Crockpot Woes

[Gingerpie]

I'm new to this board and say a friendly hello.

Several years ago I used to cook really nice, juicey roasts in my old crockpot. It would slow-cook 8 hours and come out really delicious. I cooked Swiss steak the same way.

Now I have a crockpot, maybe 5 years old. It's a Proctor-Silex. A while back I noticed that beef, in particular, was overcooking to a rubbery pulp so I called the manufacturer and they said the newer crockpots cook foods in half the time that the old ones do - for safety reasons. The heat settings are higher so the cooking time is less.

Okay. That's fine. So I cut my cooking times in half, but the beef still comes out like rubber. It's awful.

Has anyone else had this problem with their crockpot? Or is it a problem with the kind of beef I'm using? This afternoon I basically ruined a piece of London Broil. I thought I could put any type of meat in the crockpot and get a nice, tender meal - but either I'm doing something wrong or my crockpot is a real crock!

 

[middie]

wish i knew what to tell you. someone will be along shortly who can answer your question i'm sure. anyway welcome to dc !

 

[Dove]

Gingerpie,

Do youi add any liquid after you brown the meat? It does need moisture.
Dove

 

[pdswife]

Welcome to DC.
I only use my crock pot for chili and soup... so, I'm afraid
I can't be of much help. Someone will come along with
an answer for you though.

 

[jkath]

Hi Gingerpie! Welcome!!!

I cook roasts all the time in my crock pot, and more often, in my big roaster.

As for london broil, it should come out wonderfully! I just put in a 3 lb. roast, a package of onion soup mix and 2 cans of Campbell's Double Strength Beef Broth. I cook it on low for 8 hours or high for 3-1/2 to 4.

I'd suggest trying another crockpot before you have to throw more meat away! How about trying a friends' crockpot first? Maybe yours has a defective part.

 

[Claire]

I don't own a crockpot any more for this very reason. My old one broke in a move, and the new ones ... well, you could boil water in them at their lowest temp. I was constantly burning or rubberizing the food I put in to slow cook. I'm retired now, and have a five burner smooth-top electric range, with two burners that have extra low settings, so the crock and all that it symbolizes doesn't apply to me now. I did, in those days, throw in a chicken and all the stewing stuff (carrot, celery, onion, etc) and go to work, and come home to dinner for a week (when I was single). I wouldn't trust a modern crock to do that ... they just get too darned hot. A crock pot shouldn't boil over, and my last ones did!