[It's me]

I am thinking of buying a slow cooker. I would like to roast a joint in it sometimes so I think an oval one would be best. Could anyone recommend a good slow cooker, there are so many on the market that I'm not sure which to go for. Any help would be much appreciated.

[teresagreen]

Mine was from ASDA a couple of years ago. For £10 it has been brilliant. It is a round one but I cook joints in it.

[paulyoung666]

for a start , you wont be roasting anything in it , we have a cheap argos and an asda one , both do the job

[Claratana]

I love my slow cooker but tend to make the same casserole in it every time.

How do you do a joint of meat in it?

[MillyC]

I cook all my joints in one, just bung it in with a bit of stock and voila

[Pepperoni Man]

We got a cheap Sainsburys one for about £12. Does the job fine and we also do joints of meat in it

[HollyC]

I also got a cheap and cheerful slow cooker (oval) and I love it!

I've cooked a whole chicken in mine (with a little stock) and the meat was so tender, it just fell off the bone. In fact, I got a lot more meat from the chicken than if I had just roasted it in the oven.

I also love doing a gammon joint - with either a carton of pineapple juice, or half a can of cider. Yum!

[JoLuc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HollyC

In fact, I got a lot more meat from the chicken than if I had just roasted it in the oven.

I also love doing a gammon joint - with either a carton of pineapple juice, or half a can of cider. YUM

YUK!

[HollyC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoLuc

YUK!

No, YUM!!

Anyway, I think you've got the wrong thread

[Claratana]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MillyC

I cook all my joints in one, just bung it in with a bit of stock and voila

How much stock do you need?

[oscardelahoya]

I have done whole chickens and gammon joints and all sorts without adding any liquid just bung it in and turn it on. Any liquid that you put in will stay there as it won't evaporate out so you never need very much.

[norbitonite]

Anyone done the gammon in coke thing in their slow cooker? If so, how much coke did they use? I got a slow cooker for Christmas and am keen to try this technique but would welcome advice.

[alsmama]

I've posted this on other slow cooker threads which the OP could check for to get more ideas about the glory of a slow cooker.

Ours ia oval and is an extra specially Eco one which uses even less power due to the rubber seal on the lid. Think it is morphy Richards but it came from Nigels Eco store.

We always cook the Sunday roast in it... Chicken comes out lovely. We don't add any extra liquid
for that and it never tastes dry.

We regularly cook curries chilli or bolognaise in it. We love that u just bung it all in and come back hours later. Doesn't matter if you don't come back exactly when planned... Your lovely meal will be waiting for you.

[It's me]

Thank you very much for your replies and your advice. I am definitely going to buy one, hearing about the delicious food you have cooked has inspired me.

I will also have a look at the other slow cooker threads for ideas alsmama.

[MillyC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Claratana

How much stock do you need?

I use about a quarter of a pint as it makes a nice gravy

[c4rv]

Quote:

Originally Posted by norbitonite

Anyone done the gammon in coke thing in their slow cooker? If so, how much coke did they use? I got a slow cooker for Christmas and am keen to try this technique but would welcome advice.

I haven't done one in a slow cooker but did 2 x 2kg joints in a low over. Used 2 lt bottle of cheap own brand cola. TBH, it was OK but not amazing.

[Red Whine]

Tesco had large oval slow cookers this morning for £12.

[paulyoung666]

just done pulled pork , bloody luvly it is

[oldhag]

I got mine at a car boot for £2. Brilliant for most stews the best thing though is a large joint of brisket. Fantastic!

[HollyC]

Today, I did sausages and mushrooms in creamy peppercorn sauce, which I had wish mash and baby carrots. It was yummy.

ETA: cooked in the slow cooker!

[Landdrifter24]

Do you lot brown your Joints off in the pan first then put it in the slow cooker? i do pulled pork/slow roast lamb in the oven on its slow cook setting, but the slow cooker i have would be so much more conveinient, infact i have a small joint of beef in the freezer, might put that on now to have when i get in from work tomorrow

[paulyoung666]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Landdrifter24

Do you lot brown your Joints off in the pan first then put it in the slow cooker? i do pulled pork/slow roast lamb in the oven on its slow cook setting, but the slow cooker i have would be so much more conveinient, infact i have a small joint of beef in the freezer, might put that on now to have when i get in from work tomorrow

i dont , just shot it in the slow cooker , it will be a lot more economical than using a normal cooker as well ...

[Clank007]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulyoung666

i dont , just shot it in the slow cooker , it will be a lot more economical than using a normal cooker as well ...

Maybe my experience isnt typical, but last week I did exactly as you are suggesting, although my ingredients were cubed steak and sausages.

I put all the meat in the slow cooker 'un seared', along with veg and a gravy type sauce.

It looked cooked 9 hours later as far as I could tell, so I ate it and it tasted great.
At 4am the following morning I was violently ill and the doc later told me i'd gotten food poisoning.

She asked what i'd eaten and was horrified when I told her i'd used a slow cooker to cook raw meat.
She insisted that in future I should sear any meat off for 5 to 10 minutes before placing in the slow cooker because - in her words - "slow cooking does not generate enough heat to kill bacteria in raw meat''
So, in future i will never use raw meat again in my SC.

As I say this may be an experience unique to me so I'm not saying everyone else should do the same- I am just passing on the advice given to me by my doc.

[It's me]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clank007

Maybe my experience isnt typical, but last week I did exactly as you are suggesting, although my ingredients were cubed steak and sausages.

I put all the meat in the slow cooker 'un seared', along with veg and a gravy type sauce.

It looked cooked 9 hours later as far as I could tell, so I ate it and it tasted great.
At 4am the following morning I was violently ill and the doc later told me i'd gotten food poisoning.

She asked what i'd eaten and was horrified when I told her i'd used a slow cooker to cook raw meat.
She insisted that in future I should sear any meat off for 5 to 10 minutes before placing in the slow cooker because - in her words - "slow cooking does not generate enough heat to kill bacteria in raw meat''
So, in future i will never use raw meat again in my SC.

As I say this may be an experience unique to me so I'm not saying everyone else should do the same- I am just passing on the advice given to me by my doc.

Having researched before buying a slow cooker the advice constantly given has been to sear meat before cooking. The instructions that came with my slow cooker advised doing this, I thought it was just to improve flavour but from your experience it seems that it's important from a safety aspect. I have also read that meat should be cooked on the high setting for one hour before lowering the temperature as this ensures the heat is sufficient to kill bacteria in meat.

[paulyoung666]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clank007

Maybe my experience isnt typical, but last week I did exactly as you are suggesting, although my ingredients were cubed steak and sausages.

I put all the meat in the slow cooker 'un seared', along with veg and a gravy type sauce.

It looked cooked 9 hours later as far as I could tell, so I ate it and it tasted great.
At 4am the following morning I was violently ill and the doc later told me i'd gotten food poisoning.

She asked what i'd eaten and was horrified when I told her i'd used a slow cooker to cook raw meat.
She insisted that in future I should sear any meat off for 5 to 10 minutes before placing in the slow cooker because - in her words - "slow cooking does not generate enough heat to kill bacteria in raw meat''
So, in future i will never use raw meat again in my SC.

As I say this may be an experience unique to me so I'm not saying everyone else should do the same- I am just passing on the advice given to me by my doc.

sorry to hear that , maybe you were unlucky whereas i have always been lucky , to be fair i always start it on high which would kill the bugs ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by It's me

Having researched before buying a slow cooker the advice constantly given has been to sear meat before cooking. The instructions that came with my slow cooker advised doing this, I thought it was just to improve flavour but from your experience it seems that it's important from a safety aspect. I have also read that meat should be cooked on the high setting for one hour before lowering the temperature as this ensures the heat is sufficient to kill bacteria in meat.

see above , have done mince , chicken , beef and never had a problem , good advice though it would seem