Slow Cooker, what are your thoughts about them?

For many yrs, I refused to buy one. They always made me think of bad casseroles, and unpleasant styles of beef stew. Then, 2 yrs ago, I bought a meat slicer and received a free crockpot with it. I have tried many things in it, and as suspected, casseroles and stews do not turn out great. However, I have found that it makes fantastic, hassle-free stocks from leftover bones. Also, ribs come out perfect (just need to put them under the broiler or on the grill to finish them off). I have also done some great homemade ragus, New England Boiled dinners, and chilis in it.

So, how do you all feel about them? Anyone own one and like it? What do you cook in it...or do you think they are just plain useless?

I have three, which should answer your question.

I have two, small and large. I love them for dishes that eventually end up with shredded meats, chicken, beef and pork. I experiment with different sauces and seasonings for my shredded meats. I use this meat for different kinds of tacos, and Mexican dishes I make.
They are great when having a soup party. Soup stays warm, and your guests can come at different times and still have hot soup. I used it a lot when I was working and the kids were still at home. They could grab some food before going to their activity and we had dinner after arriving home. I never did find a really "wow" recipe, but they do doubt have some better ones now.

I love my slow cookers. I have two.

The one I use the most is a 6 qt stainless actual Crockpot that has the timer and low, high, and warm settings.

If it weren't for them, there are many many nights during my busiest work weeks that I wouldn't eat dinner. I come home way too tired to a) think of something to prepare and b) actually prepare it. When I walk in and the house smells great, and dinner is ready, it's easy to sit down and eat before collapsing for the night.

For example, I make beef or pork in red chile, and then just throw it into warmed tortillas with some extra sharp cheddar. Makes a really easy dinner and the leftovers (actually planned-overs) I use for lunches during the week, or freeze to use later.

I do make stocks, soups, and stews too. And onion confit. I also set my smaller one up with steel cut oats and dried fruit on a timer overnight during the winter and wake up to a great breakfast.

I love the automatic go to warm function, because it stops things from turning to mush. I use the regular warm setting to keep things for potlucks warm for service. Think German potato salad or baked beans here.

A pretty good book is "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook" by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann.

Beans. The crockpot justifies its existence for that alone. All else is (pardon the lame joke) gravy.

I have a Rival 20-qt. Roaster/Oven that I use as a slow cooker. A very versatile appliance for chili, pot roast, corned beef & cabbage, sausage & meatball in sauce, etc. The advantage of a slow cooker is that the heat is applied to the sides of the container, instead of the bottom, as on the stove, thus eliminating the ever present danger of scorching and having to stir constantly.

I like the stock idea, Maria. Thank you. Now I can make smaller amounts of demi without leaving my stove on for two days.

I don't use mine that often but when I do I like. The only thing I have done in it that I really didn't like was chicken.

Some time ago, when I got the thing, I started a thread looking for recipes. I'm sure that some computer-savvy guru on the boards could turn it up and post it. I suck at searches (though I am sure that it is just plain brain-dead easy. Maybe I'm really just lazy).

rwj

Oops! I meant to mention that thread.

You can find it: here.

(I am obviously more computer-savvy and less lazy than Robert J! )

Oops! I meant to mention that thread.

You can find it: here.

(I am obviously more computer-savvy and less lazy than Robert J! )

Watch it, girl.

rwj

I just finished using my 20-qt. Roaster/Oven to make a large batch of apple sauce from the apples that fell off my tree. Peeled them, put them in the 20-qt. Roaster/Oven over night at 250 DegF and put them through the food mill to separate the seeds and core stuff. Now I have to pick some good apples from the tree to make a few pies.

Howie, will any of that applesauce become apple butter? Another great thing to make in a slow cooker!

My biggest problem with crockpots are that they never reduce any cooking liquid...so things like stew, or pot roast, always has a really watery gravy. Any ideas on how to correct this?

Leave the lid ajar?

Howie, will any of that applesauce become apple butter? Another great thing to make in a slow cooker!

Hmmm... Hadn't thought of that, but it sounds like a good idea. I'll keep you posted.

My biggest problem with crockpots are that they never reduce any cooking liquid...so things like stew, or pot roast, always has a really watery gravy. Any ideas on how to correct this?

When the food is cooked strain liquid into saucepan. Return all else to crock pot. Reduce liquid on stovetop to two cups. Add two tablespoons of arrowroot to it. Mix back into crock pot and serve.

Maria, I don't add anywhere near the amount of liquid a recipe calls for when I make it in a slow cooker. Except for beans and oatmeal.

I agree with Cynthia--go very sparing on the liquids

[Jenise]

Maria, I bought one four-five years ago in order to be able to take a hot dish to a potluck. I don't use it often, being rather traditional, but if I had to be away from home all day every day it would be a godsend for preparing pot roasts and shredded meats (with, as others said, minimal liquid). Like Robert J, I wasn't happy with the one chicken I tried, and never did that again. It would probably be an excellent method for preparing delicate things you don't want to stir much, like cabbage rolls.

My pot is actually away from home right now, having been loaned to a friend for use at a large party to keep shredded brisket warm and ready to go for hot sandwiches. She made enough to fill both mine and hers, and having the refill, as it were, hot and ready and able to keep itself that way made feeding 60 people a breeze.

Now that it's starting to get cooler here, thoughts of posole in a slow-cooker are entering my brain cells. One year I won the posole contest at the State Fair, beating out all those people of Hispanic persuasion--and I used my lil' ole Crockpot.

Well, I finally acted on it. All this talk about slow cookers made me get out one of mine and make posole. This time I used a combination of green and red chile, with a cut-up pork chop. Tonight I'll make some flour tortillas to go along with it. Yum.

Larry - do you think you could post a recipe when you have time?

Cynthia - Thanks for the book recommendation...I will definitely get it.

Maria, we have been using the book "The Best of Electric Crockery Cooking" by Jocqueline Heriteau for the past thirty years. It is readily available on-line. She was a co-founder of the Escoffier Society of Montreal, but her book is very easy to use.

We have gleaned many regularly repeated recipes out of it over the years. These include Carbonnades A La Flamande, Ratatouille, the Chicken Stock that we always keep in fridge, and much else.

Cheers, Carl

Well, I finally acted on it. All this talk about slow cookers made me get out one of mine and make posole. This time I used a combination of green and red chile, with a cut-up pork chop. Tonight I'll make some flour tortillas to go along with it. Yum.

Larry, give me your recipe for posole? do you make it all from scratch, using lye to turn the corn into hominy? Or do you cheat and get the hominy in a can? I promise that I will try the recipe no matter what.

Well, I finally acted on it. All this talk about slow cookers made me get out one of mine and make posole. This time I used a combination of green and red chile, with a cut-up pork chop. Tonight I'll make some flour tortillas to go along with it. Yum.

Larry, give me your recipe for posole? do you make it all from scratch, using lye to turn the corn into hominy? Or do you cheat and get the hominy in a can? I promise that I will try the recipe no matter what.

Yum. The posole was great. I make it from scratch a bit farther along the chain than growing the corn, drying it and slaking it with lime--I usually buy the frozen bags, but I have used the dried versions, but never the canned stuff.

The recipe is extremely forgiving and is essentially a list of ingredients:

POSOLE

Brown some cubed pork
Chop an onion

Place browned pork and onion into slow cooker

Add 1/2 pkg of frozen posole corn (if using dried posole corn, it's probably a good idea to soak it in water for a day)

Add any combination of green chile and/or powdered red chile, amount to your taste

Add salt (be generous, it sucks up salt), pepper, oregano, cumin, coriander and garlic. (opt.: red pepper flakes).

Fill the slow cooker with water up to a inch or two of the top. The corn swells enormously, and needs lots of water. The finished product will almost fill the cooker.

I generally make it on one day, let it cook all day and night, and eat it the next day. I find the longer it cooks, the better it is.

I don't know if frozen posole is available to you or not, but it's cheap and convenient here (about $1). Dried works, but you've got to cook it a long time.