slow cooker quick questions thread

Evil_Olive

I tried the 'Instruction Manual Sharing' thread and the 'slow cooker quick questions' thread but got no responses so I've deleted and posted a new thread - hope that's OK?

I've inherited a 1970s/80s Cordon Bleu Slow Cooker, model number 5251 without the instruction manual. Unlike the modern ones it has only one heat setting (The whole thing is basically just either switched on, or switched off, at the wall)

I've tried a few simple things using mince so far and, as far as I can judge from the results, the one heat setting seems to be equivalent to what would be the 'high' setting on a more modern appliance. Can anyone who owns this, or a similar, old model confirm this for me so that I can be more sure which cooking times to use when following online recipes?

From my results so far the 7-8 hours often given for a 'low' setting would be far too long but, being aware that mince cooks fast under any circumstances, I don't want to poison myself when trying chicken or pork joints for the first time. I'm a complete slowcooker novice so I have no idea how to tell really whether my 'only setting' corresponds to high or low. If anyone knows which it is, or where I can download a manual or is prepared to scan in their own one for me that would be even better!

I've tried most of the 'obsolete manual' websites but haven't found anything that relates to a 'single heat setting' appliance of this age yet.

Many thanks for any help...

Sally_A

I still have one of the 1980's Tower Compacts with only one heat setting, I treat it as High.

It's just the right size for a bacon joint (8hrs overnight), passata from a tomato glut (8hrs+ - do at a weekend when you can keep an eye on it), similar timing to bung all left over root veg, potatoes, onions, garlic and what-have-you, with some stock makes a fabby soup (feeds 4) - just blitz it with a hand blender until it's the right consistency for you.

Evil_Olive

Thanks,. I thought it seemed to be 'high'.
I did a mince Bolognese in it and it was cooked after about 4 hrs - after 5 it was all congealing around the edges and getting too thick. Is that just because it was mince?

I see your answer says 8 hours is that just for a big joint? Would it be less for smaller joints, eg chicken pieces (on the bone) - a lot of the online recipes say 8 hours on low for most things

lilac_lady

I have an older slow cooker with one setting and find that it never overcooks anything.

For a whole chicken I would leave for 7 hours, casseroles for 6.

Evil_Olive

Thanks for replies - I did a simple pots/carrots/barley/stock thing last night with 3 chicken leg quarters on top for 7 hours last night - absolutely gorgeous! and all cooked through properly - no food poisoning And the 3 (huge!) chicken quarters were from the 'going out of date' shelf and only cost me £1.34 so I reckon the whole meal came in at about £2.00 and it fed 4! - great!

Tink_04

Hi was just wondering if i have to boil gammon before i put it in the slow cooker or do i just put it in raw with a bit water in the bottom? Thanks

kittycat204

Tink_04 wrote: »

Hi was just wondering if i have to boil gammon before i put it in the slow cooker or do i just put it in raw with a bit water in the bottom? Thanks

it'll be fine in the SC raw with some water or water covering it. if you have some onions, carrots, celery, bay, pepper corns, or cloves, shove them in too. you don't have to, but it'd help for flavour.

Pink.

As kittycat has said, put it in raw. Gammon done in the slow cooker can overcook quite easily so if possible keep an eye on it as I overdid it once and it fell into stringy pieces. Don't forget to save the stock from cooking it as it makes a wonderful base for soup.

Pink

Lizzy7

Hi, I have just been given a Morphy Richards 3.5 and some lovely slow cooker recipe books for my 60th birthday. I am just a bit confused as the instruction manual it says not to turn on without anything in the crock pot, but I have seen a few recipes here that "warm up the crock pot first?" Maybe that is ok for different models? I am trying out creme caramel today...just put the pyrex container on a pyrex saucer and covered the dish with foil and poured in very hot water....gonna check it after 4 hours on low.
One other thing was do you need to cover the meat for a casserole with stock or is it ok to ensure the veg are covered underneath and the meat is not totally covered by the juice? I seem to have too much thin stock when I've cooked stews so far. Thanks

Wee_Bargain_Hunter

Hi Lizzy7 & welcome to MSE! Re your 1st question, I also have the MR & I read that too. I think some recipes are written by people who have crock pots that can withstand the pre-heating. I just follow the MR instructions though & never do. The most I do is put some stock or liquid in the bowl & turn it on while I'm preparing the rest of my ingredients if I'm in a hurry.
For your 2nd question, I've always just about covered the meat with liquid - it doesn't seem to do any harm if small bits of meat are uncovered as it's a moist cooking environment. Near the end, I add some mashed potato (mix it in a cup with some of the cooking liquid first) or if I'm stuck I sprinkle on some Smash about 30mins from the end & stir it in. Sometimes I just remove some of the juices & freeze them to use as stock or gravy in the future. Depending on the recipe, I think adding lentils may work but when I've used these in soups, they sank to the bottom & stuck so you need to allow extra cooking time to allow for the heat loss when you stir the lentils up from the bottom. I think someone suggested removing a lot of the liquid & reducing it in a saucepan too.
HTH & enjoy your new slow cooker. I used to hate stews until I got my slow cooker & now I love them, everything seems to turn out so well! How did your creme caramel turn out?

Lizzy7 wrote: »

Hi, I have just been given a Morphy Richards 3.5 and some lovely slow cooker recipe books for my 60th birthday. I am just a bit confused as the instruction manual it says not to turn on without anything in the crock pot, but I have seen a few recipes here that "warm up the crock pot first?" Maybe that is ok for different models? I am trying out creme caramel today...just put the pyrex container on a pyrex saucer and covered the dish with foil and poured in very hot water....gonna check it after 4 hours on low.
One other thing was do you need to cover the meat for a casserole with stock or is it ok to ensure the veg are covered underneath and the meat is not totally covered by the juice? I seem to have too much thin stock when I've cooked stews so far. Thanks