Slow cooker 'novice'

[Netty7]

Keep hearing how great a slow cooker is, so just bought myself one. I'm hoping to do a stew tomorrow but normally I don't fry off the meat, add stock and bring up to simmer before putting into oven - just bung everything in and cook from cold. All the recipes give the frying off method, so can I put cold stock in to start with or do I have to heat first? Also can you do dumplings in the slow cooker - if so what setting and for how long?
Thanks in advance.

[Postdog]

You should cook the meat first. I too have tried it your way, and what happens is the meat takes ages to actually cook, and everything else overcooks. Also, any fat on the meat just ends up in whatever you are cooking, rather than being discarded before putting it in. I found that out by cooking mince for spag bol.

I don't think you can do dumplings, but I'm not sure having never tried

[ACB312]

Dumplings are no problem. Just pop them in about half an hour before serving. Cheers, Andy

[Netty7]

On high Andy?

[shaneystar2]

You can cook anything in it .I only brown things like chops or sausages if I am making a hot pot then put them on top of the vegetables .You can cook a joint of meat or chicken in it with no problems ..just bung it in and leave it.The point of a slow cooker is exactly what it says.....slow.It cooks the toughest meat for a long time and it comes out tender so you can use cheaper cuts of meat and get good results. I can't see the point of cooking the meat first ....that's defeating the object.
For a stew or casserole I just bung it all in cold and cook it all day on low for six to eight hours ..turn it up to high half an hour or so before you put dumplings in.

[ethandron]

i rarely, if ever, fry off meat first. i know it is the 'done thing' but ,especially in a slow cooker, makes more work for yourself. just bung it all in and switch it on. nothing can burn because of all the liquid in it, and the meat comes out sooo tender. if you buy lean cuts of meat there's not a lot of fat that comes out, and in any case, you do need some fat for the taste. i would use hot stock, rather than cold.
some people swear by the george foreman grills, and rave about all the 'fat' that comes out of food. that 'fat' is what keeps it moist and flavourful, the george foreman turns food into cardboard.
it's trial and error really, boils down (pardon the pun) to what the individual likes.

[vivandorron]

Take the advice of shaneystar2 and ethandoron. That's the confirmed view of Vivandorron.

[vivandorron]

Apology ethandron. Trying to be poetic in my support of matters, I inadvertantly mis-spelt your name. Best wishes.....Ron

[Netty7]

Brilliant - thanx to everyone.
I think I'm gonna chuck everything in without frying off but just add hot stock.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating as they say - I'll just have to see what happens when I get home from footie tomorrow! (That's my son playing not me!!)
Thanx again x

[ethandron]

no probs vivandorron, quite like the way you spelled it actually, wish i'd thought of it, kind of either/or, rather than both.