Submersion of ingredients necessary?

[seans_potato_business]

When I'm cooking stew/casserole (is there a difference?) in a slow cooker, is it necessary to ensure all the ingredients are submerged in liquid in order to cook or will the stuff on top steam okay? Should the meat usually be on top?

If I follow recipes to the letter, I cannot submerse all the ingredients.

[Andy M.]

When making stews, the ingredients should be submerged. When braising, as a pot roast, the meat should be half to 3/4 submerged.

Casseroles typically don't have enough liquid to submerge solids. They are usually thicker.

Perhaps some specific examples...

[seans_potato_business]

I was interested in this recipe in particular. The reviewer said it was too dry, so I added enough water to submerge anything and ended up with something too watery. :(

[Mimizkitchen]

Originally Posted by seans_potato_business

I was interested in this recipe in particular. The reviewer said it was too dry, so I added enough water to submerge anything and ended up with something too watery. :(

Ok I read the recipe and the review and right off the bat a few things seem off to me.. First I must tell you that I don't slow cook, but know people who do..

The first thing that concerns me is the 9-11 hour cooking time for 3/4 inch cubes of pork.. I don't know about slow cooking as I said, but that sounds like an awfully long time to cook small cubes of meat..

The second thing was the review, the person said " next time maybe less vinegar " There was only a TBSP in the recipe.. I suspect he, or she, used 2 cups of applecider vinegar instead of applecider... But thats just my opinion, and we all know what opinions are like!!!!

So if I were you I would give it a try but I know I wouldn't cook it that long, and if there doesn't appear to be enough liquid, when all the ingrediants are in the pot, add a little chicken stock...

Hope that helps a little... Good luck, and happy cooking...

[DaveSoMD]

My guess is that your slow cooker is a different size than the one used in the original recipe. Some are larger than others and some are wider than others. The inner volume difference would account for it lookng like you did not have enough liquid.