Slow Cooker recipes

vibe666 · 25-07-2012 4:32pm

Piliger wrote: »

If the rubber seal is still in good condition there is no difference at all between this and just screwing on the top properly. The vacuum thing is just a security check against tampering and gives no additional protection against going off whatsoever.

it doesn't give any protection against something gong off, but it will tell you whether or not it has when you open the jar.

bad food will produce gases which will accumulate inside the jar and cause the lid to pop if what is inside it has gone off.

boiling the jars and filling and capping them when the food is just boiled and sill piping hot will minimise the chances of bacterial growth inside the sealed jars, but you can never be 100% sure you're not going to get a bad batch. having a popup seal on your jars and knowing they are intact just removes any doubt.

also, i can confirm this 100% as someone who (on a hot summer day working on a flat roof in the baking sun) has previously downed an entire 500ml glass bottle of fruit juice taken from a fresh pack before my brain registered that the safety cap didn't pop when i opened it and the juice was (very) bad. not a nice experience and one that i could have avoided if i'd paid attention when i opened the bottle if i'd been paying attention.

rozmiss · 29-07-2012 2:40pm

cooking chicken noodle soup right now,

ginger (thumb size), garlic (3), chilli (1 or more??), 3 carrots chopped small and full chicken and a little water.

When cooked (1hr high, 4 hrs low) but check with meat thermometer then remove chicken and shred, skim the fat from the juices and add a little cornstarch to thicken.

Finally add vegetables (as summer: sugar snap peas, a red pepper and some cherry tomatoes) combine back in the slow cooker and cook on high for final 30 mins. (During winter this is done with root vegetables butternut squash and sweet potatoes and added with the carrots chopping small)

Then just boil noodles and add before serving (i do noodles separately as I'm planning on freezing some of this for dinner in the future you could just add to the slow cooker on high)

vibe666 · 29-07-2012 7:28pm

vibe666 wrote: »

it doesn't give any protection against something gong off, but it will tell you whether or not it has when you open the jar.

a rather tasty cheese and apple chutney toasted sandwich reminded me today that I made that batch of apple chutney (secret family recipe, utterly awesome:)) 4 years ago and we still have a couple of jars left and it's as good as (actually much better now it's matured) than the day we made it.

Toast4532 · 13-08-2012 2:05am

I'm looking for a recipe for a spicy Italian bolognese sauce for a slow cooker? I'd like a sauce that can be frozen if there are any left overs.

Hoping to make it tomorrow (well, today really).

EZ24GET · 21-08-2012 4:09pm

I think this might work for you. It requires a little preliminary work but then you can just walk away for 6 to 10 hours. It freezes well and the flavors blend nicely in the slow cooker. Sorry its all in US measures but that's the world I live in.:)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup dry red wine
2/3 cup heavy cream
Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground sirloin ( Of course you can change this up to suit yourself)
Pasta, for serving

Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, thyme and nutmeg, keep cooking until vegetables have softened and started to brown, about 2 minutes. stir in wine to deglaze and get the bits and pieces from bottom of pan.

Carefully pour into your slow cooker. Stir in the cream and tomatoes. Mix the pork and sirloin together in a separate bowl, using your hands, until combined. Stir the meat into the slow cooker, spreading out evenly and avoiding any large clumps. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours. Skim the accumulated grease from the surface before serving.

Serve over pasta with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce yummy :pac:

EZ24GET · 21-08-2012 4:18pm

Here is another slow cooker idea. This one came from a little cookbook I bought at a yardsale. Turned out to be very handy.

Slow Cooker Cola Ham

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup cola soft drink- not diet kind!
3 to 4 pound fully cooled ham

mix the mustard and brown sugar. pour in just enough cola to make a smooth paste. Reserve remaing cola. Score ham with knife into shallow diamond pattern Rub with brown sugar and mustard mixture. Put ham in slow cookerand pour over it the rest of the cola. Put on the slow cooker lid and cook on high for one hour. Turn down to low (don't remove lid) nd coolk on low for additional 6 to 7 hours. If your ham is larger (% pounds) cook an hour on high and then additional 8 to 10 hours on high. Enjoy.

EZ24GET · 21-08-2012 4:26pm

This came from same little book.
Fruit Delight
1 (21 ounce ) can of cherry, peach or apple pie filling
1 (18 1/4 ounce yellow cake mix)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or any nut you prefer- or don't use the nuts at all if you like.
Put your pie filling into a greased 1 1/2 quart slow cooker. Mix the cake mix and butter (should be crumbly) Sprinkle over the pie filling in slow cooker. Sprinkle on the nuts if using. Put on the lid and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. Serve in bowls. 10 or 12 servings. Good warm with ice cream. Try different combinations. of pie fillings and cake mix flavors and complimentary ice creams or whipped creams. (sort of like a cobbler thingy)

boogle · 21-08-2012 11:03pm

Just had the nicest boiled ham of my life. Bought a small pork shoulder joint salted as ham in Tesco. Put in slow cooker on low for 9 hours just about covered with water, some cloves and a smidge of cinnamon. Oh and I soaked the ham overnight beforehand. Absolutely gorgeous!

loveisdivine · 23-08-2012 11:03am

I'm doing a pot roast on Sunday (Barefoot Contessa one) She used a big peice of beef chuck.
Would housekeepers cut be ok? I'd never heard of that cut till I moved here.

Dizzyblonde · 23-08-2012 4:06pm

Housekeepers cut is perfect for pot roasting

beertons · 27-08-2012 2:41pm

Doing the chicken korma myself from the above list. Have to say, the house smells like it's located somewhere far away from Kildare, and the whiff when I take the lid off. Can't wait to tuck into this later.

Faith · 07-09-2012 11:42am

I'm buying a slow cooker soon, and want to cook beef brisket. I found a recipe online for cooking it in the oven. The important bit is:

Lay the brisket on top of the veggie mix and add the chicken stock to the pan until it just covers the brisket. Add the bay leaves and thyme.

Cover the pan with foil and roast in the oven. Roast for 1 hour, check the brisket, and turn it over. Add more stock if the liquid level has reduced. Cover the pan again and return it to the oven for another hour. Remove the foil and roast for 30 minutes more.

Could I do that in a slow cooker instead? I've never used a slow cooker at all, so I'm a complete beginner. How long would I cook it for? These might be really stupid questions, but I'm looking for a result that is melt in the mouth beef, suitable for sandwiches and the like.

Could you do something like corned beef in a slow cooker too?

Padraig Mor · 07-09-2012 12:35pm

Should be OK for a slow cooker (make sure the brisket will fit in yours!) - you're probably talking cooking for 5 - 10 hours depending which heat setting you use.

Dizzyblonde · 07-09-2012 5:41pm

It would be fine Faith, and I'd imagine corned beef would be really good from the slow cooker too. I cooked a fillet of ham in mine lately and it was delicious. It kept its shape much better than it ever did when I boiled it.

Just remember that there's no evaporation in a slow cooker, and the meat renders a lot of liquid so the general rule is to use about half the amount of liquid the recipes suggests.

I'd give it 5 hours on high or 10 hours on low.

Kat1170 · 08-09-2012 10:44am

My sister boils* her ham and corned beef in her slow cooker. Covers them with water/stock and cooks for 8-10 hours. Comes out nice and moist.

*I know its not boiling, simmer might be a better term

Kali_Kalika · 08-09-2012 11:45pm

I cook ham and roast beef in my slow cooker all the time. The ham I just put directly in with a splash (yep, a splash, no fancy measuring here!) of water and simmer for the needed time (depending on size).

The roast beef I place into the cooker and crumble in half of a half of a beef stock cube around it, another splash of water, and many many shakes (about 10 beacuse I love it) of worcestershire sauce and then simmer for the needed time (depending on size).

If theres leftovers, pop them into the fridge and the next day to make sandwiches I pop the remaining ham or beef into the food processor and blend until fluffy and no big bits remain. Then mix that with a spoon or two of mayo (like you would for a tuna mayo sandwich) and I also add a dash of salt and pepper and more worcestershire sauce of course!!! The combo of the mayo and worcestershire sauce is amazing for some reason! You can also add in veggies (corn is the OH's fave) - I just add some iceberg lettuce to the sambo before I eat it - and tomato if I've nice ones in the house.

Faith · 15-09-2012 10:07am

Bought a slow cooker! \o/

Starting with brisket today, then I might try the pulled pork recipe from the cooking club. For years, I thought slow cookers were pointless, but now I'm excited to try it out!

Dizzyblonde · 15-09-2012 10:42am

Best of luck with it Faith. I love being able to prepare a dinner in the morning and just forget about it.
And pulled pork is amazing

Dizzyblonde · 15-09-2012 7:39pm

I made this beef curry in the slow cooker today and it was really good, the beef was extremely tender (I used rib)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/slow_cooker_beef_curry_13533

The only thing I'd add is a teaspoon or two of sugar to counteract the acidity in the tomatoes. I added some to the leftovers before freezing them.

annamcmahon · 15-09-2012 10:44pm

Do people find that they need to use curry recipes that are specifically for cooking in slow cookers? I've cooked a few curries in the slow cooker and they are always bland. The same dish will be beautiful if I cook it for 5 hours in the oven though.

Dizzyblonde · 16-09-2012 1:05pm

annamcmahon wrote: »

Do people find that they need to use curry recipes that are specifically for cooking in slow cookers? I've cooked a few curries in the slow cooker and they are always bland. The same dish will be beautiful if I cook it for 5 hours in the oven though.

I don't usually do curries in the slow cooker because I thought the same, that they'd be bland. That on wasn't it was delicious. Since I started using a lot less liquid in the slow cooker I find the dishes are much more flavoursome. I thicken the liquid before putting it in too because it doesn't reduce in the slow cooker.

Having said that, I always cook my chicken curry on the hob and wouldn't use the slow cooker for everything.

Spanish Eyes · 26-09-2012 6:33pm

Probably asked before but is it safe to leave the SC unattended all day while out at work say?

What's the worst that can happen? I think I'd be afraid to leave it all day if I wasn't there.

Dizzyblonde · 26-09-2012 7:27pm

It's perfectly safe. I think you'd have to leave it for days before it would even dry out.

26-09-2012 7:32pm

I'd leave mine on low fine, I'd be reluctant on high. I've had recipes dry out after 6 hours on high. Your SC might differ though!

Dizzyblonde · 26-09-2012 7:38pm

^
Agreed - you wouldn't leave it on high all day.

kylith · 05-10-2012 11:00am

I chucked a ham hock, along with a glass of water, in my slow cooker the other day. Gave it about 10 hours on low (I set it going before I left for work). When it came to dinner time I could barely get it out of the pot because it was falling apart; even slow-cooker-food-hating OH couldn't get enough. The only thing I would do differently next time would be to use 2 ham hocks.

annamcmahon · 05-10-2012 11:21pm

That sounds lovely kylith. What did you serve it with?

DerekDGoldfish · 07-10-2012 5:01pm

EZ24GET wrote: »

I think this might work for you. It requires a little preliminary work but then you can just walk away for 6 to 10 hours. It freezes well and the flavors blend nicely in the slow cooker. Sorry its all in US measures but that's the world I live in.:)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup dry red wine
2/3 cup heavy cream
Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground sirloin ( Of course you can change this up to suit yourself)
Pasta, for serving

Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, thyme and nutmeg, keep cooking until vegetables have softened and started to brown, about 2 minutes. stir in wine to deglaze and get the bits and pieces from bottom of pan.

Carefully pour into your slow cooker. Stir in the cream and tomatoes. Mix the pork and sirloin together in a separate bowl, using your hands, until combined. Stir the meat into the slow cooker, spreading out evenly and avoiding any large clumps. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours. Skim the accumulated grease from the surface before serving.

Serve over pasta with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce yummy :pac:

Doing this at the moment with a few minor changes ( I can never leave everything completly alone) Using some worchester sauce, lemon juice,basil and a bay leaf. It smells great

kylith · 07-10-2012 8:24pm

annamcmahon wrote: »

That sounds lovely kylith. What did you serve it with?

Boiled spuds, steamed carrots, and parsley sauce. A proper Irish dinner, it was.

marko99 · 25-10-2012 10:25am

FWIW, Aldi have 6.5 litre slow cookers on special offer today for €22.99.

Slow Cooker recipes

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