Slow cookers and slow cookery

Si_Clist

Sorry for what's probably a daft question, but if I bought 1.3kg of Morrison's "brisket bonelss rolled joint" and I used it to make a stew, how many times might that feed the two of us?  I guess I would bung it all in the slow cooker and freeze the surplus after we've both eaten?

Nargleblast

1.3 kg is just under 3 pounds in weight. I reckon, allowing for wastage, you should get at least two to three meals for the two of you out of it. Of course, it depends on your portion sizes, and if you include veg it would definitely go further.

Nargleblast

Incidentally, it is cheaper to buy a brisket joint and cut it up into cubes rather than buy ready cubed stewing beef.

bouicca21

As a rough estimate think in terms of about 125g of meat for a single portion.

i have a 1.5 litre Slow cooker and it’s perfect for one person - makes enough for 2-3 helpings.  I think for two people you will need the 3.5 litre size.

Si_Clist

OK ... slow cooker turned up at 7.10 this morning courtesy of Argos home delivery, but Morrison's rather piddled on my parade by turning up an hour later minus the brisket I ordered.  So I've been smurfing the web meanwhile trying to find slow cooker recipes that don't call for a glass of wine, double cream and/or other ingredients we don't care for, but I'm not having much luck.

Maybe I'm using the wrong search terms, but what I need is slow cooker recipes for plain simple English food like we all ate up until the 1980s.  LIke beef stew, casseroles and whatnot made from plain simple stuff like meat, spuds, carrots, onions, peas, Oxo cubes and suchlike.  Can anybody perhaps recommend an old slow cooker cookbook that I might be able to buy on t'interweb?

ETA - As soon as I'd finished the above, I tried again and stumbled on an easy-peasy plain and simple chicken casserole.  That's "plain and simple" as in "you need 225gm Spanish chorizo ring, baby plum tomatoes and a shedful of spices".  I've never knowingly eaten chorizo in my life.  I'm not even sure what it is.  So why you need that in a "plain and simple" chicken casserole I have no idea.  Aaaaaaaaaaaargh ....

ivyleaf

Si Really you can use ordinary recipes (i.e. not specifically stated as being for the slow cooker) but just cook them for about 3 times as long.

Chorizo is a type of Spanish sausage, but I wouldn't have thought of putting that in a chicken casserole either! But i might put a bit of bacon in, perhaps. Does that sound better?

joedenise

You can make a plain and simple chicken casserole in the slow cooker.  Peel and chop whatever root veg you want - carrots, parsnips, swede, turnip etc - you can use whatever veg you like, add chicken pieces - I prefer thighs as they don't mind being slow cooked; I wouldn't use breast as it tends to dry out.  Make some stock with a couple of Oxos and add to the SC but don't add too much as it doesn't evaporate like it would in the oven or on the hob.  You can add some mixed herbs too if you have them but not essential.  Put on the lid and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours.  If you like you can add some dried soup mix or pearl barley - just follow the instructions on the pack in case it needs soaking overnight or something, I'm afraid I don't know as don't use them.

I don't like potatoes cooked in the SC so always cook my potatoes separately.



By the way chorizo is a smoky spiced sausage, it's flavoured with paprika.

ivyleaf

Oh, and you can use tinned tomatoes rather than buying baby plum tomatoes.  That's if you want your chicken casserole to taste tomatoey, which of course you might not.

mrs_motivated

Hi Si,

I love my slow cooker and use it a lot, particularly in winter.  As others have said it’s great for stews and casseroles and cheap cuts of meat.  Today I did a chicken in mine which we had today for dinner and plenty left for another meal and sandwiches or leftovers, be prepared the meat will literally fall from the carcass.

I often throw whatever I have in it, boneless chicken thighs, with onions, veg or a tin of butter beans and some stock or a tin of chopped tomatoes, I love chorizo but if it’s not to your taste just leave it out or replace with lightly cooked bacon pieces.

As you like more traditional foods, you could make a shepherds/cottage pie in there or Lancashire hotpot maybe, both have simple ingredients will provide you both with more than 1 meal. I have a few slow cooker recipe books and have just had a quick flick through them, but a lot of the recipes are a bit faffy, I think you might have more success on the internet.

maybe something like this http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/42594/corned-beef-ash-.aspx

joedenise

It would be worth looking at the BBC food website.  I just googled slow cooker recipes and the first thing that came up was a beef casserole recipe on the BBC website:  link here:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/slow-cooker-beef-stew

If you haven't got anything that's listed or you don't like it then just leave it out, the ingredients aren't set in stone.

Thought it might be worth linking to the whole lot so here's the link with loads of SC recipes:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/slow-cooker