Slow Cooker Chatter #19

[briggsy's girl]

i don't find it adds more than about an hour extra for the frozen stuff Rayray - but then we only really use frozen breast fillets and don't add much time cos we don't want the meat to dry out...

i tend to just double the amount of stuff i'm cooking and freeze it rather than worry about watery food - and i bulk everything out with masses of vegies to add more flavour (and nutrition when DH is away)

[montyp]

We bought a cooker a few weeks ago - they're fairly inexpensive, too! And some of the recipes seem really nice! I'm going to try something tomorrow as a dry run before MrsP-the-first comes to our place to stay this coming Thursday. I was thinking of the beef curry, Swiss steak, or Beef and red wine. These are the three recipes I'm choosing from ... I'll let you know which one we choose and how it comes out both tomorrow and next weekend

Swiss Steak (my choice)

Beef Curry (MrsP's first choice)

Beef & Red Wine (the one we're probably going with for mumsie)

[JLeigh29]

Hi, I just bought a slow cooker today and am sooooooo excited to be able to make all your yummy recipes! However, I am gone for ages during the day (leave for work about 7am and not home til around 5pm) so I won't be around to stir, add extra liquid or turn it off if it's cooked. All the slow cooker recipes I've seen suggest 6-8 hours of cooking on low - if I'm gone for 10 hours, will my recipes overcook? Is there something I can do to stop this?

[alioops]

get a timer plug!! the best way to do sc and work

[danniellabella]

Right, I'm thinking seriously of getting a slow cooker with some of my tax cheque. I haven't finished doing my tax yet so I don't know what I'm getting. But I can't spend too much on a cooker...I'm talking under $100, preferably a lot under.
Tips?

Also, I'm REALLY fussy when it comes to eating meat. It has to be really really tender and not fatty for me to even consider eating it. Will a slow cooker make meat tender and melt in the mouth?

[briggsy's girl]

danni - most slow cookers are under 100 to buy unless you go for a really big or ridiculously exxy one - and lets face it, they all do much the same thing! you can get them for less than $50 if you keep an eye on specials - but even full price, the bulk of them are under 100.

as to making meat tender - hell yeah. i'm not a big red meat eater at all - it just doesn't do it for me! but i've made some stuff with the cheaper cuts of beef and it just melts in your mouth. you cook on low for a long time and it is divine. it's pointless buying exxy meat though - just get the cheaper stuff cos it becomes so tender. just make sure, if it is a little fatty, that you trim it before cooking. i'm pretty much the same so i will trim everything. takes a bit of extra time, but it works out better cos fatty food gives me issues with IBS.

[alioops]

yep, slow cooker meat is melt in your mouth. I got my sc from big w (just their cheapie 5.5 litre one) and i think it was $88.

[danniellabella]

Thanks. I wanted to know particularly about meat because I would like to eat more red meat but will only do it if it's really soft and tender. I think DH would love if I made a beef casserol

[briggsy's girl]

you'll find if you cook it for the right amount of time, you'll have meat falling apart. i do a mean braise and half the time the meat is just in little pieces instead of the bigger bits i put in.

[danniellabella]

you'll find if you cook it for the right amount of time, you'll have meat falling apart. i do a mean braise and half the time the meat is just in little pieces instead of the bigger bits i put in.

Excellent! That's what I wanted to hear...Will definately get one then, just a matter of time.
I ordered a slow cooking recipe book so I can't wait to use it now.

[briggsy's girl]

if it's the mc cormacks book, it's not very inspiring! i woudl avoid those packet slow cooker things as much as possible - they're not that nice really, and they're not a good way to use the cooker to start as they can be a bit dry (esp if you have a big cooker as the fluid isn't deep enough) - i would look at the recipes on here and try them out first hun - some great recipes that are relatively simple!

[JLeigh29]

I've cooked twice in the slow cooker - a chicken casserole on high that took 6 hours, way longer than I expected it to! We had to eat it the next day 'cos it wasn't ready 'til 9pm! And I made a bacon and vege soup and left it on low all day. It smelled divine when I got home 9 1/2 hours later! And all the meat just fell off the bone. Thanks guys!

Oh and I agree about the McCormack's bases and recipes. I'd much rather cook from scratch and I didn't think the recipes in it were that exciting either!

[mrsmac]

I have a topside roast (about 1kg) and am wondering what to do with it in the SC. I have a bottle of cleanskin red wine from Dan Murphy and we love garlic. Any ideas SC gurus????

[xXHopeXx]

Hi all!

I'm a newie to using a slow cooker (read: never used one before and have no idea! Lol)

And wanting some nice, cheap, tried and true slow cooker recipes! Meat and meatless ones are fine, it's only DH and I so no need to worry about particular veggies, well eat it all!

Would love any good, easy and YUMMY recipes to christen our slow cooker! Lol

Thanks in advance all

[Jellybean29]

Hello all!
My Mum bought me a slow cooker for me last week, she said it would be a Godsend when bubs arrives!
I have to admit, I am loving it already and only used it twice. So far i've just used two different Mccormick sachets, a beef goolash and a chicken gurry, both were super yummy and easy.

Why didnt anyone tell me about these marvelous contraptions before?!?! It should be a must on every baby list, next to cot, nappies and capsules!

Can't wait to read through the other threads and try lots of new recipes!

xo BBB

[WeeMansMummy]

I loooooove my slow cooker! I use it almost daily during winter.
Mmm, soups and stews and corned beef etc etc etc

[zap]

Just popping in to say I looove my slow cooker!

[Netix]

Used my sc yesterday, for the first time since I last posted in here (which, looking back, turns out to be 2008.... ). Thought I had better do a good thing, and get dinner happening for the family, since I would be at work. I defrosted and diced five or six chicken thighs, a few carrots, and two chopped onions. I added some chicken stock powder, two heaped spoons of smoked paprika, a tin of condensed tomato soup, and some water (maybe a tin or tin and a half worth). On high for six hours. Got a text from the Man saying it was delish, so I felt very happy. However, when I got home, he told me that he had added all these other veges and other sauce to it. so I don't know if what I made was good or not! Upon questioning, he seemed relatively satisfied with how it was all cooked. ???? huh? Further questioning, he said what I had done was cooked well. PHEW! Looks like my sc and I are still friends. lol. Tempted as I am to replace it.... I do rather like those ones that you can use the pan on the stove first though.... Anyone got one of those?