How does a slow cooker save money?

karengr

Had my slow cooker for about 11 years now and i use it a lot (2-3times a week sometimes).I work 3, 12 hour shifts a week (i'm a nurse) and its great to come home to a healthy cooked meal with little fuss.
Yesterday i was given a bigger one that has only been used once it is full with a beef casserole for our tea this evening.
i sometimes cook ajoint of beef in it and the meat just falls apart.
i could not live without my SC as we would probably end up eating processed foods or even worse TAKEAWAYS.
iam not worried if it uses the same or more electicity as an oven for me and my family its fast food when i get in from work at 8.30 at night.:T

mrs_baggins

my sc def uses as much as a lightbulb i guess as it must be at least 25 years old!!! The thing I like about it is that i can bung all the stuff in in the morning knowing that when i come home it will be cooked. I woudlnt leave a stew on the hob all day like this though. My stew has been cooking all morning so will be ready soon!!! yum!

badkitti

I love my slow cooker - it's an old 70s one from the MIL. I also use mine to make bread so don't need a bread maker. H will eat stew til doomsday so always make loads and save.

quickstepqueen

Have been sorely tempted to get a slow cooker. When I make my stews and casseroles I use my le creuset crock pot on the hob of my electric cooker, on the lowest temperature. Would a slow cooker be more cost effective than doing a stew on the hob?

lainz

I've one of the tefal 4 in 1's, use it mainly as slow and rice cooker, does anyone know if you can cook bread in this one

izzwoz

During the War....

Ahem, was watching this brilliant program on TV the other night about Women during the War.

Because of Fuel rationing various energy saving methods were used.

The Haybox Cooker:
Build your stew in a pot and bring it to the boil on the "paraffin" cooker.
Turn the cooker off to save fuel.
Take a wooden box and lag it with insulating hay.
Put your lidded stew pot into the Haybox.
Cover with more Hay.
Put the box lid on.
Let it slow cook in it's own heat for hours until it gets tender and delicious.

Plenty info on google.

:exclamati It will of course be important not to let it stay below the safe zone temperature for more than the recommended time so bacteria does not form.
See food safety! I guess a reheat maybe necessary.

Some modern adaptations and materials could be used plus thermometers etc.

:j

teapackets

I watched that too ... I did wonder if they could still feed the hay to the cattle afterwards



it would cost us more to buy the hay today than the running of the slow cooker !!!!!!!!!!!!!

izzwoz

Hey,
I'm on it. We don't need hay. Anything to insulate will do. The appliance of science. Pillows, scarfs, coolboxes are insulated, why are SC's not?:beer:

unimaginative_user_name

With the festive season not so far away can I also recommend using a large slow cooker for mulled wine. You put your wine and some water along with whichever spices and citrus fruits you like into the pot, then heat it in low for about an hour and it's ready. It's delicious and you don't have to worry about the liquid boiling as the slow cooker kepps it at the perfect temperature.

lally666young

We have a large on and a small one and we normally use the large one to cook a gammon joint in cola in that one and it is yummy. I can recommend it.We use the smaller one for the kids teas through the week. It saves a lot of time and hastle. Pls not to mention pot washing!!!!