slow cooker quick questions thread

Blue_String_Soup

I've been cooking a beef casserole in my new slow cooker on high. It's been in there 5 hours and is lovely and tender, but we won't be eating til about 5.30. Do I turn it down to Low and keep it simmering away for another couple of hours, or do I turn it off? If I turn it off, do I leave the stew in there or do I need to transfer it to another dish, cool it down, etc?

Sorry for not posting this in the slow cooker thread, but I was hoping someone could help me quickly!

Thanks

dollydaydream07

do you have a keep warm function on your SC?
if so switch it to that and i'm sure it will be fine

i have a spag boll cooking in mine now and it's done but DH won't be home till 6ish so i'm switching it to keep warm and it is normally fine!
off to go and warm my hands on the SC now!!

RustyFlange

Hi, please don't shout as I am new to this thread. I have read the first 10 pages but really don't have anymore time this morning to read the remaining 18 pages!

I would like to buy a slow cooker, have seen a few nice ones and all various sizes. Would a bigger pot be better? We are a family of 4, 2 adults, a 6yr old and a 17 month old. I don't have a problem with bulk cooking, infact I try to do this when I do curries/chilli/ bolognese etc Also I quite like the sound of being able to cook a full chicken in one!

Are they really so simple to use or is it a case of practice makes perfect? I have so far read people putting in extra fluids and others saying not to etc?

Another question can anyone recomend a slow cooker (big pot) or even a couple of slow cookers so I can show the OH and persuade him that we *NEED* one

Thanks in advance

thecornflake

Quick question (I've already searched for this) - Can you cook spotted !!!!!! in a slow cooker and if so what's the recipe?

annie-c

See below:

RustyFlange wrote: »

Hi, please don't shout as I am new to this thread. I have read the first 10 pages but really don't have anymore time this morning to read the remaining 18 pages!

I would like to buy a slow cooker, have seen a few nice ones and all various sizes. Would a bigger pot be better?
We are a family of 4, 2 adults, a 6yr old and a 17 month old. I don't have a problem with bulk cooking, infact I try to do this when I do curries/chilli/ bolognese etc Also I quite like the sound of being able to cook a full chicken in one!

It all really depends on what you cook and appetite/portion sizes. For an all in one meal, eg casserole including potatoes I would say the 3.5l size will be enough for 4-6 people. If you are making a bolognese sauce then you would get 10-12 portions out of a full size pot. You can cook a whole 3lb chicken in the 3.5 litre pot, but any bigger would be a tight squeeze.

If you want to bulk cook for a family your size I would recommend the 6.5 litre TBH. If you live anywhere near a TJ Hughes they often have them on offer for £20ish.

Are they really so simple to use or is it a case of practice makes perfect? I have so far read people putting in extra fluids and others saying not to etc?

They are simple to use, but as you go on you will learn what suits you best . The basic thing to remember is that in order to keep the heat in, there is no steam vent so if you want thicker sauces you need to add less liquid to start with than if you were cooking on the hob or in the oven. The instruction manual will tell you the minimum liquid requirements, after that it is a matter of personal taste

Another question can anyone recomend a slow cooker (big pot) or even a couple of slow cookers so I can show the OH and persuade him that we *NEED* one

THe Morphy Richards 3.5l and 6.5l are often recommended on here. I have had the argos Cookworks one for several years and it only cost £11ish on offer at Argos at the time. TBH they are very simple appliances and any modern one should be OK. If you can go to TJ Hughes or a big Tesco or Asda you should be able to see a selection.

The only other issue is shape - they mostly come in an oval shape and this is best for cooking chickens, legs of lamb etc. I don't know the advantages of the round shape, but they come in round shapes too.

Thanks in advance

You're welcome:T

annie-c

Dotmatic wrote: »

I've used veggie sausages for casseroles in the past but would like to use meat ones now, is there a best type to use? I'm doing my online grocery order atm and am overwhelmed with the choice of sausages.

Can anyone recommend a sausage?

One with a good quality, high meat content. I've just ordered Walls Classic Thick Pork Sausages from Tesco online to use in a SC recipe. For eating alone with mash I would maybe splash out at the butcher or get Tesco finest but for a SC recipe an average good quality sausage is fine.

Pink.

RustyFlange wrote: »

Hi, please don't shout as I am new to this thread. I have read the first 10 pages but really don't have anymore time this morning to read the remaining 18 pages!

I would like to buy a slow cooker, have seen a few nice ones and all various sizes. Would a bigger pot be better? We are a family of 4, 2 adults, a 6yr old and a 17 month old. I don't have a problem with bulk cooking, infact I try to do this when I do curries/chilli/ bolognese etc Also I quite like the sound of being able to cook a full chicken in one!

Are they really so simple to use or is it a case of practice makes perfect? I have so far read people putting in extra fluids and others saying not to etc?

Another question can anyone recomend a slow cooker (big pot) or even a couple of slow cookers so I can show the OH and persuade him that we *NEED* one

Thanks in advance

I agree with everything annie-c has said. We are a family of five and had a 4.5ltr one for years which was fine unless I wanted to add potatoes, then it was a bit tight. I got the MR 6.5ltr about a year ago and it's perfect for us (now only four at home).

I know you don't have a lot of time but I think it's well worth a look through this thread:

Buying a slow cooker (which? & why?)

If you read from the last page back you'll see the most recent posts.

Pink

RustyFlange

Annie C and Pink Winged, thank you ever so much for your fast replies. OH says I am allowed to start looking for one but I need to wait til payday til he will buy me one I plan to look for a 6.5 litre one so that I always have enough space. I like the look of the morphy richards ones, but I have also seen a crockpot one which has an older look about it which I love, this also has a higher price tag.
Pink I have saved the link and will look through when I have a little more time. Hopefully in the not too distant future I will be on here telling you all how wonderful my SC is
Thankyou once again.

1jim

want to make a beef stew in the slow cooker tomorrow, can I coat the beef in flour and then put it straight in the slow cooker withut browning it (wanted to add flour as I do like my stews/caseroles thicker than they normally come out of the slow cooker)?
thanks
jim

thecornflake

1jim wrote: »

want to make a beef stew in the slow cooker tomorrow, can I coat the beef in flour and then put it straight in the slow cooker withut browning it (wanted to add flour as I do like my stews/caseroles thicker than they normally come out of the slow cooker)?
thanks
jim

We brown ours first because it won't really brown in the SC. You can add flour to thicken it though once it's in there.