Anyone use a slow cooker?

[ScottL]

I was thinking of buying one of these and was wondering if anyone had any tips on what to look for (or avoid) or sources of good recipes, etc.



Thanks.

[Benson]

They are excellent, especially in the winter. I think one is about as good as another and the internet is chock-a-block full of good recipies. Makes most meat fork tender...mmmmm

[Benson]

They are excellent, especially in the winter. I think one is about as good as another and the internet is chock-a-block full of good recipies. Makes most meat fork tender...mmmmm

[ScottL]

Thanks Benson.

[Coprolith]

As far as tips go, I'd say look for the following:



-A dial that lets you select a given temperature as opposed to "1, 2, 3" or "Low, Medium, High" and so on.



-Something with a removable cooking vessel separate from the actual heating element. Much easier to clean that way.



-They usually are, but check to make sure the vessel is made of a poor conductor of heat, be it porcelain, iron, or whatever. It will take longer to heat up, but be better able to maintain a constant temperature that way.



-Look for something on the box that tells you it's insulated. If the outside gets just as hot as the inside, then leaving on the counter for hours can be risky, not to mention wasteful of electricity.



-Get one with a cool-touch lid. Again, the burning thing. Also, if it has a way to open some valve or vent on the lid to control/prevent the output of steam, that's good.

[Coprolith]

Oh, and as Benson said, there are plenty of recipes online, but if you want some amazing green beans, put one or two smoked ham-hocks (should be available in the meat section with the other undesirables, e.g., tripe, bones, etc.) in the pot with some fresh trimmed and snapped green beans and 1/4 of an onion, sliced. Cover it with water, add about a tablespoon of salt, bring to a boil and then let it simmer for an hour or two. Check the salt, re-season if necessary, discard the hocks, and enjoy.

[ScottL]

LOL ham hock...takes me back to my internship in a small town in south carolina....lard in everything including the green beans.



Thanks for the info, especially the feature stuff.

[Supnut]

Are you guys talking about a crock pot?

[burns]

similar to a crock pot but instead of the bowl being surrounded by a heating element, a small pot sits on top of a hot plate.



i typically make a roast each week in my slow cooker. the meat always comes out fork tender and the veggies you include become infused with the beef flavor ....(mouth watering homer simpson style - arrrrrgghhhh, pot roast)

[Fahrenheit 450]

Some models also come with a little crock pot that is fixed to the low setting, nominally for keeping things like nacho cheese or other dips hot and melted. I use one of these for making steel cut oats overnight. Before bed, I mix one half cup oats, one half cup skim milk, 1.5 cups water, 1 T Splenda, some cinnamon and allspice, and a few currants or diced dried apricots. Let it cook (covered) all night, and in the morning I stir in a scoop and a half of whey mixed with about 2-3 oz of milk and a dash of nutmeg...



...deelish!