slow cooker quick questions thread

JustKeepSwimming_2

I've inherited a basic Tower Slo Cooker Compact 3872-B without the instruction manual. :j

Its very basic - settings are on or off as I can't find any dials to change! I've used it twice with fab results & have left it on for 9 hours each time but was wondering if I could cut this cooking time down without giving us all food poisoning! The 9 hours really does test my organisational skills somewhat & I'm !!!!!!ed if I forget to turn it on in the morning! :rotfl:

Anyone have any ideas on a sensible minimum cooking time please?

boo81

Hi

Ive looked through all the threads and have a few questions that dont seem to be answered:

1) How may portions does a 6.5L make? I normally use 500g mince for bolognaise so would this go halfway in a 6.5L slow cooker?

2) Can you cook rice/pasta in a slow cooker? If so how?

3) Does everything take a long time, eg what about puddings ive heard of people cooking. A minimum and maximum example of cooking times would be useful

4) Has anyone cooked fish in one, imagine it may go tough

5) Please can you recommend any books, most seem to be american but how do you find these to decipher?

Any answers appreciated!

(Land_of)_Maz

I think there is a slow cooker thread around here, one of the admin peeps will point you/move you in the right direction.

I just kinda wing it a bit with mine, sorry i can't advise on any of the specific questions though.

My thinking around pasta and rice, is that it only takes 10-15minutes anyway so no need for slow cooking with those. i just do them once i get back at night and add it to the meaty/saucey part.

Just play around with it, you'll be pleasantly surprised!!

start off with something basic like beef, onions, mushrooms, a pint of water and a couple of oxo cubes.... You can't go wrong!

Once this works for you, you'll get confidence up and there'll be no stopping you.

FBThree

boo81 wrote: »

1) How may portions does a 6.5L make? I normally use 500g mince for bolognaise so would this go halfway in a 6.5L slow cooker?

Having an American OH I had to smile at this! Portion size is an issue for us. He's used to HUGE portions c.f. me - e.g. when we roast a chicken I have to ensure I let him know how many meals it's meant to be for when he carves or it'll go in one sitting

As to translating from the US to UK - if there's a specific word or something, you could let me know I can run it past him or the US Sil.

Rikki

The Complete Slow Cooker Collection

Answers to your slow cooker questions.

Pink.

boo81 wrote: »

Hi

Ive looked through all the threads and have a few questions that dont seem to be answered:

1) How may portions does a 6.5L make? I normally use 500g mince for bolognaise so would this go halfway in a 6.5L slow cooker?

Roughly 10 portions depending on what you're cooking and the appetites of those eating.

2) Can you cook rice/pasta in a slow cooker? If so how?

You can cook rice and pasta in the slow cooker but it needs to be added towards the end of cooking or else it will be over done and very stodgy. See these threads:

Rice in slow cooker?

Slow cooker, Pasta and Rice?

3) Does everything take a long time, eg what about puddings ive heard of people cooking. A minimum and maximum example of cooking times would be useful

Cooking times will really depend on what you are cooking and the quantities. An average meal for me with beef, pork or lamb will take six to eight hours depending on the cut.

I don't use mine for puddings, but have a look here for ideas:

Slow Cooker Recipes - Sweets Index

If you put "pudding+slow cooker" into the search box there are lots more threads that should help but unfortunately there are too many to list here.

4) Has anyone cooked fish in one, imagine it may go tough

One of the benefits of a slow cooker is that it cooks slowly so it is best suited to something that benefits from long slow cooking such as tougher (cheaper) cuts of meat, casseroles etc. Personally, I think fish is better cooked quickly, saying that I've never tried it in the slow cooker so don't really know how it would turn out. I can only find one recipe for fish in The Complete Slow Cooker Collection.

5) Please can you recommend any books, most seem to be american but how do you find these to decipher?

There are lots of recommendations for slow cooker cookbooks on this thread that should help:

Best Slow Cooker Cook book



Any answers appreciated!

I hope this helps. I'll merge your thread with the slow cooker quick questions thread later as your questions will probably help others too.

Pink

Nicki

500g of mince in a 6.5litre slow cooker would barely cover the bottom! You could easily cook 4-6 x that amount, with associated amounts of tomatoes, herbs, etc, which would give you loads to freeze for lazy days. Such a small amount in such a big slow cooker is more likely to dry out or catch around the edges in my experience.

The length of time things take depends on whether you are cooking on high, medium or low. On high most things would cook in 2-3 years, on low you can leave them all day. If you only have one setting, then you'll need to play around and experiment to discover the optimum timings.

Try the internet, this site and the library for slow cooker recipes or make your own up. I have a few recipe books but they are disappointing. They tend to be american and have as regular ingredients cans of soup, or powdered soup mix which I find gives a very artificial taste and am not keen on. The best recipes I have have come from the slow cooker index on here to be honest (particularly the one for lamb shanks with lentils which we use loads, so major thanks for whoever posted that one!)

boo81

Nicki wrote: »

On high most things would cook in 2-3 years, on low you can leave them all day.

I didnt think a slow cooker took that long! :rotfl:

lbt_2

Hi

I am trying out a new recipe today for sausage casserole. It is cooking at the moment, so it is probably a bit late to ask, but here goes anyway ...

The slow cooker has potato slices at the bottom, then a layer of onion, bacon, garlic and herbs, another layer of potato, then the browned sausages sitting on top. The recipe uses 1/2 pint of stock, but that doesn't even cover the potatoes let alone the sausages. Has anyone else tried anything like this before?

It is probably a good one for training me not to lift the lid! I am too scared to in case the sausages don't cook properly.

The recipe is cooked on high for 3-4 hours - will be 4 in my case.

Also, I have looked at a couple of slow cooker recipe books in the library and have noticed that all the chicken recipes seem to be cooked on high :huh: Is there a reason for this? Personally, I would be happy to cook it on low - my slow cooker is the MR biggy, and gets hot enough while cooking on low.

thanks

lbt_2

Sarahsaver wrote: »

My chicken was lovely - and plenty of meat juices ran out of it so I will not add so much stock - if any at all next time. Juts have to hold back from picking at it before lunchtime...

Hi Sarah

How long did you cook it for, and what temperature?

Thanks