Slowcooker virgin....

jd1000

HI all,
I bought a slow cooker a while ago (much to the amusement of my wife!), and now feel ready to the take the plunge and actually cook something in it.

So, can anyone suggest a first recipe that is:

1. Simple and easy
2. tasty enough to convince my wife that slow cooking can be yum.
3. Preferably chicken based.


Cheers!
JD

ifonlyitwaseasier

hey JD

WTG for joining the SC ranks, try this thread for loads of sc recipes and ideas

ioiwe

cheekyemma

easiest thing to do is put the chicken in with some chopped toms, onions garlic & mixed herbs. Add about 100ml of water so it doesnt dry up too much. Serve with pasta or rice.Thats a good starting point, then there is nothing stopping you from adding different veg and flavours. My meals are always an experiment and mixture of whatever is left in the fridge/cupboard. Good luck!

orangesmartie

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but this one seemed the closest to my queries - hope this is ok? I did try searching and this was the best that came up.

I am a complete novice when it comes to slow cookers. I've never owned one. I don't know anyone who owns one. In short, I have absolutely no clue about what to do with one.

So why on earth did I buy one? Well, it was a bargain price in Curry's. I've toyed with the idea of one for a long time, but been a bit put off because I am such a novice and I was worried about the expense and not using it.

So, I've bought one, unpacked it and read the quite scanty leaflet. There's no basic instructions for cooking such as add water, no recipes nothing.

I've been reading the boards avidly and have a decent idea of what I can cook in it, and the recipes, but I really need an idiot's guide such as put joint of beef in, cover with xxml of water, add your veg, set on high/low for approx xx hours. Apologies if that sounds really basic, but I am sure there is already a thread out there that can help me as I begin my slow cooking journey.

It doesn't help that I am allergic to tomatoes and therefore can't eat things such as chilli, lasagne, bolognaise or other tomato based dishes, but I thought I could make things such as joints of meat, chicken dishes etc.

Anyway, any help is greatly appreciated!

Herbyme

First go to the library and get out a good book, mine has several. Second you can adapt any recipe for a stew, just use a bit more water and be prepared for a slightly more watery sauce (but I find no need to drown it like some recipes suggest). Thirdly try easy cook rice - you can bung it in about an hour before the end, it soaks up any excess water and cooks beautifully, saves using another pan. Fourth, have you tried sitrring some harissa paste in when you fry the onions or whatever at the start? Adds a nice spicey flavour with no fuss. Have fun!

Rotwein44

For your sunday dinner, get a piece of braising steak, put it in the bottom of your slow cooker, cover with stock and cook on low all day (I put it in when i first get up for tea time or the night before for lunchtime). Remove the meat, it will fall apart, thicken the gravy and enjoy with spuds and veg! Then you can have chips and gravy with your leftover gravy the next day! :beer:

orangesmartie

carolinerunner wrote: »

First go to the library and get out a good book, mine has several. Second you can adapt any recipe for a stew, just use a bit more water and be prepared for a slightly more watery sauce (but I find no need to drown it like some recipes suggest). Thirdly try easy cook rice - you can bung it in about an hour before the end, it soaks up any excess water and cooks beautifully, saves using another pan. Fourth, have you tried sitrring some harissa paste in when you fry the onions or whatever at the start? Adds a nice spicey flavour with no fuss. Have fun!

Thanks Went to the library this afternoon, only two books remotely connected to slow cooking and on closer inspection were more 'one pot cooking' type books.

I made some rice pudding this afternoon - middling success, went a bit lumpy, but will try again tomorrow with some risotto!

I am a total cooking novice in all honesty - what's harissa paste?

Rotwein44 wrote: »

For your sunday dinner, get a piece of braising steak, put it in the bottom of your slow cooker, cover with stock and cook on low all day (I put it in when i first get up for tea time or the night before for lunchtime). Remove the meat, it will fall apart, thicken the gravy and enjoy with spuds and veg! Then you can have chips and gravy with your leftover gravy the next day! :beer:

Thank you - I will definitely give that a go!

Rotwein44

I also do stews or soups or curry in mine, just brown off any bits of meat to seal them, chuck all your ingredients in a saucepan and heat (while the slow cooker is heating). Dont cook just literally simmer, then chuck it all in the slow cooker, go to work and you come home and its done and smells delicious!! You can then cook any accompaniments like rice/pasta/spuds etc and freeze anything thats left over! Just make sure you soften but not brown onion if you are going to use any! Also, make sure the lid isnt removed too many times whilst its cooking otherwise some of the steam will escape and then it might stick/dry up, otherwise it should be fine!