I have two! And I use them both - sometimes concurrently! Jacket potatoes, soups, stews, one pot meals. They sit and cook all day, smell amazing and taste divine. I make stock. mushy peas. Hummus. I can't think of anything better In autumn and winter than walking into the warm house and smelling tea cooking!
And even better than that - the cheapest cuts taste the best. You can use them to reheat things too if you are lazy - like pies, if you are going out and want to eat when you get in.
norse_westie,
May 29, 1:32pm
You must be doing something wrong.
norse_westie,
May 29, 1:34pm
I put in: 1.5 cups oats (nice big ones not creamota/fine oats), a toss of chia seeds (because I like them), a shake of cinnamon, 2 cups milk 2 cups water. I have a timer so it comes on at 2am and off at 7.
I add raisins, vanilla paste, grated apple, grated feijoa, sliced banana - and sometimes nothing at all just for variety. It takes me literally 5 minutes to prepare from start to finish.
norse_westie,
May 29, 1:35pm
I use a timer, cost less than $10 from the warehouse. I can program it to start and finish whenever I like. Personally I find all curries, soups and casseroles only need 6-8 hours so I like to start them around 10 or 11am to be ready for dinner at 6pm.
My favourite SC feed is corned beef with peppercorns, onions, spuds and carrots.Just need the cabbage & that only takes a wee while.Even bacon bones with spuds, carrots and cabbage does well in the SC.I just put the spuds in the bottom as they take longest, then the bacon bones, carrots, then cabbage.
sarahb5,
May 29, 3:50pm
But does it have to go in a separate bowl on a trivet in the slow cooker!I do the same as you but just leave it to soak overnight in the microwave then cook it in the morning.
suzanna,
May 29, 4:12pm
When I have enough stored I throw my veg peelings etc into the cp, peppercorns, bay leaf, onion skin on and herbs, water of course and leave to create a beautiful vegetable stock overnight. In the morning I strain it, add whatever I wish to make soup and leave on all day. Of course the reverse would work timewise so stock during the day then make the soup at night and in the morning beautiful soup to take to work. One of the best dishes I do for gatherings, parties is to make up a huge dish of sliced beef -sirloin is ideal and whole sirloins are often a very good price- with lots of onions and rich gravy. Transfer to the cp to keep warm. Serve using long rolls split down the middle but not right through to the bottom spoon in a generous serving and top with a 'sqiggle' (squeezy bottle) of bearnaise sauce. These always go down well. Yesterday I made a huge batch of baked beans perfect for these colder days with the bonus of being easy and cheap. Would I ever be without a crockpot.never.
venbar,
May 29, 4:51pm
we get it Sarahb.lol you don't like them
sarahb5,
May 29, 5:04pm
I'm prepared to give it another chance but using a separate bowl on a trivet just seems more "labour intensive" than what I'm doing at the moment to get the same end result.Also seems like a lot more liquid than I would use for porridge.
Or maybe I should just sell it .
beaker59,
May 29, 6:55pm
Jesse 981 was thinking of getting one sell it to her for a dollar, solves the problem for both parties :)
vomo2,
May 29, 7:58pm
I use mine alot. Toady I have corned beef cooking. Yesterday a big pea and ham soup. Friday I might do a rice pudding in it. The possibilities are endless. Cassaroles are fantastic in them. A whole defrosted chicken with seasonings, cant beat it!
carriebradshaw,
May 29, 9:41pm
Sarah,maybe we should start a 'We hate slowcookers club".lol!
sarahb5,
May 29, 10:20pm
I don't hate it but I don't see that they're any better at cooking anything than the methods I'm already using - of all the "gadgets" I've bought this has had the least use when I actually thought it would get the most.
norse_westie,
May 30, 1:33am
No. Throw it all in the crockpot bowl and thats it. Its always perfect.
The extra liquid is because I use wholegrain oats I think - they need a little more than standard porridge.
For me, trying to microwave enough porridge for 7 hungry people (two of whom will eat two large bowls full) is way more time intensive than five minutes prep in the crockpot.
As I work long and very unpredictable hours, a crockpot is ideal to make sure there is hot healthy tasty food even if I am not home.
snipz,
May 30, 12:36pm
I love crockpots.I have 2 small old one and a large oval one( bought on trademe.) I think a common mistake people make is putting in too much liquid. A SC needs less than half the liquid you would use in traditional casserole. Also the vegeneed to be cut slightly smaller and it helps if they are uniform in size, they don,t loose there shape. When I am trying something new I usually put it on in the weekend so that I am around to check it now and again, this way you get to understand what the heat temp of your SC is like as they definitely are not all the same. bland! Taste and season at the end of cooking.
flo16,
May 30, 12:55pm
have 2 crockpots here too and just love them the original would be more than 30 years old and never missed a beat very well used and food always beautiful,agree about the liquid being over done,only ever add minimal amount,dont have hard veges or dried out meat,pulses etc just perfect,brown rice last night in one and steamed pudding in the other both delish.is it possible to manage without a crockpot! I dont think so! and porridge mmmmm need I say more
anne74,
May 30, 1:19pm
We have the Breville that you can take the insert out and brown the meat on the stovetop - wouldn't be without it.Beef, lamb shanks, chicken - everything comes out delicious.Well worth the money (when on special).
nauru,
May 30, 4:08pm
How do you doyour mushy peas and Hummus in the CP, pls!
beaker59,
May 31, 3:05am
May be refering to cooking chickpeas in the slow cooker, was a great page about it in Alison and Simon Holsts slow cooker book (at least I think it was alisons book).
Put in a 500g packet of dried chickpeas cover with water an allow to soak overnight. In the morning drain and replace water then leave on low all day until the peas are tender Load into jars with the juices. They store well inthe fridge for a week or two and I use the peas and juice in all sorts of dishes but of course great for Hummis.
we_egg,
May 31, 3:18am
I have become a fan of the watties butter chicken dish cooked in the c/p.So yummy and house smells divine.Only thing I would change is dice the onions and use skinless/bonelesschicken thighs.Definately family favourite. yum
jessie981,
May 31, 4:05am
Asked for opinions whether liked/disliked. Feel some are being a bit unnfair towards sarahb5.
sarahb5,
May 31, 4:19am
Thank you jessie (but I am going to give the porridge a go tonight as I only need to make it for me this time)
blfogarty,
May 31, 4:27am
Oh my goodness, you guys must be doing something wrong! My casseroles in the slow cooker are definitely not tasteless. Best gift I was ever given.
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