Slow cooker help

Graham_S_4

Hello,
This is my first post on here but i have been reading OS for quite a few months now.
I bought the Argos slow cooker the other day and today i'm trying my first meal in it - Steak & Kidney + beer .

My question is about the stock - in the recipe book that came with the cooker it says that the stock (or any other liquid) must be boiling when it goes in - but i have been reading on the slow cooker thread that people just put everything in and turn it on. I was hoping to get a plug timer thingy so i can start cooking when i'm out - but obviously the liquid wouldn't be hot then - so does it really make much difference ?

Thanks in advance

Graham

Bossyboots

I did steak and kidney this week. I put the meat and cold water in, switched it on and left it on low for 8 hours. It was cooked perfectly. I always make up my gravy with the liquid after cooking as I don't use it all in one go and prefer to save the liquid and make the gravy fresh each time.

tootles_2

I never put boiling water in my slow cooker, mine has an auto setting which I use it on, it starts off high and then adjusts, I leave mine on overnight on a time switch, it comes on at 1am and switches off at 8am, I cooked a lamb casserole in it yesterday, delicious, we are just going to have the geavy that was left thickened up with some lintils, for lunch with a couple of rounds of toast...............

calleyw

I do heat my liquids before I put in them in the slow cooker. But the reason for that is I am normally cooking on high and only for a couple of hours max. So to save time heat the water/milk if making a rice pudding.

But if the slow cooker is going to be on for hours and hours or it if going to be used on a timer I would say put cold liquid in.


Yours

Calley

comping_cat

Ive used hot and cold water in my slow cooker, and have never had a problem with anything ive cooked!
Catherine x

Keith

Sorry to hijack this post but I can't find the one I was reading earlier this week.

We finally bought one of the half price slow cookers today, we worried about using it and leaving it but we followed one of the Roast Beef recipes in the sticky and everything came out perfect, we even left it on for a good few hours while we did our weekly shop.

Thank you to everyone who has posted a recipe on this forum