Recently got a nice big, 6.5ltr slow cooker. Done the the standard stew type stuff. Plenty of veg, braising stake, pearl barley, some sort of stock, cook for 6/7 hours – serve with some nice bread. I’m sure I could be far more adventurous.

I know there are plenty of ideas on-line, just interested to see what people use them for. So please, share your slow-cook recipes.

We use it for taking up space in the cupboard. Very good at that.

Don’t you have to cook the meat first in a pan or grill to make sure it doesn’t turn into mushy grey slop?

We use it for taking up space in the cupboard. Very good at that.

Hmmm. yes, there is that. That’s what I’m hoping to avoid by trying out different stuff. The cupboard space is currently being occupied by the food processer and surface space by the George Foreman grill.

Always been ok just putting the steak straight in. I konw some people like to brown it first.

We use ours at least once a week, some times more.

This has to be one of the nicest lamb curries I’ve ever had !

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/20346/slow+cooked+lamb+curry

Try this one Jon. I did it on Sunday in the slow cooker. Bloody gorgeous!
Braised Beef Goulash with Smoked Pimenton

But, this is worth investing in, for the princely sum of £3.50. Some really good recipes in there

200 slow cooker recipes

There are few things better than arriving home after a day at work, and as you walk into the house smelling something delicious that’s been cooking for 8 hours 🙂

or why not get

another 200

i’ve never browned the meat before putting it in and always works out fine.

*bookmarks thread* 🙂

cheers binners, I may try the Goulash this weekend. Was actually looking at that book in Waterstones over the weekend. I may bite the bullet and raid the piggy bank.

I use mine 3/4 times a week. You can make a huge variety of meals by varying the sauce & spice mix. My standards: lamb tagine, all kinds of curries, sausage casserole, beef bourguignon.

I find that recipes resulting in a highly flavoured thick sauce work a lot better – weaker, thin sauces done in the slow cooker are always a bit disappointing. Use the absolute minimum of water/liquid, because it can’t reduce – although you can stir in cornflour (or arrowroot if on iDave) at the end to thicken. Things like chopped tomatoes, finely chopped onions & finely grated carrot are good for making a thicker sauce. Red lentils are also great to add as they soak up a lot of liquid.

edit: forgot the “primal” BBQ spare ribs I did last week. They were AMAZING. The meat was literally falling off the bones as I was taking them out of the slow cooker, it was that tender!!

MMmm was browsing slow cookers in Lakeland the other day .. I know 😉 … and am, I confess rather tempted to get one. So do I get the 1.5 ltr or just dive straight in for the big 3.5ltr one?

Coq au vin, daube of beef, Andalusian tripe, pork belly, brisket,Pork cheeks cooked in a mirepoix and cider/apple juice, any cuts that take a bit of cooking, lamb belly cooked and then pressed and cut into thick rashers.

Slow cooked beef madras… awesome.

I just follow my regular beef madras recipe and once the ingredients are up to temp in the pan replace cook for x mins in the pan for cook for y hours on low in the slow cooker.

y = a bit of hit & miss depending on how much food in in slow cooker, how big the slow cooker is & how damn hungry you are with the awesome smell of beef madras wafting through the house

OH picked up a slow cooker the other day which we’ve yet to use. Any newbie tips would be appreciated, I’ve never used one. The “doesn’t reduce” thing is good to know for a start, ta.

Trying to think of low maintenance / effort stuff. Eg, I was wondering if something like “bag of diced root veg + stock + slow cooker = soup” might work.

So do I get the 1.5 ltr or just dive straight in for the big 3.5ltr one?

Depends how many people you are cooking for, and how many extra portions you want! I always do enough to fill up a couple of tubs that I freeze and then use for lunches during the week so I went for a bigger one. If you leave it on all day the size is irrelevant to the cooking time really.

Eg, I was wondering if something like “bag of diced root veg + stock + slow cooker = soup” might work.

Yes, it would work, but I find stuff done this way can be quite bland. The reason people fry off meat (especially beef) is because it caramelises the outside which enhances the flavour. This is also true with onions – they taste 100% more awesome if fried off first. I would always go for stronger flavours (spices/herbs/etc) and thicker sauces in the slow cooker. Personal taste, of course!

Another personal slow cooker favourite

pork and cider hot pot

I find it homogenises the flavours quite a bit. So root veg and meat just ends up tasting like bland sludge. It loses a lot of the individual flavours and textures.

Some stuff that calls for being properly stewed in would be ok, with strong flavours, like curries etc.

What slow cookers are people using – my Breville – 6.5 litre jobbie doesn’t seem slow enough and boils off all the liquid

I wouldn’t trust it at all by leaving it on all day, to return home to an ediable meal

I have a 3.5 L Morphy Richards one. Think it was reduced to about £20 in Dunelm Mill when we got it before Christmas. Does the job very nicely! Has 3 settings, the low one is fine to leave on all day.

Depends how many people you are cooking for, and how many extra portions you want!

Ta, was just wondering if there was a good reason to get the smaller one, other than it takes up less space … being also of the ‘cook up, pot up and eat through the week persuasion’, I can see that big makes sense. 🙂

Are you sure that it’s a 6.5 litre slow cooker? I have a 3.5 ltr one and that makes a lot of food. Are you feeding a scout troop.

I have to say I prefer these days to pre-brown meet.

I have found that adding fried onions seems to give a little thickening effect. I think a book is definitely worth getting as I’d have never thought of using mine for puddings. Does amazing rice pud (though with virtually no skin as you really need the heat and the open top in an oven to caramelise the butter/sugars. Even so it is mighty delicious.

As above got the Morphy Richards one 3.5 litre about £25 although it didn’t come with Veg !

I’ve the same MR 3.5l one, and concour everything above. Although I find it’s quite slow, insulating it by wrapping an oven glove arround it seems to trap a bit more heat in. Wouldn’t bother with soup, thats quicker and easier on the stove. It excells at stuff that likes to cook for ages, stew, curry, chilli etc. Tempted to try Pate in mine as I’ve still about 4kg of liver to use in the freezer.

I’m getting the distinct impression that they’re not particularly the weapon of choice for veggie food? Is that a fair assessment?

Veggie food? oxymoron? 😉

I reckon it’d be a bit pointless for veg. It excels at geting meat really tender. Veg on its own just falls apart

I keep meaning to try steamed suet peppered steak puddings. I’ve heard they’re great for those

Oi! :-p

It would work well for beany things, but beware using dried beans as they don’t get hot enough to kill off all the toxins. You’d have to flash boil the beans first.

@cougar

No they are good for artichokes, salsify, laver bread, anything that takes a bit of cooking a a low temperature, also good for making ricotta if you have extra milk to use up.

they don’t get hot enough to kill off all the toxins

Ooh, good point well made. I knew that, but whether it would’ve actually occurred to me at the time or not is another matter. (-:

Would something like Quorn chunks survive, I wonder?

but beware using dried beans

+1
I always used canned beans because I’m lazy! Dried lentils are OK though.

Am I the only one who can’t see the point of slow cookers? MTFU and get a pressure cooker.. holds more, does the same job in about 30 mins, plus makes dangerous sounding noises, and p*sses out steam… way more fun?!

Well for one thing you have to wait 30 mins after you get home before you can eat. For another your dinner will taste like crap. 😆

Asda have the Morphy Richards at £17 at the moment.

Curries etc are awesome in pressure cookers.. admittedly if you try pressure cooking a chicken breast it’ll dry out but it’s almost impossible to mess up a meal in a pressure cooker unless you somehow let it boil dry. Will make pretty much any meat tender in minutes, same effect as if you’ve been slow cooking it for several hours.

My inlaws bought us one to much ceremony.
Despite my missus’ protests , I delight in telling them we’ve only used it a few times and that it spends most of it’s time gathering dust.
My mam used to use a pressure cooker with a broken lid – on low.
tastes the same.

For veggies
We tend to go for curries, although I find it quite difficult getting a rich thick sauce. They are often watery.

Rice Pudding (not any easier than an oven, but I wouldn’t feel safe leaving a gas oven on while out).

Any one used a wonderbag? I like the idea…

Loads of ideas here…on this previous thread

anyone tried to do a decent chilli i always end up with a cooker full of of wet hot mince

it’s almost impossible to mess up a meal in a pressure cooker unless you somehow let it boil dry

*holds hand up sheepishly*