, in need of recipes and inspiration ...

Ahhh thanks dreaming! I thought it would all thicken up as it was cooking so long. I will definitely try a curry in the week

Lovely curry recipe - chopped onion, chilli, ginger and garlic into slow cooker with a little oil. Mix in 2 tablespoons of tikka masalla paste and a tin of coconut milk. Add chicken (we favour filleted and skinned thighs).

How do you do jacket potatoes?

curry

I'm trying oxtail stew in mine today. Haven't got a recipe cos I've just decided to wing it:
Brown oxtail chunks. Put in slow cooker
Chuck in loads of carrots, leek, onion, celery, beer and bay leaf.
Leave to cook.

Chop an onion into large chunks, put on bottom of the slow cooker. Rub some spices of your choice (I use a mixture of paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper, or there are Schwartz spice mixes you can buy) all over a whole chicken, then put it on top of the onions (breast side down). Switch on and cook for 6 hours. Simple but delicious!

Chicken, chorizo and butter bean stew:

6 chicken thighs, bone in, whole
1 chorizo ring chopped into thick slices
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tin butter beans, drained
1 red onion, chopped
1 chicken stock cube crumbled

Cook on high for about 4 hours

Chilli:

2 chopped onions
2 packs of lean mince
2 tins drained kidney beans
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 crumbled beef stock cube
Some dried basil, thyme, chilli powder, garlic, salt and pepper

Cook on Low for about 8 hours.

Love the sound of the macaroni cheese - will try that.

The problem I have is a lot of recipes say cook for 4 hours but I need things that I can leave for 8 hours ideally. I know I could use a timer to switch it on, but I'm worried about leaving raw meat sitting at room temperature for over 4 hours before then cooking it at a very low temperature. Surely this isn't safe?

fairy - have you tried cooking it on low for 8 hours instead of high? or you could do during the evening and reheat the next day.

Lots of the casserole-type things I've done have been four on high, but 8-10 on low. I think it just depends his quickly you need it (I

Sorry-learning how to use the app!

Goulash- brown steak with flour and paprika. Add a beef stock cube made up in as little water as possible and bring to boil. Put in slow cooler along with chopped onions carrot and potato. Add a bay leaf and in of tomatoes (chopped). Cook on low for 8 hours (or start on high then turn down). Serve with sour cream if you like.

dreamingofsun - no, I haven't tried that as most of those types if dishes seem to be for chicken and I didn't want to risk really dry chicken. Maybe I'll give it a go! Or do what you suggest, be a bit more organised and cook it the night before!

For example, that mac cheese recipe says 4 hours (doesn't specify high or low) - I don't think that would take 8 hours to cook?

Probably been mentioned, but a full chicken is delish, the meat is so so soft, it's like butter.

Is there no liquid for the whole chicken? I always think of casserole and the like in a slow cooker. Mine also is a big 6.5l model.

I don't add water to a whole chicken and it comes out lovely and moist - I freeze any liquid and use for stock next time. Sometimes I sprinkle a chicken oxo cube on top.

All the fat oozes out and the chicken cooks in it's own juices.