Slow Cooker - is there a no prep cooking way?

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Damien87

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
14
Location
nottingham, uk
hi all first post and im a guy who cooks well but new to slow cooking, just got my self a 6.5lt slow cooker as time is short for me after work and i want to cook all my foods during work time in this device without having to prep much in the morning.. now i was told that i can bung everything in the slow cooker and leave it but after buying it the cook book states i should precook meats and brown them off WTF i want quickness not 20min every morning pre cooking to cook all day..


QUESTION
-is their a way to bung all raw foods into it and cook fully in the device, i want to cook curry,stews,casseroles,chilly and stuff like this that i can add to rice/pasta

any advice is welcome and thankyou

damien
 
You can just throw it all in, it just won't brown in the slow cooker.
lynda's right 666,just chuck it all in.they also make the best pulled pork/brisket.just wack on your favourite rub/marinade,throw it in the cooker(no liquid,no stock.....nothing) on with the lid,low setting all day....enjoy:yum:!
oh yeah,welcome to dc from manchester uk
 
Agree with the responses. I've even thrown in some frozen boneless chicken and it comes out nice and tender after cooking all day.
 
On a day when you have some time, cook up and season a giant package of Costco meat (hamburger, stew meat, etc.), bag it up in portions and freeze already cooked flat in a zip bag. (A flat bag will thaw fast) In the a.m. toss the frozen bag in the micro wave on defrost while you get the veggies ready, then toss the cooked meat and your veggies into the crock pot/slow cooker and head out to work. If you have a stash of already cooked seasoned hamburger you're also ready for other things like tacos or any dish that requires cooked and seasoned hamburger. That system has worked great for me for decades.
 
I never precook anything, just fling it in the CP.

BTW, welcome to DC!
 
WOW this forum came though for me, thankyou guys/galls

ok can some of you help with some recipes please, now normally i use sauces ie if i make a stew i use gravy or for curry i use curry sauce, if i have time i make my own with paste and yogurts ect, but im not sure how these will work in the slow cooker with 8hours of cooking

can someone provide me recipes for the following using stuff like ox cubes ect as im not sure how gravy and sauces will be effected wont they get super thick or dry?

please provide me with basic recipes for the following style of foods, and ill add extras to spice them up,

stews
casseroles
chilli-con
curry

thankyou all for the help
 
Check out the whole slow cooker thread where you've already posted. There are recipes for everything!
 
Just remember all foods have some water in them. Even veggies. After cooking all day in the CP, you will have plenty of gravy to do what you want to with it. The food will release it moisture, yet won't be dry as they will be cooking in the released moisture. The meat will provide the basis for a gravy and will flavor the veggies. Just lightly season your meat. :chef:

Welcome to DC.
 
hi all first post and im a guy who cooks well but new to slow cooking, just got my self a 6.5lt slow cooker as time is short for me after work and i want to cook all my foods during work time in this device without having to prep much in the morning.. now i was told that i can bung everything in the slow cooker and leave it but after buying it the cook book states i should precook meats and brown them off WTF i want quickness not 20min every morning pre cooking to cook all day..


QUESTION
-is their a way to bung all raw foods into it and cook fully in the device, i want to cook curry,stews,casseroles,chilly and stuff like this that i can add to rice/pasta

any advice is welcome and thankyou

damien

It depends on what you're cooking.

Sear/brown roasts first & trim as much fat as possible from poultry, or you end up with a pot full of fat & beige/bland food. A defatting cup helps too.

If you are pressed for time, you could prep the night before.

Here are some sites that might be helpful:

365 Days of Slow Cooking

A Year of Slow Cooking
 
tonight while i sleep im going to try this and see how it turns out for my meals tomorrow

8pm start cooking
4am finish cooking


simple Chicken Casserole


going to dump

1kg dices chicken
1.5kg dices potatoes
1kg carrots
2 chicken OX + 1pt water
2 large onions

into the slow cooker on low heat for 8hours from fresh raw and see how it comes out, hope its ok as its my food for packup all day tomorrow lol. then tomorrow afternoon ill go buy herbs ect to spice it up for next time
 
just about to hit the hay and my food is looking good. its been in for 2:45h on low now and the water levels are just below half level on my 6.5liter cooker, so should not dry out over night

the chicken is white now and the veggy are getting softer so all looks good, i cant wait now should make for a good meal for work :)
 
One thing about chicken, it doesn't take as long to cook as other stuff in the CP. Looking forward to your report! You could also cook some noodles, add some broth or stock, and extend your recipe into soup once it comes out of the CP. (Crockpot).
 
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well 8hours cooking on low worked just fine the potatoes and veggy were perfect soft all way though but still no signs of mushiness, and chicken fall apart in my mouth which was nice, only down side i have is it was bland and not very saucy, their were enough water to make a thin gravy which i did this time but it wasent as nice as if i stuck a jar of casserole sauce in their


how would i make my own casserole sauces as i assume itll be alot less costly to make my own than using a few jars daily?

ps
on a side note i got 5 my size portions out of this pot which is perfect, im going to buy another tonight so that i can make 10 portions of food and only have to use them every other day, so just had one for breakfast and it was quite nice with rice i just have to sort out my herbs and flavoring now, then ill be cooking again tonight :)
 
When I was young and working, I never pre-cooked anything I put in the crock-pot. To me, the main reason for pre-cooking is to brown things, onions, beef, especially. That adds a lot of visual appeal, and some depth of flavor. But in fact the food will taste fine without that first step, which was the point of the electric crock pot to begin with! Just give it a try.
 
Shake your raw meat portions in flour or corn starch to add thickening to your sauce. You don't have to add a lot of liquid to the crock pot, usually only one or two cups is needed. Season with a little salt and pepper at first, then in the last bit of cooking, 30 minutes or so, then add herbs and other seasonings to taste. A corn starch slurry at the end will also add thickening.
 
well 8hours cooking on low worked just fine the potatoes and veggy were perfect soft all way though but still no signs of mushiness, and chicken fall apart in my mouth which was nice, only down side i have is it was bland and not very saucy, their were enough water to make a thin gravy which i did this time but it wasent as nice as if i stuck a jar of casserole sauce in their


how would i make my own casserole sauces as i assume itll be alot less costly to make my own than using a few jars daily?

ps
on a side note i got 5 my size portions out of this pot which is perfect, im going to buy another tonight so that i can make 10 portions of food and only have to use them every other day, so just had one for breakfast and it was quite nice with rice i just have to sort out my herbs and flavoring now, then ill be cooking again tonight :)

I am glad to hear your first attempt was a success. And we are not through with you yet. The folks here at DC have tons of advice to give you just for the asking. We will have you cooking gourmet meals.:chef:
 

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