Buying a slow cooker (which? & why?)

twofishes

Might be too big for you but thought other OSers would like to know, Aldi are doing a 6.5l slow cooker as part of their special offers this Thursday (25th October) for £18.99. That's big enough for a whole chicken! Aldi/Lidl electrical items are almost always German-made and excellent quality.

xx_Jo_xx

For what its worth, there is only me and DS (10) and I originally had a smaller one, but ended up opting for a larger oval one.

I found it so much handier for joints of meat/chickens, batch cooking, stocks etc and becuase with the larger one, I am using everything up I had a lot less food waste and a nice supply in the freezer for the nights I was working etc.

zippychick

ive merged this with an older thread which should help

Zip

xoAmyox

Good afternoon all,

This is a 2 part question, so sorry if it's in the wrong place.

I am due to start a new job soon, that means I'll be out of the house for approx 12/13 hours a day. This means I won't have the same time I'd usually have to spend cooking each evening

I've been looking at slow cookers, and can't decide which is the best value for money, is there any difference in quality between the brands? They also seem to range from between 2.4L and 6.5L! Are they really that different?

Also, could you lovely guys and girls please point me in the direction of some nice slow cooker recipes?

Thanks!

Mint1955

Get a bigger one than you think you need so you can cook extra and freeze some or have same for a couple of days.

I just bought a Argos or Asda own brand one with no problems. Once you start using it you will get good at prep. If you are working then prepping the night before is easier and put pot in fridge then in the morning just pop in the cooker and leave on low all day it will be fine.

Popperwell

I suppose it depends how many are in the house and how large the meal is that you want to cook and whether you plan to do more and put the remainder in a fridge/freezer for another day...

Many of us the Tesco branded one but they are now selling the Crock Pot brand at on some kind of offer...Just about any are OK and you can do such much in them...Argos, Wilkinsons, Sainsbury's...who doesn't sell them.

They are safe to leave on for hours unattended or you could attach a timer so they come on later whilst you are out.

So many great sites with recipes and ideas and threads on MSE but just do a search saying something like skow cooker recipes and you'll find all kinds...

Lensman_2

Your starter for 10...

Beef stew. Even better in a slow cooker than done in the oven in a cast iron pot.

It is preferable to brown the meat in a frying pan first - then you can leave it for hours and it does not fall apart.

Use a cheap cut of meat - any fat and gristle dissolve away to become pure flavour.

Makes the house smell lovely too.

And it all happens in my £10 Tesco slow cooker. I am single, so I get 1 portion and another 2 to freeze.

Popperwell

The local Tesco's has increased the area where there is meat and increased the variety available, at last I have seen neck of lamb...but I found them no cheaper than other meats* usually costing more. It's ok increasing the choice but if it is too expensive/income is limited often I can only look...

I am single too(rather I should say alone now)not through choice though:(

*Put it this way the cheapest was £3.58 and unless I half what was packaged making very small portions and spreading them over 4 meals, each would work out at £1.79 and then adding other items the meal would probably come in at around £3 and most of my meals come in at around 50p-£1.50 for the whole day or no more than £1.50 for a more special stand alone meal.

zippychick

ive merged this with our which slow cooker and why thread

In my slow cooker today 2 shows what people use their SC for. Today I am cooking a small gammon joint in mine. Tomorrow ill use it to make soup. USually i double up and do both but i will be asleep early tonight and boyfriend veggie will need to wake me up to remove it - long story..... I can handle removing a bit of meat half asleep but soup would be far too difficult

Slow cooker the recipe collection is also a good resource

Zip

jessie15

twofishes wrote: »

Might be too big for you but thought other OSers would like to know, Aldi are doing a 6.5l slow cooker as part of their special offers this Thursday (25th October) for £18.99. That's big enough for a whole chicken! Aldi/Lidl electrical items are almost always German-made and excellent quality.

Thanks for this tip! I purchased one yesterday and today cooked a lovely beef stew and it took half the time my old smaller slow cooker would have taken. Very pleased with it!!!