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Servant2theKing
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If so, care to share tips for using a slow cooker successfully?
Dd and her family gifted us with a lovely 8 qt. slow cooker for Christmas! I'm looking for ways to put it to greater use! I've been reading several good books on the subject, which we borrowed from the library, but I think I'm suffering from TMI-itis!
Yesterday we used our new toy to make a delicious batch of pea soup, using the remainders of our Christmas ham. Unanimous response ~ best peas soup we've ever made! Our favorite multi bean chili is slowly melding delightful flavors at a slow and gentle pace even as I type. However, I have a feeling our household might eventually revolt if I stick with soups as our primary slow cooker fare!
We tend to eat a lot of pasta and rice, smaller amounts of meat, and/or all in one pot meals. Many of the recipes I'm finding in Fix-It and Forget-It type books look interesting, but often suggest using smaller slow cookers. Can I simply double the recipe? Some books say you need to adjust times, some make mention of certain recipes not working well in larger batches. Help!
I tend to be intimidated by crockpots or slow cookers due to an unfortunate incident when our oldest was born. Thinking it would be super efficient to prepare a meal for my young husband to enjoy while I was away I made a batch of chili just before heading off to the hospital, in our 70's crockpot, a "lovely" avocado green model adorned with brown mushrooms. Labor was long and dh stayed with us for several hours afterward. Needless to say, when he arrived home late that night he was greeted with a veryyyyyyy well done culinary disaster, burnt beyond recognition. If memory serves me right we threw the entire mess away, crockpot and all! I later acquired an updated 6 qt. slow cooker which suffered such neglect I lent it out and never even missed it when it wasn't returned!
I'm hoping to do justice to such a thoughtful gift and really, really appreciate the fact that a slow cooker can enable me to prepare meals much earlier, before energy and inspiration dwindle with the day! I'd love to hear how you successfully utilize slow cookers in your homes! Tips for using a larger slow cooker and how to adapt recipes would be a godsend!
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roomintheheart
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I find that putting the meat in frozen ensures it will not get overdone. So I might throw in a beef roast with potatoes & carrots and let it sit all day on low.
Our favorite is cream cheese chicken. Put in as many chicken breasts as your family will eat (frozen), a couple tablespoons of butter and a packet of Italian seasoning (or make your own). Cook on low all day. An hour before supper, mix in a pot 1 brick of cream cheese, one can of chicken broth, one can of cream of chicken soup, a couple tablespoons of butter, and another packet of Italian seasoning. Whisk until smooth, then put in the crockpot for the last hour of cooking. Serve over noodles, potatoes, or rice.
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JodieLyn
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If you put in meat frozen you need to have it on high.. or the center of the meat may hold for too long outside of optimal temps and bacteria could grow.
I would think a lot of the shredded meat recipes that you serve over noodles or rice or as sandwiches would be good.
Also look at casseroles that might work in it like homemade macaroni and cheese..
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guitarnan
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http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
Stephanie's recipes work, and they are, for the most part, excellent.
I bought both of her cookbooks, because I wanted to have the recipes at hand all the time.
Yesterday I hosted a lunch for 13, and made her Turkey and Wild Rice Soup in my crockpot. No leftovers!
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Pilgrim
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For a larger crock pot than the recipe calls for:
Quote:
If you keep the lid on, it shouldn't make much difference in practice.
The thing to watch is that the larger surface area and heat supply of the 6 qt pot might make the recipe cook a little quicker than it would in a 4 qt pot, and also make it dry out quicker than it should (which is why you need the lid on). Just take a look after about two thirds of the time and decide if you should add a little water, or not.
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Pilgrim
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A neat page on converting regular recipes to crock pot recipes.
On using larger crock pot than recipe calls for.
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Becky Parker
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Love this thread! We do a lot of meats in the crockpot and then shred for sandwiches. Pork loin, chicken, turkey breast, beef ...
Pouring a sauce over it adds variety. I use barbecue sauce or a sweet and sour sauce a lot. One thing my family really enjoys is chicken, pineapple, green peppers and onions in the crockpot with a homemade sweet and sour sauce (vinegar, sugar, and GF soy sauce).
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St. Ann
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I make all my meat broths in the crockpot. I just get it all started and forget about it, sometimes for days  . I just don't have to worry about it.
The website Nancy mentioned above is a great beginning resource. Read the comments. The leg of lamb recipe is failproof. Wonderful!
I have also made corn chowder in the crockpot.
I also set the crock on the warm setting and place yeast dough on a rack on top of it to get the rising started in a cold kitchen.
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TryingMyBest
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I go through phases where I use my slow cooker frequently and then it sits unused for a month or so. It doesn't appeal to me when it's really warm outside, for example.
I always struggled with the cooking times, too. When I used to work, I was out of the house about 12 hours which was often too long to leave dinner in the crock pot all day. Now that I'm home all day, sometimes it's easier to cook it in the stove or oven since it's not a problem to start dinner in the afternoon anymore. Maybe this is just me but it seems easier to start dinner close to dinner time than get everything set up a few hours before to use the slow cooker.
I think it's also easier to use if you've got a good place to put. My kitchen is tiny and I can't spare the counterspace to leave the crockpot out all of the time. It's kind of a pain to pull it out to use it and then put it back. It's definitely easier to use if it's got a permanent home on your counter.
Do you have a place for the larger slow cooker where it's easy to use frequently but won't drive you crazy when you're not using it?
Jenn
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Servant2theKing
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I appreciate all the tips, links and thoughts! I'm heading out today to run errands and will be using the slow cooker while I'm away for the first time. I layered slices of potato, leftover pork roast, and onion with mushroom soup, along with our favorite seasoning ~ hoping for the best! I grew up in a household with basic homecookin', but very little innovation. All our children are far more inventive and adventurous cooks! I tend to feel intimidated or overwhelmed by new methods or gadgets. I'm hoping to become more comfortable with the slow cooker with continued use and really appreciate everyone's input!
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JodieLyn
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When it's hot, think of using it out on a patio or garage, keeping the cooking heat out of the house. I'll do pinto beans in my electric roaster that way.. it doesn't mean I have to serve "bean soup" for dinner, but it gives us homemade beans for burritos or to make chili for chili dogs. Or you could do the pulled pork sandwiches. Things like that.. use it to cook the ingredients for foods that still feel like summer fare.
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roomintheheart
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Well, after the warning about meat, I threw in a thawed roast this morning about 10 a.m. By 2 p.m. I have a burned roast. So I think my slow cooker isn't slow! I don't think I need to worry about things not cooking fast enough in this one.
I used to have an older one, made in the '90s, that cooked much slower. I guess you have to know your cooker.
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Angie Mc
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Quick! With my oversized slow cooker I....
put in some brown sugar
place a picnic ham in, flat sized down
pat top with brown sugar
cook on high for 4 hours
I also cook several corned beef briskets in them (I have 2) for St Patricks day :)
LOVE LOVE LOVE slow cookers and here's a search of what I've posted here since 2005  
Love,
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JodieLyn
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roomintheheart wrote:
Well, after the warning about meat, I threw in a thawed roast this morning about 10 a.m. By 2 p.m. I have a burned roast. So I think my slow cooker isn't slow! I don't think I need to worry about things not cooking fast enough in this one.
I used to have an older one, made in the '90s, that cooked much slower. I guess you have to know your cooker. |
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Oh No!! 
Yes I guess you do have to know your slow cooker. Though maybe that's why I don't like them much.. I have to guess what low and high are and I don't have much control.. but I love using my electric roaster which has the dial of temps from 150*-450*
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Topic: Do you use a slow cooker in your house?
