Slow Cooker Ideas for Summer

Burp_2

Ello,

I had my slow cooker on at lest 2 to 3 times in the winter with things like casseroles and stews and bolognaises but struggling to think of summery things I can cook in it - any ideas?

Thanks!

Burp x

Barneysmom

You could do some boiling bacon to have with salad and new potatoes, it's lovely

Allegra

I was going to say something similar - boil a whole ham, slice it, use in sandwiches and salad. Roast a whole chicken, ditto. One of those gigantic turkey drumstick, served shredded with julienned cucumber and spring onion, and a splodge of hoisin or plum sauce. You'll be the only one to know it's not duck

Anyway, bolognaise is summery enough to my mind - I use very little of it just stirred through the pasta, rather than drowning it in stuff - it's nice either hot or cold, and when topped with some rocket from the garden does a passable impression of a pasta salad

Samphire

I cook "buffalo" chicken wings in the SC and then chuck them on the barbie. That way you know the chicken is cooked properly and you get the lovely barbie charred taste.

The first time I made these buffalo wings I thought the sauce was so odd that I nearly gave up, but once cooked and barbied it is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!

Chuck the following in a pan and bring to the boil:
1 crushed galic clove
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp english mustard (I use some of my sachet stash from weatherspoons!)
1/2 cup (120 ml) ketchup
4 tbsp tomato puree
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp worcester sauce
(optional - a few drops of tabasco sauce)

Yes, it'll look and smell odd to say the least, trust me, once the slow cooker has worked it's magic it'll be delish. Mix with a pack of chicken wings (about 1kg), put in the slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours. You can eat them just like this (soft and sticky), but I like to chuck them on the barbie until they are a bit blackened first. If I'm barbequing them I do this straight away though - I wouldn't cool them first as I'm always a little worried about re-heating chicken unless it's been cooled quickly and I'm certain it's reached the proper temperature all the way through.

The original recipie is from carolyn humphries "slow cooking from around the world", which is a fab book - well worth getting from the library :-) There's a recipie for "Aussie barbequed chicken pot" which I want to try this summer using chicken portions with honey, cumin and chilli.

I also make tones of ratatouille in my SC in the summer time (esp when we've got loads of courgettes and toms in the garden. Makes a summery meal with some salmon or chicken. Mmmmm

MrsBartolozzi

I make a kind of chicken cacciatore in the slow cooker in the summer.
Put in some chicken pieces (I remove the skin and extra fatty bits) with a tin of chopped tomatoes, a chicken stock cube made up to about half the amount in boiling water, some chopped peppers and a chopped medium onion (I often add other veggies too - carrot, sweet potato, courgette etc) . Add a bay leaf, some mixed herbs and a little pinch chili flakes/powder. Cook on low for 6 hours(ish).

Serve with a salad and bread or HM wedges.
Usually there's plenty sauce left (the kids like the chicken quite dry) I use it as a base for a risotto the next day .

I have made extra before and the chicken is tasty cold, in a sandwich, so there's no reason you can't do to serve cold.

MrsB.

newlywed

stuffed peppers

Chilli to put into wraps and serve with salad.

BlimusOreilly

Allegra wrote: »

I was going to say something similar - boil a whole ham, slice it, use in sandwiches and salad. Roast a whole chicken, ditto. One of those gigantic turkey drumstick, served shredded with julienned cucumber and spring onion, and a splodge of hoisin or plum sauce. You'll be the only one to know it's not duck

Sounds good! What do you put in with the drumstick to keep it moist and how long does that take?

tigerlily

Sounds weird but cook a ham joint in the SC with cola instead of water.......yum yum yum is all I have to say!!

Bitsy_Beans

OK I've been reviewing my meal plans and I notice apart from using the SC for cooking joints of meat I am not really using it for actual meals much at the moment IYSWIM.
I think the reason is now summer is arriving (hopefully ) I am not really interested in soups, stews, chilli etc - these I think I prefer as winter warming foods.

So what do you lovely peeps cook in your SC that would be considered more "summer" food? Or should I just resign myself to using it more during the colder months?

Apologies to the BG's if there is a similar thread already in existence I couldn't find one......

lickylonglips

butternut squash risotto?
tomatoey pasta sauce?
chilli con carne?
chilli sin carne?
barbequeued ribs?
sticky sausages?

angelavdavis

Moussaka
Chicken casserole (red peppers, spinach, etc)

There are some nice summer slow cooker recipes here.