139 replies to this topic

[Duncan]

So, I got a slo-cooker for my birthday. So far, I've used it to make two beef based recipies, steak and ale, and beef bourginonoununun, or however you spell it. 8 hours to make each one, but the beef is so juicy and tender, it was the talk of the town last week!

HOWEVER, there must be other recipes out there work having a go. have heard that there are some good pear recipes out there, so any other owners out there care to share their secrets?

Cheers!

[Scribblor]

Is it worth getting a slow cooker? Tescos are doing them for a tenner this week, or a branded one for £30. I suspect at that price they're probably shit?

[Skykid]

There's quite a few threads already (I guess they tend to appear periodically in the winter?)- search this forum for 'slow cooker'. I guess they ought to be merged, really.

Slow cookers don't need to be expensive to be worthwhile. I said in one of the other threads that mine was sub £15, and it works well.

[jimmbob]

They are awesome, we use ours all the time. Chuck all your ingredients in before work, stick it on the low setting, and come home to NOM NOM Stew, NOMMERS Curry, or OMNOMNOMNUM Chilli.

[Duncan]

Does it matter if it goes over by a couple of hours, then? that's what's slightly put me off doing a morning setup and coming home, as I will more than likely be more than 8 hours away from home.

[jimmbob]

I have left mine on all day/overnight before with no problems. Just make sure it's the lowest setting. Obviously meat gets more tender the longer it's left, but 8 to 10 hours is absolutely fine in my experience. Just make sure whatever you are leaving in the slow cooker is wet enough as to not burn. Things like stews, casseroles etc.

[redbloodcel]

Anyone have an idea what the power consumption on one is? I love stuff like that but don't want to rinse the electric bill.

[Foxworth]

Is it worth getting a slow cooker? Tescos are doing them for a tenner this week, or a branded one for £30. I suspect at that price they're probably shit?

We have that £10 one. It works just fine. I have made casseroles in it. Spag bol is very tasty too and all you have to do when yu get home is cook some spaghetti and its ready. Simple to prepare in the morning too.

[jimmbob]

Anyone have an idea what the power consumption on one is? I love stuff like that but don't want to rinse the electric bill.

I don't know exact figures but they don't burn with the heat of a thousand suns, it's a very gentle warming, no different to leaving your hob on it's lowest possible setting.

[Bruciebabie]

Obviously they use very little power.
You don't need to follow recipes, just throw what you have in and leave it all day.
The amount of time you cook for is not critical.
Some have removable crocks, some don't. Obviously the former is better.
Sometimes I start off blasting the crock full of food in the microwave first, to speed the whole process up.
Some slow cookers have an automatic function where they start on a higher heat then change down to a lower heat once the food is all hot.

Slow cookers are brilliant when cooking for one. Make the same dish last several days, adding ingredients and spices as you go along so each meal is different. Put the crock in the fridge overnight.

[Mr Majestyk]

Sausage + onion + tomato + frozen mixed veg + gravy = awesome casserole. total prep time about 2 mins in the morning (if you use those bags of diced onion that Asda sell).

Daves insanity sauce will make it more interesting too

[redbloodcel]

I didn't think they would, but there was a notion in my mind that they might be deceptive.

Might pick up that Tesco one then, for a tenner it'd be rude not to

[Disciple]

I'm gonna get on this. I've got many spare cans of tinned tomatos, and I'm gonna hook myself up with a load of lean casserole steak! Omnomnom. Add a few other bits and it should be easy peasy guvnor!

[WesT]

There seems to have been a real slow cooker revival over the last 1-2 years. So much so ive noticed the price of 'cheap' cuts of meat increasing rapidly.

Not suprised though as there's nothing better than soft, tender slow cooked beef or lamb IMO.

Having said that, mostly use mine for vegetarian fat free recipes, curries, chillies, morrocan vegetables etc.

[Bruciebabie]

One strange effect of slow cooking is that meats often cook more quickly than vegetables. The reverse of fast cooking.

Some recommend that you briefly fry meat before putting it in the slow cooker to seal in the juices and add flavour.

[Sir Horribleman]

Is it worth getting a slow cooker? Tescos are doing them for a tenner this week, or a branded one for £30. I suspect at that price they're probably shit?

They're fine. All they do is heat up with a thermostat.

[Scribblor]

I bought one!

Now to cook something in it.

[Mortis]

Cheers for the £10 Tesco's recommendation made Pork in an orange and star anise sauce in it today and it was superb - meat was falling apart when you poked it with a fork.

[lilliputty]

I bought one last year and although I agree that the meat is cooked to perfection, I have a big problem with how liquid everything stays. Even if I put a very small amount of liquid in, none of it evaporate or condenses so all my stews come out very runny.

Am I doing something wrong?

[Mortis]

I generally use just enough liquid to cover the meat you can also make a paste with some cornflour and water and add it in about 30 mins from the end of cooking to thicken the sauce a little.

[Duncan]

yeah, cornflour or flour of some kind.

We tried pears in red wine last week. Pro tip, if you're going to dilute the wine with water to cover, remember to properly boil after cooking it so that it gains some kind of thickness before pourig on top of the pears :|

[BossSaru]

I generally whack the slow cooker on high and remove the cover for half an hour at the end. It helps reduce down the liquid somewhat.

[Disciple]

Well I made some delicious beef stew! It was effectively with lots of left over bits as well as stuff I'd bought.

About 900g lean beef stewing steak
2x cans chopped tomatos
1/3 bottle of left over red wine
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
12 or so whole shallots, peeled
4 sticks celery, chopped
2 med/large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes
Smallish pack of medium sized mushrooms, skin and stalk removed, quartered
Good dousing of Tobasco
Thyme
Salt
Pepper
1/3 tube tomato puree
Drizzling of olive oil (over veg in cooker)

Browned off the meat in olive oil, added everything (except potatoes) to the slow cooker, whacked on Auto, went to the gym.

Came back and it was cooking but a bit watery. I left it for another hour on low. Still too watery.
So I peeled and chopped up 2 med/large sweet potatoes and added them to the mix. Left the top off for a bit. It reduced down and the potatoes added a good bit of thickening.

= Lovely! Very impressed, I've had it over the last 2 days and there's still a fair bit left too. Girlfriend also liked it, housemates all saying "that smells lovely". They didn't get any they're too messy and steal my milk. Regardless they had loads of my choc stuff at the weekend!

You really can't get it wrong, bit watery or needing some punch, just add some bits and see how it goes

[ravon]

made some bbq ribs at the weekend following this recipe

* 4 pounds pork baby back ribs
* salt and pepper to taste
* 2 cups ketchup
* 1 cup chili sauce
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 4 tablespoons vinegar
* 2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
* 1 dash hot sauce

turned out quite nice, with winter time looming the slowcooker is getting a bashing.. i would like a really good curry recipe

[Wickedkitten]

I bought one last year and although I agree that the meat is cooked to perfection, I have a big problem with how liquid everything stays. Even if I put a very small amount of liquid in, none of it evaporate or condenses so all my stews come out very runny.

Am I doing something wrong?

If I am doing a stew, I always season and dredge the meat in flour then brown it before I add it to the slow cooker and the flour from that tends to thicken the stew up nicely.

[FuntimeDave]

Lamb Shanks in a slow cooker is all kinds of awesome.

[Wickedkitten]

I've got some beef skirt with veg, herbs, and port in mine at the moment. The slow cooker is definitely my favourite kitchen gadget after the handblender.

[bobandy]

I've got some nice lamb scrag end, onion, fennel, carrot and rosemary in mine. Once it's cooked I'll strain everything, remove bones, reduce the stock down and thicken, pop it in an oven-proof dish, top with sliced potatoes and have a nice lamb hotpot

I find that the amount of water you need to put in to cover the meat often means a runny stew, so I strain it and reduce it down and thicken. Or if I can't be bothered to do that I'll make up a roux and stir that in about 30 mins from the end of cooking time.

[Disciple]

Well I've bashed in a good half a bottle of wine 3x cans of tomatoes, veg, rosemary, garlic, and seasoning + includes a dash of tobasco to give it a bit of a nip. Dead easy, tastes superrrrb

[WesT]

How long are you cooking it for? half a bottle of red wine would take a while to cook off the alcahol, especially with the lid on as Id imagine its not evaperating. guess thats more of a question, rather than advice? anyone up on the scientifics?