My First Ever Slow Cooker Adventure!

[Pichet]

Hello everybody,

I have just recently signed up to the forum and am raring to go. I see there are some great suggestions for slow cooker recipes but I seeing as this will be my first ever attempt I thought I would go all out and ask for your suggestions. I also wanted to feel involved

I don't live in america, but recently have been watching a show called Man v Food and there are some tasty looking slow cooked meat concoctions on it.
Does any one have any guidance?

 

[Zhizara]

Welcome to DC, Pichet. I don't know anything yet about slow cookers, having just got mine, so I'll be looking forward to the answers with you.

 

[Dawgluver]

Where to begin? There's a lot of good stuff, here and online. Tougher cuts of meat are great cooked low and slow. You will need less liquid than you use for stovetop or oven. Don't peek, it lengthens the cooking time. Veggies on the bottom, meat on top. Best to fill it at least 2/3 to 3/4 full. Applesauce in the CP is great, no burning or stirring. Great for stews, casseroles, desserts, even bread. Pick up a slow cooker cook book, almost anything you cook in the oven can be done in the CP.

I have too many slow cookers, and I love them all! Have fun!

 

[vitauta]

check out the thread titled "what is your favorite slow cooker recipe". at the moment, it is on this computer page. lots of great ideas, tips and recipes....

 

[Dawgluver]

check out the thread titled "what is your favorite slow cooker recipe". at the moment, it is on this computer page. lots of great ideas, tips and recipes....

He already found it, Vit!

 

[Pichet]

In this together

Welcome to DC, Pichet. I don't know anything yet about slow cookers, having just got mine, so I'll be looking forward to the answers with you.

Great Zhizara, We are in this together!
I have my first slab of meat on right now. I chose a leg of lamb, mainly because they had one on sale in Aldi!
I have it rubbed down with Rosemary, Thyme, pepper and salt and I have it with a little bit of stock. Im going to add in veg with about 2 hours going.

So we will see how we go!

 

[taxlady]

Where to begin? There's a lot of good stuff, here and online. Tougher cuts of meat are great cooked low and slow. You will need less liquid than you use for stovetop or oven. Don't peek, it lengthens the cooking time. Veggies on the bottom, meat on top. Best to fill it at least 2/3 to 3/4 full. Applesauce in the CP is great, no burning or stirring. Great for stews, casseroles, desserts, even bread. Pick up a slow cooker cook book, almost anything you cook in the oven can be done in the CP.

I have too many slow cookers, and I love them all! Have fun!

What does "CP" stand for? I couldn't find it in the list of http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f29/commonly-used-abbreviations-55180.html#post788494.

 

[Zhizara]

What does "CP" stand for? I couldn't find it in the list of http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f29/commonly-used-abbreviations-55180.html#post788494.

CrockPot

 

[Pichet]

and you just got yours as well Zhizara!!! #intheknow

 

[CWS4322]

Welcome to DC, Pichet. I don't use my CP often because of our time-of-use electricity rates, but one of my favorite things to make is stew or soup. I also like to do buttermilk chicken in the CP. Let us know how this turns out!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Love the crockpot. Do you have a specific type of food you are looking to cook in the crockpot?

Welcome to DC! Have fun!

 

[Pichet]

Thanks for a the welcomes guys. Type of food, I would say meet in general!
I want that fall off the bone goodness! Leg of lamb went pretty good yesterday, bit
I know I can do better!

 

[podonnel45]

Where to begin? There's a lot of good stuff, here and online. Tougher cuts of meat are great cooked low and slow. You will need less liquid than you use for stovetop or oven. Don't peek, it lengthens the cooking time. Veggies on the bottom, meat on top. Best to fill it at least 2/3 to 3/4 full. Applesauce in the CP is great, no burning or stirring. Great for stews, casseroles, desserts, even bread. Pick up a slow cooker cook book, almost anything you cook in the oven can be done in the CP.

I have too many slow cookers, and I love them all! Have fun!

Also, always brown the meat first to add flavour. Many cook books say this is unnecessary but it really does make a difference!

 

[podonnel45]

Thanks for a the welcomes guys. Type of food, I would say meet in general!
I want that fall off the bone goodness! Leg of lamb went pretty good yesterday, bit
I know I can do better!

"Fall off the bone" texture comes when the collagen in connective tissue converts into gelatin. This is more a function of the amount of time it is subjected to raised temperatures rather than the temperature itself. It really can't be hurried!

 

[Pichet]

Ok so does the longer the better rule apply to all meats? Chicken for example, I
Presume can be over done?
I could prob lash a whole uncooked chicken in right?!
Would I brown that?
Happy Thanksgiving by the way people. We dont celebrate it my my girlfriend is American!

 

[CWS4322]

When I make buttermilk chicken, I marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge in 1 qt buttermilk in a big ziplock bag. I don't brown it. Then I add about 1 c or so more buttermilk to the CP. I add rosemary (fresh) let it cook on low for about 6-8 hours (until it is done). The buttermilk makes amazing gravy.

 

[buckytom]

that sounds good, cws. i'm going to have to try that. a protein cooked in cream with fresh herbs is very scandinavian.

does the chicken skin come out kinda ooky, or do you/could you remove it first?

has anyone tried browning a whole bird in a very hot oven (but not cooking through) and then finishing it in a crock pot?

 

[Zhizara]

that sounds good, cws. i'm going to have to try that. a protein cooked in cream with fresh herbs is very scandinavian.

does the chicken skin come out kinda ooky, or do you/could you remove it first?

has anyone tried browning a whole bird in a very hot oven (but not cooking through) and then finishing it in a crock pot?

I don't think you'd end up with crisp skin, BT, but it could add to the flavor. I would also include the skin for flavor, then remove it before serving.

 

[CWS4322]

I leave the skin on, and then I remove it before serving. I must admit, that I LOVE the gravy that this makes. I use my wand mixer (emulsion mixer?) when I'm finishing the gravy. I don't cut up the chicken--I use a whole roasting chicken when I make this. Given that I have 4 qt of buttermilk in the fridge...might be time to make this next week!

 

[CWS4322]

I'm doing Laura Calder's Pork Roast in Milk tonight which is a similar idea. Excellent gravy, and OMG, does it smell good while it is cooking. I haven't made this in the CP (it's going in a dutch oven and then in the oven), but there is no reason why it couldn't work in a CP.

Milk Pork