Bumps or blisters in new crock pot

[buckytom]

heya everyone,
i just bought a rival 6 quart crock pot/slow cooker, and when i opened it up, i noticed a few tiny imperfections in the stoneware insert. there are just a couple of tiny bumps or blisters that i guess formed when the glaze on the insert was being fired. the bumps are only about the size of a pencil point, and it is difficult to tell if the glaze is covering them or not.
my question is will this be a problem in the future? will they get bigger, or eventually cause the stoneware insert to crack? will food tend to stick to them?
i am considering returning the crock pot to see if i can get one without any blemishes, but i'd just thought i'd ask the knowledgeable people here first.
it was on sale for $25 from $50, which i ended up getting for free by using cash-back coupons in kohl's dept. store, so it's not a big deal if i end up keeping the thing.

 

[Robo410]

If you are near a Kohls I'd go have a look, or exchange it. peace of mind.

however, it is prolly fine

 

[GB]

Yeah I agree with Robo. If it is easy to get back to Kohl's and take a look at another then I would do that. Chances are that your pot is fine, but if something is going to go wrong then it will happen on one of those little spots.

Since it was free then like you said it is not really a big deal, but if it is easy to check out another one then you might as well.

 

[mish]

Hmmm. Sounds like Demi fell asleep at the pottery wheel. It might be okay, but I'd take the Elephant Man back for an exchange. Mine's a programmable, big pot, but doesn't have some of the features I'd now like - like going from the freezer to microwave, can't make desserts in my model, etc. If I had it to do over, I would consider some of the perks/other uses I mighta, shoulda, coulda used it for.

 

[Corey123]

I'd return it asap and get a replacement or a refund!


~Corey123.

 

[Mixerman47]

OK, I'll do a "little" advertising for KitchenAid here. We WILL be coming out with a premium "Slow Cooker" in the next few months. Stay tuned.

 

[Corey123]

OK, I'll do a "little" advertising for KitchenAid here. We WILL be coming out with a premium "Slow Cooker" in the next few months. Stay tuned.

I thought they already had those.


~Corey123.

 

[BethCross]

The other "premium" slow cooker is by Cuisinart, not KitchenAid. . .

As for the KitchenAid, what sizes will it be available in? I have a 6 1/2-quart that works great for big stuff, but I'd like to get a small 3-4 quart for some other recipes.

Thanks! Cheers - Beth

 

[Corey123]

Yeah, I know about the Cuisinart slow cooker.

I tend to like Rival though.


~Corey123.

 

[buckytom]

just a quick follow up. i brought the crock pot back to kohl's and searched thru about 4 other ones before i found one with an unblemished stoneware insert for an exchange.

soooo, tonight, i was thinking of making a rack of "bbq" pork spare ribs, starting them on the grill, then finishing them in the crock pot.

anyone have any tips or ideas on how to accomplish this? should i cut up the rack after searing on the grill, before putting in the crock pot? should i layer with onions? when to add bbq sauce?

thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Corey123]

just a quick follow up. i brought the crock pot back to kohl's and searched thru about 4 other ones before i found one with an unblemished stoneware insert for an exchange.

soooo, tonight, i was thinking of making a rack of "bbq" pork spare ribs, starting them on the grill, then finishing them in the crock pot.

anyone have any tips or ideas on how to accomplish this? should i cut up the rack after searing on the grill, before putting in the crock pot? should i layer with onions? when to add bbq sauce?

thanks for any suggestions.

I've never done ribs that way, but I DO own the Rival BBQ Pit Countertop Slow Cooker, which allows me to do that. Cook them whole, that is. Even though the manual
says to slather the BBQ sauce on the ribs first, I don't. For baby back ribs - which I like the best because of their extreme tenderness & juiciness, I usually first marinate them in a dry rub overnight. Then the next morning, I place them into the rack that's in the unit and let them slow cook all day while I get the rest of the meal going. I DO, however, put mounds of sliced onions on them for flavor, and when they're done, that's when I lightly paint them with the sauce.

I sometimes cook them in the oven the same way on the lowest possible setting overnight. Either way, you get that delicious fall-off-the-bone goodness!!

I guess you could cut then into individual pieces, place them in the slow cooker and let them slow cook for several hours or more. No law that says you can't.
But you should marinate them in dry rub overnite first. Oh, and peel off the membrain on the underside. Doing that helps to keep the meat from drawing up and thoughening.

It makes for a more tender delicious-tasting meat. I hope this helps you though. Happy slow cooking!!

~Corey123.

 

[mish]

I have made ribs in a conventional slow cooker. Brown/grill them, drain the fat, cut them up individually, put them in the cooker, pour over the sauce, onions & whatever else you want to add, cover & cook. If you like, you could add 1/2 tsp liquid smoke to the sauce. I have, on occasion, added about 1 cup of freshly brewed coffee. They come out very tender - almost falling off the bone... so next time I make them I will check them after a few hours and remove them when they're cooked through - but not falling off the bone. Hope that helps.

 

[Corey123]

I forgot to mention the liquid smoke, which makes food taste like it was cooked out on the charcoal grill.


~Corey 123.

 

[buckytom]

corey, my wife wants to get the rival bbq pit thing. i'll see if i can get one on a good sale, or get one of those bonus bucks deals like i did to get the crockpot. and thanks for the tips. i've only made ribs once or twice, and they were tough as leather. i'll try the rembrane removal this time.

mish, thanks for the info/recipe. i searched and could only find references to crock pot ribs, a couple of mentions from you. i was hoping you'd chime in.

i'm probably going to start them on the charcoal grill, so the smoke will already be added. but i'll remember that for oven baked ribs.

 

[Corey123]

You're welcome!!

But the main thing is, that you MUST slow cook them, or they will always be tough as leather, like you said. You have to practically cook them to death until they start to fall off the bone. Fresh pork shoulder also must be cooked that way.

Once you've mastered this fine culinary art of slow cooking ribs to tender juicy perfection, then you will never again feel like you're eating a side of Godzilla, T-Rex or something else from Jurassik Park!!

That is how I've cooked them the last three Fourth of Julys. I've gotten rave reviews on them like that! Those parts of the animal get lots of muscle action, resulting in tough cuts of meat. The spare ribs from a fully-grown hog are much tougher than the baby back ribs from a young one.

Nevertheless, I still cook them the same way.
I'll cook them the same way this year also, if I don't have to work that day.

Oh, and if you plan to cook the ribs all the way on the grill, the better thing to do is to refrain from putting the BBQ at the beginning. The sugars that are often used to make the sauce is prone to burning, which in turn, will cauyse the meat itself to burn and blacken. Unless you like you ribs this way, but it also makes the meat tough and dried out.

That is why I wait until the meat is completely done before I slather the sauce on it.

I've learned to cook ribs this way a few years ago from watching some of the cooking shows on the Food Network. There is just no other way. Some people par-boil the ribs first, but I don't do that. Long slow cooking at low temps is the key to successfully getting the kind of ribs that you want!

~Corey123.