slow cooker quick questions thread

zacmilly

susank wrote:

There is a russell hobbs you are what you eat slow cooker half price at £17.xx at tesco at the moment - anyone got that one - it looks good.

I have this one, bought it last week, it works fine and looks nice. the oval shape is good. However, I only just managed to cook a cassarole with 4 chicken drumsticks and 3 thighs + veg etc (barely enough for us -2 adult,4 children aged 8, 6 and 3[twins]. The kids love the chicken cooked in it though, even the 3 year old fussy eater!
I have a chilli cooking in it now, 500g mince, tin of tomatoes etc, and that fits fine- only half full.

So depending on how many you are cooking for, i would recommend it, with some reservations.

Have also tried the morphy richards 6.5l -huge but we are a growing family, would easily take a whole med chicken, or double the quantities of chilli!

3KIDSNOMONEY

Just bought the cheap slow cooker from Argos.

Need a very basic recipe to try out, very new to this and no good at cooking meat so thought i would try it in a slow cooker.

All recipes i have looked out seem so complicated and are not things my fussy kids would eat.

Thanks

thriftlady_2

thriftlady wrote:

Thanks again Squeaky :A
I just realised that to have it ready for 5.30 I needed to get it in by 12.30. So I have done as you suggested with the foil and a cloth (great minds etc:D )

I expect the pastry will stick to the cloth :rolleyes: but I reckon it will taste good - I'll let you know how it turns out

Well the pastry did stick a bit (more flour on the cloth next time), but the pastry wasn't at all soggy and it was all delicious An excellent way to stretch half a pound of sausages and a couple of rashers of bacon

Sparky67

ziggy2004 - when you say you are leaving it on "all day" how long is that - I'm trying to guage whether mine is actually faulty or whether I'm just cooking for too long in it?

The OH is not impressed and I'm considering getting a smaller sized one for me (I would like to do pulses, pre-cooked of course, and lentil type dishes in it but the OH is s strict meat eater!)

Is either the Argos Cookworks £8.99 one or the YAWYE one at Tescos dishwasher safe?

salthepal

Voyager2002 wrote:

Any advice on buying meat for slow cooking?

I understand that the best and most economical results come from using the cheapest cuts of meat. But the only butcher near me is an up-market organic one, and the supermarkets only seem to sell prime cuts, in both cases with prices to match. Am I missing something?

Lidl are doing 3 fresh pork medallions 300g for £1.29 down from £2.19 and fresh chicken breast fillets 604g down £1 to £3.95 at the moment.

zacmilly

Have decided to take the tesco Russell Hobbs "you are what you eat" one back and stick with the cheap Argos £8.99 (exchanged the one that cooked unevenly)- I had a £5 gift card to use up so only cost me £3.99! Decided to take out the insurance as well, don't usually do this but it was only £1.49 and means it is guarenteed agains everything (including being dropped!) for 3 years- seemed a bargin at £1.49 and sometimes cheap non branded goods aren't as reliable.
I also have the morphy Richards 6.5l one for big family meals/ cooking for the freezer days (bought it with Christmas money). hope I have covered all eventualities!! My OH will think I have gone mad if anymore slow cookers appear!!
I am trying a jar of tesco H/L korma sauce with some turkey breast steak padded out with some onion, pepper, mushrooms and pineapple chunks- not sure if it will work but worth a try- will let you know.....!

mah_jong

zacmilly wrote:

I also have the morphy Richards 6.5l one for big family meals/ cooking for the freezer days (bought it with Christmas money). hope I have covered all eventualities!! My OH will think I have gone mad if anymore slow cookers appear!!

how long have you had 2 slow cookers.....I have a big delonghi that is a large fierc best and am wonderingif to go for a small one as well .....can I justify the cost? Do you use both regularly?

mah

lil_me

PONDSAVER wrote:

Hello everyone
Can I use steak serlion or rump (can't remember which cut it is) as braising steak and slow cook it for a casserole??

Last lot of steak I got from the butcher was bought as stewing steak (paid the price of cheap stewing) but he ran out midway and added parts which were rump and sirloin, tell you what with carrots, some pease I had left and a nice stock with the juices, some added rosemary etc it was fantastic! First time I had ever done it in the slow cooker, I chopped it and browned it off in a frying pan first, then added to SC with everything else and water, left it on low for about 6 hours, put it up to high in the last half hour and added some dumplings Meat just fell apart on my fork, pleased I made loads as it was so nice I have 2 lots in the freezer!

zacmilly

mahjong wrote:

how long have you had 2 slow cookers.....I have a big delonghi that is a large fierc best and am wondering if to go for a small one as well .....can I justify the cost? Do you use both regularly?

mah

I have only had two slow cookers since Christmas! However, have already used both several times each for different things, small (Argos £8.99) is great for dishes like chilli, bolognese etc that you pad out with rice or pasta. Have also made rice pudding in it- lovely, and plenty for the six of us. I wouldn't have been able to justify two if the Argos one hadn't been so cheap- it also doesnt take up too much space because it is round.
My husband tried to make a veg curry the other day in the smaller one and it was too full, so ended up transferring it to the bigger one!
Hope this is helpful.
- by the way, the chicken korma made with the jar of sauce worked very well!!

PONDSAVER_2

lil_me wrote:

Last lot of steak I got from the butcher was bought as stewing steak (paid the price of cheap stewing) but he ran out midway and added parts which were rump and sirloin, tell you what with carrots, some pease I had left and a nice stock with the juices, some added rosemary etc it was fantastic! First time I had ever done it in the slow cooker, I chopped it and browned it off in a frying pan first, then added to SC with everything else and water, left it on low for about 6 hours, put it up to high in the last half hour and added some dumplings Meat just fell apart on my fork, pleased I made loads as it was so nice I have 2 lots in the freezer!

I did it yesterday too and it was yum - I was nervous about how it would turn out - I added onion potatoes carrots mixed herbs and stock and of course dumplings when I got home. It was a nice treat for me after being very good all week and I deserved it as I got slimmer of the week at slimming class loosing 5.5lbs----back to being good now.

I am going to do lamb chops in sc tomorrow any one have any tips?