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Slow Cooker Offer

Naughty Cal

By Naughty Cal
in Living Afloat

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In my experience, the advantage of a slow cooker is that once you've chucked the stuff in and got it going, you can go cruising all day and whenever you feel like mooring there is a meal ready to eat straight away. Also, for me anyway, it will be using electricity created by the alternator/ inverter, rather than my woefully small gas bottles. Finally, and probably most important though is that a meal cooked in a slow cooker is totally different to one cooked on the hob, as the flavours of the ingredients seem to meld together and become more intense.

 

In my experience, the advantage of a slow cooker is that once you've chucked the stuff in and got it going, you can go cruising all day and whenever you feel like mooring there is a meal ready to eat straight away. Also, for me anyway, it will be using electricity created by the alternator/ inverter, rather than my woefully small gas bottles. Finally, and probably most important though is that a meal cooked in a slow cooker is totally different to one cooked on the hob, as the flavours of the ingredients seem to meld together and become more intense.

That^^

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

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We just use a Tesco own brand one. Works great on the boat.

We rarely bother browning stuff before putting it in. Mostly we just lob it all in and let the pot do the rest.

Di puts it straight into the slow cooker and set it going.

My trouble with a slow cooker is i never know what to cook in it, that I can't cook on the hob in 30 mins.

I thought that was the point, bung it in and take it out when ready to eat.

 

I don't eat lamb or beef - probably should have said that! (or pork)

I think chicken is my favourite done whole

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haggis Veteran

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Di puts it straight into the slow cooker and set it going.

I thought that was the point, bung it in and take it out when ready to eat.

My first experience of a slow cooker was a long time ago and you certainly had to start things off on the hob or it would have taken all day to start cooking with the cooker. It was a long time ago :-). hardly ever used it!

When I got the new one, I assumed that you still had to brown/seal stuff before starting it off and that is what i have been doing but as I was able to use the slow cooker container for it, it was no big problem. I will try just chucking stuff in the next time.

 

haggis

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My first experience of a slow cooker was a long time ago and you certainly had to start things off on the hob or it would have taken all day to start cooking with the cooker. It was a long time ago :-). hardly ever used it!

When I got the new one, I assumed that you still had to brown/seal stuff before starting it off and that is what i have been doing but as I was able to use the slow cooker container for it, it was no big problem. I will try just chucking stuff in the next time.

 

haggis

We did at first but soon realised it was just making extra work.

Two of our favourites are

Chicken breast in cider, and a desert spoon of whole grain mustard/onions/mushrooms.

 

Belly pork cooked in pear cider served with grilled black pudding.

 

Even I can cook these :)

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Delta9 Experienced

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My first experience of a slow cooker was a long time ago and you certainly had to start things off on the hob or it would have taken all day to start cooking with the cooker. It was a long time ago :-). hardly ever used it!

When I got the new one, I assumed that you still had to brown/seal stuff before starting it off and that is what i have been doing but as I was able to use the slow cooker container for it, it was no big problem. I will try just chucking stuff in the next time.

 

haggis

You don't have to brown the meat but it is a good idea to. It caramelises the outside of the meat (maillard reaction) which adds a lot of flavour and depth to the dish, meat that hasn't been browned looks and tastes bland and boring. Minced meat should always be browned before slow cooking or it will clump and add tons of fat to the dish.

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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You don't have to brown the meat but it is a good idea to. It caramelises the outside of the meat (maillard reaction) which adds a lot of flavour and depth to the dish, meat that hasn't been browned looks and tastes bland and boring. Minced meat should always be browned before slow cooking or it will clump and add tons of fat to the dish.

We had a turkey mince chilli last night in the slow cooker and didn't brown the mince before hand. It neither clumped nor did it add tons of fat to the dish.

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Southern Star Experienced

Southern Star

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Some of you must be using really fatty mince. sick.gif

 

On the rare occasion we cook with lamb mince in the slow cooker you can get a thin layer of fat on the top but this can be scooped off prior to mixing the dish.

Yep, or let it cool and then refrigerate, then the fat can just be picked off as a disc. Then put the food back in the slow cooker and give it another day, always seems to be even more yummy if it's been stood overnight then re-cooked.

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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Yep, or let it cool and then refrigerate, then the fat can just be picked off as a disc. Then put the food back in the slow cooker and give it another day, always seems to be even more yummy if it's been stood overnight then re-cooked.

Stews and casseroles in particular always taste better after a second cooking.

 

Stop it now. I'm starting to feel hungry again. Only had breakfast a couple of hours ago!

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bizzard Veteran II

bizzard

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You can always see all the oily grease glistening and twinkling on the top of a dish that includes mincemeat that has not had a pre boil. A good deal of the greasy goo does not come to the top, but combines with and gets trapped and locked into the other ingredients and remains there, I can always taste it, it's like Waxoyl, it makes yer mouth and tongue all slippery and water repellant for ages. Groooo!

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Stews and casseroles in particular always taste better after a second cooking.

 

Stop it now. I'm starting to feel hungry again. Only had breakfast a couple of hours ago!

Scouse is always better after a second go.

Keep any fat and bung it in the stern tube greaser.

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magictime Experienced

magictime

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We bought a "Mr. D's Thermal Cooker" due to severe rationing of electricity on our old (outboard-powered) boat! It's basically a large-capacity insulated flask with a cooking pot that fits neatly inside. The idea is that you start cooking your stew, curry, risotto or whatnot on the hob, then transfer it to the thermal cooker after a few minutes' simmering, put the lid down, and leave it for 1-4 hours or so to finish cooking using just its own retained heat. It wasn't cheap, but it did the job (nice tender meat etc.) and suited us as we just didn't have the means to generate much power at all.

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blackrose Veteran II

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I browned meat as recommended before cooking when I first got my slow cooker. Then I tried it without browning and found it made very little difference - apart from the amount of washing up!

 

As others have said, they're brilliant devices when you're doing a long days cruising - especially if you're single handed. You moor up feeling knackered and there's a nice hot meal waiting for you. My little slow cooker only uses 7amps run on the inverter (12v).

Edited by blackrose
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ditchcrawler Veteran II

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If anyone is considering buying a slow cooker then Tesco have an offer on at the moment on "The Original Crock-Pot." Usually retails for between £35-£40, currently on offer for £14.50.

We have finally gotten around to buying one for the house. Not sure why we have taken so long as we love cooking with the one on the boat!

Lamb shanks in garlic and mint gravy for dinner tonight smile.png

 

Non in our local Tesco

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

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If anyone is considering buying a slow cooker then Tesco have an offer on at the moment on "The Original Crock-Pot." Usually retails for between £35-£40, currently on offer for £14.50.

We have finally gotten around to buying one for the house. Not sure why we have taken so long as we love cooking with the one on the boat!

Lamb shanks in garlic and mint gravy for dinner tonight smile.png

 

£17 50 is the best I could find http://www.tesco.com/direct/crock-pot-slow-cooker-35l-black/207-1034.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=207-1034

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