Rose Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Dear all... I've heard so many of you talk about the virtues of cooking by slow cooker and have decided to buy one. Anyone got any recommendations or advice on what I should or shouldn't go for...Thanks in adance [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 There was a fairly recent discussion about this very subject a while back. The Bendy Frilly Fruit wanted some advice too...http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1271804/ShowPost.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose Posted October 20, 2008 Author Share Posted October 20, 2008 Thanks Clair... this just confirms that I am going mad as I did do a search and found the 2006 thread but not the one you've given me... just to make sure I wasn't imagining it I just did the search again and guess what... loads of threads! [8-)] it must be me! [:$] [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Try these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose Posted October 20, 2008 Author Share Posted October 20, 2008 Ok.. now I feel really embarrased...[:$] [:$] [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I did a pretty good "Kate and Sidney" filling in mine last week. It's just so easy to get the thing going in the evening and let it cook overnight.Do reduce the liquid from your usual recipe by a good third or half, as there is no evaporation from the slow cooker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose Posted October 20, 2008 Author Share Posted October 20, 2008 thanks Clair... I'll pop into Darty this week and get practicing... Greyman is back on Friday and I can impress him with my new found skills [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Yes, they are more difficult to find and more expensive, something to do with most people being in the habit of using pressure cookers?Mine came from a special offer (€20) at Géant 2 or 3 years ago. I have seen it on offer twice since in the same shop, but it is not on the shelves at any other time.Darty do one at €60, but if you have the opportunity, get one from Argos... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 http://direct.tesco.com/q/N.1999571.aspxI have the Morphy Richards 48710, I think John Lewis also do them - if you know someone coming from the UK you would probably get better value.PS ( I have just realised we have 3 slow cookers - one of them is quite big so I don't use it as much, but it is very handy for heating up the Christmas pudding without having a steam filled kitchen !)PS - Just looked at Clairs link - Groundhog day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 You don't do things by half do you ? [:D][:D]That is the BIG version of mine by the look of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bosie Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 I love my slow cooker and find it great if we are expecting visitors and not sure of arrival time - nothing spoils. I never thought about doing my Christmas pudding in it Russethouse - what a great idea! How do you do it? Do you just stand the pudding in water and leave it? Would love to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 I have never tried to do a Christmas pudding from scratch in it - though it's a thought ( I am usually given one or buy a premade pud) but either we put the pudding in the slow cooker with water just below the rim, on Christmas Eve, or we start it Christmas morning and put it on high, then medium. That way you are not working in a steam filed kitchen, in fact sometimes we've plugged the cooker in elsewhere (garage) and kept it right out of the way. PS. Looks like you CAN use the slow cooker for the whole process too:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1570380/Why-not-try-making-your-own-Christmas-pud.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bosie Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Thanks for the info - I will certainly be doing our pud that way this year but don't think I will try doing it from scratch.Will have to keep it in the kitchen because once made a rice pudding, put the cooker in a room other than the kitchen and remembered it three days later. Surprisingly it was edible but a bit dry to say the least - I think we cut it into slices.Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose Posted October 21, 2008 Author Share Posted October 21, 2008 You see... everyone has one and they sound fantastic! (well very useful [Www])... I'm going back to the UK next week so maybe I'll get one whilst I'm there... we're taking the car so I suspect i'll be bring back a great deal! good job we can take the seats out! [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Cant be without one in France ......ideal for beef.....I think our SuperU only gets beef from cattle that have been trained for the Bovine Olympics.... toughest animals I have ever come accross .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 My limited experience so far seems to suggest that you need to double up on the herbs and spices. But they make brilliant curries if you do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose Posted October 21, 2008 Author Share Posted October 21, 2008 [quote user="Frederick"]Cant be without one in France ......ideal for beef.....I think our SuperU only gets beef from cattle that have been trained for the Bovine Olympics.... toughest animals I have ever come accross .... [/quote][:D]Did someone mention curry... [blink] [:-))] what I would do for a curry!!! [:$] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Chris Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Young Julie makes a blinding Ruby Murray - and she chucks a few of our home-grown chillis in, too !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User no longer member. Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 I sadly left my AGA behind in UK so bought the large Kenwood Slow Cooker (delivered from UK, can't remember which store... Amazon I think), changed the plug and now use it most days for everything from soup to curry, rice pudding to poached fruit. I love Creole cooking, Jambalaya, Gumbo etc and its perfect for that. It is also worth buying recipe books especially for slow cookers, I have a couple of great ones 'Slow cooking for yourself' by Catherine Atkinson and 'Slow Cooking, curry & spice dishes' by Carolyn Humphries (try the Minted Lamb tagine with prunes - its delicious!!) - Amazon have a good selection. of books as do ebay.The thing to remember with the slow cooker is that you don't need so much liquid as it doesn't evaporate and because the pot has a tight fitting lid, none of the flavours are lost... I wouldn't be without mine and even cook the dog meat in it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 [quote user="Frederick"]Cant be without one in France ......ideal for beef.....I think our SuperU only gets beef from cattle that have been trained for the Bovine Olympics.... toughest animals I have ever come accross .... [/quote]I brought four over - 2 small, one medium and one large. Couldn't do without them. Today I cooked the second half of the tende tranche of beef we grilled yesterday in the slow cooker, and much better, actually edible. I agree, Frederick, I don't know what they do to the beef here, but tender it aint! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose Posted October 23, 2008 Author Share Posted October 23, 2008 I think I'm suffering from slow-cooker envy! I will take your advice and get a couple of cook books, and I think I may buy two cookers whilst in the uk... one big and one smaller... Can't wait for my first go now! [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 RoseThe best use of the slow cooker books is to give you the generalities of cooking, eg not as much water is needed, and try a few recipes, after that, improvise, you'll soon learn. The large one I bought in 1978, and I've rarely used a recipe from a book since, though I may look at one to give me a few new ideas, beef, carrots and potatoes can get a bit boring though hubby likes it. I also found that I can do a super confit a la maison by cooking cuisse de canard in their own fat, on high - the meat comes off the bone beautifully. Not as recommended by the top chefs, but dead simple and it works!Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I got a cheapy one in the UK a few months back (Asda would you believe) just to try out really. As mentioned above, I changed the plug and gave it a go. Brilliant! why did I not have one before? I've done all sorts of savoury things including a mixed bean dish, sort of 'Chilli sin carne' which works very well. Never thought about rice pud (which I love) or poached fruit but I'm going to give it a go this weekend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 With winter a mere days away ([Www]), you could also try mulled wine [:D][:D]... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 or Glühwein as it's known in these parts.Great idea! Only ever made it in a saucepan on the cooker before where it's too easy to let it boil (and spoil).Why is it that it tastes best when you are outside and it's really, really cold? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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