Help me with my slow cooker

Ok, I'm having some Iss-ewes with my slow cooker.

For starters, my meat (cooked in fluid) keeps turning out hard, not soft and tender and falling apart. What am I doing wrong? Am I cooking it for too long? Not long enough?

Speaking of which, is there some guideline somewhere on how long to cook things? My SC only has high and low but I saw one on ebay the other day which had some sort of auto-turn-down to ensure your food doesn't overcook. Am I just using the wrong sort of slow cooker? Mine has a nasty plastic lid, not a glass one, does that make a difference?

Welcome all tips and advice you might like to offer...I'm ready and willing to be a SC devotee but my recent efforts have been disappointing.

Hi there,
I'm no expert at slow-cooking, but my meat does usually turn out really nice and fally-aparty ;) I find that I turn the dial to high (mine is the same as yours - high or low) for an hour and then to low for 4+ hours (all day sometimes)... it all depends on what you're cooking too. I've never had any luck with chicken breast.. it always turns out dry.

My slow cooker has a glass lid and I think that it's important to make sure no steam is escaping - so NO PEEKING during cooking :lol:

Hope this helps!

Heres what I do.

I lightly brown the meat.Then put everything into the slow cooker on high for about an hour or two then turn it down to low. Unless it's a soup you don't need much liquid as the water doesn't evapourate with the lid on. I cook it for about 6 to 8 hours depending on what it is. The meat always turns out tender and falls apart. Chicken breast I only put on for 4 hours and soups about the same time.

What cut of meat are you using?

I've used a variety of cuts, beef cheapy steak has been the recent offender.

Do you put your liquids in cold...does it matter if it goes in hot (like if you brown the meat and then deglaze the pan and put that hot liquid in)?

Interested that you both start it on high then turn it down...what happens if you leave it on longer (eg put it on at 8 in the morning when you leave for work & then don't get home til 5.30)?

When I cook a roast, it's usually on for between 4-6 hours on low. I put the liquid in cold at the beginning, and it only gets turned once.

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I've used a variety of cuts, beef cheapy steak has been the recent offender.

Do you put your liquids in cold...does it matter if it goes in hot (like if you brown the meat and then deglaze the pan and put that hot liquid in)?

Interested that you both start it on high then turn it down...what happens if you leave it on longer (eg put it on at 8 in the morning when you leave for work & then don't get home til 5.30)?

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That's weird about your meat coming out tough. I always use the cheap cuts and they come out so soft.

If you are gone that long make sure its on low the whole time or you'll end up with mush. ;) I have used hot and cold water, it doesn't seem to make a difference. I would maybe make the cuts a bit bigger for that amount of time.

i only ever cook on low now as mine cooks too quickly and too hot, i usually have to add heaps of ectra liquid, ive also started putting a sheet of baking paper between the bowl and lid to stop steam escaping and creating a better seal, works well, i dont need to add extra liquid now

Hmmmm, I've read all your answers and still am not sure what's happening.

I wonder if I'm not cooking for long enough? If a long cook makes things softer...?

We've been experimenting with our SC for a while now and we tend to cook most things for just over 4hrs on high, sometimes browning first, sometimes not - doesn't seem to make much difference... Most recipes call for four hours on high but we usually give it just that extra half hour and it's usually falley-aparty... Except the last one which was done the same but just wasn't as tender... can't figure out why - I think it's a bit hit and miss maybe?

Chicken Breast is not the best meat for SC...try thighs! The lady at MCCormicks recommended this to me. I have a Ronson and have to double quantities of of liquid to prevent the drying out. I also don't panfry / brown any of meat beforehand.

xxxx

I'm wondering if yours is too hot. I would try cooking something and using the low setting instead of where you would usually use the high.

Or alternatively, maybe you are cooking the meat for too long first and it is drying out a bit much before it gets to the slow cooker IYKWIM. As far as I know you are really only supposed to seal the mean before you put it in to give it flavour rather than cooking it through.

Good luck

I don't think I could survive without ours.