Slow cooker recipes and tips

[Brains]

Does anyone use a slow cooker or meal maker at all ??

This is our brand new one



Its a 6.5 litre one

Does anyone know if I could put a stew on over night in it on low at all

[fred]

not used one of them but do a lot of slow cooking on oily

[Brains]

The low temp is between 70 to 100 degree C

It didn't come with any recipes or ought but for £15 I can't complain
I was just trying to work out if I could stick a stew on low over night

[fred]

should be able to.  I've been known to make a stew or soup or lobscouse and keep it on top of the oil stove for three days, eating some each day.  gets nicer as time goes on.  hint- bring to the boil on the stove first and then transfer to the slow cooker.

[Brains]

Cheers Fred - have been assured by someones missus on CC that it is possible as long as I brown the meat first

Why am I so flipping scared of doing it then

[fred]

as long as I brown the meat first

not essential buy any means but it adds flavour.  I do it 50/50 with or without


btw I've been told that if it's too cool it could go mouldy after three days,  never encountered that though.

[Lisa]

Personally i wouldn't leave it over night just incase it boiled dry.

What I do, is (first thing in the morning) brown some meat, add onions cook a little more then add all the other veg and enough water to completely cover. Season and bring to the boil with the lid on. Then i turn it right down take the lid off and leave it simmer for ages, checking it occasionally and adding a splash more water if it cooks down too much (though generally it is fine). It's normally cooking for a good few hours.

[fred]

probably more risk of having it too wet as the evaporation is minimal wih the lid on

[Lisa]

thats why i take the lid off after boiling

[Brains]

I've got a stew on but on the lowest heat
I like runnier stews so its got plenty of stock in it
So I doubt it will boil dry 

But I am still uneasy about doing it overnight but been assured it
is perfectly safe to to on lowest heat 

So why am I freaking out now 
We have plenty of smoke alarms fitted and working just in case 

[Spite]

  A proper Bolognese sauce, Sicily style, is the best slow cooker recipe I know of. Remember, two types of meat, preferably beef and pork, (Or Veal) and a bit of pancetta, (Or smokey Bacon, at a pinch.) and a bit of finely diced carrot and celery.  Takes at least eleven hours to cook in a normal pan, but by God, it's worth it.

  EDIT brown your beef, first, and try to get pork on the bone, and let it simmer.

[Brains]

Well haven't burned the house down lol
Needs bit more cooking so have turned it up now I am up lol

[Taf]

The most important thing is the seal. If steam gets out it's crap, but you can get over this sometimes by making a pastry seal. Spite is right about the bolognaise, long cooking makes it melt in the mouth.

My mum made a slow cooker... she just put the hot pot of ingredients into a cardboard box lined with straw for insulation. No power needed!

It used to be common to use a 40W lightbulb as the heat source....

[Brains]

There is a steam hole in the lid and a tiny amount of steam escapes but its well and truly cooking the stew well - tested and tastes yummy

Its a very wide low pan type of cooker - 40cm wide and 6.5litre capacity

Heres the box it came in:

[Taf]

Steamhole is a no-no.... you'll have to add excess water to keep it wet, and you'll be steaming up the house.

A proper slow cooker acts like a bit like a pressure cooker... with only slight pressure increases. Some older ones had a little cup in the lid in which a glass marble sat. This kept in the steam unless pressure built up. Losing steam may also cause the casserole to stick on the bottom.

Great meats for slow cookers include Skirt Beef, Shin Beef (Bourgignon), Lamb Shanks, Heart and (rarely found outside Halal shops) defatted Mutton.

Hearty soups like Cawl are great in slow cookers!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cawl