Slow cooker

mrmoonlight

Hi I've just purchased a slow cooker but unsure of cooking in it I'm looking to start off
simple say pork chops,potato's, and carrots or similar, do I just put them straight in ? Do I need to add liquid like I would if I was boiling the spuds and veg on a hob? Any recommendations appreciated thanks

cefh17

It's usually better if you give a quick sear to any meats before adding them in, generally the ones with a bit of fat like stewing beef work better because it breaks down over the slow cook time. Vegetables like carrots and potatoes take around 1.5-2 hours (I find) so don't add them in at the beginning or else they'll be mush come the end. Add just enough liquid to almost cover the food in there, remember, no liquid will be lost and juices will be coming out of the meat/veg, so air on the side of too little rather than too much.

There's a great list of slow cooking recipes here, it will keep you going for a while

Dubgal1980

Just got a slow cooker too and I have to say I've never had better food ! Wish I bought one years ago , Pinterest is amazing for recipes , don't forget it's "crock pot" in the USA so search crock pot recipes for a huge selection