Browning meat (merged)

SnowyOwl_2

I agree with Skystar! To me using a slow cooker involves taking less time to prepare food and is also a means of saving on washing up. I broke my slow cooker a while ago, but when I was in the swing of it I never once browned anything. I'm going to replace it soon, and will resume the "chuck it all in as it is" method.

kiwichick

I'm not sure that putting the crock in the fridge is a good idea, the instructions for mine warn against sudden changes in temp possibly causing cracks.


HTH,
Al.

comping_cat

Ive never browned my meat off, although i do often make a stew in the SC using the meat left over from a roast, and it still comes out lovely.

skystar

Just noticed the bit about putting the slow cooker pot in the fridge overnight. (Well I did read this very late last night and after a few bottles of Lambrini)!!

I would also not recommend taking the pot straight from fridge and slow cooking.

I am sure there is something in my instruction book about this.

What I normally do is prepre everything night before and keep in plastic tubs in fridge then decant into slow cooker in morning.

squeaky

Keith wrote:

I've been reading the slow cooker recipes, and I've cooked a few. One thing that springs out at me is where things have to be browned before being put in the slow cooker.

I'm lazy and I always sleep until the last moment in the mornings, so is it possible to brown things the night before, throw everything in the slowcooker crock pot and leave it in the fridge overnight? Then put it in the slow cooker, on a timed plug the next day?

Thanks
Keith

Your question is so easy (as you say ) that it's been asked before and is listed in The Complete Slow Cooker Collection sticky at the top of Old Style. In fact I've just merged your query with it so, since posts are listed in date order, you'll need to read from the beginning.

The main Slow Cooker thread and the Hints & Tips threads also contain tips that will be of help to you.

Mr_Proctalgia

I admit to putting any meat that I'm going to "poach" in flour and seasoning first, all I do is put a couple of tablespoons of flour in a plastic bag with my choice of seasoning and shake it up,then I give it a quick "pan fry" the advantage to this is that the flour acts as a rue and thickens the stock on its own as well as giving a darker finish to the stock. I don't actually own a SC but my combi oven goes from 40C to 250C so I have a wide choice of cooking methods available to me.

HTH

winniepooh

Hi everyone I'm new here:D

Just a quick question about my slow cooker. Can I put raw meat into my slow cooker or does it have to be browned first?

Also how do you cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker?:D

youngie

no you don't have to brown it first

Pink.

Hi winniepooh,

Welcome to MSE and particularly to the Old Style board. :hello:

Yes you can put raw meat into the slow cooker, but some people (including me) prefer to brown it first to seal it and give it some colour.

Have a look at this older thread to see what others do:

Browning meat

I have only cooked a chicken in the slow cooker once and wasn't mad about it...I prefer it roasted so I can't really advise on that, but this older thread should help:

whole chicken in the slowcooker

Pink

Rikki

I prefer mine browned otherwise it can look a bit insiped.

Also I like the flavour of the juices from the browned meat.