In my slow cooker today.... part 2

Hopelessly_Hopeful

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver wrote: »

Word! I get this all the time.
One can get a good result in a conventional oven with the right methods with the meat still tender.

But the slow cooker is cheaper to run, no bags to buy or bigger oven to clean?

HHx

craigywv

chicken bones from dinner making stock then soup.

lizalloareds

Made 5 portions of chilli today, will freeze 4 as it's only me that likes it

madmary_2

Sorry if this is a stupid question but having read lots of posts on various threads about slow cookers could people point me in the direction of a cheap but reliable one for two people. I would like to be able to pot roast small chickens as well as make batches of mince and pork cheeks stews.

I don't want to buy too small but I don't have much room in my kitchen.

Also are they cheaper to run than a cooker.

My job often means I'm "on call" at weekends so have to go out for a few hours at a time at short notice. I have been in the habit of cooking early in the morning then heating stuff up later on in the day, or prepping chickens and roasty type meat and then either really slow cook in the oven or cooking late afternoon. The other day I had to send a text to OH with all the instructions for the dinner which he followed and made the best meal in ages, but I think a slow cooker might solve some of these issues.

So suggestions please?

And apologies if this isn't the right place to post.

Mary

Willowpop

madmary wrote: »

Sorry if this is a stupid question but having read lots of posts on various threads about slow cookers could people point me in the direction of a cheap but reliable one for two people. I would like to be able to pot roast small chickens as well as make batches of mince and pork cheeks stews.

I don't want to buy too small but I don't have much room in my kitchen.

Also are they cheaper to run than a cooker.

My job often means I'm "on call" at weekends so have to go out for a few hours at a time at short notice. I have been in the habit of cooking early in the morning then heating stuff up later on in the day, or prepping chickens and roasty type meat and then either really slow cook in the oven or cooking late afternoon. The other day I had to send a text to OH with all the instructions for the dinner which he followed and made the best meal in ages, but I think a slow cooker might solve some of these issues.

So suggestions please?

And apologies if this isn't the right place to post.

Mary

Personally I would suggest something around 5.5litres. I cook for 2 adults and a small child in a 5.5l breville. It is big enough to do batches of bolognaise for example, it takes a good sized joint of meat and if I do just want to cook a small amount I generally put a casserole dish into the slow cooker with a bit of water in the slow cooker dish and 3 tinfoil balls to raise the casserole dish up a bit and cook the food in the smaller-just-the-right-size casserole dish. Food comes out just as if I'd cooked it in the slow cooker itself. I find I've got all bases covered with this machine.

madmary_2

Thanks Willowpop. I can't wait to have one.

Mary

*iluvmymini*

I have a 3.5 litre one from Tes*o, which is big enough to do chilli for a family of 4 with plenty left for the freezer. It was dead cheap and dosnt take up too much room on the counter.

Willowpop

madmary wrote: »

Thanks Willowpop. I can't wait to have one.

Mary

Hope you enjoy it.
The other thing I've done a few times is make 2 dishes at once by putting, say a sausage casserole in one roasting bag, and a beef casserole in another bag. Seal the bags, pierce them or they turn into balloons ( :eek: ) and cook all day on low.

madmary_2

I've decided on a 3.5 ltr because of the space.

Good tip about two things at once in a bag.

Mary

Pollycat

Willowpop wrote: »

Hope you enjoy it.
The other thing I've done a few times is make 2 dishes at once by putting, say a sausage casserole in one roasting bag, and a beef casserole in another bag. Seal the bags, pierce them or they turn into balloons ( :eek: ) and cook all day on low.

Not thought of this before.
What do you do about liquid in the slow cooker.

Last night I did cubed lamb tossed in seasoned flour, onion, carton of passata, garlic, flat leaf parsley, black pepper and a tad of water that I'd boiled some leeks in.

Towards the end of cooking, I pan-fried some cubed aubergine and cougette in olive oil and added those.

It made a lovely, thick, tasty stew which I served with sliced potatoes cooked in the oven with a stock cube and herbs.