Simple Slow Cooking

[Eve]

Hi, I'm hoping to finally get a slow cooker in the sales.

I am now a big meals in the evening at home kinda girl and I was thinking more of using it to cook up some nice cheap bits of meat that I can then use up in sandwiches and salads and with things like rice and veggies in the evenings. Only me so not too much at a time though the cat might get a treat if she's behaving :)

I thought things like chicken thighs or drumsticks (maybe occasionally a small whole chicken) or some beef brisket. Maybe chuck some potatoes in with them if they do nice roast potatoes?

I'm also not keen on leaving it on when I'm not in the house, especially with the cat, so looking at something that won't take too long to cook on say a weekend morning or on an evening. Will some things cook in say 3/4 hours?

Any other suggestions for nice cheap cuts of meat I can cook without it being on for 8/9 hours and use for that kind of thing also welcome :)

[humbersloop]

Yes, things will cook in that time jen, although it sometimes pays to cook for longer to get the benefits from buying cheaper joints. They won't roast veg like an oven does though, it's a slightly different way of cooking than just having the oven on low.

A second hand copy of this is well worth buying to get you started:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Slow-Cooking-Properly-Explained-Favourite/dp/0716022214

Lakeland also do two nice recipe books, Slow Coking and More Slow Cookng at £5.99 each

[atalanta]

A slow cooker will not roast. It will only stew foods. A whole small chicken might be possible, but you must add liquids such as a tinful of chopped tomatoes.
I have often stewed cheaper cuts of beef, mutton, chicken legs and cheaper pork chops. Also, coq au vin is good if slow-cooked. Good to add the remains of a bottle of red wine to beef or chicken, but not so successful with pork or mutton. If you want to add vegetables, best add them halfway through cooking. Or, in the case of mushrooms, half an hour before you want to eat.

[jamesnan]

Why not have it cooking on low overnight, then just leave it to cool down in the cooker during the day. The lid on mine is heavy so don't think a cat could knock it off, but you could always put something else on it as well.
I cooked a joint of beef brisket the other day, with root veg, stock cubes and some red wine, absolutely beautiful, just falling to pieces it is so tender, and it also makes a lovely sandwich when cold.

[Eve]

Thanks all for the advice, I'm debating now as I do love roast chicken with a crispy skin on the outside and would probably do chicken more than anything. That said though it would be nice to experiment more.

I'll have a think about overnight, great idea though I'd have to wait for it to cool down enough for it to go in the fridge before I leave the house (just before 6am in the week) though I could time it to do that.

It would be good to do some more stew type meals, I eat a lot of salad and some fruit but need to get some more veggies in than just stir fries, peas and mushrooms (love the last two!).

[hammerman]

Unfortunately, the idea of a slow cooker is that you cook things slowly....6, 7, 8 hours so that the meat is broken down. Ive done sausage caseroles in them before as well as beef caseroles using stewing beef. Curries are good too....a mutton curry is delish.

Ive found that chickens just tends to fall apart. Don't get me wrong, it lovely but when you lift it out, it falls to pieces !!! As a result, we rarely use ours now.

[diddlydo]

I don't understand the problem with the cat - surely you don't allow your cat in the kitchen?

[humbersloop]

It's not always necessary to add liquid to a slow cooker at all if you're just cooking meat on its own. Buenchico gives a very good gammon recipe here for instance

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Food-and-Drink/Question1200350.html

I do a whole chicken (1.5kg) by rubbing it all over with olive oil then seasoning with salt, pepper and paprika and putting a lemon in the cavity. Sit it on five walnut sized scrunched up balls of foil and cook it on the low setting for 6-8 hours. The meat's fab, but you'll never get crispy skin - or crispy anything, unless it's burnt - in a slow cooker.

[bednobs]

just out of interest, i have an open plan house, and could not keep the cat out of the kitchen even if i tried - perhaps jenna has the same?

[hc4361]

I just bung a whole chicken in without liquid for 5-6 hours.

I do exactly the same with a gammon joint, no liquid or anything.

[ummmm]

Don't most people feed their cats in the kitchen and have catflaps in the kitchen door?

[Mick-Talbot]

I'm debating now as I do love roast chicken with a crispy skin on the outside and would probably do chicken more than anything.


Then get yourself one of these...... Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

And that is a good bargain too.

[vodkancoke]

Hey Jenna,

If you like roast chicken with crispy skin, just do it in the oven.

Slow-cooked chicken casserole using thighs is delicious. If you want to slow-cook a whole chicken for salads, sandwiches and rice dishes then you don't need the crispy skin. I am sure you could put something heavy on the lid so the cat can't get into it. In my opinion, slow cookers work best when being left on for 6-8 hours.
Lamb shanks done in the slow cooker are lovely too and are quite cheap to buy.

[puzzled54]

I put a whole chicken in mine for the day, with no added liquid, and the top does brown. It turns out much moister than roasting in the oven. You can put veg in with it if there is room, but they won't roast, they steam along with the chicken.

[Canary42]

The whole idea of a SLOW cooker is that you cook the contents for a LONG time.

[craft1948]

For once, Talbot has the best idea.

[bednobs]

jenna, i have a fear of going out and leaving appliances on after my washing machine caught fire once, but slow cooker is one thing i definitely would leave on

[Eve]

I know Canary :) I just mean quicker than the long slow cook as I was sure I'd seen recipes for those which took say 3/4 hours rather than 8/9 hours which would fit in more easily.

I might reconsider as I tend to eat chicken more than any other meat - mince sometimes but rarely buy others save a treat and I do like chicken with crispy outside.

Wow, never knew those halogen things existed! :)

I will mull it over, muzzy ucky head full of a head cold tonight so off to bed for me, will have a scout about tomorrow and have a think.

My cat's food and litter tray are in the kitchen, obviously the litter tray is away from the food counter side, by the back door. It's just me here and the house is mostly open so she isn't shut out of anywhere (save cupboards etc...).

Thanks all for your advice, really appreciated.

[diddlydo]

Sorry, but the idea of a cat in the kitchen is positively revolting. Yuk!!

[owdhamer]

The whole concept of a slow cooker is put it on at breakfast go to work ready at tea , just prepare ingredients throw in cooker that's it.

[Eve]

I think I might stick to roasting stuff owd, I like things crispier :)

Each to their own Diddlydoo.