Slow Cooker recipes

Dizzyblonde · 24-08-2013 8:00pm

I'd also cook it for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

Deise Musashi · 24-08-2013 9:50pm

Finished the beef stew and it was Nom!

A little too much roux so I had to thin it back down to a thick stew consistency, added maybe twenty minutes to plating up time. There was so much (we had a bunch of veggies from the garden so I added them into the mix, onions, garlic and courgettes) that what remains will feed herself when she gets in from the Birthday party she's at, or I'll blitz it for a nice warming soup for lunch tomorrow.

If you like a little heat in your food, some peppers (sweet/chili) or some tabasco/other hot sauce can liven up a stew that's a bit bland. There were cold boiled new potatoes in the fridge from yesterday's dinner, so they went in with about an hour to go. Well heated through and they helped add bulk and filling to a mix that was "stick to the ribs" grub.

I love my slow cooker, it's the only good thing about the weather we get in winter, and shift work! I hear it's also good for porridge so must give that a go this winter.

Dizzyblonde · 24-08-2013 10:11pm

When I'm making beef stew in the slow cooker I stir in a dessertspoonful of flour and add a handful of barley, and find that with a pint of stock it comes out perfectly thick.

Deise Musashi · 24-08-2013 10:51pm

I must get me some pearl barley, lots of childhood memories of warming soups!

I'm not fond of turnip/cabbage/tomatoes/cauliflower/kale but I would like my kids to try all sorts of food.
I don't think of it as "hiding" veg. in food, but if they eat grub that has added veggies (garden picked even better) and they like it, then it makes me a very happy Dad.!

My little boy will eat anything, my princess will eat nothing but pasta with parmesan...

Any time they eat a full dinner it's a win.

Dizzyblonde · 25-08-2013 11:40am

Deise Musashi wrote: »

Any time they eat a full dinner it's a win.

I remember those days. And the rare dinner that was eaten by everyone was such a joy!

Toast4532 · 25-08-2013 12:08pm

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I remember those days. And the rare dinner that was eaten by everyone was such a joy!

My mother said this to me often, I never believed her, until I was babysitting for a weekend.

Three kids, none of which could decide what they wanted, and they all came up with ideas, for different meals of course.

In the end I settled on chicken, potatoes and vegs. With a promise of a trip to the shop if all the plates were cleared. :pac:

gg2 · 28-08-2013 2:06pm

Whenever I cook stew in the slow cooker, my pearl barley and veg don't cook :-( Usually its on low heat for 8 - 10 hours.... Anyone any suggestions? It was a really cheap slow cooker, could that be the problem?

Dizzyblonde · 28-08-2013 3:00pm

gg2 wrote: »

It was a really cheap slow cooker, could that be the problem?

I think that probably is the problem. I've seen someone else mention that the cheaper Tesco slow cooker is quite a bit cooler.

gg2 · 28-08-2013 4:37pm

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I think that probably is the problem. I've seen someone else mention that the cheaper Tesco slow cooker is quite a bit cooler.

It has really put me off using the slow cooker as I love my veg..... I only use it for pulled pork, beef and the likes

Toast4532 · 28-08-2013 5:59pm

I usually throw in a bit of barely into the stews too, would I be better off cooking it in a different saucepan and then throwing it into the stew?

I have the Tesco slow cooker too.

Dizzyblonde · 28-08-2013 9:33pm

Toast4532 wrote: »

I usually throw in a bit of barely into the stews too, would I be better off cooking it in a different saucepan and then throwing it into the stew?

I have the Tesco slow cooker too.

If it's not cooking in the slow cooker then you'd be better to cook it separately. I'd try it first though if you haven't already.

stevenmu · 28-08-2013 10:20pm

I'd really wonder what's going on that it's not cooking the veg. Is it cooking meat ok at the same time?

gg2 · 28-08-2013 10:57pm

stevenmu wrote: »

I'd really wonder what's going on that it's not cooking the veg. Is it cooking meat ok at the same time?

Meat is always perfect. No matter how small I chop the veg it's still pretty much raw..... And I've almost lost a few teeth because of the pearl barley!!

annamcmahon · 29-08-2013 12:00am

gg2 wrote: »

Meat is always perfect. No matter how small I chop the veg it's still pretty much raw..... And I've almost lost a few teeth because of the pearl barley!!

I have a cheap tesco sc and the low setting is very low. I fry the veg a little before adding to the sc. I prefer the flavor as well as ensuring it's cooked. I do it in the evening a leave the ceramic dish in the fridge overnight ready to go in the morning.

beertons · 29-08-2013 12:52am

How Long would the pearl barley be in the cooker for? I have no problem with my veg in for 8 hours and I usually give pearl barley an hour. I bought a 6.5l one in Argos. I think it's more to do with the type of cooker you bought. Think it's time to reinvest.

kylith · 08-09-2013 11:46am

vibe666 wrote: »

how did that work out in the end?

It worked out really, really badly. I don't know if my loaf was too big, my cooker too small, or if it needed a higher temperature, but the bottom cooked ok while the top remained a mess of raw dough, then it sank down to about 1.5" thick. After two hours I flipped it over and cooked it for another hour, no difference.

So if you want to make really dense, undercooked bread that's only an inch or so thick and takes at least four hours.....

MurdyWurdy · 09-09-2013 10:07pm

I got my slow cooker out tonight for the first time in ages. I'm looking forward to getting some use out of it this winter! I have a baby now but he goes to bed at 8.30ish so I'm planning on putting the slow cooker on after he is bed and I have a bit of time to myself.

I have a really good book of slow cooker recipes so cooked one of my favourites today.

Sausage and Apple Casserole

Ingredients

2 large onions
2 large green apples (I used granny smiths)
2 tablespoons of curry powder
2 tins of baked beans or chilli beans (The book I have is a NZ book and it's easy to get tinned chilli kidney beans etc there but not so easy here, I used one tin of Heinz fiery chilli baked beans and one tin of Heinz mixed baked beans)
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
brown sugar
mixed herbs
8 sausages

Slice the onions and apples (leaving the skin on) and fry in a pan with some oil and the curry powder until they have a nice brown colour. Turn off the heat and add in the 2 tins of beans and the tin of tomatoes. Add in the brown sugar (this is optional) and the mixed herbs (I just used dried mixed herbs)

Give the slow cooker a spray with non stick oil and place the 8 sausages in the cooker. Pour in the bean/onion/apple mix over them. Put the lid on and cook for 6 - 8 hours on low.

Yum

Toast4532 · 10-09-2013 10:12am

That sounds lovely. What book is it you have?

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

I got my slow cooker out tonight for the first time in ages. I'm looking forward to getting some use out of it this winter! I have a baby now but he goes to bed at 8.30ish so I'm planning on putting the slow cooker on after he is bed and I have a bit of time to myself.

I have a really good book of slow cooker recipes so cooked one of my favourites today.

Sausage and Apple Casserole

Ingredients

2 large onions
2 large green apples (I used granny smiths)
2 tablespoons of curry powder
2 tins of baked beans or chilli beans (The book I have is a NZ book and it's easy to get tinned chilli kidney beans etc there but not so easy here, I used one tin of Heinz fiery chilli baked beans and one tin of Heinz mixed baked beans)
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
brown sugar
mixed herbs
8 sausages

Slice the onions and apples (leaving the skin on) and fry in a pan with some oil and the curry powder until they have a nice brown colour. Turn off the heat and add in the 2 tins of beans and the tin of tomatoes. Add in the brown sugar (this is optional) and the mixed herbs (I just used dried mixed herbs)

Give the slow cooker a spray with non stick oil and place the 8 sausages in the cooker. Pour in the bean/onion/apple mix over them. Put the lid on and cook for 6 - 8 hours on low.

Yum

MurdyWurdy · 10-09-2013 1:36pm

It's called 100 great ways to use slow cookers and crockpots by Simon and Alison Holst.

As I said I got it in New Zealand so not sure if you can get it elsewhere, maybe online? Some of the recipes use specific NZ ingredients like kumara (but you could substitute sweet potato)

gg2 · 10-09-2013 2:45pm

Ok I decided to attempt my stew again in the slow cooker but I par boiled my veg and pearl barley first........ Time will tell!! Hope its nice!

brian ireland · 14-09-2013 11:12pm

And?

bogman · 15-09-2013 12:15am

Pearl barley turns lovely in an Irish Stew, cant imagine doing one without it, Tesco always has some, always throw everything into the slow cooker with plenty water and cook it at low heat

gg2 · 16-09-2013 2:11pm

brian ireland wrote: »

And?

I went a bit mad with the water, it ended up a stew/soup, a stoup as I call it... It was delish

Faith · 16-09-2013 2:13pm

Aldi are selling slow cookers at the moment, if anyone is in the market for one.

vibe666 · 17-09-2013 11:37am

had two great successes with mine in the last couple of weeks. one was my old staple of ham and veg soup and the other was a shoulder of pork, which was a very big hit on sunday.

couple of rough chopped onions in the bottom and about 200ml of ham stock (made with a knorr stock cube), with the whole pork shoulder on top. 4 hours on high and then 6 on low to finish it off, then lifted out and basted with veg oil and a good crack of pink himalayan rock salt (in most supermarkets now) before going in the over at 200 to crisp up the skin (which worked perfectly), with the only issue being getting the joint out of the slow cooker in one piece, but i managed it in the end.

the meat came out like pulled pork, i didn't cut it, just pulled chunks off the bone. had it with roasted spuds, carrots & parsnips and cabbage, with gravy made from the oniony porky juices left in the slow cooker. perfect crispy crackling too although as i was the only crackling fan in attendance, i put on 6lb between friday and monday night (after finishing off the leftovers) as a result! :eek:

Dizzyblonde · 17-09-2013 12:22pm

vibe666 wrote: »

with the only issue being getting the joint out of the slow cooker in one piece, but i managed it in the end.

A tinfoil 'sling' can help with that.

vibe666 · 17-09-2013 2:52pm

yeah, i used one for a slow cooked chicken i did a few months back, but by the time i thought of it for the pork it was already in and on.

it was grand in the end, just needed to be careful to get a couple of good wide spatulas under it to support it as i lifted it out.

Stheno · 30-09-2013 10:03pm

I'd a slow cooker a few years ago that I gave away, then I bought a book recently for slow cooker recipes, so went out and got a 3.5L Breville slowcooker.

Did a beef and guinness stew in it today and it's just finishing, the entire house smells delicious.

However, I've a few questions.

Ingredients were:
900g beef
500ml guinness
Can chopped tomatoes
3 carrots
2 onions
1 parsnip
2 very large potatoes.

Put all the veg in the bottom, then the beef (all had been fried/sauteed to break them down a little) then the guinness and tomatoes, the slow cooker was stuffed to the brim, and I'd to stop halfway through cooking and mix it all up as it didn't shift.

Then I added cornflour for the last hour to thicken it up.

Could I have done things differently?

hbonbr · 09-10-2013 11:47pm

I think you did fine. I seldom bother with the sauté part, I find it works fine without doing that. If the potatoes are large, I cut them up, to make them roughly twice as large as they would be if I were boiling them, if that makes sense.

You could try thickening with a roux instead of cornflour, you can have this made in advance and frozen in an ice cube tray.

I stack the cooker like you do, Usually I add the potatoes last, this means they cook above the body of the liquid, but I don't bother mixing it, I just let it all cook, it gets mixed when I serve it. The potatoes cook fine that way.

I will try your recipe, thanks!

stevenmu · 10-10-2013 9:55am

I'd usually just give things a good mix when I put them in, and then again just before serving, I wouldn't bother doing it while it's cooking (taking the lid off the slow cooker lets a ton of heat out).

Dizzyblonde · 10-10-2013 10:06am

Stheno I reduce the amount of liquid by half when I'm making a stew in the slow cooker, or else throw in a handful of barley.

beertons · 10-10-2013 2:11pm

I'd use pearl barley before cornflour every time.

vibe666 · 12-10-2013 9:24am

beertons wrote: »

I'd use pearl barley before cornflour every time.

definitely. Adds nutrition, flavour and texture as well as thickening it up.

Dizzyblonde · 12-10-2013 2:35pm

My slow cooker lamb stew recipe:
Diced lamb (1.5 or 2 kilos, depending on how many you're feeding)
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
1 stick of celery, sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
A crushed clove of garlic
A handful of pearl barley (don't be tempted to add more)
2 teaspoons of tomato puree
2 tablespoons of red wine (I keep some in the freezer in a tub)
One pint of hot water mixed with one chicken stock cube
A heaped dessertspoon of flour
A pinch of dried rosemary or the chopped leaves from a sprig of fresh rosemary
Salt and black pepper
Oil for frying (I use olive oil)

Heat oil in a large frying pan and brown the meat in batches. Put it into the slow cooker and put the veg and garlic into the pan. Turn down the heat and cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle on the flour and then cook it for another minute.
Push it all to the side and add the wine and puree to the pan - when it sizzles, add the stock.
Stir well. Add the rosemary, barley and salt & black pepper, stir well and put it into the slow cooker.
Cook for 4-5 hours on High or 8-10 hours on Low

Loire · 14-10-2013 9:25am

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

My slow cooker lamb stew recipe:
Diced lamb (1.5 or 2 kilos, depending on how many you're feeding)
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
1 stick of celery, sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
A crushed clove of garlic
A handful of pearl barley (don't be tempted to add more)
2 teaspoons of tomato puree
2 tablespoons of red wine (I keep some in the freezer in a tub)
One pint of hot water mixed with one chicken stock cube
A heaped dessertspoon of flour
A pinch of dried rosemary or the chopped leaves from a sprig of fresh rosemary
Salt and black pepper
Oil for frying (I use olive oil)

Heat oil in a large frying pan and brown the meat in batches. Put it into the slow cooker and put the veg and garlic into the pan. Turn down the heat and cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle on the flour and then cook it for another minute.
Push it all to the side and add the wine and puree to the pan - when it sizzles, add the stock.
Stir well. Add the rosemary, barley and salt & black pepper, stir well and put it into the slow cooker.
Cook for 4-5 hours on High or 8-10 hours on Low

Hi Dizzy,

Thanks for that - it sounds absolutely delicious

Loire.

How Strange · 15-10-2013 9:08pm

I'm rediscovering my slow cooker as I'm going back to work in mid November and I've got 2 small kids so evenings will be chaos.

I found this recipe on line and tried it out today

Balsamic Beef
1.5kg beef joint
1 cup beef stock
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
Pinch of chilli flakes
4 cloves chopped garlic

Put all wet liquids and garlic in a jug and mix together. Put beef in slow cooker, pour liquid over meat and cook for 4 hours on high.

It was totally yummy. The sauce is very rich and makes a lovely jus. If you like your beef rarer in the middle check it after 3 hours.

How Strange · 17-10-2013 11:59am

Im on a bit of a roll this week!

Yesterday I did slow cooked roasted lemon chicken

Ingredients
Medium chicken

3 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Zest of 1 lemon then cut lemon in half
1 lemon quartered

4 carrots sliced
4 sticks of celery sliced
1 onion chopped

Put salt, pepper cayenne pepper and lemon zest into a jug and mix together.

Place celery, carrots, onions and quartered lemon onto bottom of slow cooker. Put chicken on top.

Pour a little liquid inside the chicken and the rest over the skin. Rub ingredients into skin.

Put halved lemon inside the chicken.

Cook on high for 4 hours.

Transfer to oven on a high heat for 20 mins if you want to crisp up the skin.

My husband was a bit unsure of the taste at first but the chicken was so tender it fell off the bone and you get a lovely lemon favoured broth with veg which is a pleasant change from gravy.

We served it with mash but I think next time I'd put chopped potatoes with the other veg and then we'd have a full dinner in the pot.

stevenmu · 17-10-2013 5:24pm

How Strange wrote: »

We served it with mash but I think next time I'd put chopped potatoes with the other veg and then we'd have a full dinner in the pot.

Baby/New potatoes work quite well for this. I'd normally throw them in for the last 45-60 mins, but I like them quite firm, you could double that if you wanted them softer.

stoutykid · 17-10-2013 8:09pm

I made Lasagna in my slow cooker today. A first for me, it was nice but think I used too much pasta as it said to double layer the lasagna sheets but when I make it in the oven I usually end up with more sauce and less pasta and I think I prefer it like this. I love my slow cooker...!!

elusiveguy · 24-10-2013 11:13am

Did this over the weekend

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/01/slow-cooker-mongolian-beef.html

OH is allergic to soy so used this instead of soy sauce

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080604083216AA0VaPL

Was really really good, first time the slow cooker has impressed. Will do it again but maybe half the sugar as it was a little too sweet

padraig.od · 10-11-2013 11:47am

Does anyone have any veggie slow cooker recipes? There is only one (the tomato soup) linked on the front page.

nyeb2007 · 10-11-2013 2:08pm

padraig.od wrote: »

Does anyone have any veggie slow cooker recipes? There is only one (the tomato soup) linked on the front page.

I read somewhere before you aren't supposed to cook beans and lentils in slow cooker but g do.
I soak them overnight, drain add fresh water and cook on high for a few hours. Drain off some water and add tomatoes and chilli and make into a bean chilli

Johnny_Fontane · 11-11-2013 1:46pm

Ok, so I went a bit nuts at the weekend and decided that I'd try bake a ginger cake in the slow cooker. I had a recipe from this slow cooker book that I picked up recently.

Ginger cake is relatively simple, I suppose, so I thought what could go wrong?

Well, nothing went wrong, but it was dreadful. The sponge was all wrong, very rubbery and it just didnt work at all.

Anyone else attempted a cake in the slow cooker? Its not like I burned it! But it was wrong, just plain wrong.

MurdyWurdy · 11-11-2013 8:53pm

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

Ok, so I went a bit nuts at the weekend and decided that I'd try bake a ginger cake in the slow cooker. I had a recipe from this slow cooker book that I picked up recently.

Ginger cake is relatively simple, I suppose, so I thought what could go wrong?

Well, nothing went wrong, but it was dreadful. The sponge was all wrong, very rubbery and it just didnt work at all.

Anyone else attempted a cake in the slow cooker? Its not like I burned it! But it was wrong, just plain wrong.

Not in the slow cooker but I made ginger cake in my bread maker once. It was horrible. Cake is just not meant to be made that way!

nyeb2007 · 11-11-2013 9:01pm

Never made cakes but seems some brilliant pictures from a Facebook group I am on called slow cooker saddos they make bread and self saucing puddings and stuff. Some lovely recipes on it

nyeb2007 · 11-11-2013 9:18pm

Self saucing pudding apparently

stoutykid · 14-11-2013 8:53am

I cooked a smoked ham in my slow cooker yesterday without soaking it....(yes it would appear I am that stupid). It's so salty its hardly edible. I presume there is nothing I can do to save this at this late stage is there....:( I had been hoping to add it to a homemade macaroni but I don't think this will disguise the salt at this stage.

Mr. CooL ICE · 14-11-2013 9:16am

Dunno about salty pieces of meat, but any time I've made a sauce that was too salty, I added equal parts vinegar and sugar to counteract it. No idea how you would go about rescuing a ham though

stoutykid · 14-11-2013 9:18am

LordChessington wrote: »

Dunno about salty pieces of meat, but any time I've made a sauce that was too salty, I added equal parts vinegar and sugar to counteract it. No idea how you would go about rescuing a ham though

Thanks for that... Ya I think I am clutching at straws to be honest... Just don't like the idea of putting it in the bin but I might have to.

Kali_Kalika · 14-11-2013 1:35pm

stoutykid wrote: »

Thanks for that... Ya I think I am clutching at straws to be honest... Just don't like the idea of putting it in the bin but I might have to.

Happened to me one christmas - I dumped all the "juice" out of the slow cooker and popped in two cans of coke and a potato (I'd read the potato thing about overly salty soups, sauces that have been made) and I can't say it was perfect, but it was certainly edible!

Slow Cooker recipes

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