Crockpots- Are they really useful, or not

swingaloo

I have been bought a Crockpot for Christmas. How lucky am I!

Im not a soup person, If I have soup I prefer Tomato, Mushroom or Broccoli ans Stilton so Im happy just to open a tin. Casseroles are a once a a month thing in our house so Im not really sure I will have much use for it.

Even with a casserole I cant see the point in putting something in a pot for 6 or 7 hours when I can throw in in the oven for a couple of hours.

Am I missing something, I know I probably sound really ungrateful but I just cant see why anyone would use one. I cant exchange it, my son bought it me and as his previous years gifts have stretched his imagination no further than scented candles and a dvd I dont want to pour cold water over his pressie so I do want to use it.

Has anyone got one and can give me hints, tips or ideas please.
Thanks for reading.

gunsandbanjos

I think crockpots are a bit like marmite. I have one, and wanted to love it, sadly I don't.
But others rave about them.

suki1964

Not fussed with them myself as prefer to use the hob

However I can't believe you prefer tinned soup

Islandmaid

I use mine to cook a whole chicken in - fab for rubber chicken recipes

Stew, chilli, etc some have done jacket potato,s in them, pot roast is another easy one, cooked the Christmas gammon in it, before a quick roast off in the oven.

Amazing for keeping Mulled wine warm too

Sally_A

I take it you mean the ceramic slow cooker?

If so, I would take ceramic pot and lid over one with a glass lid any time.

I often do mine overnight, and then reheat in microwave after work. Sunday evening is a favourite for me, then Monday tea is sorted.

Plus points are, all the prep is out the way and washed up, and no cooking when getting home from work, other than some crispy rolls or garlic bread.

One of my current favourites is the Hairy Dieters Goulash recipe which works really well (I add mushrooms too). http://www.hairybikers.com/recipes/view/beef-goulash#X3IVdMxvVLWxEQ03.97

PasturesNew

There are some people that find them useful for some things in some circumstances.

They can be good if you identify just 1-2 dishes that you'd like, but that you never get round to cooking because it's a faff. e.g. turning tins of that milk into caramel - or steaming steak/kidney puddings.

You don't have to be out to benefit from them .... they can be good if you simply have better things to do with your time than be aware of the time you put something into the oven. e.g. your 2 hours in the oven for a stew could be converted into lobbing it into the SC and then forgetting it entirely.... or if you're not sure what time people are arriving to be fed.

You just need to identify dishes that can benefit from a SC, rather than seeing it as something that has to replace every instance of you making a particular dish.

I've got one, but I never use my oven. Others have them because the cost of a SC for 6 hours is less than an oven for 2 hours.

For me, I've used it to create chilli and curries and veg/mince dinners. Yes an oven/hob might be more the 'norm', but you do have to stand and be aware of them and check/stir them in an oven/on a hob .... not so with the SC. They're less time critical.

Get the right recipe and soup can be made effortlessly.... e.g. Xmas dinner leftovers, you could've lobbed all the leftover veggies and gravy and stuffing into the SC with a pint of stock, turned it on .... and it'll have made soup without you thinking about it, by simply scraping the leftovers into the SC instead of (say) boxing them all up in the fridge until you lob them out in 2 days' time as nobody fancied them....or straight in the bin.

splishsplash

I use mine to make stock in almost every week - I just toss in the stripped carcass of a chicken and its skin along with a chopped onion, leek, rib of celery, carrot and some seasoning (s&p; onion and garlic granules, maybe the tiniest pinch of tarragon depending on what I want it for). After a few hours on high you get the nicest rich stock for use in soups (all of the ones you mention) and sauces and pasta/rice dishes.

I also use it for pork chops, lamb shanks, beef stews, roast beef joints for sandwiches - cook with lots of veg and water so it also makes a mean gravy for burgers etc - and pulled pork.

I don't use it every day, but it's on most weeks at least once.

[Deleted User]

I didn`t like mine and tried twice, I ended up giving one away and then the other. Food was insipid and watery and it took up too much space. I get far better tastier results using my induction hob and good stainless steel pans. Nothing sticks on a low simmer and I can leave it as long as I want knowing that it will be much tastier. Horses for courses and its always good to try these things but I wouldn`t give one house room

swingaloo

Thank you for the replies. I was reading down the thread and feeling quite positive. Then I got to the last reply!

MrsRogers

I love mine. Wouldn't be without it.

SailorSam

I use mine all the time i think it's great.
Soups; casseroles; currys then split into portions for the freezer.
You can do chickens; joints of meat
I often do things overnight but just as easy to leave on all day or on a timer and have a cooked meal waiting when you get home. And it's a lot cheaper than turning the oven on.