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Slow Cooker recipes

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  • Registered Users Posts: 14,905 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    I use recipezaar.com , you can look for recipes by cooking method.
    Crockpot recipes are what they call them in the US.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,905 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    I did one today and it was very successful.

    4 pork chops
    225g Sliced button mushrooms
    1 large onion sliced thinly
    2 smashed cloves garlic
    1 tsp mixed herbs
    salt and pepper
    ~ 1kg spuds peeled and sliced
    enough chicken stock to cover.

    Sauté the onion in a pan with a little oil until translucent, add garlic and mushrooms and cook the mushrooms until they sweat.
    Remove from heat and add a shake of herbs (I used Lidls Herbs de Provence)

    In crockpot make a layer of mushrooms, chops, potato slices, mushies, etc etc
    Cover in chicken stock, I usually put a stock cube in a mug and dissolve it, then add to the cooker, and then pour boiling water until it covers the food.

    4-5hrs on high.

    eat.


  • Registered Users Posts: 217 ✭✭elainee40


    hmm that sounds lovely, will give it a go.

    Must admit it seems to be well worth the buy


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 923 ✭✭✭sorella


    In the slow cooker right now... a ham shank - soaked overnight to removes excess salt - dired peas - also soaked overnight - a chopped onion and a chopped potato.

    When it has simmered a few hours, will remove the shank, let all cool so the excess fat can be removed, takle the meat off the bones and return to the slow cooker.

    Wil check then for seasoning and if too salty add a couple of raw potatoes to take up excess salt.

    It will be a thick broth, ideal for these winter days. Freezes well also

    The slow cooker is a treasure indeed. And very versatile.


  • Registered Users Posts: 81,144 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Pot Roast
    2 Cans Campbells condensed Cream of Mushroom (do not add water or milk)

    Cook long time

    ???

    Profit!

    Also Good to add fresh sliced mushrooms and chopped onion. Mashed Potatoes are a great side.

    We just got a crockpot recently and so far have done 2 roasts and a Chilli in it - Oh man, you can make epic chilli in a crockpot. Hell, we have a 3rd roast in there right now: its been low-cooking all night.


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  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,108 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    This is what I'm cooking in mine today - a recipe for meatball casserole of my own invention. It's really nice :)


    I lb of lean steak mince
    2 sliced carrots
    2 sliced onions
    Half a tin of tomatoes
    Sliced potatoes
    A dessertspoon of flour
    Pinch of mixed herbs
    Salt and black pepper
    A beef Oxo cube mixed with a pint of hot water
    Olive oil

    Season the meat with salt and pepper and shape into meatballs. Roll them in flour, then brown them in the oil.
    Remove them from the pan and add the carrots and onions. Fry gently until they start to soften. Stir in the flour, then add 3/4 of the stock and the tomatoes. If it's a bit thick, add the rest of the stock. Add some more salt and pepper and the herbs. Put it all in the slow cooker with the potatoes on the bottom. The meatballs will be on top but that's ok, I stirred them gently a couple of times while it was cooking.

    I cook it in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours, then turned it down to low for the last 2 hours because it was ready early, but 4 1/2 or 5 hours on high would do it. Or you could cook it in the oven for an hour and a half.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,475 ✭✭✭corblimey


    I've been using my slow cooker every few nights since I got it just a little while ago. The stuff that comes out is usually just as good as if not better than if it was roasted or fried or whatever (and when it isn't, it's usually my fault) but what can't be beat is the smell it makes, just that lingering warm smell when you come in on a cold wintry evening. Mmm.

    Anyway, I went and read the archives for A Year of Crockpotting. It's American recipes, so you'll need to convert most of them (or get American measures) but I've not had a bad meal from this yet. About.com also has a load of great recipes that I've been using.


  • Registered Users Posts: 217 ✭✭elainee40


    Thanks girls, these sound yum, put my roast beef in the slow cooker for sunday lunch, omg it was so soft and nice, defo be doing it like that every time


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,290 ✭✭✭gonker


    I bought one of the tesco ones for 15euro . How do you roast in it :confused:. There is no recipe leaflet in it at all.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,108 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    gonker wrote: »
    I bought one of the tesco ones for 15euro . How do you roast in it :confused:. There is no recipe leaflet in it at all.

    You'd need to brown the joint in a pan first for colour, then put it in the slow cooker with some chopped veg underneath (carrots, onions, celery). You'd also need some stock or water in there.
    There are tons of recipes on the web, try the link corblimey posted for ideas.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,290 ✭✭✭gonker


    Hmm thanks a million Ill try that. I didnt realise you could do so much in them!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,475 ✭✭✭corblimey


    Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but I figured why start a new thread? I'm wondering how to up my usage of the slow cooker - it's dropped off steadily as the 'thrill' of it has worn off.

    Last weekend, I made a beef stew on the pan and then in the oven and it was only after putting it in the oven for 3 hours, it occurred to me that I could have used my slow cooker. As long as I brown the meat off first, everything else should be good to go? Would I need to fry anything else (like I sweat some onions and garlic at the start)? Is there any timeframe ie oven X 3 = slow cooker? So if it's to cook in the oven for 3 hours, I'd leave it in the slow cooker for 9? That sort of thing? Some one-pot recipes I have call for a hour of cooking time, so I'm just wondering how to translate that.

    Basically, any good tips for transforming a normal one-pot meal into a nice slow cooker meal?


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,108 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    I find it best to sweat off veg such as carrots, celery, onions before putting them in because they cook better. For some reason veg cooks slower than meat in the slow cooker. Today I have a meatball casserole in - I rolled the meatballs in flour, browned them and put them in the slow cooker, the sweated off the veg in the pan. Then I threw in a dessertspoon of flour and stirred it. Then half a tin of tomatoes, a pint of beef stock (oxo cube), salt and pepper and mixed herbs. I'd give it 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low since everything's been pre-sweated. Sometimes I cut my potatoes into slices and place them on the bottom.
    I think anything that takes 2 hours in the oven will take 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,475 ✭✭✭corblimey


    Tks, DizzyBlonde. I get the distinct impression that it's virtually impossible to f**k up a slow cooked meal and burn it or something. It seems that 8 hours at low is recommended for most meat and veg combos and after that it's a matter of deciding how well done you like your meat and veg.

    Or is that all nonsense?


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,108 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    I think you're right. It's great for casseroles and stews, though once or twice I had chicken stew in too long on high and it didn't taste as nice as it should have. But then I'm not that fond of chicken stew anyway.
    I put a loin of pork in the other week in a char siu marinade and after 9 hours it fell apart, it was delicious.
    Some things like chicken chasseur cook in 2-3 hours on high because the chicken joints are browned first, but I like the convenience of putting it in the slow cooker and not having to worry about it for the afternoon.


  • Registered Users Posts: 217 ✭✭elainee40


    Girls i LOVE my slow cooker, always have something cooking in it, last week i put a ham joint in it put it on a bed of brown sugar, it was quite a lot of sugar, rub the ham in some of the sugar too and put it on for 5/6 hours on low and OMG it was so so soft and yummy, hmmmmmmmmmm


  • Registered Users Posts: 81,144 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    It really has become an awesome cooking tool. We use it easily 2-3 times a week now for everything from pot roast to spaghetti bolognaise and chilli. Absolutely great when you know you arent going to be up to cooking something when you get home - chuck the ingredients in and itll be hot and ready when you come back.


  • Registered Users Posts: 479 ✭✭mags16


    Does the lid of your slow cooker fit snugly? I bought a prestige one today and the lid was quite loose. In fact there was a 1/4 inch gap between the lid and the ceramic pot at one point. I emailed their customer care and they said it was the design of the slow cooker and it wouldn't effect performance. Anyway I brought it back to the shop and am going to get the Morphy Richards 3.5l one, I think.


  • Registered Users Posts: 217 ✭✭elainee40


    yeah there suppose to be tight, as its steam mostly that cooks the food, it says in books that if you open the lid add another 20min's on to cooking


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,108 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    I have a Breville one like THIS and the lid doesn't fit so snugly that it 'clicks' in, but it definitely doesn't leave a gap for steam to escape.
    mags16, think carefully before buying a smaller one - you might regret it if you ever want to do a large piece of meat in it.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 479 ✭✭mags16


    Thanks dizzyblonde. Any slow cookers I have seen have lids that sit on the top of the ceramic pot without any gaps.

    I am worried that the 3.5 l Morphy Richards one is too small but their next one up is a whopping 6.5l. Is that not too big? I normally cook for the 2 of us but like to make things in batch to put in the freezer. And I also love to have a crowd around to dinner from time to time.

    Would you recommend the Brevillle? Can you cook larger pieces of meat in it?


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,108 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    6.5 l does sound very big, but you'd probably have to see it to be able to gauge it properly. I did a 3lb piece of pork loin in mine a couple of weeks ago with room to spare.
    The one I have (it's the older version of that Breville one and only the dial is different) is perfectly adequate for anything I've done in it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 189 ✭✭denat


    Have just got a chance to use my slow cooker for the first time today.

    I didn't saute or brown in advance.

    I put the following in, from bottom up:

    2 small onions, 3 medium carrots, 2 medium sticks celery - all of these cut to about 5mm thick
    500 gm round beef very lean 1 inch cubes
    1 pack schwartz beef casserole mix, prepared as directed on pack with .5 pint water.

    Cooked for 10 hours on low setting.

    Everyting was perfectly cooked, meat was tender. However, onions and celery mostly disappeared into the liquid, there was far too much liquid after cooking and that liquid did not thicken.

    Flavour was ok but probably not as good as it should be because it was too diluted.

    After using most of the liquid to mash into potatoes and fishing out any small solid pieces of food I'm still left with about .5 pint thin liquid soup in the pot.

    What I wanted at the start was a nice thick stew.

    This is kind of frustrating because, if I had taken much of the advice I'd been given beforehand, I'd have at least covered all the veg with stock/water at the start and, indeed some people suggest covering the whole lot with stock/water.

    If I'd taken that advice I'd probably have ended up with 1.5 pints of surplus thin liquid at end of cooking.

    any opinions, please?


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,108 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    When you cook in the slow cooker you should always use less liquid than in a normal casserole dish, because nothing evaporates. If I'm sauteeing first I'll throw on some flour at the end, then when I add stock or water I do it gradually so that it's thick because I don't like my casseroles thin. If you use plenty of flour, you can have lots of thick liquid.
    I've never used the packet mix you used so I don't know how thick it's suppposed to be, but maybe next time you should use less water. Or don't use a packet at all, do it from scratch - it's not difficult and tastes better.
    I cut my onions and celery quite chunky when it's going to be cooking for so long.


  • Registered Users Posts: 479 ✭✭mags16


    denat wrote: »
    Everyting was perfectly cooked, meat was tender. However, onions and celery mostly disappeared into the liquid, there was far too much liquid after cooking and that liquid did not thicken.

    Flavour was ok but probably not as good as it should be because it was too diluted.

    I generally have to thicken the sauce after cooking. I don't mind doing that as it means your sauce is as thick as you want it to be.

    Yesterday I cooked meatballs in the slow cooker. The meatballs contained minced onion and garlic and chopped parsley. I browned them first. I laid them on a bed of chopped carrot, celery, garlic and onion. I added a can of tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and a dash of balsamic vinegar. The meatballs were delicious but the sauce was sludgey and greasy. I quickly made another sauce from exactly the same ingredients (leaving out the carrot and celery, but adding yellow pepper) and used it with the meatballs. The resulting dinner was lovely but it is a shame about the sauce that came out of the slow cooker. I suppose it is trial and error for the first while.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,108 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    mags16 wrote: »
    Yesterday I cooked meatballs in the slow cooker. The meatballs contained minced onion and garlic and chopped parsley. I browned them first. I laid them on a bed of chopped carrot, celery, garlic and onion. I added a can of tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and a dash of balsamic vinegar. The meatballs were delicious but the sauce was sludgey and greasy. I quickly made another sauce from exactly the same ingredients (leaving out the carrot and celery, but adding yellow pepper) and used it with the meatballs. The resulting dinner was lovely but it is a shame about the sauce that came out of the slow cooker. I suppose it is trial and error for the first while.

    I do something very similar, but I roll the meatballs in flour before browning them.Then I take them out of the pan before sauteeing the veg. I then stir a dessertspoon of flour into the veg before adding around a half pint of beef stock and a tin of tomatoes, worcestershire sauce etc. The sauce is nice and thick.
    As a rule, I'll always have the liquid slightly thicker than I'd like it when I'm putting it into the slow cooker. Once you know the amount of flour this takes, you can pop it all in raw, stir the flour in before you add the hot stock and this saves you sauteeing everything if you're in a hurry.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,048 ✭✭✭✭Snowie


    any one cooked a from scratch chicken curry in one ?


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,108 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    any one cooked a from scratch chicken curry in one ?

    No, I start mine on the hob and then chuck it in the slow cooker.


  • Registered Users Posts: 479 ✭✭mags16


    Hi there, recipezaar.com is a great site for slow cooker recipes and the reviews are really useful. I did a search of chicken curry and came up with this list.

    http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?q[]=chicken+curry&q[]=crock+pot&ls=h&Search=Search&s_type=%2Frecipes.php

    (you might want to highlight, copy and paste the whole link - just clicking the link didn't work for me)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,131 ✭✭✭Curvy Vixen


    Because there is no opportunity for liquid/steam to escape the juice in a slow cooker will not reduce or thicken.

    It sometimes doesn't thicken at all or enough if you brown your meat in flour first either.

    My party trick is a couple of spoons of cornflour with a little cold water stirred into the bubbling juice at the end of cooking. Instantly thick :D

    I made a fab oxtail stew (yes, with a real oxtail) last week and it was a little watery so I just did my cornflour trick and it was beautiful!


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