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Slow Cooker recipes

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Comments

  • #632
    54and56
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 8,053 ✭✭✭54and56


    Marty McFly wrote: »
    Sorry turns out it started as an Italian stew.

    Heres an old pic of it before I started slow cooking it but you get the idea :)

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=89320997&postcount=1065


    Do you just toss them all in the slow cooker or do you fry off the onions and garlic in some oil and brown the meat first?

    Edit: I hope so as I'm just about to serve this for Sunday dinner!!

    in72gh.jpg

    My version is as follows:-

    1.2 KG of stewing beef (2 X 600g packs from Aldi)
    2 X Cans of chopped tomatoes
    12 X peeled and roughly chopped shallots
    2 X bell peppers roughly chopped.
    4 cloves of chopped garlic.
    2 X cans of drained chick peas
    A good dose of worcestershire sauce
    Balsamic vinegar
    Dried oregano
    Dried basil
    Cayenne pepper
    Smoked paprika
    Good pinch of salt.

    It's very nice. Might have put a small bit too much chilli in for the kids but that's easily adjusted for next time.

    Thanks for the recipe, it's a keeper.


  • #633
    Marty McFly
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,222 ✭✭✭✭Marty McFly


    Delighted you liked it :)

    I don't fry off anything I just prep and throw it all I'm the slow cooker.


  • #634
    54and56
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 8,053 ✭✭✭54and56


    Marty McFly wrote: »
    Delighted you liked it :)

    I don't fry off anything I just prep and throw it all I'm the slow cooker.

    Good, that's what I did too. Thanks for sharing this.


  • #635
    curiousb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 486 ✭✭curiousb


    Je_suis_Jean wrote: »
    Do you just toss them all in the slow cooker or do you fry off the onions and garlic in some oil and brown the meat first?

    Edit: I hope so as I'm just about to serve this for Sunday dinner!!

    My version is as follows:-

    1.2 KG of stewing beef (2 X 600g packs from Aldi)
    2 X Cans of chopped tomatoes
    12 X peeled and roughly chopped shallots
    2 X bell peppers roughly chopped.
    4 cloves of chopped garlic.
    2 X cans of drained chick peas
    A good dose of worcestershire sauce
    Balsamic vinegar
    Dried oregano
    Dried basil
    Cayenne pepper
    Smoked paprika
    Good pinch of salt.

    It's very nice. Might have put a small bit too much chilli in for the kids but that's easily adjusted for next time.

    Thanks for the recipe, it's a keeper.

    I hadn't used my slow cooker in a while but chanced upon this recipe this morning and decided to give it a go and it turned out great! It has a Spanish feel with the chick peas, smoked paprika and cayenne I think. It reminded me of some tapas I had over the Summer! Just in a larger quantity.

    Will definitely make it again!


  • #636
    beertons
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 23,397 ✭✭✭✭beertons


    ^ I'm making this tomorrow. Can't wait. Found some chorizo too, going to add it as well.


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  • #637
    L'prof
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,054 ✭✭✭✭L'prof


    Looks class lads, nearly time to get the slow cooker back out of the press.

    So no browning of the meat or frying of the veg? I'll definitely give this a go as any time I use the slow cooker I put it on low for 8+ hours!


  • #638
    curiousb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 486 ✭✭curiousb


    L'prof wrote: »
    Looks class lads, nearly time to get the slow cooker back out of the press.

    So no browning of the meat or frying of the veg? I'll definitely give this a go as any time I use the slow cooker I put it on low for 8+ hours!

    I would usually brown the meat and cook off the onions and garlic first but I didn't have time yesterday so didn't bother and I couldn't taste the difference. Probably won't bother from now on.

    I did 6 hours on high, but 8 hours on low should be fine also I guess.


  • #639
    54and56
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 8,053 ✭✭✭54and56


    curiousb wrote: »
    I would usually brown the meat and cook off the onions and garlic first but I didn't have time yesterday so didn't bother and I couldn't taste the difference. Probably won't bother from now on.
    Me too and the ability to just throw it all in the pot, out it on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours makes it a very handy option. I think browning the meat and frying off the garlic and onions are hangovers from old recipes which didn't utilise long slow cooking methods.

    If you think about it browning the meat must create a barrier to the juices being soaked in. Compared to other stew type recipes I've done with Aldi diced beef where I've fried the meat first the result this time with no frying was much much more tender and flavoursome.

    I also think this dish would be interesting to do with diced lamb or mutton if it's even possible to source old cheap mutton any more. Might give that a lash soon.


  • #640
    Dolbert
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,154 ✭✭✭Dolbert


    I think browning the meat is mainly for appearance, I personally never bother and it makes very little difference


  • #641
    beertons
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 23,397 ✭✭✭✭beertons


    Bit watery. Next time, I'd fry the veg and the chorizo together. I like it though.


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  • #642
    Marty McFly
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,222 ✭✭✭✭Marty McFly


    beertons wrote: »
    Bit watery. Next time, I'd fry the veg and the chorizo together. I like it though.

    Yea I've never tried it with Chorizo but I'd imagine if you want to get the full flavour from the Chorizo best off frying it first.

    Glad you liked it though.


  • #643
    the beer revolu
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,041 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    Browning meat is for flavour and appearance but mostly flavour.
    Meat doesn't absorb juices while cooking, it looses moisture (even in luquid).

    I'd love to do a side by side test. Same recipe and cooking method but brown one lot of the meat and not the other.
    It's the only way to properly compare.
    Unlikely I'll ever be bothered making 2 stews when I only need to make one, in terms of washing up and energy.


  • #644
    oleras
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,765 ✭✭✭oleras


    beertons wrote: »
    Bit watery. Next time, I'd fry the veg and the chorizo together. I like it though.

    I made this myself yesterday and anticipating the watery consistency at around 7 hours into the 8 hour cook i made a roux and added it to it and it made the liquid a really nice soup consistency. Really easy and tasty dish, i would add more heat though, i only used half a tsp of cayenne and 2 chilies. It could do with a bit of sweetness too to balance the smokey paprika, maybe if i didn't use 39c tins of tomatoes that could be sorted easily...lol

    My first roux effort, i have used the baking powder slurry before but you can always taste it i think.

    3tbsp of flour, it turned out to be 50g when i weighed it and 50g of butter.

    Melted the butter slowly and added the flour 1 tbsp at a time to cook the flour evenly, whisking constantly after all the flour has been added and cooked it looks like a choux pastery i think, i could be wrong never made choux, only seen it on tv. Then i added a ladle of the liquid to the roux, whisked that, then another 2 ladles and i ended up with a what looked like a large ball of dough. Added that to the stew, stirred and left for another hour or so.


  • #645
    beertons
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 23,397 ✭✭✭✭beertons


    I think I'd add cous cous to it next time. Be the same as rice almost.


  • #646
    the beer revolu
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,041 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    oleras wrote: »
    My first roux effort, i have used the baking powder slurry before but you can always taste it i think.

    You used what??
    Baking powder to thicken??

    Please tell me more.


    An easier way to use butter and flour is to just rub the butter and flour together to form a kind of dough. You can just add little balls of this to your dish a bit at a time and they will dissolve in.


  • #647
    Dizzyblonde
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,110 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    the beer revolu wrote: »
    An easier way to use butter and flour is to just rub the butter and flour together to form a kind of dough. You can just add little balls of this to your dish a bit at a time and they will dissolve in.


    That sounds nice and easy. I have a huge chicken, chorizo & chickpea stew in the slow cooker today and sometimes it can go a bit thin even though I add flour at the start. I'll try this is if does.


  • #648
    oleras
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,765 ✭✭✭oleras


    the beer revolu wrote: »
    You used what??
    Baking powder to thicken??

    Please tell me more.


    An easier way to use butter and flour is to just rub the butter and flour together to form a kind of dough. You can just add little balls of this to your dish a bit at a time and they will dissolve in.

    Yeah...that would be corn flour. :pac::pac:


  • #649
    the beer revolu
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,041 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    oleras wrote: »
    Yeah...that would be corn flour. :pac::pac:

    Ah. That make a bit more sense.
    It's the texture of cornflour as a thickener I don't like - too snotty. Never noticed a taste.


  • #650
    beertons
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 23,397 ✭✭✭✭beertons


    beertons wrote: »
    I think I'd add cous cous to it next time. Be the same as rice almost.


    Actually, I meant lentils.


  • #651
    oleras
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,765 ✭✭✭oleras


    beertons wrote: »
    Actually, I meant lentils.

    Its ok, its brain fart day. ;)


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  • #652
    beertons
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 23,397 ✭✭✭✭beertons


    oleras wrote: »
    Its ok, its brain fart day. ;)

    Rugby world cup fever has taken over. Some say it's worse than man flu!


  • #653
    Lovely Bloke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,748 ✭✭✭✭Lovely Bloke


    Anyone got any ideas for lambs hearts? I'd say the slow cooker would be perfect for them


  • #654
    amdublin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,653 ✭✭✭✭amdublin


    amdublin wrote: »
    I am going to try this and will let you know how I get on
    http://hostthetoast.com/crock-pot-general-tsos-chicken/


    I love American-Chinese food.

    Three hours in and my house is filled with the most incredible garlicky smell!!


    A taste test is also looking very positive!!!


  • #655
    Lovely Bloke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,748 ✭✭✭✭Lovely Bloke


    would you mind letting me know if it's very sweet. I want to make it too, even went out and got the pineapple juice for it.

    Can you also comment on the liquidity or stickiness of the final sauce please.


  • #656
    amdublin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,653 ✭✭✭✭amdublin


    Baldy Conscience wrote: »
    would you mind letting me know if it's very sweet. I want to make it too, even went out and got the pineapple juice for it.

    Can you also comment on the liquidity or stickiness of the final sauce please.

    it is sweet but not overly. Id describe it as a sweent n sour flavour. There is a nice kick from the spices also.

    My sauce was thick but still runny. I didn't add any extra thickening/cornstarch in the end as per the recipe.

    Let me me know how yours go!!.


  • #657
    amdublin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,653 ✭✭✭✭amdublin


    After the photo was taken I sprinkled some spring onion over the rice


  • #658
    Spanish Eyes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,155 ✭✭✭✭Spanish Eyes


    Hi folks, quick question from a first time SC user!

    I'm hoping to make a bolognaise in the SC. I am a bit worried that it will turn out watery though!

    I am making my tried and tested recipe for the meat, but will only add a tin of plum toms (whole, but chopped +juice) and a dash of worcestershire sauce as the liquid base.

    Do you think I should add some thickener also?

    And another question please... If I cook on high to get it up to temperature for an hour and say 5 hours on low, would that be OK?

    Thanks.


  • #659
    woidoi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 95 ✭✭woidoi


    @Spanish Eyes - I made a bolognese last Friday for the first time in the SC and it turned out perfect without changing the recipe in any way. I did brown the mince well in a frying pan first and soften the onions, but other than that I just bunged it all in the Sc, veg first, can of mixed tomatoes mixed through, basil, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper like usual and meat added. Lid on for six hours at low and it was delicious!


  • #660
    Spanish Eyes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,155 ✭✭✭✭Spanish Eyes


    woidoi wrote: »
    @Spanish Eyes - I made a bolognese last Friday for the first time in the SC and it turned out perfect without changing the recipe in any way. I did brown the mince well in a frying pan first and soften the onions, but other than that I just bunged it all in the Sc, veg first, can of mixed tomatoes mixed through, basil, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper like usual and meat added. Lid on for six hours at low and it was delicious!

    Oh that sounds great! And not too different from my own concoction either.

    Thanks very much.


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  • #661
    Lovely Bloke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,748 ✭✭✭✭Lovely Bloke


    Thanks am, I'll probably try this on Saturday.


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