slow cookers

[Mice!]

Hi there, thinking of getting a slow cooker so I can start doing more in the kitchen. I tend to leave it to the missus because she does it better with less mess so less ear ache for me.

 

Are people using these or is it going to end up another kitchen gimic, can I buy a cheap ish one from Aldi or Argos or do you need to be paying for a better model.

 

I like the idea of sorting tea at dinner then heading out but obviously you want to come home to a nice meal, my kids are great eaters but not sure how soggy mush would go down.

 

Thanks for reading

Mice!

[markm]

Only really use them for meat. A cheap piece of beef cooked all day, then thicken the stock with gravy granules for the last couple of hours.

[Cosd]

Had our one (from Sainsburys) for about 4 years now and is something we do use reasonably regularly. Excellent bit of kit for very little money, and so easy to cook a great meal with.

Fantastic for stews in the winter.

[fortune]

Wife uses ours reasonably often. She puts meat, peas, carrots, sweetcorn, potato in there chopped up with water and granules, various herbs and let's it get on with it.result is a nice stew. if the kids like what you are putting in the slow cooker they will like it. it doesn't make stuff like mush

Edited April 19, 2017 by fortune

[Aled]

I have one, and I can put a curry on slow cook when I leave for work in the morning, and its ready when we get home in the evening. Good for rabbit stew, and cheaper cuts of meat. A friend of mine roasts joints of meat in his. Worth £25 in my opinion.

Cheers

Aled

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, i have been using one for many years all be it a 2 person size, most in winter, most making stews of beef/liver and bacon/ using an oxo cube/ cooking ( beef) over night for when i put in a food flask when i am out on farm. or early morning if i eat in the evening, children were fussy back in the late 1970s 1980s but my sons did enjoy rabbit and pigeon stew unlike pheasant or hare.

Edited April 19, 2017 by oldypigeonpopper

[ips]

No not a gimmick we used ours all the time UNTIL we got a small pressure cooker which is similar but quicker. Either one will be very useful

[Twistedsanity]

Only really use them for meat. A cheap piece of beef cooked all day, then thicken the stock with gravy granules for the last couple of hours.

Put some chopped veg like onion and carrot under the meat then liquidise it with the juices at the end, tastier and healthier than adding gravy granules

[Smokersmith]

We bought one 5 years ago, and we use it!

 

The cheapest one we could find does everything we need (and I normally get "posh" versions).

[Zapp]

I've got a 2 person job and it gets used all the time in winter. Rabbit stew or braised pheasant legs mostly.

[kyska]

I love ours, like Zapp, heavily used in the winter.

[Mice!]

Well sounds like a winner thanks all I'll give one a go

[saddler]

No need to go expensive. They're not high tech.

 

Pre-browning the meat first may be a good idea.

 

Pick up a few dedicated recipe books online for inspiration. Heard of people using them for sweet recipes & breads too.

[wisdom]

Brilliant for stews, currys and slow cooked joints.

[leeds chimp]

Love our slow cooker... Be lost without it

 

Anything from a whole chicken to curry to stew

[30-6]

As said, brilliant for meat. One thing I have learned when using vegetables is the harder the veg the smaller it needs to be cut.

 

Also, stock cubes can improve flavour.

 

If feeding kids when the meat is taken off the bone check a couple of times for the splinter type bones. I use two forms to do this.

 

Edit should read two forks.

Edited April 19, 2017 by 30-6

[saddler]

As said, brilliant for meat. One thing I have learned when using vegetables is the harder the veg the smaller it needs to be cut.

 

Also, stock cubes can improve flavour.

 

If feeding kids when the meat is taken off the bone check a couple of times for the splinter type bones. I use two forms to do this.

 

Edit should read two forks.

Fork handles?

[deadeye18]

Slow cookers are awesome bits of kit,our gets used quite a bit.Nothing better than coming in from the cold to a slow cooked beef stew!

[Lloyd90]

Mine always seems to get a 'crust' or light burn around the edges of whatever's in it.

 

Any idea's why that is gents>?

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Mine always seems to get a 'crust' or light burn around the edges of whatever's in it.

 

Any idea's why that is gents>?

 

Bad seal on your lid

[Fatcatsplat]

You can get a slow cooker or just put a casserole with a lid on in the bottom of the oven on the lowest setting and achieve the same result.

[B391]

one of my favorite recipies is so simple: add the following cold, switch on and eat when you get back.

 

Fillet of pork, sliced into medallions

add chopped potato and carrot

add a good couple of glugs of olive oil

add chopped herbs, usually thyme and rosemary

add copped clove of garlic [optional]

season

shake or tumble stir

 

then serve with salad or on it's own.

[amateur]

...................... or just put a casserole with a lid on in the bottom of the oven on the lowest setting and achieve the same result.

 

and the advantage with using a casserole is that you can fry the vegetables and meat to a nice colour on the top of the stove before the slow cooking, which really improves the flavour of the stew.

[saddler]

 

and the advantage with using a casserole is that you can fry the vegetables and meat to a nice colour on the top of the stove before the slow cooking, which really improves the flavour of the stew.

I do that anyway, for both the slow cooker & pressure cooker.

[FatFreddysCat]

Get one with an "Auto" setting. It gets the contents up to temperature quickly on "high" and then switches over to "Low" for the rest of the time.