I'm disappointed with my slow cooker

Swan_2

MrsE wrote: »

Thats why I want to use mine, but I don't enjoy it like le cruset cooked stews.

I think the thing to do is cook it the evening before (when in), leave in the fridge & reheat the next day:D

the prep's going to be the same, so as long as you've got time to let it cook, I'd say that's the way to go

& the flavour of a lot of dishes actually improves left overnight, bonus

morganlefay

I so agree about the smell being like something electrical, I really couldn't stand it. I'm a remoska fan and am trying never to use my big oven but you can't do a nice slow-cooked stew in the remoska so I'm currently doing them either in the pressure cooker or in a Le creuset on a heat diffuser on my smallest gas. It works fine. getting rid of the SC had another benefit - OH saw me actually GETTING RID of a 'gadget'; he was very pleased !

MrsE_2

JenniO wrote: »

Have you ever taken the pot out of the slow cooker and looked at the element underneath it? It may be filthy and giving off the smell and that is filtering into your food? It's just a thought so I really am not sure.

Have to say though that my SC does not give off a funny taste or smell and I'm like a bloodhound - I can smell everything, which isn't always a good thing

I've only used it a handful of times (because of the smell/taste:o) so its unlikely but I will look.

Appears I'm not alone though......

So now I'm wondering is it all SCs & only some of us are sensitive or just some SCs?

Pink.

MrsE,

I find that things cooked in the slow cooker can taste same-ish if the spices, herbs etc are added too early so I normally add them towards the end of cooking.

As this thread has dropped from the front page of Old Style I've added it to an earlier thread with more opinions that may help.

Pink

jbreckmckye

givememoney wrote: »

I have bought a Prima slow cooker as recommended by WHICH magazine.

I have had three attempts and cannot get it right.

1. Pork cooked it for 8 hours on Auto (this is HIGH for a few hours then
automatically turns to LOW) - all cooked but drier than I expected.

Why... would you cook pork for 8 hours, full stop? Whatever the heat, that's far too rough for as delicate a meat as pork. Pork and chicken shouldn't really be given that sort of time, unless you're dealing with a tough cut of pork.

Not all meats benefit from long, slow cooking. Think what would happen if you put fillet steak into a casserole - it'd turn out dry and unpleasant. Meat doesn't dry out because of a lack of liquid, or high heat. Apply heat to muscle proteins long enough, and they'll straighten out and bind to one another, constrict and actually squeeze the water out. This is why your pork was dry and dense.

2. A stew again on AUTO for 8 hours - OK but very bland tasting the gravy
was very runny when I expected it to reduce and be thicker and the veg
was cooked but firmer than I like with a stew.

Going to take a guess here: you normally use packet mixes. It's the flour in them that binds. A reduced stock isn't really *that* thick. Stew meat that has been dusted in flour, on the other hand, and you'll get a very thick gravy.

3. Whole chicken decided on HIGH this time did it for 5.50 hours and it is
over cooked.

Where am I going wrong. I expected succulent meat that is melt in the mouth, am I expecting too much?

Slow-cooked chicken only really works at *very* low temperatures. You've answered most of these questions yourself: you're overcooking the meat. Use cheap, fattier joints with lots of connective tissue (casserole steak) that will break down during cooking.

Olliebeak

Never had a problem with my SC - favourite kitchen gadget.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/images/B00013JWVO/ref=dp_image_z_0?ie=UTF8&n=11052681&s=kitchen

I regularly cook Lamb Stew, Lamb Shanks, Scouse, Chicken Curries/Chillies, Turkey/Pork Casseroles, Soups, Ribs 'n' Cabbage, Savoury Mince, Ham Shanks, Oxtail Stew - none of them taste 'samey'.

valk_scot

MrsE wrote: »

So now I'm wondering is it all SCs & only some of us are sensitive or just some SCs?

I had a big oval Morphy Richards, then after OH cracked the inner (ran cold water into it while it was hot) I bought a smaller Tesco brand one. Still all tastes like school dinners.

Tell you what SC are good for though...hot mulled wine at Christmas. :rotfl:

Swan_2

valk_scot wrote: »

I had a big oval Morphy Richards, then after OH cracked the inner (ran cold water into it while it was hot) I bought a smaller Tesco brand one. Still all tastes like school dinners.

Tell you what SC are good for though...hot mulled wine at Christmas. :rotfl:

never thought of that, I'll be borrowing mine back for the Festive Season :j


I've just had another thought, I really really dislike ready meals, & SC'd food reminds me of them too
but, an awful lot of people seem to like ready meals

so maybe it's just certain people's ability to taste particular things, a bit like how some people taste bitterness in sprouts that others don't?



but there's still no excuse for that slimy gelatinous chicken travesty ... roast chicken my a$$ :rotfl:

quintwins

ok so i was making like a boglonese type thing in my slow cooker (with sliced beef instead of mince and some homemade pasta sauce from the freezer) but it smellys really odd i've had this before and it's always had a really funny after taste aswell but i only ever get it in my slow cooker, i really can't stomach it now i was nearly sick just from lift lid so it will be going 2 the dogs any idea wat this is or how i can stop it please

OrkneyStar

quintwins wrote: »

ok so i was making like a boglonese type thing in my slow cooker (with sliced beef instead of mince and some homemade pasta sauce from the freezer) but it smellys really odd i've had this before and it's always had a really funny after taste aswell but i only ever get it in my slow cooker, i really can't stomach it now i was nearly sick just from lift lid so it will be going 2 the dogs any idea wat this is or how i can stop it please

Beef and mince can smell funny when cooked. My mum boils her mince in water and it can smell sort of, um, dog food like, for a while but it normally goes after a while and tastes fine. Perhaps when done in a SC the smell cannot evaporate off ? Did you brown the meat off first ?
Not sure this helps.