Slow Cooker advice - Cuisinart

[ElmaH]

Have a new sc - can I put the pot directly on the gas hob to brown onions, meat etc? I know you can w Crockpot but I've got a 4l Cuisinart one. Also my spag bol came out funny - lovely flavour but the meat tasted a bit grainy/ gritty almost but also it was quite greasy . Did i do something wrong (500g lean mince, liquid was 1 tin of toms, cooked on high for 2hrs then on low for 5)? tia

I would check your cooker instructions, I have a crock pot but cannot brown with it on the hob. I never brown my meat first anyway, so to me that part didn't matter.

With spag bol, which I have done, to me made no difference to the flavour/texture than chucking it in a pan for 30 mins on the hob, so I've never done it again.

but

maybe fry the meat in a different pan so you don't end up adding the meat fats to the dish?

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm worried that might reduce the flavour but worth a try...