Slow cooker favourites

The_Last_Username

Loving the sound of some of these PLUS there are ones we use regularly.

One meal that our household loves to cook "all-in-one" AND freezes well is ........... goulash.
If (like us) you like smoked cooked meats, smoked bacon etc. then this recipe is for you.
Works best with pork or chicken ; 3 or 4 x weight of lean meat in onions ( that advice came many years ago from a Hungarian friend ) plus tin chopped tomatoes and 1/2 pint chicken stock, then teaspoon mixed herbs, tablespoon (or UP TO 2 tbsp) smoked paprika and/or up to one tablespoon paprika ("standard" paprika; yes this recipe uses both types) plus usual salt & pepper to taste.
You can add (for example) mushrooms or mixed sweet peppers, sour cream/natural yoghurt ...... it is very versatile AND easy to adjust the volume depending on the size of your slow cooker - for example by adding tomato puree & more stock.

Pollycat

I never brown my meat but I do toss it in seasoned flour before putting it in & then chuck in any flour that's left and stir it into the veg before adding liquid as I think this thickens better than doing it towards the end of cooking.

Tink_04

Thanks for the ideas - goulash sounds lovely!!

OK I assumed jacket potatoes were common for the sc? I just wrap them in foil with a little oil and salt and put them on high for 4 hours then take the fold off and crisp under the grill they are lovely and fluffy.

The A$da magazine had a beef sc recipe in too that I will try - gammon is beautiful but there is never any left overs as I pick at it all!!

meritaten

This thread is so interesting and helpful! I will definitely try doing my gammon in the SC. and funnily enough I was 'gifted' some slow cooker sachets by the wife of someone who works for that company............had almost forgotten I had them as I don't really use packet mixes very often (usually she gives me the mild pepper sauce ones as OH says its better than my homemade sauce).
and Jacket potatoes................that never crossed my mind either! but it makes sense if you aren't using the big oven for anything else.

Tink_04

Petula wrote: »

I agree that SC's vary quite a bit. I had one for years that was lovely, things could cook happily for 8/10/12 hours and taste gorgeous. When that died the next one I got ran too hot and over-cooked nearly everything. Happy with the one I've got now.

My favourite autumn and winter dish is beef skirt or brisket cooked in about 3/4 of a can of Guinness (don't know what happens to the other 1/4 can ) and a bit of beef stock. Usually with potatoes and carrots, peas thrown in towards the end and often whatever veg needs using up in the fridge, I add whatever seasoning that strikes me at the time.

The juices can be thickened to serve the dish with rice or just leave to eat as more of a stew or casserole. It is so tasty and in my current SC it's in for anywhere from 8-12 hours.

Sounds lovely I think I will try this next week

Tink_04

meritaten wrote: »

This thread is so interesting and helpful! I will definitely try doing my gammon in the SC. and funnily enough I was 'gifted' some slow cooker sachets by the wife of someone who works for that company............had almost forgotten I had them as I don't really use packet mixes very often (usually she gives me the mild pepper sauce ones as OH says its better than my homemade sauce).
and Jacket potatoes................that never crossed my mind either! but it makes sense if you aren't using the big oven for anything else.

sillyvixen wrote: »

if anyone has some tried and tested slow cooker recipes i would be interested. we had a small slow cooker as a wedding pressie. I am a veggie, but hubby is not and very fussy about veg. i would love to be able to chuck a few bits in the slow cooker and make a decent meat based meal with the minimum of fuss (and freeze the leftovers).
I have not experimented yet - as i cant taste the results.

nonnatus wrote: »

I use my slow cooker on a regular basis but I see the OP listed JACKET POTATOES as a recipe!!!!

How on earth is that possible? Do you leave the lid on? Surely that creates soggy spuds? How do you get crunchy, yummy skins if you cook them in a soggy S/C??

Bonkers

I thought the same but honestly try it! Wrap in foil with a little salt and oil - 4 hours on high then crisp under the grill - dead easy and fluffy

YORKSHIRELASS

I use my slow cooker a lot, particularly as we have an electric oven and hob which are both expensive to run. And its so convenient. We like our meat well done so it works for us but I do know people who hate things slow cooked.

I do things like chilli, lasagne, minced beef hot pot, beef stew, chicken casserole, curry, whole chickens, gammon joints, shepherds pie, steak and kidney pudding, meatballs etc.

And I have been known to throw in some diced chicken with a jar of curry or pasta sauce for a quick tea.

The only thing I have never had a lot of success with is soup for some reason. That could just be me!

Tink_04

YORKSHIRELASS wrote: »

I use my slow cooker a lot, particularly as we have an electric oven and hob which are both expensive to run. And its so convenient. We like our meat well done so it works for us but I do know people who hate things slow cooked.

I do things like chilli, lasagne, minced beef hot pot, beef stew, chicken casserole, curry, whole chickens, gammon joints, shepherds pie, steak and kidney pudding, meatballs etc.

And I have been known to throw in some diced chicken with a jar of curry or pasta sauce for a quick tea.

The only thing I have never had a lot of success with is soup for some reason. That could just be me!

I've always struggled with soup too, how do you make lasagne in it?

TravellingAbuela

As soup seems to be a problem with some of you, I thought I would add my favourite sc soup to the thread. We find it very tasty and warming on a cold winter's day. (And it freezes well)

RED LENTIL & BACON SOUP

4 rashers streaky bacon, chopped (I use cheap cooking bacon)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
115 gm (4 oz) red lentils
400 gm tin tomatoes
850 ml chicken stock (cubes ok)
salt & black pepper

Fry the bacon till fat runs. Add the veg to warm through gently. Add rest of ingredients and bring to a boil. Transfer to the warmed sc. Cook on LOW 6-10 hours. Liquidise if you prefer a smooth soup.

Lovely with nice crusty bread!

Spendless

Here's my bbq pulled pork recipe. I devised it as too many I looked at had a gazillion ingredients.

Lightly spray the sc with an oil (I use frylight).

Slice onions and layer the bottom of the sc with them.

Put pork in. Pour bbq sauce over, (any - table sauce, jar, hm) enough to coat but not submerge.

Leave to cook. When done, lift out meat and 'pull' with 2 forks.

Return pulled pork to sc.

It now mixes with the juices of the meal and onions.

My sc has a 'warm' setting so I turn to this at this point whilst I get the accompaniments ready, usually wedges, HM coleslaw and salad.