Slow Cooker - The Recipe Collection

swizzlebabe

Sorry if someone`s already answered this.

But got one yesterday. Went for the smaller one 3.5l. Thought if i could keep it out on the worktop, I would use it more.

Looked through the booklet and it says That I must use boiling liquid only. What about pre made cook in sauces, got a few reducded. Do I have to heat these up? Or do I just leave it in longer?

Ticklemouse

I've just read my instruction booklet again, after having brought my slow cooker out of retirement a few weeks ago. I also noticed this, but I've not had any probs not using boiling liquids. It says joints must be cooked on high and with boiling liquid, but I've done my ham on low and from cold - as long as you give it enough time it's OK. It also says they are not suitable for jacket spuds but others have said they come out great. The boiling liquid is just so that the 'cooking' time starts sooner.

Sometimes, I start casseroles etc off in the pan and bung in slow cooker, because I've left it a little late in the day and want to give it all a good start (like today) Other days - bung it all in from cold and leave it all day.

Sarahsaver

Ticklemouse wrote:

Haven't tried it myself as got a fridge full of bought yogs. Will try it soon though.

Do you use ordinary milk? Can't see why it has to be UHT. Is it because it has no bacteria in it to start with?

you do not need to make it in the slow cooker, a flask will do, therefore it costs less as you just warm the milk first, then bung it in the flask. Delia (!!!) tells u how to make yoghurt on her website.

Curry_Queen

Thank you so much for pointing me in the direction of this thread Elona

I've just spent the last couple of hours going through all the messages (and copying all the recipes to file) so now I can't wait till my new slow cooker turns up! I ended up ordering the 6.5l from Tesco as Amazon don't do the GP cashback but Tesco Electricals do, plus the extra points on my tescocard

I had one of those Tower compact ones about 20 years ago (a freebie gift when you signed up to one of the MO catalogues) but can't remember using it more than a handful of times and no idea what happened to it. Think I kept the crockpot to use as a souffle dish (might still have it!) and threw away the casing :rolleyes:

I'm determined that this one won't follow a similar fate though and hope to use it several times a week thanks to all the wonderful recipes posted here

elona

Curry Queen

Glad to be of help.

When you do get your new slow cooker (and I am waiting for the same one)-

Bear in mind that you can adapt a lot of the same recipes that you already use or like - just use less liquid and you may want to thicken at the end with cornflour.

I have come up with some wierd and wonderful dishes by just using what is to hand but so far everything has been eatable.

If you do not feel up to a lot of chopping veg etc - then just frozen casserole veg,chicken pieces,onion and (big secret - no soak dried peas) can be lobbed in there and you have a thick and tasty soup that looks as if you have spent hours chopping etc.

Enjoy your slow cooker and do not worry about asking questions.Everyone on the site (especially moneysaving old style is really helpful :):)

Trow

Curry queen - amazon do do GP cashback - you *have* to click through the link on the GP website and fill in a manual form to claijm it, but at 3% its not bad - when you consider that amazon have usually competitive prices anyway.

Curry_Queen

Only on books, CD/DVD's Trow ... they exclude PC & Video Games, Toys & Kids, Software, Home & Garden

Curry_Queen

Thanks Elona, I've also written down some of the tips and suggestions in the thread from people's experiences using their cookers so hopefully I'll be able to apply those to some of my fav recipes

I love to experiment too so hopefully I'll be sharing some of my own concoctions with you all very soon too

Trow

Oh thanks curry queen - I didn't know that - haven't used it for amazon as yet

dave_dph

Many years ago I had one of the original Tower slow cookers with the brown stoneware pot & lid. The recipe / instruction booklet states that the lid should never be removed during the first half of the cooking time as valuable heat will be lost, which in turn will extend the cooking time. This always made sense to me as the lid fitted flush against the stone pot.

However, I have just bought the Anthony Warrell Thompson slow cooker from Argos ( http://!!!!!!.com/6qckj ) and immediately noticed that the pot has three raised "dots" on the inner rim, which are obviously designed to prevent the lid from fitting flush against the base. This seems strange to me, bearing in mind the instructions that came with the Tower models.

Are the Russell Hobbs / Morphy Richards models designed in this way too, or is this specific to the AWT (Breville) model? I thought the idea of slow cooking was to retain the moisture & heat within the pot? The instructions with the new cooker make no reference to keeping the lid in place for at least the first half of the cooking process.

Thanks in advance for any comments / advice.