Slow cooker

[jenniren]

Recently bought a slow cooker, so far I've just used it to make my usual casserole, but I'm sure there are lots of other things I could do. I'd love to hear your favourite recipes, must add I'm quite lazy so prefer things that need minimal prep.

[miasmum]

I love doing a joint of beef in mine. Put the beef in, about an inch of stock, some onions and carrots a bay leaf and done

[Workingman]

Where to start, Jen, where to start?

My SC has three settings: warm, low and high. I always pre-heat the dry pot on high while doing the prep.

Braised steak. Quarter and slice an onion then soften in a frying pan with a little oil and butter, tip into the pot. Dust the steaks in flour seasoned with salt and pepper and seal on both sides in the frying pan: you might need a few more drops of oil. Layer on top of the onions. Put any remaining flour in the fry pan and then deglaze with a drop of water, tip this slurry in the pot and just cover the steaks with a good stock. Add thyme and a bay leaf if you wish and cook away on low for as long as you like.

Chicken stew. Use leg and thigh quarters and follow the process above, but add two sticks of chopped celery to the onion. I like to add a sprinkle of sage and mixed herbs to the stock, but they are optional. About an hour before the end of cooking throw in some chunky carrots, swede/turnip and baby potatoes for a one-pot feast.

[jenniren]

Thanks for the ideas. Showing my complete ignorance here....thought I needed to completely cover the meat in stock/liquid?

Was thinking of doing a gammon joint in it, usually do it on the hob in a saucepan of water. So do I need to cover it in water like I would on the hob and what about the plastic surround they always tell you to leave on when doing it in a saucepan of water Told you, I'm a complete novice with a slow cooker Oh and mine is huge, it says to always fill at least half way.

[Kaz]

You need much less water than with conventional oven cooking, as it generates, and cooks with, the moisture trapped by the lid.

[miasmum]

Mine isn't huge, its about right for us two and a portion for the freezer. I put gammon in it and like with the beef add about an inch of liquid, cider or coke is my usual.

I dont know about the plastic surround sorry

[Workingman]

Jen, I think the half way thing means the whole ingredients, not fluid, but most of us do not bother - we go freelance.

One thing you should try is a whole chicken. Season it with salt, pepper and herbs inside and out then place it in the pot on a trivet, scrunched up foil or anything to keep it out of the accumulated juices - 5 hours or so. The juices are liquid gold and I freeze them in portions for other meals.

[Diflower]

Jen I've no idea why the instructions always say that about the liquid, it's usually far too much.
Cubed beef or pork, tossed in a little flour mixed with ground ginger, makes a nice starting point for a casserole.
You tend to need quite a lot of flavouring to get the best results.
Re gammon, yes leave it on as you would normally, and agree with mm, an inch or so of liquid is fine

[JoM]

I don't add any liquid when cooking a gammon joint (which we have often) and it always cooks to perfection.

I'm new to slow cooking, I got mine around this time last year and wouldn't be without it. In fact I got one for Tom too after he'd been impressed with mine and he uses it often at uni.

[Workingman]

One great things I love about my SC is that is the easiest and definitely the cheapest way of doing batch meals for the freezer. Things such as chilli con carne, spagbol, goulasch, Indian curries, stews and the likes can just be thrown in and left to cook away.

Cheap cuts of beef like shin or skirt make for fabulous curries, goulasch and stews.