Slow Cookers

[Rich Conroy]

As a follow on from the "Tasty Recipe" thread.....
I'm evangelistic about slow cookers (I have 3 of then in various sizes). I go on about them so much that people laugh at me.
If you are a busy person then you can put in on in the morning on low and come home to a tasty meal that evening.
So....... post any recipes.
I'll post my fave ones (in no particular order)

Squid and aubergine stew.

1Kg squid cut into bite size pieces
2 onions finely chopped
1 tin of chick peas (drained)
6 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 tsp cumin
500g (or thereabouts) of tomato passata
Half a bottle of white wine
3 large aubergines cut into 1cm slices and each slice quartered.
Olive oil (I use quite a lot)

Brown the onions in some olive oil, add the garlic for a couple of minutes and then just sling everything in the slow cooker and add some more olive oil.
Serve garnished with parsley and accompany with crusty bread.

RC

[Puffin]

Slow Cookers

Aah, I see you know my wife :scratch:

[Effem]

Wouldn't be without one now to be honest.

Buy the cheapest cuts of meat then leave them festering all day in the slow cooker and top quality tender food appears several hours later :eyebrows:

[jantheman]

Not something I'm au fait with. Im sure theres one in the house somewhere but its not my job to use it.....:lolsign:

[Rich Conroy]

Effem, your sure are right. The cheaper cuts of meat can be a lot more flavoursome.
Try this:-

A piece of brisket (pot roast, or whatever you call it)
A 400g tin chopped tomato
A couple of squirts of tomato paste
2 glasses of red wine
As much chopped garlic as you want
Herbs D'Provence - A good shake
2 400g tins of mixed beans (I use Asda miixed mexican beans)

Put the lot in the slow cooker and tip in 1kg new potatoes on top.

When you come back in the evening you can literally push the meat to pieces with a fork.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Effem, your sure are right. The cheaper cuts of meat can be a lot more flavoursome.


Oh yes indeedy:
Pork cheeks braised in a slow cooker - fantastic!

[goraman]

I have never used a slow cooker, This is the biggest one I could find. Any recommendations?
http://www.buy.com/prod/elite-gourmet-8-5-qt-oval-slow-cooker-stainless-steel-mst800v/q/loc/66357/203229707.html

Instead I have found a largish pressure cooker will do the same job in a matter of minutes,meat that falls apart in 3 to 4 whissles.
Even a lowly brisket will just melt in your mouth,but for some reason people are scared to death of them.

Anyone here do both? I am interested in your opinion on the end result?

I think there is something about servire pressure that both flavors and tenderizes very well and very fast.
I use a 5 liter Hawlkins,I would love to find a big 20 to 30 QT. a 40+ would even be better, with locking lugs,turn down bolts and the big glass dial pressure gauge on top.

I Like this one it's awesome. but a little pricey,I'll wait for a sale or open box return.
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/181-9911094-5053862?asin=B0002808ZM&AFID=pricegrabber_df&LNM=|B0002808ZM&CPNG=small%20appliances&ci_src=5784816&ci_sku=B0002808ZM&ref=tgt_adv_XSP10001
OR
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=30+qt.+pressure+cooker&biw=1280&bih=737&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=5133187568588889656&sa=X&ei=hKLFTYOaNo68sQO8zrmWAQ&ved=0CF8Q8wIwAA#
That will cook your Christmas goose!


This one is mine (10 years old and no signs of cracking or bulging)
http://www.amazon.com/Hawkins-Ekobase-Liters-Aluminum-Pressure/dp/tech-data/B002TG3TMY

[Effem]

I haven't used a pressure cooker in years - probably still malingering at the back of a kitchen cupboard all covered in dust :eyebrows:

I like the slow cooker because you fling the ingredients into it, switch it on and then ignore it for hours on end while it does it's business :lol:

[goraman]

I like the idea of being able to just switch it on and go, but it is also nice to be able to make beans,lentils,or potatoes in 30 min. a pressure cooker will reach 240+F even with the burner on low flame at 15psi !
I have to be at work by 5:00am so if I got up at 3:30 I could prepare a pot roast and by 7:30 to 8:30pm when my wife gets home would it just fall apart?
Or would I have to add a can of beef broth to keep it from drying out?
I really don't know much about slow cookers, can you add carrots and unboiled potatoes,dried beans or do you have to use caned stuff?

[Covenant]

Jeff, we use both a pressure cooker and a slow cooker. Both are great but our favourite is using the pressure cooker to do a simple beef in red wine recipe. :)

[goraman]

Jeff, we use both a pressure cooker and a slow cooker. Both are great but our favourite is using the pressure cooker to do a simple beef in red wine recipe. :)

Do share more on the Beef in red wine.

Dose the slow cooker do as good a job with tuff cuts of beef as a pressure cooker?

[Covenant]

50g butter
3/4 kg stewing beef cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Medium onion
1 glove garlic crushed
1 small can tomatoes chopped
1/2 pt red wine
1/4 pt brown stock
100 grams button mushrooms
salt and pepper

Some flour and butter to thicken if necessary

Heat butter in the open cooker and brown the meat (on trivet) with onion and garlic. Lift out and drain fat. Away from heat add tomatoes, wine and stock. Return to the heat and stir. Return the meat with the onions and mushrooms and seasoning.
Close the lid and cook for 20 mins. Release steam quickly and add blobs of butter and flour if needed.
As its a rich dish I like plain boiled potatoes (or a jacket) and fine beans with it.

I think on the low setting a slow cooker is as good but we dont all have 8-9 hours to wait for our dinner!

[Effem]

Do share more on the Beef in red wine.

Dose the slow cooker do as good a job with tuff cuts of beef as a pressure cooker?

For sure :eyebrows:

Any joint with the bone in will simply fall apart, plus ALL the fat is rendered out of the flesh completely. Our favourite is lamb shoulder cooked in the slow cooker and then made into a curry or biryani :stalks: Gammon or bacon joints do really well too and some of those can be a bit on the tough side, yet turn into melt in the mouth tender.

[goraman]

50g butter
3/4 kg stewing beef cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Medium onion
1 glove garlic crushed
1 small can tomatoes chopped
1/2 pt red wine
1/4 pt brown stock
100 grams button mushrooms
salt and pepper

Some flour and butter to thicken if necessary

Heat butter in the open cooker and brown the meat (on trivet) with onion and garlic. Lift out and drain fat. Away from heat add tomatoes, wine and stock. Return to the heat and stir. Return the meat with the onions and mushrooms and seasoning.
Close the lid and cook for 20 mins. Release steam quickly and add blobs of butter and flour if needed.
As its a rich dish I like plain boiled potatoes (or a jacket) and fine beans with it.

I think on the low setting a slow cooker is as good but we dont all have 8-9 hours to wait for our dinner!

Im making this right as we speak with black eyed peas and potatoes.
Black eyed peas are much like beans and Ipressure cooked diced potatoes with them,I may not mash them depending on my tastes,I may just serve them buttered with the black eyed peas.

[goraman]

Out standing!
I made a couple of small changes to maximize flavor.
first I pressure cooked diced golden spuds and black eyed peas.

I browned the meat ,onions ,garlic,mushrooms,shallots and tomatoes in olive oil before adding wine and beef broth.

Then I pressure cookedi can beef broth 3 lbs, of chuck roast,2 cans diced tomatoes,1 bulb diced garlic,a chopped parcel of fresh basil,1/4 stick of butter,button top mushrooms,one large white onion and 2 shallots and 1 cup red Siraz red wine 1 table spoon extra virgin olive oil .

40 min in pressure cooker,then combine potatoes and black eyed peas with everthing else into a large cast iron dutch oven.
Then put the cast iron dutch oven for 45 min. at low heat covered..

I seasoned with crushed black pepper and kosher salt.

Uncover then let stand for 10 min. to let it thicken then serve MMMMMMMMMMM.......................

[goraman]

a couple of pictures let from the above,due to limits of 5 pictures per post.
Covenant your recipee is better than sex!!!

so I cooked the potatoes and black eyed peas in the pressure cooker.
Then browned every thing else,then pressure cooked the stuff I browned plus the beef broth and red wine.
Then combined it all for 45 min. in a cast iron dutch oven.
Can't be beat, best stew I have ever eaten any day any where on planet earth.
Better than hot sex with a super model!

[Covenant]

Glad you liked it Jeff. Wow, you made a lot, either you are freezing some or you have a big family! Next time try more wine, it should be the first thing you taste.
Don't agree about it being better than sex with a top model, at least not in my imagination.:eek:

[goraman]

I only made 7 qts.
The wine was very noticeable,I added one large glass,one cup is an under statement.
I is the best stew I have ever eaten any day/anywhere.

[Rich Conroy]

Easy Peasy chilli.

1 pound minced beef
1 400g tin baked beans drained and rinsed (if you include the sauce it's too liquid)
1 400g tin kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
A couple of squirts of tomato paste
As much chilli as you can handle.

Throw the lot in. Turn it on.

[Tim]

Easy Peasy chilli.

1 pound minced beef
1 400g tin baked beans drained and rinsed (if you include the sauce it's too liquid)
1 400g tin kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
A couple of squirts of tomato paste
As much chilli as you can handle.

Throw the lot in. Turn it on.
I really like the sound of that one, but not sure I could do chilli without onions and garlic :scratch:

[Rich Conroy]

I normally include a chopped onion and a few chopped cloves of garlic.
I just thought I'd give the absolute minimum "I'm leaving for work in 5 minutes" recipe.

RC

[Tim]

I normally include a chopped onion and a few chopped cloves of garlic.
I just thought I'd give the absolute minimum "I'm leaving for work in 5 minutes" recipe.

RC
It's going in this week to try ;)

[Neil McCauley]

Originally Posted by Rich Conroy View Post

Easy Peasy chilli.


I really like the sound of that one.

+1