slow cooker quick questions thread

BallandChain

Thank you so much for the replies. :TThis is going to be a challenge for me as I'm not much of a cook but want to eat healthily and also save money as the electric fan cooker is costing a small fortune to run!

There are some great ideas which I will put into practice. I like to start off simple recipes first until I get the swing of things and I'm so glad for the help. What does couscous taste like? lol, I feel such a peasant for not knowing. I like the idea of starting off with sauces or Pataks curry paste, I know it's cheating but I've got to start somewhere.

Ok, I'm running before I walk but has anyone baked a cake in the slow cooker? I was reading a website where they say you can bake a cake but I'm not convinced that would work.

zippychick

BallandChain wrote: »

Thank you so much Zippy! I do come on here time to time as I'm such a novice. lol, can I ask how small do the potatoes have to be as some people have mentioned they are still hard after 8 hours of cooking. Can you freeze potatoes, carrots etc once cooked?

I've been reading so much and know so very little when it comes to the slow cooker and using chicken stock. (I've never made it before!) Do you make the stock up, put in slow cooker and once the meal is cooked can I use the chicken stock with gravy granules? In the past I tried using cornflour but it didn't taste/look right and gravy granules are so easy to use.

I'm glad you mentioned spaghetti bolognese as I came across a recipe that required you to break the dry spaghetti up and just throw in slow cooker. How does that work? Thanks again for taking the trouble to reply!

I just remembered if cooking the chicken with veg do I need to add any water as there are conflicting answers that say you should put in water and others say no need to put in water as you get enough from the veg and chicken?

yes you could use the stock with gravy. No problems.Yes you could cook the pasta in the dish although i have never done it myself. Guessing you would add it an hou or so before the end though? what did the recipe say?

What exactly are you wanting to cook?one minute curry, now not? Sorry , im tired today and tryin to do this on a lappy im not used to

I would imagine you would need liquid to cook the veg -i have only ever cooked the veg in some sort of liquid like stock or sauce etc.... why not try a basic curry? just make it exactly as you would in the pot using half the liquid, start off as normal,and when you get to simmer point, throw it all in the SC and leave for 6-8 hours.....

i may not be back on again tonight so im sure others can help too

Lets put cakes to the side for the minute! I have made lemon curd in it using a bain marie kind of thing

x

emilyka

BallandChain wrote: »

Thank you so much for the replies. :TThis is going to be a challenge for me as I'm not much of a cook but want to eat healthily and also save money as the electric fan cooker is costing a small fortune to run!

There are some great ideas which I will put into practice. I like to start off simple recipes first until I get the swing of things and I'm so glad for the help. What does couscous taste like? lol, I feel such a peasant for not knowing. I like the idea of starting off with sauces or Pataks curry paste, I know it's cheating but I've got to start somewhere.

Ok, I'm running before I walk but has anyone baked a cake in the slow cooker? I was reading a website where they say you can bake a cake but I'm not convinced that would work.

I like to think of Pataks as a helping hand rather than cheating :-) My grandfather is Indian and uses Pataks in his currys- if its good for him it's good for me! Also, making your own curry paste would take a lot of time and in moneysaving time is money

zippychick

emilyka wrote: »

I like to think of Pataks as a helping hand rather than cheating :-) My grandfather is Indian and uses Pataks in his currys- if its good for him it's good for me! Also, making your own curry paste would take a lot of time and in moneysaving time is money

Does it really take a long time? The Jamie O pastes look pretty simple - chuck all in and blend.

Ballandchain - update please! Am on my own computer now, so no excuses x Come on, let's get this baby cookin!

Just for info - there is a thread about chicken legs here - if you want to look for inspiration!

Pink.

zippychick wrote: »

Does it really take a long time? The Jamie O pastes look pretty simple - chuck all in and blend.

The Jamie Oliver pastes are quick and easy to make, but personally I find the Pataks ones more cost effective. I don't make curry very often so I don't want to buy spices that I don't use on a regular basis, especially as some spices don't always store well. Despite what it says on the jar, the Pataks pastes will keep in the fridge for up to six months.

By coincidence I've got a curry in the slow cooker today...12 boneless chicken thighs which were marinaded in a quarter jar of Pataks madras paste. Cook on high for about an hour then add chopped and fried onions, mushrooms and green peppers. Next stir in a chicken stock cube, two tins of chopped tomatoes and a sachet of creamed coconut. Leave to simmer on low for about five hours and stir in natural yoghurt or cream just before serving. This will serve eight or do the four of us for two meals.

Pink

zippychick

Pink-winged wrote: »

The Jamie Oliver pastes are quick and easy to make, but personally I find the Pataks ones more cost effective. I don't make curry very often so I don't want to buy spices that I don't use on a regular basis, especially as some spices don't always store well. Despite what it says on the jar, the Pataks pastes will keep in the fridge for up to six months.

Interesting!

I've never used Pataks or any curry paste - it was always a mystery to me and I never knew what to do with it! Fair point about the herbs and spices - I have them all apart from fenugreek seeds, as I seem to have developed an OCD for hoarding herbs and spices (so to me, i would only really need fresh coriander, although I am currently piloting the tube stuff! WIll get some in the freezer once I build my stocks up again )

Curry is a real treat for me , so i like the faffiness of it if that makes sense. It's a whole big orchestra for me :rotfl:

I believe the pastes keep for at least 4 weeks in the fridge - thinking out loud - would they freeze? Not sure how the oil would freeze.......

Pink-winged wrote: »

By coincidence I've got a curry in the slow cooker today...12 boneless chicken thighs which were marinaded in a quarter jar of Pataks madras paste. Cook on high for about an hour then add chopped and fried onions, mushrooms and green peppers. Next stir in a chicken stock cube, two tins of chopped tomatoes and a sachet of creamed coconut. Leave to simmer on low for about five hours and stir in natural yoghurt or cream just before serving. This will serve eight or do the four of us for two meals.

Pink

What time do yu want me?:D

Ballandchain - there's a perfect recipe of Pinks to follow! :j

emilyka

zippychick wrote: »

Does it really take a long time? The Jamie O pastes look pretty simple - chuck all in and blend.

Ballandchain - update please! Am on my own computer now, so no excuses x Come on, let's get this baby cookin!

Just for info - there is a thread about chicken legs here - if you want to look for inspiration!

Probably are a bit simpler than I thought from looking at the link but I think it may be a bit more cost upfront. I guess it depends on how often you make currys to whether it's cost effective for you. I probably make a curry a week so a jar of Mrs Pataks lasts me a month and at around £1.60 it makes sense for me. Knowing me I'd get all confused and accidently stick cinamon in the homemade paste rendering it completely revolting :rotfl: I make my own marinades for meat and my own stock as I know the flavours I like but when it comes to curry paste I open a jar for ease!

zippychick

emilyka wrote: »

Probably are a bit simpler than I thought from looking at the link but I think it may be a bit more cost upfront. I guess it depends on how often you make currys to whether it's cost effective for you. I probably make a curry a week so a jar of Mrs Pataks lasts me a month and at around £1.60 it makes sense for me. Knowing me I'd get all confused and accidently stick cinamon in the homemade paste rendering it completely revolting :rotfl: I make my own marinades for meat and my own stock as I know the flavours I like but when it comes to curry paste I open a jar for ease!

Hmmmmm! I might have to get me some of this pataks curry paste! :j How many servings would you get for £1.60? Again i don't have much of an idea . You sound like you know your stuff, i look forward to seeing you post more on OS :A

Living alone, I don't really cook curry a lot to be honest - it would be one of my treat meals, so i would tend to cook complicated ones as it's usually for me and guests , so I don't mind going to all the trouble. One curry i made a few weeks ago had one paste for a marinade, and one for the cooking sauce. I was like, come on, give me a break! But, it was bootiful :j

emilyka

zippychick wrote: »

Hmmmmm! I might have to get me some of this pataks curry paste! :j How many servings would you get for £1.60? Again i don't have much of an idea . You sound like you know your stuff, i look forward to seeing you post more on OS :A

Living alone, I don't really cook curry a lot to be honest - it would be one of my treat meals, so i would tend to cook complicated ones as it's usually for me and guests , so I don't mind going to all the trouble. One curry i made a few weeks ago had one paste for a marinade, and one for the cooking sauce. I was like, come on, give me a break! But, it was bootiful :j

You probably get 3 meals for two people out of one jar but then it depends on what type of paste you use (I love the balti especially but if you were to use the vindaloo or mix a little garam masala in you could easily get 5-6 meals out of it). I usually put a few dried chili flakes in mine too for a bit of extra oomph and to make the jar go abit further.

I love cooking and just play about and experiment a bit, I used to be a restaurant manager so have borrowed a few flavour ideas from there and am part of a family of foodies so always up for learning some more if it involves eating I cook most nights for myself and OH and love to hunt around for a bargain.

I'm trying to get into the unusual cuts of meat (cheaper cuts!) such as oxtail, belly, beef skirt etc (wouldnt go as far as pigs trotters!) I made a broth in the slow cooker using oxtail but other than that don't have much experience with it. Has anyone has any experience of using these cheaper cuts of meat in the slow cooker?

Algorfa45

I cooked chicken legs yesterday sprinkeld with cajan seasoning small ammount of water in the bottom so not to stick, the left over meat that dropped off the bones are in slow cooker with celery, potatoes, mushrooms, peppers, hot chillie pepper water to cover good chicken stock cude will be blitsed a little with blender and soup for tea tonight. with crusty bread