SC "rules"

[Heaven]

I never brown the meat unless it's something like meatballs so they don't fall apart.

[AnyDream]

Do you have stainless steel or crockery pots? Do you reckon it makes a difference?

[butterfly_warrior]

I've only ever had crockery ones... I didn't even know they had stainless inserts. You'd think the heat transfer would be too fast through metal, but I'm only guessing here.

BW

[AnyDream]

BW I saw one on the Breville site today with a stainless steel pan designed to go on the stove & in the oven as well, so you can brown meat before cooking on the stove or brown off to finish cooking in the oven - only one pot!! Great idea, wonder how well it would work in reality.

I think mine's a bit behind the game - bought in 1994 - has a plastic lid (I would imagine glass lid is much better for starters) and I also think the element must be primarily at the bottom...isn't it wrapped around the outside for newer cookers?

[Tinks]

Mine's a crockery pot with a glass lid. I have no idea where the element is situated, it's all enclosed.

[butterfly_warrior]

Glass lid here, too. Can't imagine a plastic lid would be all that useful or practical, but at least it wouldn't break if you drop it!

I honestly have no idea where the element is in mine either, it gets damned hot up the sides, but then it is stainless on the outside so it could just be the heat being conducted around.

Having one pan that can go on the stove top and then into the SC would be useful (but I often don't brown the meat more as a time/energy thing rather than a generating washing up thing), but I've got corningware casserole dishes that can go on the stove top as well as in the oven so I don't see why it needs to be metal to do it. I certainly wouldn't suggest anyone go plonking their SC insert on the stovetop - they aren't designed like the corningware!

BW

[Lolli]

Crockery pot, glass lid, element on the bottom but it was a cheap one.

I find I need to brown off the cheaper, fattier cuts of meat, but the leaner ones i throw straight in.

I have a bad habit of adding extra liquid when I don't really need too, so things come out too liquid

There is a recipe in the SC recipe thread for a gooey choc cake- if you haven't tried it, I'd highly recommend it- it is divine

[littlelara]

I find everything I try comes out quite bland (DP is not one for tomato bases).
Don't know what I'm doing wrong

[Astrid]

I would be reluctant to go for anything different from normal. We got a SC with a divider in it, so you can cook 2 meals at once. Sounds great, but the reality is quite different. We rarely use it, and it gets in the way of cooking some dishes, like silverside or whole chicken.

[Visitor8]

ours is ceramic and glass lid. No idea where the element is, but I know the sides get super hot so I think it goes all the way around.