Cooking with a slow cooker.

[windywillow]

I've recently bought a slow cooker and the instruction booklet says you should never cook without any liquid in the crockpot.

I've found a website that says you can cook jacket potatoes (without liquid) in the slow cooker.

Has anyone cooked in one without using liquid?

[puddicat]

Why would you want to cook baked potatoes in a slow cooker, i am not expert on slow cookers but i would assume you need some liquid!!!

[windywillow]

Perhaps because they are more economical to run than when using a conventional oven?

I would be worried about cracking the crockpot though, and wonder if this has happened to anyone.

[Rollo]

I would use a microwave oven to cook a jacket potato.

[natalie_1982]

Windywillow, I have never tried cooking JPs in a clow cooker, or cooking anything without liquid, but I would imagine if you want to be econimcal then it would be better to microwave the potaoes for a few mins first then put them in the oven to crisp them up a bit, or just do them completely in the microwave.

A slow cooker wouldn't give a very nice skin to a JP and would take absolutely ages to cook I would imagine, and could probably equal the same energy used as a microwave and an oven.

[windywillow]

Thank you all for replies. A jacket potato was just an example of one of the things the website said you could cook without liquid.

Personally I start my potatoes off in the microwave, then finish them in the conventional oven.

Perhaps if you was "dry cooking" a joint in the slow cooker, you could wrap a couple of spuds in tinfoil and put them in with the joint?

Has anyone "dry cooked" in a slow cooker?

[windywillow]

Here's the website I found, in case anyone's interested.

http://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/assets/factshee ts/Slow%20Cooker%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

I'd like to try a joint of meat without liquid - but I daren't in case I crack the pot!

[sara3]

I've cooked a joint of meat in a slow cooker. the lid keeps the steam in so it stays moist and of course, you get some juices from the meat.

[windywillow]

Sara, did you cook your joint without any liquid?

[lorri24601]

i have cooked beef and lamb joints with no liquid many times, maybe i have just been lucky but has done no harm to my as pot yet :-)

[lorri24601]

** just swap the words "pot" and "as" round and my post might even make sense lol

[Lakitu]

I cook my joints without any liquid in it.

[Slooow_Jo]

I've cooked joints without liquid lots of times. I find as well its best to 'seal' the meat first.

[windywillow]

Thanks to all for your replies. I'm gonna give it a go with a leg of lamb.

[Im a BusyBee]

im now on my 4th or 5th slow cooker and i cook ALL my meat in it. If cooking a joint of meat i just put the meat in, nothing else(maybe a couple of onions cut in quartersbut literally nothing else). It makes its own juice, sometimes quite a lot. I have also tried jacket potatoes (just once) they were cooked fine but the skins were rather tough, im not sure if it was the slow cooker that made them like that or of it was the variety of potato, they didnt crack the pot and were totally dry. I wouldnt think they would be very succesful if put in with meat as the juices would make them very soggy.

[mrsh1976]

I too have cooked loads of joints with great success. However I too am interested in the jp's!!