Slow cooker yay or nay?

Believe me, it works! I kept having to peek every half hour the first time, but there is soon liquid in the bottom from the meat, so its ok. Really!!!

I would be very reluctant to use my slow cooker without liquid !

Try just Googling, Lona and you will find enough slow cooker recioes online to keep you fed for decades. The principles are easy enough - long and slow. You will soon get the feel for how to use it.

The one I've just bought says not to use it without liquid, so check yours phoenix.

I've been looking at cookbooks today but didn't buy one as all the recipes started on the stove and then it was all transferred to the slow cooker.
I have had one before but I can't remember much about it!
What I'm trying to ask get on with it woman is...........is it worth getting a cook book or shall I just follow my instincts?

Thanks tilly , not sure if I would be brave enough to do it without water though!

oops. forgive the spelling mistakes!

Yes, Gammon is wonderful in the slow cooker. Rub half a cup of brown sugar into it, pop it in on low and leave for 6 hours or so, no water, tip the remaining brown sugar in with it. Its sheer heaven. If you got the thick skin you can cut that off and crisp it under the grill later if you like.. or not. Thats what we are having Christmas Day, my husband and me. On our own for the first time in our lives I think!! Not a child, grandchild, sister, brother, cousin, friend, hanger on in site. Wonder if we will like it? Let you know later.

Do you think I could cook my gammon in the slow cooker? I usually simmer it on the hob. If I did it in the slow cooker, how long should I cook it for? It weighs 1.8kg

I've just made a batch of vegetable and lentil soup in my slow cooker - the smell was gorgeous. I'll freeze it in portions to have with my breadmaker bread. I love a gadget! I still use the toasted sandwich maker I bought over 20 years ago.

There's a nice little book called Slow cooking just for yourself by some body called Catherine Atkinson - Amazon have the paperback at £5.75.

Well nanapug...........JL Pensioners lunches are for retired partners and their partners/spouses/carers etc. There are certain criteria to be met before you are eligible, length of service etc. Most branches and Waitrose have one and it's free for the retired partner and a nominal payment for a guest (if you want to bring one!!!) ours this year was a very good meal (3 course) glass of wine etc etc and a raffle (where I won the slow cooker) it's a lovely way to keep in touch with retired work friends. We have local retirement meetings, (organised and financed by the pensioners) speakers, visits etc, or a trip to the local end of the pier show!!!Well that's how our local one works. There must several gransnetters who are retired JL partners, perhaps they can let us know what they do??

Welcome to the slow cooker club Lona, may you spend many happy hours enjoying the results of your prep! I cooked my gammon hock yesterday with , potatoes, carrots, parsnip, turnip,onion, pearl barley, bay leaves, black pepper corns and veggie stock cube, absolutely delish, lovely to come home to after an afternoons walk.

Just bought a slow cooker from Lidl..........it was only £13.99!
Can't really go wrong can I? Need to gather enough energy now to open the box

Oooh, what is the John Lewis pensioners lunch gma? Sounds interesting x

Marks and Spencer have a very good recipe book for slow cookers - gives a lot of info about the different cookers available plus mouthwatering recipes - £6 - bought one last week to get more ideas and have just been reading it.

I have been wanting a new slow cooker for some time and had not got round to getting one. Went to john Lewis pensioners lunch last week and won one in the raffle!!! RESULT!

Got two large gammon hocks today from Morrisons, £1.99 each, one in the freezer now, and one in soak over night to go in the slow cooker tomorrow. Can't wait!!

You're welcome, Caz, my neighbour told me; I have been extolling the virtues of ham hocks to my sister in the Midlands and she has been into Morrison's too. I'll be taking commission next. They are on the butchery counter, by the way, not in the cold cabinets. Enjoy!

@Bellasnana - You don't have to put anything in the slow cooker with a chicken- sometimes I just rub a little paprika into the skin - or you can make a braising sauce of some kind - smear butter and garlic on it - hot white wine added might be fun...

Thanks GillieB for the info about ham hocks from Morrisons, I used to get them regularly from Sainsburys years ago, in fact I seem to remember they gave them away on the deli counter when they had carved most of the meat from them. There was still always a reasonable amount of ham on the bone and I used to make lovely soups from them with lentils or root veg. I know where I will be visiting tomorrow, hope there is not a rush on them!

I bought a Morphy Richards one last winter (you can use the inner pot to brown first) and it's one of the best things I have ever bought - I use it all the time. I have discovered that Morrison's sell ham hocks (£1.99 a kg), and I put the hock in the slow cooker, leave it on medium all day and then remove the hock late afternoon and allow it to cool. I also keep some of the cooking liquid from the pan. The following day I remove the meat from the bone and put it back in the cooker with the stock, carrots, onions (any root vegetables really), and some dried soup mix from the supermarket). It makes a wonderful broth - it'll be ready for us to eat with crusty bread when we come home from the match on Saturday! One ham hock will make broth for six people (and I bought two hocks this week for £2!).

I am pleased that I bought a reasonable size one, as we always make a meal and freeze a meal from it.

They are also very useful for mulled wine

It's a yes from me too - easy way to prepare a healthy meal.

Love my slow cooker - can be a bit of a faff to get things ready in the morning but wonderful to come home at night to dinner all cooked - and thanks for the tip re breadmaking

Brendawymms - just wanted to let you know I did the chickens ( two fitted into the cooker) and DH is enjoying his dinner very much having pronounced it 'very tender', so thank you again for your advice. Even though I haven't even meat for ten years, I must admit it smells good! Maybe I won't give the slow cooker away just yet, although it does take up rather a lot of space in the cupboard!