Slow Cooker Recipies

[Green Aura]

The only thing I'd be worried about would be chicken really. Why not put it on the night before then you'd have something good to take to work as well!

[Cassiepod]

Zoe, I'm out from about 7am til 6pm most days and things that i've put in are fine in over that time, I always put it on low for that length of time. I've often chucked the ingredients in without any browning etc, it doen't make too much difference, but I also quite enjoy doing abit of cooking/browning very quickly before I head out and knowing what I have to come home to. the benefits outweigh the delay in setting out for me.

[wulf]

I'm nervous about the idea of putting cold stuff in the slow cooker - it spends too long at lukewarm from cold. If I was going to use a timer, I'd be more inclined to put it in hot and then use a timer to turn the slow cooker off. What I wanted could then be reheated and the rest could be stored for later reheating.

Wulf

[zaxdog]

I just bunged a chicken carcass from the fridge, root veg, bay leaves etc in mine for stock! Happily simmering away!

[julie_lanteri]

I made some butternut squash, apricots and almonds chutney. not a put-everything-in-and-go-to-work kind of thing as it takes AGES to cut everything in little bits, but it's another option! (pics and recipe on blog)

[cafe_tom]

Ok, I generally cook for one; me, how practical is a slow cooker going to be? Am I going to be making double portions and freezing half of it or having the same meal for two days?
Can anyone recommend a good but economically priced item for me? I see Argos have got this cookworks one on half price so any thoughts?
Thanks
T

[Green Aura]

You can get much smaller ones than that Tom - even cooking double rations would barely fill the bottom of a 6 and a bit litre slow cooker. If you want to make loads and freeze portions it would be OK though.

I spotted this on fleabay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MORPHY-Richards-4 ... 3a5e0c9e0d - but there'll be others around

[cafe_tom]

Thanks GA, I'll carry on looking.

[ina]

And are there any mini slow cookers, for one person? That's my main reason for not having one...

I can imagine that good traditional Scottish stovies are ideal to cook in a slow cooker. Mostly tatties, onions, some fat and meat leftovers and very little water, cooked slowly for a very long time. (I help myself with a small heavy bottomed pan on the very lowest setting. Probably not quite slow enough.)

[Green Aura]

The smallest I've seen is 1.5litres, which I think would be perfect for a couple of portions.

I don't know if they still make them like this but if you do buy one make sure it has a removable inner bowl for washing. We had a Tower one, many years ago, which didn't, so the whole thing had to go into the sink and you had to carefully wash it making sure you didn't get water in the kettle lead hole Nightmare - we rarely used it and needless to say it went in the bin!

[Jerseymum]

We currently own a massive SC as we make tonnes and freeze remains for future reference. I am, now, considering buying a tiny one just for porridge recipe as I am loving the extra time in bed, plus the smell of cinnamon and apple porridge wafting up the stairs from 5am onwards. Unfortunately, the surface area of porridge exposed makes it a bit of a hit and miss recipe and we have had cinnamon and apple wallpaper paste twice this week.
Sarah

[Milims]

I second the small slow coker for porridge - it's lovely to know that the kids can just help themselves to something warm and filling in the mornings - then the chickens get their share and so do me and the cats! A small one is also really good for making stock in. Also if I'm doing a big breakfast I put the SC on to warm so that if something cooks before another - eg bacon before sausage - I can just pop it in to keep warm. We did this at new year with both slow cookers - it worked out like one of those warming hostess trolleys and everyone could just help themselves to what they wanted.

[Thomzo]

Oh what lovely ideas. I guess I can pop stuff in the microwave to warm it up before putting it in the SC. I love the idea of porridge overnight. Fab.

I tend to cook for 6 and freeze 5 portions to reheat later and the SC would be ideal for this.

Zoe

[ajs88]

These recipes sound wonderful.

I'd love a slow cooker too but, as I leave for work at 7am, I don't get any time to do the preparation in the morning. All the recipes I've seen say to brown the meat etc before putting it in the SC. Do you think it would be ok to prepare everything the night before, store it in the fridge overnight and then pop it in the SC in the morning? Or does meat need to be brought to temperature first before putting it in?

Also, I did borrow one for a while but found that the food was a bit overcooked by the time I got home (most recipes say 8 hours max but I'm out for at least 11). Is there a way around this? Are there slow cookers with a timer on perhaps?


Thanks
Zoe

You could try a pressure cooker instead, as it is almost the opposite of a SC as it make the same things but very quickly instead of very slowly. I was thinking of getting a SC but after seeing this comparasion http://angalmond.blogspot.com/2010/10/faq.html I'm now thinking I'd rather get a PC. Does anyone know if there as eco?

[Jerseymum]

Eco or not I don't know, but the SC beats the PC in a household with three small kids. I also have a memory of my nana's PC boiling everything to death lol
Sarah