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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: May 19 2009 at 9:45am | IP Logged
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I get what color is on sale, lol. I found one Le Crueset piece at a TJ Max at a great deal and another on sale at an outlet. Most recently, I got a Staub, also made in France. Its enamel is a dark grey and has more of a texture than the Le Crueset. Still cleans easily and is fine for acid stuff like tomato sauces, but it doesn't stain like the Le Crueset. It was on clearance at Williams Sonoma when I got it. So I have two reds and a green. The green isn't what I would have chosen, but it is still lovely and functional and worth $100 savings, imo!
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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stellamaris
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| Posted: May 19 2009 at 9:54am | IP Logged
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Jennifer, thanks again. I used to subscribe to Cook's Illustrated and had decided to subscribe to the online site instead, but forgot to do it  ! So this was a great reminder.
Betsy, my Dutch oven is brown...not too exciting, but I have to say that it doesn't show the stains and discolorations of years of use as a lighter color might. I think the dark red would have this advantage, too.
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Caroline
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Betsy
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CrunchyMom wrote:
| I get what color is on sale, lol. |
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Your a woman after my own heart!!!!!  I am sure that I will end up doing the same.....
Betsy
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Bookswithtea
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Can I bring this back up? I'm hesitant to switch to a dutch oven instead of a crock pot because my main reason for using a crock pot (aside from its convenience) is that they are much more energy efficient than my electric stove/oven. Its ridiculous how expensive it is to run my oven or stovetop for hours. 
I cannot find a crock pot that isn't made in China!  I even considered the All Clad that has a cast aluminum insert, but I'm not sure if cast aluminum might leach aluminum.  Debra Dadd says that anodized aluminum is safe, but I can't tell if cast aluminum is safe.
Dh suggested a countertop pressure cooker instead.
Does anyone have any experience with these or could recommend a safe, BIG countertop model?
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Jan 13 2010 at 6:48am | IP Logged
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I have not found a non-Chinese crockpot, and I've been looking for years.
This may be a case where you have to buy what's available because there is no alternative.
I have not used a pressure cooker - my brother has one and loves it, but the intent is exactly opposite of the crockpot (fast vs. slow), so I don't think you'd get the same results. Good, yes, but different.
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Jan 13 2010 at 10:15am | IP Logged
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From what I've been reading, the pressure cookers still produce a falling-off-the-bone experience, which is what I like about slow cookers. But most of them seem to have some sort of teflon surface. My brain is starting to hurt trying to figure out what is the best option, given that I don't want to rely on my stove/oven.
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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AnaB
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| Posted: Jan 13 2010 at 10:53am | IP Logged
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I do use my crockpot several times a week. I like that I can use it especially for those days where I'm out of the house.
Is there any crockpot that does not have lead in the glaze?
Back when this topic first came up, I had found an oval crockpot at Amazon that had a clay insert (not the vitaclay). Now I can't find it, even on google.
I do have the infamous Rival Crockpot and would like to change it out. What are your suggestions?
I do have an enamel glazed Emeril iron pot that I use when I'm home.
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Tami
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Bookswithtea wrote:
Can I bring this back up? I'm hesitant to switch to a dutch oven instead of a crock pot because my main reason for using a crock pot (aside from its convenience) is that they are much more energy efficient than my electric stove/oven. Its ridiculous how expensive it is to run my oven or stovetop for hours.
I cannot find a crock pot that isn't made in China! I even considered the All Clad that has a cast aluminum insert, but I'm not sure if cast aluminum might leach aluminum. Debra Dadd says that anodized aluminum is safe, but I can't tell if cast aluminum is safe.
Dh suggested a countertop pressure cooker instead.
Does anyone have any experience with these or could recommend a safe, BIG countertop model? |
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When this thread started, I stopped using my crockpot. I talked with my local 4-H extension and was told that home testing for lead was not reliable. So it has sat in the cabinet ever since!
Oh, how I have missed it! I used my crockpot at least twice a week! And you're right, Books, there isn't a crockpot made in the USA.
The All-Clad used to be made in the US, but I could not justify the $$$$ when my 7 qt. crockpot cost $40 - almost 1/10 the price.
Grrrr
I did wind up with a Le Creuset, only because dh was paid for a job that he did with a generous gift certificate to a local high-end cooking store that sold them. So he handed it to me and said 'go ahead.' Bless him.
I like that I can brown in the new pot, then cook in it as well. When I do something 'slow' it's not as long a time as the crockpot would have run, so I don't know if that impacts the electric bill significantly or not.
I can't, really, won't use it to cook something while I leave the house for hours (this stove/oven is a bit snarky, and I don't trust it) and I don't use it like my crockpot for things like stock or pasta sauce, that I might leave overnight. But it has helped a bit somewhat, because I can start things early in the afternoon and let them go, and finish sauces in it on the stove-top.
Sigh. I still sooo miss my crockpot, but I keep telling myself that she who lives by the crockpot dies by the crockpot, so I work at letting go.
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Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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Bookswithtea
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Well, I did find one that is supposely guaranteed lead free. Its the Dr Weil 7 qut slow cooker. Its made in Switzerland. The reviews are mixed, though. Apparently, it works very well, but the insert is prone to breaking/chipping and there are zero guarantees/warranties or anything like that. Its expensive for something that breaks easily, imho. But those who haven't had the breakage problem love theirs. Maybe there's lead in the crocks because they are just flimsy without it?
Dh thinks we should try this. I saw someone cook with it online last night. Seems like a decent size. Its also sold under the name Elite. Its got a nonstick finish on the inside, which could become problematic, but we try hard to extend the life of these by only using plastic and silicone utensils for stirring.
I am thinking we may give the pressure cooker a try, but I'm not ready to give up my crock pot yet. I just depend on it so much and I don't know how I'm going to like the pressure cooker. So for right now, unless y'all tell me there is something unsafe about it, I'm thinking I'll use these inside my crock pot. Wouldn't this eliminate the leaching effect?
Also, does anyone know if cast aluminum is safe? Debra Dadd says that anodized aluminum is safe, but I can't seem to find a decent answer on cast aluminum. All Clad makes a slow cooker with a cast aluminum insert that looks really nice because you can brown in it first.
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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JodieLyn
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Check out the electric roasters.. there may be some other options.. like stainless steel inserts (those are more money) in many ways they're like a crockpot.. and they come in various sizes.
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JodieLyn
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ah ha.. I thought I remembered it.. NESCO is made in the USA and they have lots of various size roaster ovens. A bit different from a crockpot.. but can be used for slow cooking. I even know someone who covers the little steam hole (only 2 very small ones) and says that makes it work very close to a crockpot.
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Jan 13 2010 at 12:23pm | IP Logged
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JodieLyn wrote:
| ah ha.. I thought I remembered it.. NESCO is made in the USA and they have lots of various size roaster ovens. A bit different from a crockpot.. but can be used for slow cooking. I even know someone who covers the little steam hole (only 2 very small ones) and says that makes it work very close to a crockpot. |
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OK, now this looks interesting to me. There are porcelain inserts available instead of nonstick. Is porcelain safe? PLUS, I can cook a Thanksgiving turkey in this on the counter and use my oven for something else on Tgiving Day.
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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Bookswithtea
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Also, an 18 qut size is still a reasonable price, which is *huge*!
ETA: Debra Dadd says porcelain/enamel is completely inert and safe but does tend to chip. I wonder if Nesco offers replacement inserts if necessary?
Jodie, do you have one of these?
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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JodieLyn
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I'm pretty sure porcelain is safe.. enamel is generally safe (it's not glazed like the crockpot inserts).. and stainless steel would be safe.
You'd want the BIG one for doing a T-giving Turkey. It's what I have with the enamel insert. I use it ALL THE TIME. I mostly cook soup beans in it (big batch of pinto beans) and serve it as bean soup and then have extra beans for refried beans or other dishes.. so we had bean soup Saturday and we've had tostadas and tonight we'll have rice and bean burritos all from that same batch of beans. the kids love beans so I do make about 4-6 lbs of pinto beans at a time.
During the summer I can move it out onto the patio and not heat up the house.
I've baked enchiladas in it during the summer on the patio too.
I use it for various roasts (it's big enough to cook the roast and enough potatoes and carrots for the meal) and ham as well as turkey.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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JodieLyn
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You have to be pretty rough with enamel to chip it. like dropping the insert. I don't know if they have replacements or not.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
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Tami
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JODIE!!!!! You are remarkable!!!
And Books, I've wondered too about the bags for crockpots. Do they make a difference w/the lead, and what about cooking in plastic?
The 18qt. roaster does look like it could handle a turkey easily. Can you imagine ~not~ having to wait to start the side dishes in the oven?  It seems to me that Kim of Starry Sky Ranch talked blogged about using a roaster a long time ago...
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When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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Bookswithtea
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Jodie, I agree with Tami. You are remarkable.  
This looks so ideal to me! I mostly use my crock pot for large roasts, and sometimes spaghetti sauce. My 6 qut crock pot was already too small for me to add in the extra veggies after I added in the roasts, so I am definitely going for the 18 quart model, with a porcelain/ceramic insert. This way I avoid both the lead and the nonstick issues. BTW, they also sell a cookbook for using this, which might be helpful since I don't have a clue where to start for temperatures and times.
Doing a happy dance!
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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KackyK
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Okay the Nesco looks perfect, the porcelain insert. I wish I had found this a month ago BEFORE I bought my big dutch oven from Le Fontinaq.
Maybe for next year!!!
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Tami
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Books I'd be interested to hear how you like it, please? Does it brown well, etc?
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Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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JodieLyn
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It doesn't brown the tops of things much, Tami. but neither does a crockpot. Easy enough if you want a roast or turkey browned to give it a quick turn in the oven after it's cooked. Though roasts you could sear on the stove top and get them brown before putting into the roaster.
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Lead in Rival Crockpots
