No Casserole dish or Slow cooker!!

DaniB · 19-08-2010 10:58AM #1

Hi everyone.

Im new to cooking and im trying new things, I want to cook a nice stew but seeing as im new to all this, I dont exactly have all the equipment to cook this sort of stuff in.

Now I pretty much know a half decent recipe to use but all of them say I need to put it in a casserole dish or a slow cooker and shove it in the oven. Heres the problem... I have no casserole dish and I have no slow cooker thing, just a normal electric oven! I dont have the cash to splash on anything new and plus I dont have a clue which ones are safe to buy and put in an oven in the first place!

So, can anyone tell me, is there another way I can cook this? It doesnt have to be perfect, im only just starting out so i know il be pleased with anything. Can I put it all in a deep dish, you know the ones you would put a lasagne in or is that ludicrious? Can I just leave it in a normal pan that like you'd normally cook soup in and leave it on the hob?

Please, as you can tell, Im a pure dope when it comes to this cooking lark. Any help would be much appreciated!! Thanks

Alun · 19-08-2010 11:12AM

If you have a conventional oven then the best option (in my opinion) would be a pot that you can put both on a ring on the cooker (to start off the dish by browning meat, onions etc.) and in the oven, and my money would be on a cast-iron Le Creuset style pot.

Something like this range, for example, although you can get similar, cheaper, models that aren't Le Creuset. Try Arnott's for a good selection

http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/Product-Range-uk/Cast-Iron-Cookware/Casseroles/

As for using normal saucepans in the oven, that would depend on the pan itself. Things to look out for would be the handles and any non-stick coating ... some pans explicitly say they're suitable for this, and others aren't. A metal handled saucepan with no non-stick coating would be OK, but for any others you'd have to know for sure beforehand otherwise you could end up with a mess

the beer revolu · 19-08-2010 12:07PM

You can cook a stew in a saucepan on the hob at a very low heat.
So after you've browned everything, added your liquid and brought it up to a simmer, just turn down your gas/ring/plate to the lowest setting pop a lid on it and let it barely simmer - the slower the better.
You might find that your lowest setting is a bit to hot for a very slow simmer but it won;t be the end of the world.

Yes you could use a lasagne type dish, covered in foil in the oven too.

Most saucepans will be ok in a low oven - no more than 150degC. The worry is things like plastic handles melting but at a low heat I reckon most would withstand the oven.

There's some options for you.
Stews are a great way to learn to cook.

Le Cruset do make beautiful casseroles but they cost a fortune and are very heavy.

PS Don't use round steak for a stew (no matter what your recipe says).
Use rib steak or, better still, shin beef.

irish_goat · 19-08-2010 04:32PM

Slow cookers are pretty cheap in Argos, not a bad investment.

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?pp=20&s=Price%3A+Low+-+High&storeId=30001&catalogId=1500002451&langId=-1&q=SLOW+COOKER

dlambirl · 20-08-2010 03:14PM

Get a casserole dish - seriously they are just great. I cook mince, stew, chicken, everything in it. Oh, and you don't have to go out and get one of the expensive Le Creuset ones, I got mine for €12 in Tesco and its the best.

DaniB · 20-08-2010 04:45PM

Thanks a mil lads, major help! I've borrowed a casserole dish from my mum so fingers crossed all goes well!!

No Casserole dish or Slow cooker!!

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