Minced beef in slow cooker - Do I need to brown first?

Bollards

Hello,
I'm yet another one who has had a slow cooker for Christmas and doesn't exactly know what to do with it.:rolleyes:

I would like to make a big batch of bolognese sauce with minced beef, but am not sure whether I need to brown it before adding all the other bits and pieces and putting it on the slow cooker. Could someone enlighten me please!

Many thanks and happy new year to all old stylers.:beer:

Pink.

Hi Bollards

I always brown the mince before adding it to the slow cooker as I think it colours it, gives a better flavour and means I can skim off any excess fat easily. However many others have posted before to say that they don't....so it's a matter of personal choice really.

Pink

Farway

I would go with Pink-winged, if only to render the fat out first or you may finish up with a thick layer of molten fat on top of your meal

MadCad

As with any meat to go in the slow cooker - it is always best to brown it first to give it a little colour (esp chicken & sausages otherwise they don't look very appealing!). Oh and another idea is to cook it all the day before - in the slow cooker - leave overnight in a cold place and the next morning, scoop the layer of fat off the top, especially if you've cooked lamb

recovering_spendaholic

I personally don't brown the meat, but I only ever use the extra lean mince, stewing beef etc and never get any fat on top.

katiesmummy

i want to start using my slow cooker that i have had for about 4 years and used approx twice.

my question is if i am cooking say spag bol do i need to cook the mince in a pan first or do i just chuck everything in?

feeling very daft for having to ask this!

Skint_Catt

I would brown it off in a pan and drain any excess fat/liquid off then throw it all in! Others might do something different though! I put chicken and quorn sausages in though without cooking them first, but I like pork sausages to be browned off as tghey look better.

Pink.

Hi katiesmummy,

It's not a daft question! I always brown mince before adding it to the slow cooker.

There's an earlier thread on this that might help so I've added your thread to it to keep all the replies together.

Pink

katiesmummy

thanks for that, much appreciated!

Mariel

I've just come across a recipe that I want to try tomorrow and it says just to put the mince in without frying it off first. Will it separate ok? I don't want to come home tomorrow afternoon to find one huge meatball in tomato sauce!

robpw2

im thinking it would be difficult for me to mince in a slow cooker . But up canal street i can.
i woukd break it up but yes it should cook ok