Converting a normal casserole recipe for the slow cooker - any tips?

[ElizabethVonArnim]

Got to feed ten adults and four children this evening. Doing a chicken casserole and jacket potatoes because we'll be out most of the afternoon. It has struck me that there's time to put it in the slow cooker before we go out, but I haven't used it for years so haven't got the knack of it.

I've read that food can be a bit bland in the slow cooker, and that it can be a bit watery if you get the quantities wrong.

Can anyone give me any tips, or is is just a case of doing what I'd normally do for the oven?

Thanks

you must have a HUGE slow cooker!

i prefer to not do chicken in slow cooker but if you do…. best to do medium heat for considerably shorter than you would red meat

what had been your plan?

i think stick to that given so last minute

Agree with this! Chicken cooked in a slow cooker for too long tastes greasy. I usually do an hour on high heat and then about 2 hours on low heat. Definitely not the 6 - 8 hours many recipes recommend. (Long times great for beef & lamb though).

I'd also watch the liquid - especially if you have a lot of root vegetables- you will probably need to reduce it.

If it's only going to be a couple of hours it's not that different from the oven - probably not worth changing the plan. Might just use the slow cooker to keep it warm once it's ready.

how big is your slow cooker?

Pretty big - I can't remember exactly but it's a big crockpot, I would say about 4.5-5 litres.

Sorry, I meant to say, thank you - all the advice is really helpful.

and you haven’t used it for years? must take up quite a lot of space!

wouldn’t be big enough for 14 people op anyway

Much, much less liquid than you think you need - barely cover it.

I don’t usually go to the faff of browning things before I put them in the slow cooker but I do if I have time with chicken otherwise I find it’s the worst for having the ‘slow cooker taste’ - can’t define that but it’s definitely a thing!

5 ltr is for about 6 at most

chicken is a bit… insipid in the slow cooker isn’t it?!

I actually think slow cooked chicken is fine. It's not insipid or greasy if you don't overcook it. I often do a tikka masala but only cook it for about 2 hours. It's a very lazy way to batch cook some freezer dinners.

I think I must have underestimated the size of it. In the end, I made two le creuset medium casseroles, fitted them both into the slow cooker to keep warm and it worked really well from that point of view. It was plenty of food, but the numbers ended up a bit different. Having the slow cooker meant we could use the oven for crumble so it was a win all round.

Thanks everyone - feel like the hive mind put me on the right path.

Sounds lovely! I do think slow cookers are very handy when cooking for a crowd. Especially when timings can change at the last minute - it's so useful to be able to keep stuff warm.