Crock Pot.

[domtyler]

Have wanted a decent slow cooker for ages and finally found a decent one at the weekend. Bought some nice stewing steak and veggies and the missus made a fantastic Boeuf Bourguignon last night. Really rich and tasty and the meat was just falling apart.

Anyone got any good hints, tips, tricks for using them?

 

[Arch]

Yeah, we had one when I was at home still, now my Mum has a little two portion one - one portion for dinner one day, with potatoes and veg and that, one the next day reheated with rice, or pasta...

Can't think of any tips specifically. We had two main recipes we used it for, a beef casserole and a pork and lentil casserole - pork belly slices (cheap!) cut up into chunks, onion, carrot, and red lentils.

 

[mr Mag00]

oh god my mouth is watering. no tips as such, just make sure enough liquid, but it always seems to come out great.

 

[domtyler]

Does what you put in have to be wet or can you just stick, say a whole chicken or side of beef or belly of pork in there and leave it to cook?

Oh god, I have dribble running down my chin!

 

[Keith Oates]

You're not alone with the dribbling, Dom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[beanzontoast]

They must have improved a lot over the years. Maybe we should give one another try?

We bought one when we were first married (25+ years ago) and excitedly set it up before we went to work as we weren't back in the house until 7.00pm.

Comes 7.00pm - potatoes with hard centres, sliced carrots as hard as 50 pence pieces, meat looking decidedly pink outside/still red inside...

Fish and chips to the rescue!

 

[Arch]

Does what you put in have to be wet or can you just stick, say a whole chicken or side of beef or belly of pork in there and leave it to cook?

Oh god, I have dribble running down my chin!

I think you need some moisture, otherwise it's just a very low heat oven and will probably dry things out over a long time... Also, it might damage the pot itself? Like letting a saucepan run dry?

And the point of slow cooking (as with any casseroling), I think, is to deal with the cheaper tougher cuts of meat. So using it to roast something would be, like Uncle Mort says, like trying to use it as a toaster or something it's not designed for...

 

[Fab Foodie]

Have wanted a decent slow cooker for ages and finally found a decent one at the weekend. Bought some nice stewing steak and veggies and the missus made a fantastic Boeuf Bourguignon last night. Really rich and tasty and the meat was just falling apart.

Anyone got any good hints, tips, tricks for using them?

These are the first signs of senility. Have you felt the urge to buy any beige slacks yet dom?

 

[domtyler]

These are the first signs of senility. Have you felt the urge to buy any beige slacks yet dom?

 

[Fab Foodie]

Sympathies to your family...

 

[Joe24]

We have one, not had it for long. Parents had a small one when they first got married. Kept going on about how nice the meat was and stuff. Finally got one. Only done chicken in it at the moment. First time was chicken with chicken soup with water added to make it enough. Then we used condensed soup and was much tastier. Browned the chicken first. Beutiful. Cant wait till we put some beef in

 

[Arch]

They must have improved a lot over the years. Maybe we should give one another try?

We bought one when we were first married (25+ years ago) and excitedly set it up before we went to work as we weren't back in the house until 7.00pm.

Comes 7.00pm - potatoes with hard centres, sliced carrots as hard as 50 pence pieces, meat looking decidedly pink outside/still red inside...

Fish and chips to the rescue!

You did switch it on?

We had ours... oh god, yes, at least 25 years go, and never had a problem, maybe yours was faulty...

 

[Arch]

That might be it, ours was a two-setting model I remember... Dad (he did the cooking) would brown the meat, add in onions and veg, give it a quick stir about, then pour on hot stock and in the pot it went on high for 15 minutes or something, then low all day...

Of course one can do similar with no electricity, with a haybox

 

[domtyler]

Of course one can do similar with no electricity, with a haybox

Uh oh, here comes the hippy stuff!

 

[Absinthe Minded]

Does what you put in have to be wet or can you just stick, say a whole chicken or side of beef or belly of pork in there and leave it to cook?

Oh god, I have dribble running down my chin!

Dom,

You can whack a whole chicken in there, I usually chop a couple of onions and stick them on the bottom of the cooker first. Then stick the chicken in and give it about 5-6 hours. No liquid required.

I found a good website with slow cooker recipes so I'll dig it out for you.