Rules for a Slow Cooker

Webbigail

Hi All,

I could really do with some help on "rules of a slow cooker".

The only thing I really cook are stews and casseroles (I know only the basics!) But I have read a lot of people on here use the leftovers the next day. Do you leave it in the slow cooker over night? Or referidgerate? Or just let it go cold in the slow cooker?

Also if you want to put it on in the morning before work, do you prepare the night before and leave it in there uncooked over night then switch on in the morning? Worried about keeping it all fresh.

Thanks:j

Fruball

I sometimes leave things in there to cool overnight but technically you should refridgerate any leftovers.

When starting it off in the morning - I prep it all and then put it in a bowl in the fridge, then chuck it all in in the morning and use kettle water to get it going.

You can also do joints of meat in there - I have done whole chickens, gammon joints and a shoulder of lamb in there which was absolutely amazing.

krlyr

I pop leftovers in the fridge, and tend to reheat in the microwave rather than the slow cooker. I've occasionally left stuff out (accidentally) but our current house is cooler than average (no central heating or doubleglazing!) so the kitchen stays pretty chilly, so I just made sure it was really piping hot. Happier to risk it with beef, e.g. chilli, than chicken.
Mine is a crock-style slow cooker so could just lift the crock out and put that in the fridge but it's too bulky for a fridge that 4 people are sharing at the moment!
I always prep things the morning I'm cooking them, never the night before, though this is partly because we use frozen mince (so get it out to defrost the night before) or reduced short-dated meat, which I don't like to leave unsealed overnight.

Westywoodpecker

If I prep in the evening I'll leave the slow cooker crock in the conservatory over night as it's possibly colder than the fridge anyway and cook the following day. Likewise if I have any leftovers once they are cold they get put into the conservatory & I then either reheat it in the microwave or freeze the following morning.

rachbc

i take leftover otu and put in the fridge once they are cool. I prep in the morning if i am putting it on before work, or sometimes leave stuff in it during the day and just ask ds to turn it on when he gets in from school. i read that you shouldn't put the crock into the cooker from the fridge as the change in temp can crack it but I see other folks are doing it without problems

Webbigail

Thanks everyone. I would be interested in cooking a joint of beef or a whole chicken. Do you still have to cover with stock? Or is that a silly question lol

Sorry newbie alert!!!

tigerfeet2006

With a chicken I don't bother to put any liquid in with it. I just stuff the cavity with quartered lemons, some people use onions. I then put slithers of garlic under the skin and herbs and sea salt over the top. You could put anything on the top you like, a friend of mine puts curry paste although I haven't tried that yet so can't say how good it would be.

With a joint a lot of people put a cup full of water or stock or wine or red grape juice.

If you are doing gammon or a ham hock then apple juice or ginger ale are quite nice.

Yum

yay for this thread. Im getting a slow cooker for christmas so stalking the slow cooker threads

Gothicfairy

I have read that you should not reheat leftover meat in a slow cooker but I do make chicken slop and soup from leftovers and just leave it on for the full 8 plus hours..touch wood never been ill

I make up the food the night before as my caravan is freezing cold at the moment I don't put that in the fridge but I would if it was warmer and I then just start it first thing in the morning..ie about 6 am and it does it's own thing until about 7pm with no real effort from me.

I make the bog for spag bog in a slow cooker and curry's and the length of cooking really adds to the flavour, I also do tuna pasta and veg bake as well as stews with dumplings and soups.

There is a slow cooker web site somewhere with tons of recipes and once I find it again I will add the link for you but I would suggest just trying stuff you normally cook and going from there.

Here is one : http://slowcookerrecipes.org.uk/

WhiteHorse

If you don't have a slow cooker, you're just not serious about moneysaving ...