Slow cooker timings - if you are out all day

[TrillianAstra]

Yes, I know, another slow cooker thread, but you are all so wise and knowledgeable that I can't possibly buy one without your help.

Right, grovelling over.

What I want to know is, if I am out all day (say 11 hrs from turning on slow cooker to wanting to eat the food) what do I do?

• Do I put it on high?
• Do I put it on low?
• Do I need to buy a fancy one that has an 'auto' setting?
• Do I attach it to a plug thingy to switch it on high after a few hours? (like the burglar-deterrant things that turn the lights on and off while you are on holiday).

What do I do?

So low all day will get things hot enough to cook? It's not going to be (stupid question) too low?

The low setting is fine, plenty hot enough to cook. The high setting sometimes makes the liquids boil so might burn or dry out if left 11 hours.

It will be piping hot - dont worry about that.

Only thing is, 11 hours might be a bit long for some things - I did a curry in mine a while ago, cooked on low, but was only supposed to cook for 4-6 hours, I ended up cooking it for 9 . It was actually burnt. And not very nice.

Thanks for the advice!

If I turn it on just before I leave for work at 8.30ish, I could get DP to turn it off when he gets home at 6ish, what's that? 9 1/2 hrs minimum. Maybe a plug doodah would be a good idea as well.

No need for that doodah.
I will put in a cassarole/soup which is turned off whenever I get to it. Sometimes 6 hours, sometimes 12 hours. It's always fine. Just relax woman and let the machine do it's magic.

But geordiemix just told me hers got burnt Goober! Who should I believe?

So we're saying I don't need a special setting, just a high and a low, does that mean that I can just get a cheapo one and it'll be perfectly good, no need for a brand name?

Caserol things that I have cooked have been fine for 10+ hours, was just the curry that burnt for some reason - I used leg meat, so probably reason why.

Things like soup etc will be cool.

I got a Rachel Allen one from Argos, reduced from £40 to £13 - its huge - 6.5litre I think?

A curry might have had a high sugar content, so a higher temperature? Maybe.
I have never had this problem.

OK, so first buy a cheapo slow cooker, then buy a timer only if things burn from being on all day. Got it.

I have this one. Have had other more expensive ones in the past but this one does everything I need it to.

Oooh, a nice small one, lovely!

Have ordered it - it's coming tomorrow. Plan to cook a chicken in it on Sunday...