Slow cooker recipes with no browning/pre-prep for Student

[BrendaSmith56]

DS about to move into a flat for his second year of university. His main meal every evening was provided for him in the first year so he only had to make lunches and snacks.

Have got him a small slow cooker but I know he won't bother with it if it takes much effort and will just stick a cheap pizza in the oven instead.

When I use my slow cooker for chilli or a casserole I always brown the meat and onions and add the whole lot to the slow cooker already hot so it doesn't have to heat the liquid up from cold.

Can you just throw it all in cold and how much will the flavour be affected by not frying first?

Thanks for any advice.

I've never browned first!

Oh really? That sounds promising. Do you put the liquid in cold? @Toomanycats99

Yes. Just stick it all in! Some people say it makes onions taste funny not to pre cook but I don't notice. I guess sausages may be better as well. The thing is I got slow cooker to make life easier so I cannot be faded with pre cooking. But then I'm also a just bung everything in for as long as it is until dinner rather than measuring and timing!

Apologies for the auto correct spelling.

I find onions are too oniony if I don't brown. So maybe just leave them out.

I don't usually brown meat (except sausages), just add longer to cooking time. I suppose the flavours might not be as good but I don't have time to do that before work and it all tastes ok.

I'd just leave him to it tbh

Thanks all! I do generally leave him to it but like to feel I have given him some useful pointers 😂

Chicken won't need browning. So he could chuck a chicken breast in with tin of tomatoes, veg (pepper, onion, courgette) some paprika, chilli, garlic powder and have it with microwave rice? Or do a couple of chicken breasts and reheat the next night with a jacket potato 🥔

Might need more liquid though so he could fill the empty tomato tin with boiling water and chicken stock cube then put that in

I wouldn't put cold stock in. It doesn't take a moment to boil a kettle though!

If you make a chilli or bolognese tell him to buy mince with a fat content of less than 5% as you won't need to fry off the fat. I still do but have very little to drain away

I never brown anything, I don't use mince though so that's a good tip from PP about buying low fat stuff.

Chicken thighs are better than chicken breasts for slow cooking, and they're cheaper 👍 can just stick them in whole and then shred them up and debone once they're cooked.

Thanks... going to practice during the summer!