Slow cooker

[pastafreak]

I am thinking of getting a slow cooker....does anyone use one? Any pros and cons? Any recommendations?

[jane1098]

no pros or cons just great hot pots, stews etc.
i've got the morphy richards one
i recommend you get one.
happy slow cooking!

[tickledtrout]

I had a Tower slo cooker which was very good. Try doing a chicken, all the meat falls of the bone as you take it out, and its great getting home from work to the smell of a lovelly tea!

[shaneystar2]

Morphy Richards 6.5 Litre oval .Best bit of kitchen gear ever !

[pastafreak]

Wow! looks like it is unanimous -everyone seems to love them. Guess my mind is made up-lol. Since it is just me,I shall try to find a really small one. Eeeeks!-Shaney-you must have a big brood!

[theonlyone]

Cook a piece of rolled brisket ( very cheap ) and you will think you are eating topside , have had a slow cooker for years , it is all trial and error .

[B00]

Hey Pasta

We bought one yesterday, and so far it's still sat on the worktop looking all shiny and sparkly, we're very scared of it!

[shaneystar2]

No not these days pastfreak ! There is just the two of us and a son who wanders in and out from time to time ...but it's a great timesaver .I can make a pot full of soup or stew and freeze the leftovers for later or do a large joint or chicken .Which does us several meals .
As theonlyone says once you have had meat done in a slow cooker you would never roast it in the oven again ..Brisket comes out like fillet steak ...tender and juicy .Lamb is also mouthwatering and chicken will fall off the bones and be juicy .
We've had one now for over thirty years .Would not be without it especially in the winter . If you do buy one invest in this excellent book as well
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/product.aspx/!10667
Happy slow cooking !

[pastafreak]

I found a little midget one today-1.5 litres. If I like it I will get a 'mother' for it! Hiya,BOO.....maybe we should compare our ...eerrm..."experiments"-lol. I am not a huge meat eater so i may try a sweet potato curry tomorrow.

[pastafreak]

PS-Shaney...think I saw that cookbook in Waterstones today eeek!cat is nuzzling pc screen-dribble everywhere!

[B00]

well I've bought a bag of pudding rice to make rice pudd with it so far Pasta.

It's sat next to the cooker- maybe if I leave 'em next to each other long enough ,they'll get bored and make a pudding without any input from me???

Can I just ask shaney, or indeed anyone...this "brisket" thingy....is that what you ask for at the butchers? If I go in and ask for one, he's not gonna laugh at me? That's its name?

(as you can tell, im a crap cook!)

[society]

Pastafreak, don't buy a very small one. A good size one will allow you to cook a whole chicken together with vegetables comfortable. Also you can do shanks of lamb and briskets easily in a moderately sized one.

[ojread2]

Oooo I just used my new one today fo rthe first time

Cooked a stew. Yummy!

The biggest pro is that you can turn it on in the AM and when you get home from work tea is done.

I got mine half price in Argos last week. A 3.5 litre one which is plenty big enough for a family of 3 :)

[pastafreak]

BOO-if you stay on this site long enough,we'll teach you how to cook!

[B00]

Well i've been here over two years so far Pasta, no sod's tought me yet :-(

Another couple of years you reckon?

[pastafreak]

Oh-ojread2-which one did you get?

[shaneystar2]

Boo..... Brisket is a cut of beef and no the butcher will not laugh at you ! It's boned and rolled and although it has a bit more marbling of fat through than say silverside or topside ..it's the fat that keeps it tender .
Here's a nice bit of Brisket for you !

[pastafreak]

oooo-pot roast....YUM! haven't had that in ages! Hey BOO-if i can be your friend I'll send you some recipes!

[B00]

Of course pasta, glad to add you- don't need to bribe me with recipes for that....lol

Cheers for that shaney, I might very well pop t'butchers tomorrow for said brisket.

[shaneystar2]

And if you leave that bag of rice much longer it will grow hairs ...so..
Grease the pot with butter ...bung in 3oz pudding rice
4 tablespoons caster sugar
One and a quarter pints milk and 6Fl oz of evaporated milk.
Shove the lid on and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 5 to 6 hours .Give it a stir a couple of times ...then scoff it !

[pastafreak]

Ha! I have been making rice pudding every Friday for thr last 6months and I am still not tired of it. Would you believe there is a restaurant in NYC that serves ONLY rice pud???...sigh