Another Bash

[ethandron]

at wrestling the slow cooker into submission.
Currently have chunks of chicken, two sliced onions and half a cauliflower finely chopped, combined with a sachet of murgh makhani curry sauce sitting in the darned machine. Didn't add any other liquid so hopefully I may have some success this time.

[EcclesCake]

Good luck!

I'm not a slow cooker enthusiast and have often wondered about those who cook whole chickens in one. I envisage a cooked chicken with flabby pale skin as opposed to tasty crispy skin, if anyone can enlighten me I'd appreciate it.

[ethandron]

Yes, I imagine a whole chicken cooked in one like that too.
Am going to try delias venison stew thing in it, the one that Barmaid recommended, probably next Saturday...have decided Saturday will be slow cooker experiment day. If I don't use the thing and get used to it I can see it being shoved in a cupboard and forgotten.
Have to say, there is something very satisfying about sorting out our evening meal at 9.30am and forgetting about it. Will let you know how this turns out.

[jakep]

I am using our new one for the first time today, just chopped veg, tin of tomatoes, stewing steak and jelly stock thingy.
Smells ok!

[Islay]

Sounds lovely but if your chicken is uncooked then by the time its cooked your cauliflower is going to be mush.

Eccles I do chicken and rice braise in mine, I take the skin off otherwise it is flabby skin lol

I have cooked whole chicken in it but just peel the skin off

[ethandron]

The cauliflower held its shape but was very soft. The whole thing was again a bit watery for my taste, better than my previous two attempts but still not 10/10.
Back to the drawing board.

[jakep]

Ours was a 9/10. Very pleased.

[ethandron]

I'm obviously still not doing it right then :(

[Tilly2]

When I cook a chicken in mine and it's done and falling off the bone, I take it out and give it a good blast in a hot oven for half an hour.

Result, lovely, moist chicken meat and lovely, crispy skin.

[Tilly2]

With respect, ethandron, I buy only organic, free range chicken which has not had water injected into it to plump it up. Hence, very little liquid produced by the cooked chicken.

[EcclesCake]

Biting tongue.....

Good luck in your endeavours Eth.

[ethandron]

That's obviously the answer Tilly, the inferior chicken I buy....
No offence taken, you actually gave me a good laugh.

[murraymints]

I love my slow cooker ...if doing something with veggies I add them later on in the cooking though so they don't turn to mush....

[Tilly2]

I'm glad you weren't offended Eth, as it was not meant as a slight.

I was pointing out that; although slow cookers are great for cheaper cuts of beef, pork and lamb; using cheaper cuts of chicken doesn't work because of the pumped in water.

[murraymints]

sausage casserole..yummy in slow cooker ..remember to add apples near the end !

[ethandron]

I know it wasn't Tilly, you've been nothing but helpful in my endeavours with this bl***y machine! You did make me laugh though ;)

[Islay]

eth, I do beef stew in mine, chuck in the meat and frozen stew veggies, beef stock cube and a cup of water pop the lid on and leave for 6-8 hours.

I then get the old bisto out and stir that in to thicken, I do however like a lot of sauce - if there is too much I tend to pour it off and reduce on the stove.

[ethandron]

Beef stew is next on the list to try Islay. I'll give it a go the way you suggest, maybe with a cup of red wine instead of water, a la Tilly!
I was going to do delias venison mushroom and pickled walnut casserole in it but until I'm confident I won't make a complete *** of it, I think I'll do it the traditional way.
Thanks for all your help people.

[Tilly2]

Don't forget the arrowroot, to thicken it slightly, Eth. Good luck.