Ladies I need your help!

Queenie

HappyShopper3 wrote:

Can you use frozen mince meat or frozen veg in slow cooker?

I don't. At least, not in it's frozen state. I always brown my mince first and it isn't spoilt by slow cooking, in fact, it is excellent!

Someone asked about frozen veggies yesterday, I don't add chunky frozen veggies (the stew pack veg type) because they don't seem to cook as well in a slow cooker and most definately not from their frozen state. I cheat and microwave them first to start them off

I have to be honest, I have *never* experienced a smell chicken in my slow cooker

I've cooked chickens in sauces and they've come out tender; I've cooked a whole chicken with no fluid, rubbed with butter and seasoning and just placed on a trivet inside the pot and it comes out almost falling off the bone where it is so tender ... but then I do one of two things when I cook it that way. I either serve it straight away and enjoy it's succulence, or, I let it cool, cover it, put it in the fridge overnight and that seems to firm it up a bit and then it slices like a dream! A whole chicken can be cooked that way in 4hrs. Obviously the skin won't be brown and crispy, but if that's an issue you can brown it by sealing it by cooking it briskly in a drop of hot oil in a pan before putting it in the SC (careful, they spit like mad) or, shove it under a hot grill to brown up and crisp off before serving.

Fingers X'd your email will provide you with a recipe booklet that will give you some basic recipes/timings and then you can gain a bit of confidence and adapt those recipes to your personal preferences/ingredients

Enjoy your new toy :D

Queenie

DSmiffy wrote:

Anyone know where I can get a replacement ceramic dish thingy for my slow cooker, mines got a huge crack in it and I've only used it a few times. Everyone in the house is pleading innocence though and not admitting to the crime. Any ideas at all, or do I need to buy a new one. It's a morphy richards one by the way.

I know other OS'ers have been successful in writing to MR and ordering a new dish to replace broken one's. Don't know how much it will cost though; send them an email and ask them, their customer service is supposted to be very good.

HTH

tw1nklestar

dont know if u should but i have been known to shove 8 frozen sausages in the slow cooker with frozen pean n frozen carrots (iceland girl me lol) a tin of toms chopped an onion and a pack of sausage cassarole mix (with suggested water) left it on high for 6 hours and i have had a delicious meal with a micro zapped jacket spud - and have done savoury mince from frozen mince and it was lush (very new to slow cooker so just trying it out - if we dont get sick it works i guess lol) but we love it and r deffo eating more healthily cos my kids have not consumed daily since they were babies

Sallys_Savings

A firm favourite with my children when they were young and my hubby now lol

Brown sausages and onions, add chicken stock, chopped peppers, two tins of baked beans, tin of chick peas, tom puree, tin chopped toms, part cooked whole new potatoes (or thinly sliced uncooked) ( my lot like the whole pots best)..and a pinch of chilli powder and black pepper to taste.

Really easy and grate with salad or fresh crusty bread.

Queenie

tw1nklestar wrote:

dont know if u should but i have been known to shove 8 frozen sausages in the slow cooker with frozen pean n frozen carrots (iceland girl me lol) a tin of toms chopped an onion and a pack of sausage cassarole mix (with suggested water) left it on high for 6 hours and i have had a delicious meal with a micro zapped jacket spud - and have done savoury mince from frozen mince and it was lush (very new to slow cooker so just trying it out - if we dont get sick it works i guess lol) but we love it and r deffo eating more healthily cos my kids have not consumed daily since they were babies

Hope you don't mind me coming back to your particular post, but it's only fair to anyone reading these posts to understand that it is not advised to use frozen ingredients when slow cooking and that *all* frozen fish, meats, poultry should be completely thawed before cooking. The reason for that is that the slow cooker will not reach safe cooking temps. Frozen veggies which would cook quickly normally could be added an hour or so before the dish is finished cooking.

As you say in your post, you haven't been made sick by the methods you have used and that's great news :T but that doesn't mean that it's a safe thing to do, or that others attempting to cook frozen meats etc won't fall ill. Everyone is different and some people do tend to have more sensitive tums than others. If you choose not to defrost your meats and cook with them, then clearly that is your personal choice, but I feel I must stress for others sake, it is not advised!

DSmiffy

Queenie wrote:

I know other OS'ers have been successful in writing to MR and ordering a new dish to replace broken one's. Don't know how much it will cost though; send them an email and ask them, their customer service is supposted to be very good.

HTH

Thanks Queenie, will try that.

DSmiffy

Queenie wrote:

I know other OS'ers have been successful in writing to MR and ordering a new dish to replace broken one's. Don't know how much it will cost though; send them an email and ask them, their customer service is supposted to be very good.

HTH

Just an update. Phoned CS and they have sent me a replacement for a small fee. Thanks for everyones help.

Hello

I always did the same thing in mine. I work full time so the night before I cut up half an onion (wrap up well otherwise it will taint other foods!), chop a carrot and potatoes, cover well in water so the potatoes don't go black. One of those packets of braising beef already cut up.

In the morning I put all the ingredients in and top up with water, half a glass of wine and a stock cube, half a teaspoon of dried herbs, mix. I had to guess how far to fill mine up, 1cm from the top was OK.

Come home, smells wonderful, one stop dinner. Stick it on a plate, grab a glass of wine and walla!!

Gravy granules will depend on how big your cooker is and how much you put in there. I would make up the recommended amount on the side of the tub and poor it in after your other ingredients - you will learn from experience how much to use.

Good luck!

Hello