Buying a slow cooker (which? & why?)

loopyanna

Gammon in coke is amazing, but the recipe i have is done on the stove and once you remove the gammon from the coke you coat it in treacle and brown sugar and whack it in a hot oven to caramalise... no wonder it tastes good!! I suppose you could do the same in the SC, just taking it out and shoving it in the oven at the end

I haven't got one yet and am a bit lost with all the sizes and bits and bobs they come with!! I like the idea of having a removable dish so i can take the whole thing out of the SC and, for example, but a pastry lid on and shove it all in the oven for a bit.... not sure though!!

Would you recommend any particular model or size? Me and my DB are hoping to move into our first home before xmas so i want it for then!!

First recipe.... ooooh i just don't know!!!

Any recomendations? Something fool-proof would be good!!

lol at your typo! I'd not even seen it!

Loopy x

zippychick

Yeah you could totally do it the same way in the SC! Only it will have slow cooked so should be much tender !

Hmm it is a bit daunting. I was just about to look for this thread to link you to! he he!

So would that be two adults yes? I live on my own and have a 6.5 litre one (Mum picked Rosemary conley one from QVC) Just looked and can't see that one but there is a Rachel Allen one for £20 (but its currently out of stock) .

Basically things I would look out for

* Size - i would go for the 6.5 , you don't always have to fill it, or you can cook double/triple batches of food

* Lid - see through lid so you can check progress without having to remove the lid!

* Shape - Oval would be preferable if you are wanting to cook whole chickens - some round ones won't work shape wise

* Settings - I like having high low and auto. Only really use low, but sometimes i put it on high for a few hours - like yesterday with my jalfrezi

5 litre £25.69 james Martin

3.5 litre but round shape £10.00

3.5 litre Breville - good make £15.99

4.5 litre £45 Russel Hobbs with built in timer and shut down (Didn't know could get ones with a timer, learn something new every day!)

No brand 6.5litre £27.59 only two heat settings

Just a few examples anyway. As you can see you have different options and price ranges. tesco etc may do other offers but I just happened to look in Argos

Think 6.5 litre is just over 3 2litre bottles of coke so that's how much you could cook (but don't have to). Bigger one also recommended if you will be doing joints of meat

Trying to think what my first meal was - it was sausage casserole and i was so excited! Sausages, veg, stock, cider and thyme from memory. I personally would start with following a specific recipe, then get to the "throw it all in and keep your fingers crossed" part later

Spag bol/chilli is an easy one too. Basically you can adapt most recipes to be slow cooker friendly, just by reducing the liquid content by half (as you don't loose liquid). Start the recipe off as you normally would, throw all in SC then leave. So i would make a bol as normal, onions, garlic, veg, toms, bring to boil then throw in. Some people don't pre seal the meat and throw it in raw but I prefer the meat to have a cooked texture/appearance

Don't forget to look up reviews on those links too!

Oh, and daily if you read the thread "in my slow cooker today" you will get a feel for how people cook in it and get ideas that way too.x

Patr100

Ok I am looking to get my first SC - Sainsburys have a cheap hinari one but it is only 1.5 litre (and I'm not keen on Hinari as the Microwave I once had had a stupid design flaw and didn't age well) ,

whereas the argos Value SC is 2.0 litre - gets good reviews - I am on my own so I probably won't need a very big one and I can possibly use a £10 voucher at Argos
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4228613/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CKitchen+and+laundry%7C14418476/c_2/3%7C15701302%7CSmall+kitchen+appliances%7C14418587/c_3/4%7Ccat_14418587%7CSlow+cookers+and+ovens%7C14418592.htm

or should I go for the larger 3.5 L Cookworks?
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4228709.htm
unless anyone has any other suggestions for a cheap first SC in the high street currently available?

richj

we find 3.5l does 2 of us with some left over for another day...

smartandshrewd

Ho-hum I still can't decide whether to et a SC or just stick with / replace my pressure cooker (which is more than 35 years old and if I'm honest needs replacing - the grab handle's broken and gets really hot now!). I've been doing a few casseroles lately but have been using the oven and a cast-iron dish but as the oven's electric that will get expensive.

I remember ages ago seeing a thread on SC vs PC - could anyone point me towards it?

Thanks

Slinky_Malinky

I think this could be the thread you want...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1868073&highlight=

smartandshrewd

Thanks Slinky

23rdspiral

i'm looking to buy a friend a s/c for xmas, and was wondering which one to get her.

she's vegge, single (at the moment), and lovely. i'm wondering between a 3.5 oval (like i've got) or a 2.0 litre round - which do you think would be best? thank you!

and she's probably gonna read this, but that's ok, she'll just know i've taken my xmas prezzie research seriously!!

Slinky_Malinky

It depends whether she has the freezer space to make extra - I`d say a 2l would make her a meal plus left overs for next day or so while a 3.5l would make several meals so she could batch cook.

I`m sure she will appreciate such a thoughtful OS gift

Patr100

Well I just bought the Argos Value on but looking at the recipes included with I am disappointed.

I thought the point was you can just bung in stuff and leave it to cook? If I have to precook or prepare stuff as the enclosed recipes suggest then I might as well cook in the conventional way and finish the job!
And it says "Boiling water must always be used" but when? How do I know if it needs water added to cook?

It's in real danger of going back.