I've copied my post from the general thread.I would love some help with crockpot cooking.I have a big family and need to get some easy peasy fail-proof recipies going for the winter.
I think I must be the only mama in NZ who cannot cook a decent meal in my crockpot! What is with me! I have a big oval silver crockpot - big for a large family. Trouble is, everytime I cook in it, it comes out tough.My kids inwardly groan when they see I'm trying again!Tough, stringy meat is not good.I have tried a lot of different cuts of meat, none have really been fantastic.So, it IS me not the meat!
So.I'll tell you what I do, and you tell me what I'm doing wrong. Casserole/stew: Meat - say, something like steak (Porterhouse or Rump or whatever is in the freezer. Cut into chunks (tried all sizes from palm size to nugget size but makes no difference). Chuck in some onions, whatever else is around, tried pineapple in juice, can of tomatoes. Tried adding water, tried not adding water: no difference. Turn on low from 9am - 5pm
Last week I thawed a rolled beef roast. Did pretty much the same, threw in a can of pineapple and chopped tomatoes, onions. Left it on low from 9am - 6pm. It was OK, but not melt in your mouth.
What am I doing wrong! I need some fail-safe meals for the winter.
pickles7,
Apr 3, 3:27am
give up.
twindizzy,
Apr 3, 3:29am
Cook for longer- don't use cuts like Porterhouse. Add stock. The cheaper the meat the better the outcome! (Well not quite but you get my drift)
ange164,
Apr 3, 3:50am
It could possibly be over cooked. I found with mine which is a large one; that if I was cooking it with a small amount of stew (IE less than half full), It was cooked in about 6 hoursand if I left it longer without switching it to warm only, the meat just got tougher from then on as the juices continued to be cooked out of it.
I think being on low is the problem. I have an older style crockpot from Aussie before NZ had ever heard of them! it has a basic knob for high or low. if I am doing corned beef for example, I always boil the jug first. Pop the meat into the crock pot, our in the boiled water and top up with cold until it just covers the meat. To this, i add, malt vinegar ( I dont measure, but would say a 2-3 tbsp or so) 2 bay leaves, six whole cloves and 1 tbsp soft brown sugar. i put it on high from about 9am -say 4pm, then turn to low until serving time. If your meat is tough, then it has not cooked long enough.
imn,
Apr 3, 4:36am
use the right meat. blade is best. also experiment with how long your cooker actually needs. I would never leave mine on for 8 hours. the meat would be eeerk. 6 hrs is plenty here. you need to experiment I think.
vmax2,
Apr 3, 4:37am
I too have sometimes found the meat a bit funny after being in the crockpot.I always have the best of intention of putting a stew in the crockpot early in the day and then find it's too late.So all I do now is throw everything in a pot on the stove and cook it for 1.5- 2hours.Comes out good.Adding a lemon to the meat can help to tenderise it too.
sarahb5,
Apr 3, 4:44am
I can cook just fine in mine but my children (the boys particularly) won't eat what I cook in it - it is now on permanent loan to my daughter's flat in Wellington I think
cookessentials,
Apr 3, 4:49am
long cooked meat done in a slow cooker is not and should not be tough. You can use cheap cuts of meat. I often use gravy beef which is deliciously tender when cooked long and slow.
grandma,
Apr 3, 4:51am
I'm the same as cookessentials - I always put my stews, casseroles (in fact anything I cook in my crockpot) on high for a similar time.My daughters all have later models and they take a lot less time to cook, but mine is on for most of the day and I very rarely have a failure.Perhaps you should try this out too!
fifie,
Apr 3, 5:07am
Have you a slow cooker or a crockpot! one cooks hotter than the other, maybe its overcooked.Don't use rump or porterhouse, blade chuck,stewing steak is best. With the roasts rub little oil and crushed garlic over meat brown all over in a hot frying pan, into cooker drizzle little balsamic vinegar over meat lid on and cook. The browning and balsamic flavour it up so it dosen't taste bland. Yell out if you want some tasty C/P recipes ive got heaps lol,
sarahb5,
Apr 3, 5:22am
How you cut the meat also makes a difference - cut against the grain so you have shorter "strands" of meat.I wouldn't do a roast in the crock pot/slow cooker because I don't like "wet" roast, ie. pot roast, but casseroles and stews are great, left all day with a good flavoursome gravy.If all else fails, McCormick and Maggi both have flavour sachets with recipes included and they work well.Pineapple tenderises meat so you don't need that in a slow cooker but meat with root vegetables is great - softer vegetables including potatoes tend to go a bit "blah"
vmax2,
Apr 3, 5:33am
I always just get the meat and veg out with a slotted spoon.The remaining stock I will drink for breakfast, make into soup or use as a base for another meal.
lurtz,
Apr 3, 5:37am
Agree. That's exactly what my mother taught me. Gravy beef isvery tasty, and doesn't dry out like the leaner, more expensive cutsthat are delicious for very quick cooking times. She also showed me the difference between gravy beef and shin (which is sometimes labelled as gravy beef). Shin is fine for long slow cooking too, but it doesn't have the flavour of gravy beef.Blade is also good for long slow cooking, and I add ingredients to give it a flavour boost.Like some of the other posters, I prefer stove top or oven cooking for slow recipes.I do use a slow cooker occasionally, however I find pots and casseroles easier to handle. All the best with your experimenting.
rainrain1,
Apr 3, 5:46am
turn your crockpot to HIGH mama
kay141,
Apr 3, 5:53am
I use both of mine regularly but have never cooked rump or porterhouse. I think they would be too lean. I do gravy beef, chicken drumsticks and crosscut blade as casseroles. Corned beef and a pot roastof topside as well. Never have any problems. Any stew or casserole recipe xan be used, just use about a 1/4 of the liquid in the recipe. I leave mine on low all day, especially when I'm not home.
samanya,
Apr 3, 5:57am
Your method is exactly what our rural cooks have done since time immemorial. Of course there is a recipe for slow oven cooked beef, I'm surprised you had to ask. Flavour with your desired flavourings & slow cook & experience will tell you when it is cooked to perfection & then serve with mustard, horseradish or condiments of your own choice .presented superbly, of course.
melford,
Apr 3, 6:03am
well I cooked 1 kg blade steak (cut off all the fat and then cut into pieces about 1 inch square) and placed it in the crockpot. I added 1 chopped onion, 1 can Watties Condensed Tomato Soup and 1 can crushed pineapple including the syrup - I added no water at all. I added cracked pepper and then set it auto (this means it heats up to the temperature and then cooks on low the rest of the day. I put it on at 10.30 am. When I came home the meat was tender but I felt it didn't have a lot of flavour. The next day it was a 1000 times more flavoursome. I find the same when I do mince, it is always better the next day. This was the first time I had tried this recipe which was posted on here last week. Normally I brown the cubes of meat in the frypan and pan fry the onions before I add to the crockpot for the extra flavour but this time I just through in the meat raw, same with the onions. As I say it was delicious the next day so I will be cooking it again. By the way, just a hint -do not lift the lid while it is cooking as it will lose heat, just leave it all day to cook. If you don't have the auto feature on yours then cook on low from 10 am until 6 pm.,
rainrain1,
Apr 3, 6:14am
On high mama for 4 or 5 hrs anyway, then turn down
gardie,
Apr 3, 6:32am
I agree with an earlier poster.Your crockpot needs to be on high to cook properly.The very old fashioned crockpots used to cook really well on low but the newer ones do not seal properly and so the heat escapes so its not as hot on low.
lythande1,
Apr 3, 6:58am
You're not cooking it long enough, turn on high, or cook a lot longer on low. Crockpots suck anyway, the do dry it out if there's no liquid, and it makes the veges weird. Easier to just chuck it in a casserole, set you oven on low and use the timer.
samanya,
Apr 3, 7:05am
Preventing the meat from drying out is a 'given'.I thought that was obvious. Ask who you want, I was merely pointing out that lamb (some people prefer hogget, because of the superior flavour.lamb just happens to be rather 'trendy' atm) & beef roasts can be cooked exactly the same way, withingredients/condiments of your choice.slowly. Mind you, I only ever cook home grown beef & sheep meat.makes a huge difference.
serious6,
Apr 3, 7:25am
Ha!I have to laugh because I've now been told to cook it longer, shorter, on high, on low.hmmm, it seems everyone has their OWN crockpot, their own ideas and I guess it depends on old/new crockpots/slow cookers too.Thanks to you all for your help.
Mine is a newish oval stainless one.It is Cascade brand.oh dear, Warehouse!I do have an old fashioned small round one, maybe I will have that one a go and see what happens.It is usually for the morning porridge in the winter!
fife - yes please, I would love some recipes to try!
rainrain1,
Apr 3, 7:33pm
easy eh!
cookessentials,
Apr 3, 9:59pm
Yep, ditch the cascade one and stick with the older one.
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