UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion

My Nan used to buy it because she couldn't mash potatoes herself.

Oh. I just chuck everything. If I buy asda casserole veggies I don't even have to peel or cut anything.

I think I must be a heathen.

You don't have to brown meat before putting it in the slow cooker, the first slo cooker that we ever owned explained how to do the one-step method, which is the bung it all in method - you just need to make sure that the stock is boiling when you poor it over the meat and vegetables. I cooked most of my meals like this to start with as I was recovering from glandular fever in the early days of owning my first slow cooker and didn't have much energy. Now it depends what mood I'm in, sometimes I brown the meat first and start off the veg in a pan, and sometimes I throw it all in!

I've kept the recipe booklet from that first slow cooker, although the cooker itself has long since worn out. Here are the instructions for the One-step method:-

"One-Step" Cooking

Use this method when time is at a premium.
Pre-heat the slow cooker and boil the cooking liquid in a separate pan.
Remove the lid (use oven gloves) and put it on a heat proof surface.
Put the raw ingredients into the cooking pot and add the boiling hot cooking liquid.
Replace the lid (use oven gloves) and turn the switch to the setting required.

I'm now on my third slow cooker (I wear them out) and that is metal as it doubles up as a rice cooker. So I don't preheat this, but I can still bung all the raw ingredients in, add boiling stock and it works just as well. It needs a longer cooking time than the times that you brown the meat and fry the veggies first.

I've got a chicken casserole on the go now. The only prep I did was to skin and joint the chicken as its cheaper to do it ourselves rather than buy pieces. Okay, Dave skinned and jointed the bird. While he did that, I chopped the onion and peeled the carrots.
Boil the kettle, mix an envelop of tescos chicken casserole mix in the boiling water, bung the meat and veg in, pour the gravy/sauce over, ignore until dinner time.
Yes, it could go in the oven instead but then dinner wouldn't be ready as soon as we get home from work, would it?

The easiest no brainer slow cooker recipe I know (that frees me up for reading or writing) that tastes great is:

Pork Butt
Barbecue sauce (hickory smoke)
1 orange.
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Put meat in, add half of the bottle to all of it in over the meat. Then add the juice of 1 orange (or 1/2 cup of fresh o.j.), s and p.
Turn on high for about 4 to 6 hours, or until the meat is falling apart.

This smells incredible cooking. Works without the orange, too. Sub a little water. Or pomegranate juice. When I feel like getting a little more involved, I use thyme, coriander etc. ... You could also go the curry route, just add enough powder to your tastes.

Leftovers are really good in a soft taco (drain any liquids off unless you want a mess) and treated like a burrito or taco, with your favorite adds.

Patti (Fluffy) wrote: "Yes, it could go in the oven instead but then dinner wouldn't be ready as soon as we get home from work, would it? "

I was thinking about the slow cooker versus casserole dish in oven debate, a bit more over night. That was one of the points that I was thinking of making. You don't want to leave a casserole in the oven whilst you are out all day and don't know when you are due to get back (sometimes our work involves some travelling and we really don't know when we will get home.) Once it's finished cooking it will sit there keeping your food warm until you are ready for it - even if that turns out to be the next day!! In fact, that is sometimes a good thing to do because the flavours have really melded together in that time. It also takes less energy than the oven (electricty/gas I mean), unless you are using the oven to cook other things at the same time it's much more expensive to use the oven than plug in the slow cooker.

*steps off soap box*

Yup. ^What she said^ :)
It uses less energy than an energy-saving lightbulb (I know, because I have a meter *nerd alert*). And it won't burn whilst your back is turned (or out)

I've just been reading through this thread again and noticed that someone commented that they don't always completely cover the meat (this was in response to the instructions that I'd copied out of one of our slow cooker recipe books). I have noticed that many of these rules which I've read about don't seem to matter that much - I've broken lots of them over the years and the food still cooks! So no, I don't always completely cover the meat either, and I don't preheat the slow cooker when I use the one step method!

Naw the chicken I've got in now isn't completely covered and I never ore-heat the slow cooker.

It's smelling sooooooooo good now.

I can see that I'm hopelessly outnumbered here.
Nevertheless...
Ovens have automatic settings so a casserole can be cooked ready at any planned time - if you're late it won't matter because the oven will have turned itself off. And you can stick in a bread pudding to cook at the same time.

The oven here has two settings.

On

And off.

My oven has two settings

Off

& Burn

B J wrote: "I can see that I'm hopelessly outnumbered here.
Nevertheless...
Ovens have automatic settings so a casserole can be cooked ready at any planned time - if you're late it won't matter because the ove..."

It won't keep it warm for you without drying it out, and it still needs more energy to run.

:0)

Jay-me (Janet) ~plum chutney is best~ wrote: "My oven has two settings

Off

& Burn"

Lmao!

Janet, I adore you. :D

Karen (Kew) wrote: "B J wrote: "I can see that I'm hopelessly outnumbered here.
Nevertheless...
Ovens have automatic settings so a casserole can be cooked ready at any planned time - if you're late it won't matter bec..."

Yeah, what she said!

Move over Karen. We both need to fit on the soapbox.

Just had the casserole with steamed baby new taters. Yum!
At least one more meal left for the two of us. Gonna have the rest tomorrow night instead of freezing it.

Patti (Fluffy) wrote: "Karen (Kew) wrote: "B J wrote: "I can see that I'm hopelessly outnumbered here.
Nevertheless...
Ovens have automatic settings so a casserole can be cooked ready at any planned time - if you're late..."

There's room for both of us on here!

I'm such a slow cooker fan that I am on my third one now and I'm not sure how much longer it will last as I do wear them out!

I expect I'll wear this one out. The one that got smashed in the shipping was really old but worked a treat.

Did I ever post my sweet n sour sauce recipe for pork ribs and chicken wings in the recipe thread? Must check.

Gonna do a mess of sticky wings for a party we're invited to in a couple weeks.

Okay...it's my birthday party, actually. :)

Simon (Highwayman) wrote: "Oh. I just chuck everything. If I buy asda casserole veggies I don't even have to peel or cut anything.

I think I must be a heathen."

Chuck everything... Chuck in, chuck out, or chuck up?

I may be the only one on here that thinks they are a waste of space, but a Google search reveals many others who share my opinion. One of the main complaints is bland-tasting food. The long cooking times breaks down the flavour components of herbs and spices. The remedy is to be on hand to stir in fresh herbs/spices towards the end of cooking.
I sense we'll soon need more soapboxes.

I put chorizo in many of the things I cook in mine. Bland it ain't!

B J wrote: "Some of our local charity shops take electrical goods. I assume they have a qualified electrician among their volunteers who does the required testing.
What's this R.M.F.? A slow-cooked breakfast?"

Not a bad idea! If I'm having casserole for Sunday lunch, I do the preparation work the night before so it's ready to go. But to be honest, if I've been out boozing on a Saturday night, then by the time I get up on a Sunday, Sunday lunch could be breakfast. Casserole or muesli? Only one winner there!

The only winner there is a bacon butty!

With lashings of brown sauce. Right Ignite?

Wrong! A bacon butty should remain pristine and virginal to its last bite!

Oh. you were winding me up, right?

That worked then!

Hehehehehe

I don't find my meals bland either, I suspect they are using the wrong recipes. I add dried herbs at the beginning of cooking, but always stir fresh herbs in last minute, as you would do cooking on the hob or elsewhere...

People make the mistake of ruining a bacon butty with brown bread instead of white. Why? Why?

R.M.F wrote: "People make the mistake of ruining a bacon butty with brown bread instead of white. Why? Why?"

Because brown bread is better.

People insist on having bacon butties with tomato sauce when it should be either HP sauce or plum chutney. And the bacon must have all the fat trimmed off and be just on the crispy side but not rock hard.

Bacon butties require NO sauce. Just lovely melting butter mmmmm

Yay Rosemary! Exactly right!

Oh yes. Nothing like fat with your fat.

Ich

Rosemary wrote: "Bacon butties require NO sauce. Just lovely melting butter mmmmm"

Heresy!!

Jay-me (Janet) ~plum chutney is best~ wrote: "R.M.F wrote: "People make the mistake of ruining a bacon butty with brown bread instead of white. Why? Why?"

Because brown bread is better.

People insist on having bacon butties with tomato sauc..."

Heresy!!

Your all having me on, now.
You can't make a bacon butty in a slow cooker! Can you?

No, Mark, you can't. In fact, you can't make anything worth eating in a slow cooker.
;o

No sticky wings for BJ.

Patti (Fluffy) wrote: "No sticky wings for BJ."

Is the recipe on the recipe thread P?

Oh. Forgot to check.

I'll look now.

Not in the locked recipe thread, it seems.

The sauce recipe is dead easy.
These measurements are approximate as I just throw it together.

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar or molasses (molasses is nicer, if you've got it)
1/4 teaspoon dry English mustard
1/4 teaspoon ginger
3 teaspoons soy sauce
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice
Some water if it seems too thick.
Stir well until all the sugar is dissolved.

Boil the wings for a half hour or so. I save the water for stock base after cooling and skimming. This step makes them less greasy.

Dump the wings in the slow cooker, cover with the sauce, ignore for several hours if you can.

The smell is heavenly.

They're even better if left overnight in fridge after cooking, then reheated in the slow cooker the next day.

Just be careful not to cook them for too long or the meat falls right off the bone.

I use the same recipe for pork ribs and pork chops.

I suppose it'd work on tofu cubes, too.

This recipe is suppose to go in the oven,but i put it in the slow cooker compartment of my cooker.

LAMB WITH PORT AND PRUNES

1tsp cardomom pods,seeds only
1tsp cumin seed
1tsp ground cinnamon
3tbsp groundnut oil,plus extra for frying(i use normal olive oil)
600g/1lb 7oz lamb neck fillet,cut into large chunks
12 baby shallots
1tbsp plain flour
300ml/10.5fl oz port
8ooml/1.5pt lamb stock or beef stock
300g/10.5oz prunes
1 cinnamon stick
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pomegranate,seeds only
6-10 mint leaves

Preheat the oven to 180c/350f/gas4(i prehaet my slow cooker)
in a mortar and pestle,grind together the cardamom seed and the cumin seed to a powder,then stir in the ground cinnamon
mix in the spices with the groundnut oil and rub the spice paste all over the chunks of lamb
in a large casserole,fry the lamb in a little more oil until browned all over and then set aside.
in the same pan,fry the shallots for 5 minutes until golden brown and then return the lamb to the pan
add the flour and cook through for a minute
pour in the port and the stock,add the prunes and cinnamon stick and season well with the salt and pepper
put on a casserole lid and bake for a hour
serve with a scattering of pomegranite seeds and some torn mint leaves

I serve mine with crispy potatoes and garlic and parsley flatbread.

I'm doing slow cooker lamb shanks with guinness for this evening. If it's any good I'll pop the recipe up on this thread.

Cheers Mark!

Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks Braised in Guinness

Ingredients
4 lbs lamb shanks
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon mustard
1 1/2 cups Guinness stout or 1 1/2 cups other dark beer
1/2 cup beef broth, undiluted

Directions
Lightly coat shanks in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.
Reserve left over flour mixture.
In a skillet heat oil.
Add lamb in batches and cook until browned.
Transfer to slow cooker.
Reduce heat and add onions, to pan, cook till softened.
Add garlic,thyme, bay leaf and reserved flour cook 1-2 minutes stir in tomato paste, mustard, beer & broth.
Pour over meat.
Cover and cook on low 8 -10 hours or on high 4 - 5 hours.
Serve with mashed potato and veggies.


It was really nice. If I make it again I'll use ordinary Guinness or a dark bitter and not the Export 7.5% Guinness because if anything it was slightly too treacley.

Good grief. People use recipes? After you've made one or two decent dinners with the thing, you just do it.

Ignite wrote: "Good grief. People use recipes? After you've made one or two decent dinners with the thing, you just do it."

I use recipes for inspiration mainly then having checked the cupboards, cook up something similar without having to spend too much money on extra ingredients.

Once the cheap field tomatoes hit the shops here I'm going to use mine to make a huge batch of tomato sauce. The amount of salt and sugar in tinned sauce is shocking.

Wish my freezer here was bigger.

Anyone interested in a nice (well I think so anyway ;) ) recipe for beef rendang? A spicy coconut beef stew.

Oh yes please!

Beef rendang:
500g stewing beef in chunks (I use brisket)
3dl coconut milk
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
2 curry leaves
2 kaffir lime leaves
3 garlic cloves
2 onions
2 coin size slices galangal
2cm ginger
1 tsp turmeric
4 tsp sambal
1/2 lemon, juice
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
salt to taste

Make a paste using a stick blender for example from the onion, garlic, galangal, ginger, turmeric, sambal, lemon juice and sugar.
Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook it on low for 8 hours.

With this I normally serve Sambal Goreng green beans

400g green beans (frozen are fine)
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
candle nut, grated (leave this out if you can't find them)
1 tsp galangal
1 tsp sambal
1 tsp brown sugar
1 curry leave
1 cup of coconut milk.
Salt to taste

Again make a paste from the onion, garlic, candle nut, galangal, sambal and sugar. Fry this in a saucepan in a little bit of oil, add all the other ingredients. Bring to the boil, put the lid on and let simmer until the beans are nice and tender. It's also nice to add a tin of bamboo shoots to this. Or you can leave out the vegetables and add eggs to make Sambal Goreng telor.

Leafs and leaf, not leaves, sorry.

Leaves are fine!