Actually Used The Slow Cooker

[sherrardk]

After putting it off for two weeks I plucked up the courage and used my slow cooker today. Didn't think it was actually going to cook the food so faffed about with it and lifted the lid far too often but it actually worked. Now just need to find some more recipes I like the look of.

[Tilly2]

Good for you, Sher. What did you actually cook today?

[gingejbee]

Yes...you should leave the lid on!
If you have a branch of The Works cheapo bookshops, you can get excellent recipe books for the slow cooker for 99p or £1.50.

[woofgang]

i love mine, it gets regular use during the winter

[sherrardk]

It was the glass lid that did for me - it didn't look like it was cooking. I made garlic honey chicken which I shredded and they had it in rolls - sold it to them as 'chicken sliders'. The slow cooker is huge but easily took eight ginormous chicken breasts.

[Georgiesmum]

Sounds good. Well done. Its great for cooking mince for spaghetti bolognaise, joints of meat and bacon joints, as well as making lemon curd, and rice puddings.
I wouldnt be without mine.
ps. Its good for casseroles too!

[sherrardk]

I don't 'do' casseroles and stews. Never tried my lot on them but don't think they old be too keen, they like their food 'unsauced', they will rarely even have gravy.

[boxtops]

I did lamb steaks in a red wine sauce the other night - very nice. OH isn't keen on casseroles with veg combined in it, but meat in sauce is good!

[woofgang]

sherrard....recipe please?

[sherrardk]

Here you go - http://www.justataste.com/2013/09/slow-cooker-crock-pot-honey-garlic-chicken-recipe/

I left out the chilli flakes because of the little people and I didn't both with the garnishes. I left it in there for 6 1/2 hours and it was fine.

[humbersloop]

looks great sherr, I'll give that a try for sure

a really easy one is for a whole chicken. Stuff the cavity with a couple of cut lemons and a bunch of herbs, rub the outside lightly with some olive oil and season with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Sit the whole thing in the pot on five scrunched up balls of foil, about walnut-sized. No added liquid at all. Cook on low for 3/4 hours, depending on how often you faff about with the lid ;) It's very succulent

The foil balls thing works with glazed gammon too

[sherrardk]

Might try a whole chicken when I feel braver (it'll be a big chicken though, will it still take 3 - 4 hours if I promise not to take the lid off?)

[puzzled54]

humber - what's the scrunched up foil for? I leave a whole chicken to cook for a lot longer tho.

[woofgang]

thank you, that's tomorrows dinner sorted

[trt]

If you cook a whole chicken, what do you use for liquid, chicken gravy or other?

[humbersloop]

you've a big family, so serious q, how big's a big chicken?

And, mindful of the FB people with pitchforks and flaming brands about timing (which is a real fer funk's sake, you're missing the point of the bloody thing) I'll cook a 2kg bird on high for 3/4 hrs, medium 4/6 or warm for 8/10 depending on what's going on elsewhere

[humbersloop]

puzzled, it keeps the chicken sitting out of the juices, so it stays moist but the bottom doesn't stew

trt, if you want gravy or sauce,use the juices sitting in the pot to make it

[sherrardk]

I don't know how big it actually is - I buy an extra large one which is nearly as big as a 50cm long roasting pan (not much space for the roasties).

[sherrardk]

Humbersloop - timing is a biggie for me. Tea is at 5.15 so I have to know that stuff is going to be cooked by then. I expect I'll get the hang of it.

[puzzled54]

Ok, thanks. Re the juices - what do you do with the stuff thats set like jelly when it gets cold?

[humbersloop]

about 3.5kg/7lbs then sherr, so you could work back from there