Slow cooker

I really like mine for soup. Just put a whole lot of vegetables (carrots, squash, celeriac, leek, onion) two small chicken thighs, 1.5 Pts stock, herbs and cook for 6 hrs or so. Take chicken out before blending and shred it in. Makes a really good soup with all the goodness in I feel!

I am just thinking about replacing the slow cooker we got as a wedding present in 1986!

I never lift the lid until near the end of the cooking time unless it looks like it's going to bubble over. In fact the instructions tell you not to lift the lid because the steam cooking the food will escape and have to build back up again. It goes on in the morning and I forget about it until I need to use it or add something near the end of the cooking time.

These days I usually make up my own recipes and tend to go for one pot cooking. I don't bother with browning or softening before hand, just chuck it all in. I've used frozen vegetables, but defrost anything else - never occurred to me not to defrost stuff first. Mind you I am veggie and rarely cook meat. I was cooking for visitors the other day and came on here for advice on cooking gammon in the slow cooker.

It sits out on the work top, which in our house is a sign it gets used a lot - unlike some cooking equipment we own!

We also use Uncle Ben's rice for the microwave.

whitewave Hope your DH's back procedure went well.
Making chicken and bacon hotpot with green veg of some sort and queen of puddings
Not all in the same pot I hope - they showed chicken curry and a crumble pudding served all on the same plate to a hospital patient on the news tonight

I haven't had queen of puddings for years

I LOVE MY SLOW COOKER. HAD A BEAUTIFUL BEEF STEW WAITING FOR US WHEN WE GOT IN TONIGHT. (Damn caps lock lol didn't mean to shout)

I always use fresh meat and leave it on low nom nom x

Good luck with the procedure whitewave. I think slow cookers come into their own on such occasions. Always feel as if someone else has popped in and made the dinner. Or perhaps that is just wishful thinking

Using my slow cooker tomorrow as DH is having his "back proceedure" and will be driving back and forth to hospital. Making chicken and bacon hotpot with green veg of some sort and queen of puddings. Will prepare it this evening and turn it on the morning after taking him and walking the dog.

I returned to the pot after 3 hours (total 5 hours) and it was fine but any longer and it would have been too dry.

This was my first time with no added liquid e.g. tinned chopped tomatoes but it was very tasty so that's what matters.

I agree about lamb shanks being ideal for a SL - that cut of meat doesn't dry out if over-cooked. I did lamb shoulder once and although the meat kept it's cubed shape the texture in the mouth was like pulp!

Lamb shanks or a piece of lamb done with the veg in the slow cooker all day is delicious.

I shall try that Nanabelle

I often cook a whole chicken in mine and it is delicious - just falls off the bone. I cut a carrot and an onion into chunks and sit the chicken, breast side down, on the veg and cook on auto for about 6 hours. (Like others, found this on Mumsnet!) No extra liquid, but loads comes from the chicken which can be used for soup another day.

Yes, I do Christmas puddings in the slow cooker, and reheating on Christmas Day is great because you can plug it in away from the main cooker and let it reheat until you feel like eating it (about 8 o'clock in the evening!)

I do rice in the steamer (unless I buy the pouches or the Uncle Ben 10 minute boil in the bag rice).

got. Not or

I've or another one. It doubles up as a rice cooker. I've never taken it out of the cardboard box. We have Uncle Bens rice in the microwave pouches.

I gave my crockpot to the heart charity. The one that takes electrical goods. You had to put it on practically in the wee small hours to have dinner cooked for six o'clock. Or if you had it on 'high' it bubbled too much. You shouldn't boil a stew. Mrs Beeton said so.

I like the Christmas pudding idea - but our slow cooker is a small one for two and I do not think a pudding basin will fit.

A quick update - the slow-cooked lamb was delicious! We had it with oven roasted carrots, parsnips and sweet potato - YUM!! DH cooked everything and assures me that he did indeed flash-fry the lamb with some pancetta (no onions or garlic because I am intolerant) but in a garlic oil - added some red wine, lots of herbs and some tomato puree - he can cook again tomorrow

Love slow cooking so much I have two! Different sizes for different needs. Find them great for casseroles, with less liquid of course. Also slow cooked joints of lamb and ham with a wineglass or two of liquid. Steamed puddings were also nice in them, but I don't tend to do that now for calorific reasons . They are also great for making and reheating Christmas puddings. No house full of steam and you can plug in the slow cooker away from the kitchen if you are short of space on Christmas Day. Win, win really

When I add water I boil it first. Put it on high and keep it on high all day, sometimes overnight. Always ok.

I also thought the food had to be covered with water/stock. Will try it with less water.

I think there must be different kinds of slow cooker. I've had more than one, one of them you didn't need to prepare on the cooker top first.
And I've never had one like Grannyknot's , with which you can use the container on the cooker top.

I said up thread that I cook beef without any liquid and it is very good.

Spag bol is a good idea - I usually use minced turkey and it can be a bit tough - I will try that.

I put a bacon /gammon joint in having covered the base with dark sugar. It makes its own liquid and gives a good flavour . I used to put stock and veg in but I far prefer this way. Think I learned this on Mumsnet .spag bol is brilliant in a slow cooker and the richness of the tomato comes through over several hours.

I don't open my slow cooker once I have set it going, except sometimes to put dumplings on top of the stew. Each time you open it you lose half-an-hour's cooking time. If one SiL is here I have great difficulty stopping him from opening it for a stir and a sniff ( he does a lot of the cooking at home)

I just made apple butter in mine; I started it early in the evening and then left it on all night. I worried that it would be dried up in the morning, but in fact it was too liquidy and I had to reduce it in a saucepan.
I have no idea if it was OK or not as I have never made or tasted it before!

The instructions with mine say 'cover the meat completely with liquid'. However, it does make more liquid as it cooks, and I have noticed that DD has put whole joints in hers with no liquid and it has been fine. Hers is the same as mine but about twice the size!