Slow Cooker

[Caran]

I know this should be in Food and Drink but not much action there and you lovely lot always seem to help so....
Bought a slow cooker book, almost all recipes have to be started off in a frying pan or casserole dish first. Now this is something I object to, another implement to be washed. Is this really necessary? Why can I not put meat in on high first?

[craft1948]

My slow cooker is so slow it's still in the box...........

[Mick-Talbot]

They don't have to be ...but it is better to do so.

[Caran]

I must admit I have only used mine 3 times, mainly because of the recipe saying use another pan as well.

[shaneystar2]

I do brown the meat if it's a stew or casserole purely because it helps to keep it in chunks and seals it otherwise it can go mushy and break up .
A slow cooker won't brown .I do however bung a joint of beef ( mainly brisket ) in without browning it first .

[ummmm]

Are you out at work all day?

[Caran]

No I am retired.

[Buenchico]

Those chefs who've studied the science of cooking (e.g. Heston Blumenthal) assert that browning meats is a total waste of time. HB has also pointed out that, since you want the meat to absorb the flavour of whatever it's cooked in, the very last thing you should want to do is seal the outside of it!

Like others, my slow cooker doesn't actually get much use but that's simply because I often just put a casserole dish in the oven (at Gas Mark 1 or 2) for several hours instead. I'd never think of browning the meat first.

[ummmm]

Then I'd cook whatever you fancy cooking on the hob/oven.

I have a slow cooker and I find the results done hob/oven to be much better.

I would only use my slow cooker if I will be out all day.

[ELVIS68]

Sorry to butt in, ummmmm email me, got something fuuny for ya x

[ummmm]

;-) done

[shaneystar2]

Err....I'm retired too but I still use my slow cooker on a regular basis .
Us retired people do have other things to do besides stand over a hob and oven . I can bung all stuff in it and go back to bed :)

[ummmm]

Lazy lazy people those retired people :-)

I know they have there uses but if at home I'd chose the oven/hob.

[shaneystar2]

All those years of slogging for the exchequer.
I can't afford the electric these days Ummm :0)

[coccinelle]

I never brown the meat I just make sure it's on the bottom then put veg etc on top. That's the whole point of a slow cooker; let it cook itself!

[friedgreentomato]

I don't bother frying off the meat before hand unless it is mince, just bung it in and let it do its stuff

[humbersloop]

Top tips

Ignore all other pans

Assemble raw food in pot, switch on

Get on with life for 6-12 hours

Switch pot off, serve

[fairycakes69]

I've been using my slow cooker for years and love it, I don't brown the meat, just chuck it all in and your good to go. The only draw back is that your sauce doesn't thicken, but I use cornflour or gravy 5 mins before serving. Its great only one pot the wash.

[Dee Sa]

I have had my slow cooker over 30 years and have never looked at/used their cookery book, just throw it all in and go.Sometimes I brown the meat & onion [in same pan] first but thats usually only when I realise after 4 hours I have forgotten to switch it on.If you make and put dumplings on the top for the last half hour they taste good.Oxtail chucked in the slow cooker onhgh with veg is really good but you have to take the fat off the top before you serve and you can chuck new potatoes in about half hour before its ready.easiest way to remove the fat is to put two layers of kitchen roll on top of the cooked food and let the paper soak up the fat, might have to do it a couple of times,but then caran you probably already know this, so pls dont think I am being cheeky.

[Ratty2E]

I use my slow cooker at least once a week all year round and 2 or 3 times a week at this time of year. I do brown the meat because I think the browned bits have a better flavour and frying and tossing the meat in flour does help to thicken. I have just got a 'sear & stew' model so no extra pans.

[rowanwitch]

and they make wonderful rice pudding

about half a cup of pudding rice, a large tin of evaporated milk a pint of full fat milk a couple of tablespoons of sweetener stir well leave on high for an hour turn down to low then cook for about another 4 hours adding more milk if it gets too thick