Slow cooker recipes that AREN'T stews or casseroles.

[ArtichokeAardvark]

Tell me all your slow cooker secrets.

I'm back at work and really struggling with nursery pick up, bathtime, bedtime and then getting a decent homecooked meal on the table for DH and I each evening. Now I have no pretence at all towards super-clean living and cheerfully serve up pizza and ready meals, but Not. Every. Night. Both DH and I are putting on weight and we feel lethargic from all the junk we're eating.

I've been averse to buying a slow cooker for years as neither of us particularly like stews and/or casseroles (my 'food hell' is the much-exalted meat that falls apart in your mouth) but I'm beginning to think it's the only answer.

Can anyone tell me what else they use their slow cooker for?

Would you consider an instant pot/pressure cooker instead, it's the ultimate one pot cooker in my view, I pretty much cook everything in it

Interesting. I don't really know the difference? I thought an Instant Pot was a slow cooker!

Whole chicken. I remove the skin and put it on a bed of carrot, onion and celery (even better with a splash of white wine), or an Asian theme with lemongrass, chilli, garlic and ginger. It just falls apart and is so juicy. Delicious and I prefer it to roast chicken now.

Jacket potatoes, bolognase, chilli, soups, risotto, curries.... do cook a lot of stews though.

Its good at ham or gammon. I never know what its called. Stick it in with liquid (coke! Or water with an onion. Pot roast beef is nice too.
Would meatballs be too close to stew and ditto curry?
I dont actually get on that well with my slow cooker. Its not slow enough. Everthing seems better at 5 hours so i cant fit in a days work.

Ooh yes, gammon with a tin of peaches or pineapple is great (don't eat the fruit afterwards!).

Curry is good. Also soup.
Have you thought about batch cooking or simply buying lots of chicken fillets and cutting into strips and freezing so you can have a quick stir fry (buy frozen onions and quick chop veg).

@Grasspigeons Curry is a great shout! Hadn't thought of that.

@Allthewhoresofmalta How would you do risotto - doesn't it need stirring? I love risotto but hardly ever make it these days because I don't have 20minutes spare to stand and slowly stir in the stock.

@Chilledout11 I do batch cook, but it means we end up eating the same meals over and over. I also do a lot of stir fries for exactly the reason you give, it's nice and quick. However we're getting fairly sick of them and I'd love to make something each day that would produce leftovers for lunch at work the next day too

@Grasspigeons buy a timer plug. I leave mine plugged in and ready to come on at about 11am which works pretty well. Or you could have it switch off after 5 hours and just reheat when you get home (works best with sear and stew ones which have a metal inner pot that you can stick on the hob).

I bought an instant pot last year and have now got rid of my slow cooker. It cooks a wider variety of stuff (I too am not a massive fan of brown sludge), has a slow cooker mode so can be used that way if you like, and also has a keep warm setting that it automatically moves to when your set time is up. I use it as a pressure cooker to prepare a quick meal far more than as a slow cooker.

Stuff I like to cook includes:

Curries
Whole chicken (so going to try taking the skin off first- how have I never thought of that?!)
Veggies in the bottom with salmon or white fish lying on top (mine came with a little trivet which is really useful)
It's great for rehydrating dried chickpeas quickly
Pasta sauces - apparently you can stick the past in too for a proper one pot dish but haven't tried this

Basically any variation of protein with veggies can be chucked in it and come out fine. The only things I don't do in it are eggs and spuds

@ArtichokeAardvark I recommend joining the fb group Slow Cooked Wonders

I think an instapot or pressure king would be better.

@ArtichokeAardvark

I regularly make a stir-fry, but it's different every time. I use different herbs & spices to make it e.g. Italian, Morrocan, Indian etc. I use whatever veg needs using, vary the stodge between rice, pasta & spuds & it's the simplest, quickest meal ever.

@ArtichokeAardvark you can do risotto in the oven in about the same amount of time as on the stove, no stirring required. Texture is very similar. Just cook your onions, garlic for a few minutes first then add everything else, bung in oven and you’re done.

For example: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2818/ovenbaked-risotto-

For slow cooker, we quite like a Nigella Korean beef and rice thing - you stir in some beansprouts right at the end so it has a bit of crunch to it too. It’s in her Simply Nigella book.

I did a leg of lamb in mine the other night. Just rubbed a lamb stock cube and some mint onto it.

Left it for 4 hours.

It just fell apart. Gorgeous.

Eat well for less lamb chickpea tagine (absolute favourite)
Easy slow cooker chicken curry. Works with chickpeas too
Pulled pork
BBQ ribs
We also do slow cooker whole chicken. Although i cut it up and freeze it for sandwiches/wraps/salads
Bean cassolet (jack Monroe) works in the slow cook.
Bean chilli