Slow cooker problem - help!

joshtbh

Hi all,

could I ask a question please, does the meat in a slow cooker need to be fully covered with liquid? as that will require a hell of a lot of water if so, and surely it'll be too watery in that case?

I have vegetables lining the bottom of my slow cooker, and wine/worcester sauce/water just about covering the vegetables, but then a huge very tall joint of "brisket" beef sitting on topof all the vegetables, but i'm concerned it won't cook that way?

Sorry - i'm a complete Slow cooker newbie!

MRSMCAWBER

Hi there

I have never put any liquid in my slow cooker to start with...you will be amazed how much liquid it will create...so that joint should be fine...
I only ever add any liquid toward the end -if neccesary

joshtbh

great! thanks! I might be ok then! Phew! still tempted to go home at lunch time and see how its getting on.

Wonder where the liquid comes from that is "created"?!

sandy2_2

joshtbh wrote: »

great! thanks! I might be ok then! Phew! still tempted to go home at lunch time and see how its getting on.

Wonder where the liquid comes from that is "created"?!

Steam from the juices in the meat and veg, it will condense under the lid and drop back down on the food

notadamsmith_3

I do put a bit of wine and stock in; it can be thickened towards the end for gravy.

joshtbh

reckon it will be alright tho? the meat is uncovered with liquid as much as it shows on this (admittedly rubbish) diagram!

elona

It looks all right to me but if you are going to be there to check on it then you might want to turn it up the other way half way through cooking just so you feel it is "even" if you know what I mean.

joshtbh

cheers Elona, think I will go home to check and turn it over as you say.

Merlot

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

Hi there

I have never put any liquid in my slow cooker to start with...you will be amazed how much liquid it will create...so that joint should be fine...
I only ever add any liquid toward the end -if neccesary

I have just got my slow cooker delivered today, and i have a bisket of beef to put in tomorrow, sorry to be a pain, can I just clarify, can you just put the beef in the slow cooker on its own without the need for upside down plate, water or any kind of liquid? Do I remove the string? Will it be tender once cooked? I have only ever cooked one joint of meat before in the oven and it was as tough as old boots, so never bothered again, my OH is getting a wee bit sick of chicken breast cooked either on their own or in a sauce of sometype, I thought I would surprise him tomorrow with a tender joint of meat. (well here's hoping). We are having carrot batons/cauliflower/brocoli (sp?), can I put these into the slow cooker at the same time or would they go mushy?

How long would you recommend it goes on for? I have the Morphy Richards 48715 6.5L, I think it was Pink who said it cooks quicker than her old one?

I know these are pretty basic questions, but I would like to get it right, I asked questions on my bread maker and I get perfect bread rolls now, even the wee girl across the road comes over hoping for a handout if my DD tells her I made them again. Although she didn't like the choc brownies I made (tasted too much of coco?), I am learning slowly, my mother was never a good cook and we survived on chips, egg and very mushy vegetables, she tended to over cook her food and still does.

Thanks in anticipation.

Merlot

MRSMCAWBER

Hi there merlot...

I never put any liquid in to start with....i always just drop meat straight into the machine-no plate, no liquid... i wouldn't put the veggies in as they will mush if in for as long as the joint...

The only problem you may find with brisket in the slow cooker is that it gets that tender it is soooo difficult to get nice "slices"...

i do brisket in the oven.. and have never had a problem......

I wrap it up in foil -tightly and put it in a roasting tin in the oven on high for about 1 hour(to brown it) and then i drop the oven onto really low and just leave it for hours - until a knife goes in easily..if you unwrap it every so often - you can tip any juices into a jug (once cold you can take any fat off the top and use it for roasties or yourkies.. and the liquid/jelly for making gravy)-just make sure you wrap it up well again...

I always find it better to cook my meat the day before..as once it has cooled it firms up and you can cut it into proper slices... i then put them in a dish, with a bit of the jelly/stock, cover with foil and put in the oven about 10 mins before the rest of the dinner is ready....

That way you can get more servings out of your joint and it frees up the rest of the oven for roasties/yorkies etc... if you cook it as above i will hang my head in shame if its tough:p

Good luck...

Merlot

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

Hi there merlot...

I never put any liquid in to start with....i always just drop meat straight into the machine-no plate, no liquid... i wouldn't put the veggies in as they will mush if in for as long as the joint...

The only problem you may find with brisket in the slow cooker is that it gets that tender it is soooo difficult to get nice "slices"...

i do brisket in the oven.. and have never had a problem......

I wrap it up in foil -tightly and put it in a roasting tin in the oven on high for about 1 hour(to brown it) and then i drop the oven onto really low and just leave it for hours - until a knife goes in easily..if you unwrap it every so often - you can tip any juices into a jug (once cold you can take any fat off the top and use it for roasties or yourkies.. and the liquid/jelly for making gravy)-just make sure you wrap it up well again...

I always find it better to cook my meat the day before..as once it has cooled it firms up and you can cut it into proper slices... i then put them in a dish, with a bit of the jelly/stock, cover with foil and put in the oven about 10 mins before the rest of the dinner is ready....

That way you can get more servings out of your joint and it frees up the rest of the oven for roasties/yorkies etc... if you cook it as above i will hang my head in shame if its tough:p

Good luck...

Many many thanks for your answer, how low is low in the oven, I have a fan assisted oven and does tend to cook things a wee bit quicker most some ovens, and how high is high, I'm sorry to be asking such daft questions but I cooked pork lion steak chops on very low in the oven (130) in gravy today for 3 1/2 hours and they weren't as tender as I expected them to be. I'm flipping useless and my OH has just informed me that my SIL who has 5 children (under the age of 8) and has an immaculate house, and home cooks to a very high standard is coming 200 miles to visit us in a couple of weeks, so I am in a real dizzy today, I need some serious help, who lives close to me? I need a fool proof menu..I'm off to get another glass of wine, and read Nigella's website.

MrsMCAWBER:grouphug: , just read the daily thread, my neighbour (44)has breast cancer, has undergone Chemo, (lost her hair though, but has a fab wig) but she says she has not felt better for months, the worrying has gone, she knows what is it is now and it can be dealt with, she is enjoying life with her boys (11 & 13), and everytime I look at her, she gives me the motivation to get on and get things done, she hasn't given up work, she does 2 jobs and walks the dog at 5.00am every morning, she is a power of strength, I wish your sister well.