I have recently invested in a slow cooker to help manage time with kids after school clubs etc. but don't have any recipes for it. Has anyone got any nice recipes for main meals that can be prepared in the morning and then left to cook themselves in the slow cooker to be eaten in the evening? Also, should all meat be browned before cooking this way? And how much liquid do I need to use compared to cooking by any other method?
The Lakeland book is good too http://mydeco.com/product/slow-cooker-cookbook /1eb139d1b7fac2d660b9510dc9698c41f656c8d6/
I never brown meat ,not joints of meat anyway . You can put a joint in ..eg ,leg or shoulder lamb ,brisket ,whole chicken,gammon and just cook it on low all day .You don't need any water ,it will make it's own juices for gravy .Or you can sit a joint of meat on top of a bed of chopped veg .
Type slowcooker into the AB site search box ..loads of info.
Once you get the hang of it you'll wonder what you did without it !
Or just Google Slowcooker or Crockpot recipes ..loads on the web .
put all veg in first ( any veg really) as this takes longer to cook
meat on top if browned first ...if raw put in first (dont know why..it just says so in my book lol)
1pint of boiling water with 3 oxo cubes crumbled... season with mixed herbs if you wish....you can thicken it up with gravy granuals towards the end of cooking
I've stopped doing joints of meat in mine as they just fall apart. But casseroles, stews and curries are devine. get the scraggiest cut of meat possible such as mutton.
I cook both gammon joints and beef in the slow cooker.
Gammon joints for example, two of the Tesco typical size, side by side. Add finely cubed turnip, carrot, swede, onion, potato and a whole bottle of red wine. Let it simmer on Medium until it is cooked, you can leave it on all day, 6 hours, 8 hours, 10 hours, it won't really matter. The resultant stew won't look too attractive, but the meat will be oh so tender. Just remember, tough veg like carrots need a long cook.
im now on my 3rd slow cooker - wore the old ones up totally!. I have used one at least 4 or 5 times a week for 10 years+ and never use a recipe book. Whatever i have ever put in comes out successfully at the end of the day. I leave it while i go to work. Never brown any meat, if cooking a joint never add water and one of the best things is that you can put frozen meat straight in there too, so doesnt matter if you forget to get it out of freezer. Just throw in whatever combination you fancy or have available including curries, bolognese, etc etc. Ive left a beef casserole/stew in there today and will add dumplings to that in slow cooker when i get home this evening. I do know some people that make large quantity and leave theirs on for 2 or 3 days, eating from it until all gone but my family never seem to leave any for another day, it all gets eaten. Must just add that there is absolutely no need to buy expensive meat either as the cheapest horribleist looking cuts come out soooooo tender.