Using a slow cooker - techniques and tips

bellrooster

Hiya folks

I'm hoping someone can give me some advice!!

I wanted to cook some chicken thighs and drumsticks in the slow cooker, with lots of veg and a tin of campbells condensed chicken soup as the 'stock'.

So all was going to plan, carrots, leeks, mushrooms all chopped up ready to go, I opened the packet of chicken 'parts' and they were off! The expiry date says use by today but I trust my nose more, and the chicken is definatly not edible! :mad: (I might have a little visit to the consumer vent board)

So I've put the soup in and some water and just put the veg on! is that going to be ok? also, (I'm fairly new at slow cookery) the liquid doesn't completely cover the veg? does that matter, I don't want to put too much liquid to dilute the stock as I'm fairly sure the veg will wilt down. Oh, and also, I wanted to put peas and corn in, will it be better to add them nearer tea time?

any advice muchly apprieciated!

pipistrelle_3

Hi all, I have been reading through this thread and have decided to go out and buy a slow cooker. I have been searching argos and amazon and am a bit confuddled as there are so many options/price ranges. Does anyone have any recommendations? (there are 5 of us so will have to be good size)

Thx Marie.

newlywed

pipistrelle wrote: »

Hi all, I have been reading through this thread and have decided to go out and buy a slow cooker. I have been searching argos and amazon and am a bit confuddled as there are so many options/price ranges. Does anyone have any recommendations? (there are 5 of us so will have to be good size)

Thx Marie.

For 4 of us a 3.5l is just enough - but not for freezing a second portion So I'd go for something bigger than that.

Personally I went for a Morphy Richards coz it was the only one I saw that said the main casserole pot was dishwasher proof

pipistrelle_3

Thanks Newly wed, I have just bought a Morphy Richards 6.5l from Asda for £28, which I thought was a fairly good price. Can't wait to try it out now, I will be searching the recipes on here for inspiration.
:T

richardw

Do people who work do the preparation the night before and then put in the fridge over night and then add to the slow cooker in the morning before going to work?

Is 11 hours in the slow cooker too long?

KingL

Has anyone tried insulating their SC? I got a SC356 from Argos a month or so ago and it does seem to pump out (waste) a lot of heat, just heating the kitchen (which is not required).

I just put an upturned cardboard box over it for half an hour. I'm sure that the Health and Safety police would go nuts over that. :A

Do they even have thermostats in them? Or is "on" on, irrespective of whether it's already up to temperature?

Chef123's tip with the tinfoil above seems a good idea - are there any other tips ?

Annieb

I have just bought my first slow cooker:j Tesco SC356 £8.00 what a bargain I am trying a beef stew, I have had it on high, but looking thru the threads it seems better to cook on a lower setting but the manual!! said low is for heating up cooked food. No recipe book with the cooker so I am just chucking in what I would with my pressure cooker, just a bit concerned about which setting to use, can any one advise me
Also I bought a nice piece of pork shoulder would this work with a small bottle of cider in the slow cooker. Thanks for any advise offered:T