Buying a slow cooker (which? & why?)

Rebob

I don't use my slow cooker so passed it to mum. I prefer my pressure cooker as it gives a similar result and I like stews cooked this way more.
I had a MR one that was like a metal stew pot on a base that plugged in. I liked this one as I could brown the meat on the stove in this pot before transfering onto the slow cooker base.

BoltonMinx

squeaky wrote:

Oh, right, well, I shan't say anything 'cos I'm biased

As you should be The Chilli & ginger chicken was fandabidozy. My ma is now a convert hehe This week, Im going to attempt to make an African dish we normally slave over the hot cooker for hours making. Im adapting it to the slow cooker, so fingers crossed.

Its a more of a colonial dish when I think about it, possibly portugese (sp?) origin, I learned to make from my Nan, its called potage, made with yam, palm oil, fried meat (mmm can feel my heart protesting already! ), tomatoes, onions, scotch bonnet chillis and plantain can be added to sweeten it up. Its cooked for a long time anyway to break up the yam which is like a very firm potatoe (lol) If I get it right, I will post the recipe. So.. fingers crossed

nickinoo

I got a 3.5 litre Prima slow cooker for £14.99 from Boots (I actually got it with my advantage card so it cost me nothing!) & it's plenty big enough for me, my hubby & a my little un plus there's always leftovers to freeze. Excellent for the money.

squeaky

BoltonMinx wrote:

As you should be The Chilli & ginger chicken was fandabidozy. My ma is now a convert hehe This week, Im going to attempt to make an African dish we normally slave over the hot cooker for hours making. Im adapting it to the slow cooker, so fingers crossed.

Its a more of a colonial dish when I think about it, possibly portugese (sp?) origin, I learned to make from my Nan, its called potage, made with yam, palm oil, fried meat (mmm can feel my heart protesting already! ), tomatoes, onions, scotch bonnet chillis and plantain can be added to sweeten it up. Its cooked for a long time anyway to break up the yam which is like a very firm potatoe (lol) If I get it right, I will post the recipe. So.. fingers crossed

Glad you liked the Chilli & Ginger Chicken

As for the yam - if it's supposed to break up completely to disappear and be a thickener you might want to grate it. A slow cooker is really s_l_o_w for root vegetables.

Or cook it separately, mash it and add it during the last hour?

BoltonMinx

squeaky wrote:

Glad you liked the Chilli & Ginger Chicken

As for the yam - if it's supposed to break up completely to disappear and be a thickener you might want to grate it. A slow cooker is really s_l_o_w for root vegetables.

Or cook it separately, mash it and add it during the last hour?

Thanks, Ive reserved some for mashing... I also parboiled the yams to soften em a little as I want some lumps. Fingers crossed

squeaky

Good idea

BoltonMinx

squeaky wrote:

Good idea

Back to the drawing board, too much liquid this time

squeaky

Mix a couple of tablespoons of cornflour into a paste and then stir them in to try and rescue it?

For next time - use less water (obviously) and/or unseat the lid for the last hour (once you're sure everything's cooked properly) to evapourate some of the liquid off. I did this for my last chilli, which was looking a bit damp and it worked well

fairylights_2

Right, so I've found this slow cooker in Argos and reserved it for pickup tomorrow. 8.99 from 17.99, and I really want to use it, but I'm not sure whether it's a necessary expense. I've seen lots of recommendations, but I'm just not sure. I don't want another appliance cluttering my kitchen unnecessarily (am already thinking about swapping the breadmaker for a comprehensive food processor instead).

Are they REALLY worth their weight?

ancasta_2

I love my slow cooker altho it is sometimes a chore prepping it all in advance.

I, too, was looking at th3 £8 slow cooker from Argos but i am using a one that is older than i am (its 27yr old) and its still going strong.