I'm disappointed with my slow cooker

HariboJunkie

thriftlady wrote: »

You aren't doing anything wrong.

Slow cooker food does taste of nothing.

We don't all rave about slow cookers. I think they have a place if you are out all day and have little time to cook when you get home, but other than that I think they are a waste of time. Oven cooked food is so much better and for things like bolognese sauce which only takes about half an hour on the hob why bother?

I don't agree.... Mine doesn't taste of nothing . We spend the winter eating delicious and flavoursome casseroles and stews made in the SC while I am at work and using cuts of meat that would take hours on the hob. I simmer my bolognese for at least an hour when I do it on the hob so it makes sense to do it in the SC if I am out all day. Surely the flavour depends on the ingredients you use.

My SC has been invaluable to me when I don't have the luxury of being at home all day.

MrsE_2

Is it just me or does anyone else think slow cookers make food smell & taste funny?

DH loves stews done in it & the meat is very tender & its like the fairies have made your dinner when you get in BUT I get this odd taste/smell from it.

I'm half wondering if I'm imagining it.

Anyone else notice it?

jackieglasgow

Maybe you aren't rinsing it well enough after washing MrsE?

rosieben

SC's do seem to retain smells - mine was very noticeable after I made chutney so I filled the SC with boiling water, added some bicarb, let it stand overnight and that cleared it; I read somewhere on here to make a paste of bicarb and water and coat the inside of the SC, leave overnight and rinse off (I've not tried that method though)

cooking-mama

MrsE ,my eldest daughter complains of exactly the same thing...in fact i stopped using my slow cooker for a while and bought a pressure cooker instead because of this...but i discovered that I was overcooking stuff...mainly carrots in particular,i was leaving my slow cooker on High for too long,resulting in an overcooked/burnt tang to stuff...I now mainly cook on low when cooking stews with carrots etc in,but still cook on High for full chicken etc,and things seem fine now.

MrsE_2

jackieglasgow wrote: »

Maybe you aren't rinsing it well enough after washing MrsE?

No thats not it, it comes out & goes in the dishwasher.

MrsE_2

cooking-mama wrote: »

MrsE ,my eldest daughter complains of exactly the same thing...in fact i stopped using my slow cooker for a while and bought a pressure cooker instead because of this...but i discovered that I was overcooking stuff...mainly carrots in particular,i was leaving my slow cooker on High for too long,resulting in an overcooked/burnt tang to stuff...I now mainly cook on low when cooking stews with carrots etc in,but still cook on High for full chicken etc,and things seem fine now.

Ah ha, someone else:T
Its a weird almost electrical taste/smell. DH doesn't smell/taste it:mad:

I didn't use mine for over a year & got it out again & its the same strange smell/taste.

jackieglasgow

Ah, I was thinking it might be a residue of WUL. I only do veggies in mine, and have done the odd chicken, so I haven't had that problem, I think the idea of a soak in bicarb should work, I do that to freshen up the flasks, a few teaspoonsful and some boiling water, try that, and maybe simmer it for a wee while?

MrsE_2

jackieglasgow wrote: »

Ah, I was thinking it might be a residue of WUL. I only do veggies in mine, and have done the odd chicken, so I haven't had that problem, I think the idea of a soak in bicarb should work, I do that to freshen up the flasks, a few teaspoonsful and some boiling water, try that, and maybe simmer it for a wee while?

RE flasks I read a tip on here aboutg crushed egg shells water & a good shake, but you may know it already.

Will try the bicarb, but its a shiny glazed pot not the sort you would expect to harbour things. Its an electrical smell/taste (I think).

squeaky

One of things that first caught me out, especially when making stews and casseroles, was giving all the ingredients a good stir now and then.

It washes a thin film of liquid up the sides of the cooking pot and, since your pot is heated ALL the way up the sides - it's this that dries up and even burns and so contributes a lot towards the smell.

Next time - try part filling the pot, give it a stir, then top up your liquids to the desired level and only give a very gentle stir to finish off and avoid leaving a film up the sides at the top. See how it goes