Another slow cooker question.........

[Tilly2]

I bought a Breville 4.5 litre slow cooker today and am currently cooking a pork and cider casserole.
It has been on for two hour on high and I have just been into look at it and steam is billowing out of one side, water is splashing up between the lid and the side and its bubbling away madly.

I have not overfilled it. It's about three quarters full

Is it faulty do you think?

My old cooker, which is just switch on and off, is much more gentle and steam does not escape from the top.

[craft1948]

Is it supposed to be on high all the time?

[pastafreak]

I would tip out some of the liquid,and turn it down to medium. I find things cook better with very little liquid in them.

[Tilly2]

Craft, according to the booklet, when you use the high option the food cooks in four hours. To leave it all day, you choose the auto switch which cooks on high and then lowers over a period of time so it can be left.

[craft1948]

Oh right Tilly..............can you tell my slow cooker is still in the box?

[Tilly2]

It doesn't have a medium option, pasta. It's Low, High, Auto. I will tip some of it out though. It's alarming!.

[Tilly2]

I don't like it. I was so looking forward to a new one, as well. I use my other one all the time. I'm going to take it back tomorrow.

[gness]

Mine did that Tilly...probably still does. Often danced with bubbles appearing around the lid. Can't recall steam though.....that seems a little fierce for a slow cooker.

[Ratty2E]

Mine blips and the glass lid rattles sometimes, I wouldn't worry about it. According to the instructions with mine water around the lid is a good thing as it helps create a seal to keep the heat in (don't keep taking the lid off, you lose heat and it will take longer to cook). Also it's most efficient to have the cooker as full as possible, but leaving at least 1 inch from the top.

[Tilly2]

Thank you for the responses so far.

Has anyone else got this particular cooker?

[atalanta]

The new slow-cookers all cook much hotter than the old ones, and food is cooked much faster. Too fast. I have had three of the old style, and three of the new style, and they all cook just as I have described. I even went to a car-boot sale to get one of the old ones, I was so annoyed that I couldn't leave my porridge cooking overnight, really gently and smoothly. If I had left porridge on overnight in one of the new ones, I'd have had a solid clod, or it might even have burst into flames. These new ones cannot be called slow cookers, but just electric pots. Not even stewpots. I can cook stews more gently in an ordinary oven than in a new "slowpot".
DO take it back and complain. I wish I had, but I hadn't seen other complaints like yours.

[Tilly2]

I have already washed it and put it back in the box.

As you so eloquently say, atlanta, this is not a slow cooker. It has ruined my casserole. I might as well have just boiled it on the hob.

[humbersloop]

I wouldn't trust an autocook setting on anything personally.
I think my latest was a sainsbury's own brand tilley; it has high, low and warm settings - I use low to cook stuff for 12 to 24 hours, works fine

[boxtops]

I start on high then turn down to low - low's what I leave it cooking on.

[humbersloop]

^^sorry, warm for 12-24 hours, otherwise as boxy says

[Tilly2]

Thank you. I bought another one yesterday a Russel Hobbs. I'll see how that does. It actually says start it off on high and turn it to low,so that might be better than the previous one.

[Phakameza]

I have a Morphy Richards and use it on high for an hour or so and then turn it down to med. It works very well. Did neck of lamb, bone in, and after 4 hours the meat was succulent and tender, falling off the bone. Ox tongue is also good as it cooks very slowly, delicious with horseradish. Brisket is gorgeous in the slow cooker. All the cheap cuts turn out wonderfully.

[Tilly2]

Can you tell me how you cook your brisket, please Phakameza.

When I cook it it turns out tender but tasteless. The gravy tastes lovely but the meat leaves a lot to be desired.

[Tilly2]

Well can anyone else tell me how to make tasty brisket in my brand new slow cooker?

[magsmay]

Brown the brisket and place in slow cooker. Add a little oil or lard to the frying pan and fry 1 large carrot diced, 2 sticks of celery chopped and one small onion. Fry until golden and add to pot. deglaze pan with a lred wine, beer or water add 2 oxo cubes (or similar) a tablespoon of tomato puree (optional) a few sprigs of any fresh herbs you have -thyme,sage, parsley (or a spoon full of dried herbs) and a couple of garlic cloves -whole with skins. Bring liquid to boil then cover meat in slow cooker -liquid should come at least half way up meat, if not add boiling water. cook on high for 1 hour turn down to low and cook until tender -at least 3 hours up to 7 hours. preheat oven to 200C. Take meat out and place in roasting tin and put in oven for 30 mins until crisy and golden. In the mean time strain gravy into pan discarding veggies. Thicken gravy with bisto or flour butter mix or cornflour and serve meat sliced with creamy mash and cabbage.