Slow Cookers

[ethandron]

I know this has been done to death but I have, for various reasons and almost against my better judgement, bought one of these contraptions. I've not used it yet but will definitely give it a fair go.
My question is, has anyone bought one and hated it, leaving it stuck in the darkest recesses of a kitchen cupboard, never to see the light of day again?
Question part two: For those who love them, what's your absolute favourite recipe which makes the money you forked out on the thing worth it?

[gingejbee]

No, it gets used a lot.
It's not a case of "favourite recipe"...because it simply slow cooks all your favourites that normally go into a slow oven.
If pushed.....beef goulash is a fave.

[237SJ]

I have had a couple of slow cookers over the years. I sold my old one to someone at work because the capacity was too large. I have a smaller one now but I still maintain that there isn`t anything that you can cook in a slow cooker that you can`t do in a casserole dish in the oven. I do like getting chicken breasts and putting them in the slow cooker with some chicken stock cubes, veg, a dash of white wine and a tin of Heinz cream of chicken soup. That makes a nice dish.

[Tilly2]

I love mine but use it mostly in the autumn and winter. My absolute favourite is bolognese because the slow cooking melds all the ingredients and makes a fantastic sauce.

I made one this week. It was lovely.

I wouldn't be without mine.

[Tilly2]

The cheaper running cost makes it a favourite of mine.

[Cloverjo]

I have had one in the past. I never used it. I use a casserole and put it in a low oven for hours.

[jennyjoan]

Never used mine either - just slow-cook anything I want on the top of the cooker. Worried too much about it if I was out etc.

[ethandron]

Not that I bought it to save running costs but I believe, as Tilly says and from what I've read, that it's more efficient than having the oven on low, or cooking on low on the hob.
I bought it for convenience and to save effort, and to be able to bung stuff in it and forget about it. Time will tell I guess. Thanks.

[Palustris]

Ours gets used all the time, especially on days when we are out . Saves having to start cooking when we get home. And the smell from some of the dishes is heavenly.
Hungarian Goulash, Chestnut and Bean Stew. Chillied pinto beans with bread dumplings, And Rice pudding made with Coconut milk is to die for.

[pastafreak]

I use mine for belly pork,Lamb neck fillet,pulled pork,mince and onions...loads more. I've got 2...a 1.5ltŕ and a 3.5litre. I love the little one...I can make enough for 2 meals.

[rsvp]

I've had the same one for over 40 years and I love it -so economical cos cheaper cuts come out so tender - make lots of stew/casserole type dishes and don't really use a recipe other than what's in the pantry.
One thing to take into account - mine is an old type with three setting auto/high and low and I've often left it on overnight on auto, I've been told that the newer models are too fierce to do this and a couple of people have said their food has burnt if cooked on high for too long. I've never had a problem with mine and would thoroughly recommend them.

[woofgang]

I love mine but if you are going to use it, it has to stay out on the worktop. It uses much less fuel than my cooker and I find if I slowcook in the oven the juices evaporate and I can get a dry result, whereas they don’t in the slow cooker.

[tamaris]

I dont use a lot but sometimes I make bread in it which is good, recipes online

[Smowball]

Use mine constantly. Regularly do huge batches of chilli and bolognese to then freeze portions. Really brings out the flavours. Also stews, soups, casseroles , joints of meat - practically anything!

[MissLead]

The wording of your question has a negative feel about it, so I wonder why you bought one in the first place!
Having said that, we have two of them - a smallish one, which is ideal for two or three person households - I regularly use mine for curries, stews and the like - the advantage of them is that once you have prepared the ingredients correctly, you can just leave the cooker to get on with it without constantly having to check.
The other one that we have was a mistaken impulse purchase- far too large a capacity (6 litres ), for day to day use so it only get used once in a blue moon when there are enough people that need feeding, the point being that you need to fill the cooking pot to at least half full each time you use it. It sits in a cupboard for most of the year.
Keeping it company in the cupboard is my pressure cooker (not been used since a friend's exploded with spectacular results when she was cooking beetroot). I have a few such ill-judged purchases taking up too much storage space. I don't like throwing away something that is in working order but that probably wouldn't be of use to anyone I know. - A car boot sale may be the answer? But that involves getting up really early and I can't be bothered to. Some friends put up items for free on Gumtree but were put off by having to wait in for people who responded to their posting but who didn't turn up.

[Eve]

I love mine, more of an autumn/winter thing for me though.

I agree with Tilly, Bolognese tastes gorgeous slow cooked. Beef Bourguinon is lovely too.

I only have a small one but it makes a good three portions which I can fridge/freeze.

[Cloverjo]

Sorry, ehthandron. Can I just ask Smowball a question?
Smowball, do you just put the raw meat and veg in the cooker, or do you brown it first?

[ethandron]

I've contemplated buying one for the last ten years but always decided against it. However, things change and I want to simplify cooking, which I hope this will do. I've bought a big one with the intention of freezing lots to make things even easier.
Thank you all for the hints and tips. I think you're right Woofy, it needs to be left out on the worktop to make sure it gets used. And yes Eve, I feel it's more of an autumn/winter thing too, looking forward to tasty, warming one pot meals with minimum effort.

[ethandron]

No probs Clover. Personally I don't intend to pre cook/fry anything, kind of defeats the object of it for me.

[Tilly2]

Cloverjo, I always dry fry mine to brown it and get some of the fat out.


Just in case Smow's busy ;-)

[1ozzy]

I'd be lost without the slow cooker during winter.

No pre-browning frying etc.

Trim the fat and throw everything in raw, somethings after others depending on the cooking time they need.

Brilliant machine, turn it on, fill it up, stir once or twice. Then eat.