Slooooooooooow Cooker

[Morrigoon]

So now that I have a "real" slow cooker (eg: not the little $4 Walmart version but a serious 5.5-quart actual Crock Pot), I need recipes!

What I'm looking for though, are not necessarily the fancy things with a million ingredients. I'm looking mostly for basic methods and ways slow cookers are used. So that thing you cook where you don't measure anything but just sort of from memory toss a few things in and it always comes out great? That's what I'm looking for. I know at least a few of you out there have things you consider "super easy" where the "recipe" is something along the lines of "dump this and this together into the pot and turn it on".

Of course, if you're a Crock Pot enthusiast and have something great you're dying to share, no one's going to slap you silly with a large trout for posting it here ;)

Let's hear it slow cookers! What do I simply HAVE to try?

[Kevy Baby]

What do I simply HAVE to try?Stew. Call Susan for recipe (if you PM her, you may not get an answer until 2009)

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

I'm a big fan of Swedish Meatballs.

(Waits for Kevy to comment)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Pot Roast. Some combination of sauteed veggies, some sort of flavorful liquid (broths and wines work well), some sort of fatty, flavorful cut (I like chuck for a roast), low heat, lots of time. Voila.

[Not Afraid]

Chili.

Meat, kidney beans, tomatoes, onions, other shyt. yum.

[Moonliner]

So now that I have a "real" slow cooker (eg: not the little $4 Walmart version but a serious 5.5-quart actual Crock Pot), I need recipes!


I second that! A crock pot was tops on my wife's Christmas list so we are now a crock pot family. Personally, I say if you can't cook bacon in it what's the point?

[Disneyphile]

Pot roast and two cans of cream of mushroom soup (plus any desired seasonings like garlic, etc.)

During the last half hour, add some corn starch to make the soup into gravy.

Serve with potatoes. :D

[JWBear]

Spaghetti sauce

[Kevy Baby]

Babies

[CoasterMatt]

Sour Cream Bacon Chicken

Cook Time: 8 hours,

Ingredients:
8 bacon slices
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 (10 oz) cans roasted garlic cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup flour
Preparation:
Wrap one slice of bacon around each boneless chicken breast and place in a 3-4 quart crockpot. In medium bowl, combine condensed soups, sour cream, and flour and mix with wire whisk to blend. Pour over chicken. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours until chicken and bacon are thoroughly cooked. Serves 8

[CoasterMatt]

Bacon and Cheese Dip (really good with french bread cubes)

16 slices bacon (about 12 ounces), diced, fried and well drained
16 ounces cream cheese, cubed, room temperature
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash hot sauce

Put all ingredients in the slow cooker; cover and cook on low, stirring occasionally, for about 1 to 2 hours, until cheese is melted and mixture is hot. Taste and adjust seasonings, add bacon, and keep on low to serve.

[Moonliner]

You're my hero!

[CoasterMatt]

I'm a slowcooker fiend!
My mother-in-law got me one, and it's my second favorite machine in the kitchen (I have loads of fun with the garbage disposal and various knicknacks- scientific research, of course).

[Morrigoon]

Sour Cream Bacon Chicken

Cook Time: 8 hours,

Ingredients:
8 bacon slices
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 (10 oz) cans roasted garlic cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup flour
Preparation:
Wrap one slice of bacon around each boneless chicken breast and place in a 3-4 quart crockpot. In medium bowl, combine condensed soups, sour cream, and flour and mix with wire whisk to blend. Pour over chicken. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours until chicken and bacon are thoroughly cooked. Serves 8

That sounds fvcking awesome. Do you use the soup in its condensed form?

[Kevy Baby]

I wonder if you can cook bacon in a Crock Pot?

[Capt Jack]

I wonder if you can cook bacon in a Crock Pot?

yes. its awesome. its the first thing I did on the last batch of chili I made. it takes forever but adds an incredible flavor to the chili.


fave recipe

workday salsa shortribs
beef shortribs. a full 5 qt crock would be a buttload of ribs. how ever many you want. should be thawed
container salsa from grocer. la victoria or whatever kind you like. stay away from Pace and that sort. the fresher the better. enough to cover the ribs.

in the morning before work, start the crock on low add the ribs, dump the salsa in. doesnt usually need water as the salsa has a lot in it already

cover...

go to work

come home

consume to your hearts content

goes great over white rice
also works well as a potroast

[lashbear]

Cook a couple of pints of cream in it for 8 hours on low then skim the thickened cream off the top to get "Clotted Cream" - this is HEAVEN on scones, crumpets or over stewed berry compote.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[Kevy Baby]

I wonder if you can cook bacon in a Crock Pot?

yes. its awesome. its the first thing I did on the last batch of chili I made. it takes forever but adds an incredible flavor to the chili.I was thinking JUST bacon. Maybe put it on before you go to bed and then it is ready in the morning.

[Morrigoon]

Okay, so I swung by the (Stater Bros.) meat counter today and asked the meat guy's advice on what kind of roast to cook in the crock pot. He told me chuck roast.

So... what shall I do with it, kids?

[€uroMeinke]

put it in the crock pot?

[Ghoulish Delight]

Okay, so I swung by the (Stater Bros.) meat counter today and asked the meat guy's advice on what kind of roast to cook in the crock pot. He told me chuck roast.

So... what shall I do with it, kids?

pssst...

Pot Roast. Some combination of sauteed veggies, some sort of flavorful liquid (broths and wines work well), some sort of fatty, flavorful cut (I like chuck for a roast), low heat, lots of time. Voila.

A bit more detail....

Season the roast (salt, pepper, maybe some cumin), brown it in a very hot pan on all sides (just so the outside is brown). Put the meat aside and in the same pan, sautee some veggies (finely chopped carrots and onions and some garlic works well). While the pan is hot, add the liquid. I like using Merlot. Beef broth can work. Even a can of chopped tomatoes (if you do this, add some sugar). Add enough liquid that it'll cover a little more than half of the roast when it's in the crock. Stir it up to get all the good flavors off of the pan.

Throw the meat and the liquid into the crock pot, set it on a very low setting, and walk away for a few hours. Wouldn't hurt to turn the meat over about half way through.

[Morrigoon]

Well yeah... but with what?

Counter guy suggested veggies and then just filling the whole thing with water. Water? The whole thing?

[Morrigoon]

Broth or wine... yeah! NOW we're talkin'!

[CoasterMatt]

CHUCK ROAST IN THE CROCKPOT

1 pkg Knorr's onion soup mix
1 can beef broth
1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup
1 medium sized chuck roast

In the morning, before leaving for work, or at night before going to bed, put all ingredients into the CrockPot and cook on LOW for approximately 6-8 hours.
The beef will fall apart when finished.

Serve over cooked and buttered egg noodles.

[Not Afraid]

Water and red wine. And carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic, salt, pepper.

[Not Afraid]

Or add tomatoes, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and paprika to the red wine and veggies.

[Morrigoon]

I am LOVING all these suggestions guys, thanks!

[Not Afraid]

Or, make a sauerbraten.

Recipe. (http://crockpot.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/364/Sauerbraten57009.shtml)

[Prudence]

This is the best pot roast I've ever had. (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_20804,00.html)

Following this recipe leaves the broth very liquid, so you might want to thicken it.

[cirquelover]

I never fill the whole thing with fluid, even if I'm using water. I personally don't cover the roast completely with liquid, only about half.

Making stews and soups is really easy. Add whatever veggies you like, meat, seasoning and liquid, cover and cook.

I love to make applesauce or applebutter, just add apples, sugar and spices and a little water or apple juice.

From Christmas until New Years I usually put apple cider or juice in the crockpot with cinnamon sticks. It makes the house smell wonderful and tastes great too!

I used to make a great beef burgandy but all I remember is cut up beef, red wine and onions so I'm still playing with that one.

My latest is a hawaiian teriyaki chicken. I put boneless chicken in the crock with some shoyu(shoju) sauce and cook for about 6 hours then I shred and cook a little longer adding more sauce if needed. I serve with rice and macaroni salad just like our local Hawaiian place does.

I'm sure I'll think of more later.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Pork shoulder (aka pork butt, aka pork blade shoulder) is another good slow-cook meat.

And then there's always osdo bucco.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Stew meat, a can of cream o' mushroom soup, a half-soup-can of red wine, and a packet of Lipton onion soup mix. Serve over noodles.

I'm going to have to try a few of those recipes myself.

[tracilicious]

I like to throw in a whole chicken, some carrots, onion, garlic, celery, and broth. I cook the chicken on low for about 6-8 hours, take it out, let it cool a bit, pull the meat off, and put it back in the pot. Voila! Chicken soup!

I also like any amount of chicken with a jar of salsa. Cook the chicken until it's highly shreddable, then shred it, throw it back in with the salsa. Voila! Chicken tacos.

I use my crock pot very much in the way that you describe in the OP. The only thing I ever use a recipe for is chilli.

[BarTopDancer]

Chicken and rice
1 cup rice
2 cups water (or whatever the standard rice cooking amount is)
chicken pieces
cream of mushroom soup

Add in above order
turn on high
cook
eat

Chili

Beans (I use kidney, pinto and black) - drain all beans into a large measuring cup or bowl
1 can diced or stewed tomatos - drain into the same container as above
Add above beans and tomatoes along with a chopped onion and anything else you want to add
1 packet chili mix powder
Stir around juices to mix and pour about half the mixture in the crock pot
cook
eat

I've found it really hard to make anything that is bad in the crock pot. Add what sounds good, cook and eat.

[Kevy Baby]

I like to throw in a whole chicken...I hope you kill it first.

[cirquelover]

I received a link today from Food Network that I thought would be perfect for this thread:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/lf_qe_one_pot_meals/article/0,,FOOD_24816_5323700,00.html

Some of it looks good and can be a good basis for experimentation!

[blueerica]

So, a while back, J & I saw a Crock Pot with a timer and the works. We figured, "Ahh... we'll get it later..." For two months, we haven't seen it until today. WOOHOO!

I'm doing my first pot roast, I've been keeping a small amount of bacon fat in the fridge, so I threw it in the pan, seasoned my beef on all sides with salt, pepper, cumin, dried onion and some other random stuff that sounded good. Once it was seared on all sides, I took it out of the pan, threw it in the slow cooker, put some beef broth into the pan and got the good bits off the bottom. Chopped up carrots, potatoes, onions (big chunks) and peeled some garlic, threw it all in along with some more broth and have been patiently waiting for it to finish. Sadly, I didn't feel like driving down to the state liquor store for good wine, and I didn't have any celery, which I love to throw in the later stages of my roasts.

But... smells awfully good!

[blueerica]

My latest adventures in slow cookery took place in my mouth yesterday. And yum was the result.

Thursday night, I quickly seared a small-ish pork loin (a bit lean for slow cookery tastes, but seemed like a good choice anyway), with olive oil, salt, pepper (mixed peppercorns), and probably something else, but I don't remember, because I tend to get carried away with the moment and not take stock of what I am actually putting on things. But I think I kept it pretty simple since I knew the rest of my plans were a bit... different.

Been dying to get rid of a jar of applesauce that had been staring me in the face for a month and a half. Apparently, we like apple sauce, but only when we feel like it. Until I have the urge to make this dish again, it's applesauce cups for us. So, after I seared the pork, laid it into my slow cooker on a bed of apple sauce... mmm... Chopped 1.5 med-small sized onions. Since they were on the smaller size, I just cut them in half rather than quartered, broke it up a little and threw it in. 6 average-sized garlic cloves, roughly chopped into bigger sized pieces. Tossed those in, too. Then, I turned and remembered the apples that I bought in an effort to eat more fruit (forgetting that apples are only something I enjoy occasionally, and even then, granny smith, not gala). I took the easy way out and just chopped around the core, then took the bigger piece and chopped it in half. Three apples later, I threw it all in.

Then came a can of vegetable broth. Let's call it 15 ounces. I honestly don't remember and the trash got thrown out, so I'm no help there. But, it was a can of Swanson's veggie broth.

After staring for what seemed like about a minute and a half, I decided it needed more. I threw on some more pepper and salt. No, that couldn't be it... Oh, what the hell, how about some honey... I drizzled honey over the exposed area of the seared pork and called it a day. No I didn't... I added a bunch of cinnamon I got from the farmer's market. Some fancy kind, ground up and stuff. Then I called it a day. Threw the crock pot in the fridge and waited for dawn.

After a good 8 hour nap, I woke up, got ready for work, and tossed the pot into the cooker, and hit "10 hours, low heat." Going to work unsure of what the night's meal would bring was, well, it was like going to work on a normal day. In fact, I pretty much forgot about it until I got a call from J telling me he got sick and was home.

When I got home, I was shocked to discover that the juices had condensed into a paste (I'm sure there were a hundred reasons why that happened, none of which I'm willing to investigate). Though the house smelled amazing, I knew something needed to be done. Luckily, I had the foresight to grab an extra can of veggie broth while I was at the store, and I tossed that in. Cooked it a little longer, made some mashed potatoes (boiled with a bit of garlic oil and mashed with a small amount of goat cheese), served it up and..........

It was really good. Melted in my mouth and had that amazing combination of sweet, salty, savory and... melty. And the leftovers were pretty good, too.

If anyone wants to try it, I think it went something like:

Small pork loin
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Stuff
Some random amount of apple sauce, let's call it 2 cups
1.5 smallish sweet onions, chopped lengthwise in half
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 apples, chopped
Vegetable broth
Honey, apx... uh... 3... uh... spoonfuls, but I squirted it out of a cute bear thing
Cinnamon, probably a tablespoon or two

Sear pork loin, do some stuff, mix it together in a crock pot and cook for a long time. Then make some mashed tatos. Serve together.

[Puff Nuggets]

^---- I threw up later that night.

[blueerica]

Mean, mean, mean...

[Kevy Baby]

Sue made stew yesterday.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Old thread alert!

My latest adventures in slow cookery took place in my mouth yesterday. And yum was the result.

Thursday night, I quickly seared a small-ish pork loin (a bit lean for slow cookery tastes, but seemed like a good choice anyway), with olive oil, salt, pepper (mixed peppercorns), and probably something else, but I don't remember, because I tend to get carried away with the moment and not take stock of what I am actually putting on things. But I think I kept it pretty simple since I knew the rest of my plans were a bit... different.

Been dying to get rid of a jar of applesauce that had been staring me in the face for a month and a half. Apparently, we like apple sauce, but only when we feel like it. Until I have the urge to make this dish again, it's applesauce cups for us. So, after I seared the pork, laid it into my slow cooker on a bed of apple sauce... mmm... Chopped 1.5 med-small sized onions. Since they were on the smaller size, I just cut them in half rather than quartered, broke it up a little and threw it in. 6 average-sized garlic cloves, roughly chopped into bigger sized pieces. Tossed those in, too. Then, I turned and remembered the apples that I bought in an effort to eat more fruit (forgetting that apples are only something I enjoy occasionally, and even then, granny smith, not gala). I took the easy way out and just chopped around the core, then took the bigger piece and chopped it in half. Three apples later, I threw it all in.

Then came a can of vegetable broth. Let's call it 15 ounces. I honestly don't remember and the trash got thrown out, so I'm no help there. But, it was a can of Swanson's veggie broth.

After staring for what seemed like about a minute and a half, I decided it needed more. I threw on some more pepper and salt. No, that couldn't be it... Oh, what the hell, how about some honey... I drizzled honey over the exposed area of the seared pork and called it a day. No I didn't... I added a bunch of cinnamon I got from the farmer's market. Some fancy kind, ground up and stuff. Then I called it a day. Threw the crock pot in the fridge and waited for dawn.

After a good 8 hour nap, I woke up, got ready for work, and tossed the pot into the cooker, and hit "10 hours, low heat." Going to work unsure of what the night's meal would bring was, well, it was like going to work on a normal day. In fact, I pretty much forgot about it until I got a call from J telling me he got sick and was home.

When I got home, I was shocked to discover that the juices had condensed into a paste (I'm sure there were a hundred reasons why that happened, none of which I'm willing to investigate). Though the house smelled amazing, I knew something needed to be done. Luckily, I had the foresight to grab an extra can of veggie broth while I was at the store, and I tossed that in. Cooked it a little longer, made some mashed potatoes (boiled with a bit of garlic oil and mashed with a small amount of goat cheese), served it up and..........

It was really good. Melted in my mouth and had that amazing combination of sweet, salty, savory and... melty. And the leftovers were pretty good, too.

If anyone wants to try it, I think it went something like:

Small pork loin
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Stuff
Some random amount of apple sauce, let's call it 2 cups
1.5 smallish sweet onions, chopped lengthwise in half
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 apples, chopped
Vegetable broth
Honey, apx... uh... 3... uh... spoonfuls, but I squirted it out of a cute bear thing
Cinnamon, probably a tablespoon or two

Sear pork loin, do some stuff, mix it together in a crock pot and cook for a long time. Then make some mashed tatos. Serve together.This is currently filling my house with sweet appley aromas. I'm sure it'll be fantastic tonight. :snap:

[blueerica]

Hmm - you'll have to share the results.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Hmm - you'll have to share the results.
Oh hell no. I'm not sharing. Mine mine mine mine mine.

To. Die. For.

[BarTopDancer]

I swear I posted this before, but I can't find it:

1 pot roast
cut up pot roast vegetables.
1 packet onion soup mix
1 can cranberry sauce
salt & pepper
1/2 c. water

cook 8 hours low.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

The pork fell apart with a fork and the apples absorbed all the goodness perfectly, not losing too much cohesion or texture. Delish!

BTW I went with 2 cans of veg broth upfront instead of one early and one later, to avoid the coagulation issue. Other than that, nearly exactly your "recipe", including mashed potatoes from scratch as the side.

Slow cook is now my fav style, because making dinner can be a challenge. Theo isn't too happy in the evenings, and GD and I end up passing the cooking back and forth.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Other than that, nearly exactly your "recipe", including mashed potatoes from scratch as the side.My favorite part was when you "did some stuff".

[blueerica]

Awesome!

Reading that recipe, I'm not sure I'd have dared to make sense of what I wrote, but I'm glad you did!

We still slow cook here and there. We had to downsize our slow cooker as we always ended up making too much food to actually eat. It forces us to buy in smaller quantities, which ends up being better in the long run. Slow cooker fare, as of late, has been roast/stew from last week, corned beef, carrots and potatoes (didn't bother with the cabbage) from St Patty's Day, and some freezer burned chicken that came out awful.

I may have to try that pork loin thing again...