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Original poster

Slow Cookers - Any Good?

36 replies

gscrym · 05/10/2004 16:57

Are these worth buying? I was considering getting one in an attempt for me and DH to eat a bit better. Does the stuff taste okay after cooking for 8 hours. If yes, it would be great for my dayshifts. At least I'd come home to a proper cooked dinner.

OP posts:

KangaMummy · 05/10/2004 16:59

Yes casserols and stews are brill in them you come home to a wonderful smell and a hot home cooked meal great

colinsmommy · 05/10/2004 17:02

They were a lifesaver back when I was working and going to school part time. It was so nice to come home and be tired, and know that I wasnt going to have to make dinner. There are a surprising number of recipes for them, too.

soapbox · 05/10/2004 17:03

The children's nanny suggested we buy one so that the children had a hot meal to come home to from school that didn;t need cooking from scratch.

I have to admit to thinking it was a bit of a granny thing to have. However, it is absolutely fantastic.

I cook a couple of huge vats of casseroles/chillis/curries/pot roasts etc at the weekend and then freeze into containers. We tehn pop a couple in teh fridgge each morning to defrost and then the nanny heats them in teh micro in the evening.

It really has made a big difference to the type of food they were getting. They used to have a lot of pasta and sauce because it was quick to prepare. However this meant they weren't getting fresh veg very often. Now at least I know that they are getting the veg in teh casserole and the nanny will oftne cook extra.

My hustband loves it too as it means he has proper cooked food everynight...

I bought a couple of nice cookbooks for slow cookers from AMazon. But once you realise not to put too much liquid in, you can easily convert existing recepies!

nutcracker · 05/10/2004 17:06

I love mine. I do casseroles in mine and sometimes a whole chicken.

I love it when i know my tea is all ready for me in the evening.

My mom does a delicous pudding in hers, very calorific though but lovely.

Rowlers · 05/10/2004 17:28

agree totally but also, they cost very little to run - price of a light bulb I believe so if you're also trying to save money, get one.

iota · 05/10/2004 17:41

my mum loves hers, but IIRC you have to brown the food etc and bring it to boiling point before putting it in the cooker to simmer for 8 hours - doesn't this mean that you have to prepare the food in the morning before you go out - I couldn't be bothered with all that - our mornings are fraught enough as it is

soapbox · 05/10/2004 17:46

In theory yes you do brown the meat, however it is only for looks! My family subscribe to the looks don't matter, as long as it tastes good school!

I usually get everything in the pot the night before and then put it in the fridge overnight. I shove the slowcooker on in the morning and just boil whatever liquid is going in (usually chicken stock made with water from the kettle) and shove that in.

The only exception to my not browning things first is if I'm doing sausage casserole - somehow they look particularly pale and flacid if they are not browned first IYKWIM

iota · 05/10/2004 17:49

soapbox - can't agree with you there - browning teh meat and onions changes the flavour and is important - can you tell I'm a big Delia fan?

soapbox · 05/10/2004 21:39

iota - agree with you if we're talking dinner party stle cooking, but for everyday stuff if it tastes good enough, then it'll do.

I too like Delia, but dear me, it takes hours just to brown the meat never mind cook it

MarmaladeSun · 05/10/2004 21:43

I wouldn't be without my slow cooker. It's invaluable IMO. I've done all kinds in it, even jacket potatoes. Bolognaise, chilli, french onion soup, beef in ale, stew, chicken casserole..the list is endless, and great for when DH is home late from work. I also brown the meat before I put it in, but that doesn't take long. I persoanlly like my veggies crunchy, so I usually just put on the steamer, bung in the veggies and hey prsto...hot meal with no hassle. Definately recommend one.

MarmaladeSun · 05/10/2004 21:44

As you can see, it may be all singing and all dancing but it doesn't improve my typing! LOL

nikkim · 05/10/2004 22:35

I love mine, my best kitchen buy. Nothing better than coming home to a hot meal.

nikkim · 05/10/2004 22:36

I also brown sausages or they look like pathetic willies! Although you could buy bigger sauasages so they look like impressive willies!

froot · 05/10/2004 23:20

message withdrawn

Original poster

gscrym · 06/10/2004 07:44

I got one last night, a complete bargain at £19.99+vat. I just need a cookbook now to have a bash at some stuff. DH is going diving tonight so I'll ty to have something cooked and ready for him coming home. Any recipes would be great.

OP posts:

mummysurfer · 06/10/2004 08:08

gscrym, did you not get a recipe booklet with your cooker? if not i can photo copy mine and stick it in with your cards. let me know

Original poster

gscrym · 06/10/2004 08:10

I did but I was looking for more recipes to try. I'm never very good at changing existing recipes so I thought any mumsnet favourites would be a great start. A copy of your booklet would be lovely though.

OP posts:

GeorginaA · 06/10/2004 09:21

Another great kitchen gadget, btw, if you like casseroles is a pressure cooker. A casserole with beautifully tender meat in about 10-15 minutes cooking time. I can thoroughly recommend the Tefal Clypso (sp?) as a really sturdy & safe pressure cooker.

Sorry, veering off topic a bit, I know.

taramac · 06/10/2004 09:24

I was just wondering whether the slow cookers were any good for veggie/ bean stews - as I am a vegetarian. My mum always had one when we were kids and I used to love her beef stews but didn't know if it was still worth it for cooking pulses etc?

soapbox · 06/10/2004 09:34

Taramac - I'm at work today but I can check in my cookery books tonight when I get home. I certainly use tinned beans, chick peas and lentils a lot in my slowcooker and they work well, however I'm not sure whether they work if you cook them from dried!

taramac · 06/10/2004 09:36

That would really be fantastic soapbox - thankyou so much.

taramac · 06/10/2004 09:37

Sorry forgot to say that tinned are fine - use a lot of them as well.

woodpops · 06/10/2004 09:55

There's nothing better than coming home to the smell of a casserole cooking away in the winter. Get in from work on a cold dark night to the lovely smell of a casserole. All you need to add are dumplings!! Yummy

fuzzywuzzy · 06/10/2004 10:15

recipes

fairydust · 06/10/2004 11:45

can you use colmans packets / jars in slow cookers?

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