slow cookers

[stella]

Hi I have just got myself a slow cooker however it did not have cook book with it. Anyone got any fail safe ideas for meals or knows of anything that really does not cook well it in.
Thanks

[chris]

bang it all in and job done!

My Mrs does whole chicken in ours - I think for a 5lbs chicken - spot of wine in bottle, couple cloves of garlic, and half a lemon... for around 4-5 hrs on low i think?

[stella]

Sounds yum, I am thinking that fish would not do very well in it?

[Hilary B]

Mostly what a slow cooker does best is anything stewish (includes curry, chilli, etc) and pot-roasts. Most fish cooks fairly quickly, so no, on the whole not ideal.
ANY recipe that involves cooking something in water, stock, wine or beer for more than ½hour will adapt to slow cooking. If you want to cook beans in it, it is VERY important to give them the 10 min boil first!

[stella]

Do they need a 10 min boil if they are part of a sauce?

[murphy99]

One thing though ...use less liquid than for oven/pan recipes as there is no evaporation. but apart from that I agree bung it in and you are away.

I have a gammon joint in mine at the moment. The great advantage is I don't have to keep checking the stove for it boiling over or running dry

I set a chilli going on Wednesday before going out for the day!

I have also cooked shin of beef and when I have come home dropped dumplings in for 30 mins while cooking veg.... thats a favorite in the winter! better still put some veg in there as well !!!

Lamb shanks are also a hot favorite... I could just keep going

[stella]

Do you put the veg in for the same amount of time as the meat or about half way through

[murphy99]

If you are going out for the day I would just bung it all in together but there is no harm in adding them half way through. Ofcourse it needs to be veggies that won't turn to mush.

There are loads of recipes on the internet, sometimes they are under crockpot. I have a few books too for when I am looking for something a little different. There are fish ideas, some of the more detailed ones require you to add ingredients during the cooking process and are not a bung it in and leave for the day.

It depends on how you want to use it.

[Newbie]

i googled a Pork recipe for mine & did Pork in cider with apples and it was delish!

[stella]

Prefer the bung in and leave it method, what cut of pork did you use Jane?

[Newbie]

I used Pork Loin Steaks which were on offer in Sainsburys - £4 for about 6 or 7. Just bunged it all in & left it for a few hours.

[murphy99]

you could use shoulder or leg ( it always seems to be on offer theses days) and cut it up yourself .

I often do a batch when they have offers and freeze what isn't eaten for another day!

[stella]

Do you take the fat off as it would make the sauce greasy wouldnt it?

[Newbie]

Yes, the book i bought says always cut excess fat off whatever meat you use as it affects the taste seeing as the liquid volume doesn't reduce.

[Glutton4...]

Good purchase Stella! Have a lookie at the search facility - there's loads on the Vine about Slow Cookers and recipes. You won't regret buying it!