[Jamestown1630]

This week: Of Crockpots and Pressure Cookers!

(If you would like to be on or off of this weekly cooking thread ping-list, please send a private message.)

-JT

[Aliska]

Okay, the timing is great, going to buy a new crock pot. Have a Hamilton Beach purple passion 5 quart oval picked out, but I'm reading that many of the newer heat on the bottom and need a liner. Can do that. But the sides are also very hot to the touch. Any suggestions, prefer to keep the 5-quart. Oh, don't want a higher tech one, just regular. I like the cicular ones better but will try oval

Then I plan to cook a recipe I saved for beef dip sandwiches. It's basically 3# chuck, 1 can consomme 2 cans french onion and whatever.

But I got it in my head we slick chuck roast and to get across the grain, the slices are thinner than I like roast beef. How about if I can talk the butcher into cutting me a fatter one? If it is too much I can freeze half of it.

The other cuts I like even better but want to see how the chuck works are sirloin tip, top or bottom round and I haven't cooked it but I thought there was a rolled one with fat tied around it, probably too expensive.

I'll go with the recipe but we now have the B than Boullion and beef stock and broth.

Oh and I like them a little browned; I thought some crock pots produced a little but most sites say you have to brown them in a pan. I'd rather not dirty an extra pan if I don't have to.

Thanks in advance!

[blueyon]

Has anyone tried baking bread in their crock pot yet?

[ConjunctionJunction]

We recently got an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Hard cooked eggs are much easier to peel!

[EinNYC]

I only recently got a new crockpot, although my Crock-Pot was still working. It was, you see, 45 years old---and still worked perfectly. One of the original Crock-Pots. I only replaced it because I was afraid any day could be "the day" and I didn't want any safety hazards in the kitchen.

I use my new crockpot (another Crock-Pot, of course) all the time. The latest and greatest (which I'm chowing down on right now) is homemade chicken soup, because I am trying to shake a nasty cold. That hot soup with its veggies and noodles, is bringing me back to life.

[SisterK]

No worries. You can make gin from all those juniper berries.

[Yaelle]

Is the instant pot the air fryer? They do seem tempting.

I use my crockpot every week. Almost everything turns out pretty good. Last week it was a nice beef stew in red wine. Right now I have yesterday night’s roasted chicken carcass in it, with filtered water and a big splash of apple cider vinegar, in order to get the most minerals and gelatin from the bones. It’s been in there 24 hours, and the next 24 will be with sliced leeks and a bit more vinegar. Then I cool it and freeze it in red solo style cups, slice the cups once frozen and save the frozen 1.5 c portions in freezer bags. Best bone broth ever. Practically free.

[be-baw]

I have an instant pot but only used it once to make sure the pressure vent works. At the same time I got an Anova Precision Cooker which I’ve used a few times and really like a lot.

[pugmama]

I just got a new kitchen toy-an airfryer.I am just starting to use it. So far it has been an amazing device. Facebook has a group devoted to users. They are posting some awesome recipes and photos.
I have always used a pressure cooker and crock pot mostly for fall stews/soups etc.

[IamConservative]

Crock Pot Italian Beef.

- 3lb or so beef roast. Chuck, sirloin and rump all work well. The only roast I would avoid is eye of round.
- 1 can of beer (or water)
- 1 package of Italian dressing mix
- 1 jar of pepperoncini peppers.

Add the beer, dressing mix and peppers (including vinegar) to your crock pot and stir up. Place the beef in on top. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until 165 degrees internal temp. Remove beef from crock pot and let cool. Leave the jus in crock pot. You can skim the fat or not. I use a set of tongs and fish out all the pepper stems from the jus. When cool, shred the beed and add back to the jus in the crock pot. Stir, cover and warm back up.

Serving: I like it as a sandwich on a good crusty roll, giardniera and provolone cheese sauce. You could use it with some of the jus for French Dip. You can grill it with cheese. My son likes it plain in a bowl.

I oft times use the last of the beef, jus and add some mushroom and onions to make a nice dirty rice.

[pugmama]

I found this site re converting recipes to use in the airfryer. Lots of good info here:

https://recipethis.com/convert-recipe-airfryer-recipe/

[pugmama]

We liked this recipe. I freeze pomegranate seeds: Slow cooker chicken with walnuts and pomegranate Author: Something New For Dinner Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 5 hours Total time: 5 hours 30 mins Serves: 4 servings This slow-cooker chicken is a variation on Persian Fesenjoon, a medieval dish originally made with wild duck. This slow-cooker chicken stew is fork-tender with a perfect balance of sweet, sour and savory. Ingredients 2 cups toasted walnuts 3T butter or olive oil, divided 2 onions, chopped ⅓ cup pomegranate molasses ½ cup chicken stock 2 T lemon juice 1½ t cinnamon 1 t turmeric 2 T brown sugar 1 t kosher salt ½ t ground pepper 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 10 whole peeled garlic cloves 4 stems of fresh rosemary 4 carrots, chopped into 1" pieces 1 cup pomegranate seeds ½ cup chopped parsley Instructions Put the toasted walnuts in a food processor or Mini-Prep and blitz until they look like coarse meal. Set aside. Saute the onions in 2 T of butter or olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add toasted walnuts and cook for another 2 or three minutes, stirring. Add pomegranate molasses, chicken stock and lemon juice and stir to combine. Remove from heat, put into a bowl and set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, mix cinnamon, turmeric, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Using your hands, coat each piece of chicken with the spice mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil to the pan you sauteed the onions in. Working in batches, brown the chicken on both sides. Put the chicken in the slow cooker and top with the onion and walnut sauce. Scatter garlic cloves and rosemary stems over the sauce. Start slow cooker on high, until sauce begins to bubble then turn down to low and cook for 3½ hours. Add carrots to slow cooker and stir to combine with sauce. Continue cooking on low for another hour. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley. Serve over herbed basmati rice.

[miss marmelstein]

Never had a pressure cooker and put my deflavorizer...er, I mean my crockpot, out on the sidewalk. No one picked it up and I had to throw it away.

[Trillian]

Instant Pot Lentil Chili {Stovetop and Slow Cooker Variations Too!}

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey (optional)
1/2 cup chopped yellow or white onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups (about 14 ounces) brown lentils, rinsed, picked through and drained
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and small diced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
All the chili toppings your heart desires

Directions:
Instant Pot: Using the saute function, brown the ground turkey/beef (if using) with the onions and garlic, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, lentils, green bell pepper, chili powder, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Secure the lid. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes (if you are impatient, you can quick release right away, but liquid may sputter through the valve). After 10 minutes, quick release the remaining pressure.
Stir the chili and add any additional broth if you want to thin out the consistency (it will thicken as it cools). Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve with any and all chili toppings your heart desires.

Stovetop: In a 5- or 6-quart pot over medium heat, brown the ground turkey/beef (if using) with the onions and garlic, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, lentils, green bell pepper, chili powder, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally and moderating heat so the chili doesn’t burn on the bottom.
Add additional broth, if desired, to thin out the chili. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve with any and all chili toppings your heart desires.

Slow Cooker: In a 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium heat, brown the ground turkey/beef (if using) with the onions and garlic, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
Add the ground meat to the insert of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, lentils, green bell pepper, chili powder, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir the chili, and add any additional broth if you want to thin out the consistency (it will thicken as it cools). Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve with any and all chili toppings your heart desires.

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/vegetarian-lentil-chili-instant-pot/

[Trillian]

Now for a dessert recipe..

Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake

Ingredients:
For the Oreo Crumb Crust
3 cups (10 ounces or 24 cookies) finely ground Oreo cookie crumbs
2/3 cup (132 grams) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons (71 grams) unsalted butter, melted

For the Cheesecake
32 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 cups ¾-inch cubes of your favorite brownies

For the Chocolate Ganache
4 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan; set aside.
Make the Crumb Crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the Oreo crumbs, sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until evenly moistened. Press into the bottom and up sides of the prepared springform pan. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
Make the Cheesecake: Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour and salt until the mixture is creamy and no lumps of cream cheese remain, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the heavy cream and vanilla and beat to combine. Beat in the eggs and yolk one at a time, beating for about 15 seconds before adding the next. Using a rubber spatula, mix a few times by hand to ensure that all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated. Gently fold in the cubed brownies.
Pour the filling into the chilled crust and spread into an even layer. Place the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the outer couple inches of cheesecake looks puffed and set, but the center still jiggles when you move the pan, about 40 to 55 minutes. Turn off the oven, crack open the door and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour.
After an hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven, place on a wire cooling rack and run a thin knife around the edge of the cake. Allow to cool completely to room temperature. Once the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Make the Chocolate Ganache: Place the chocolate in a 4-cup measuring cup; set aside. Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and warm until it just comes to a boil. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Begin whisking the mixture in the center, gradually working your way outward until the ganache is completely smooth. The ganache should be slightly thickened, yet still a pourable consistency. If it is still too thin, let sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the correct consistency.
Pour the ganache evenly over the top of the cheesecake. If it’s a little thinner, it will likely spread out on its own; if it is thicker, you may need to use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the ganache to set.
When ready to serve, unmold the cheesecake and place it on a serving platter. Leftover cheesecake can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It can also be frozen (whole or in slices) for up to 2 months.

Recipe Notes:
You can use your favorite brownie recipe for this (homemade or store-bought); I chose to use my better-than-box-mix brownies.

https://www.browneyedbaker.com/brownie-mosaic-cheesecake/

[greeneyes]

OOPS - I meant 168.

[Freedom56v2]

Hi folks...

Boy that Instapot looks sweet—I was eyeing one in the store after reading this thread earlier in the week ;)

Little bit off topic, but I have 2 burning questions ;)

1. I just came in from harvesting a huge number of pears off my 2 trees in IL. Bumper crop of 6+ plastic grocery bags full to brim. It is going to freeze here in IL tonite, so needed to be done.

Looking for new ideas for storage—these pears don’t ripen on the tree, but take so much space in garage. My aunt said she used to wrap green tomatoes in newspaper and put them in a box in basement or garage until they ripen. I was thinking about doing the same thing...Or if anyone has a better idea, I would love to hear it. Suppose I will can them when they ripen.

Also any great pear recipes as I am always looking for new uses :)

2. Can I save weed killer and good quality grass seed over the winter? Spouse says neither will be any good, I say if they don’t freeze then perhaps they will be OK...Thoughts?

[V K Lee]

Long before electric CROCK POTS, our Great Grandma did the best she could with what was available. This site gives a good deal of information as to the determination and insights into these God-fearing women. Recipes and a long ago diary found here:
A HUNDRED YEARS AGO
https://ahundredyearsago.com/

Boiled Cider Pie
https://ahundredyearsago.com/2017/10/29/boiled-cider-pie/

[Jamestown1630]

Chef John of Food Wishes has done a ‘Zombie Meatloaf’ for Hallowe’en. I don’t personally find it appetizing, but I bet kids would love it!

http://foodwishes.blogspot.com

[Tammy8]

I love my Instant Pot, and the longer I have it the better I like it. My favorite thing is to cook frozen chicken breasts; I can do a 3# bag and they turn out moist, easy to dice or shred for many recipes. I try to stand them on end with big end down, some bigger ones have to go in sideways though. I mix a little over a cup of water and whatever seasonings I decide to use then pour it over them and cook. The cooked chicken can be just eaten; it is not brown of course but my grand kids love it. You can shred or dice the meat, I like to use it for Mexican food recipes, pot pie, ETC. Or cube it cold for great chicken salad. The juice left in the pot is great broth to use in recipes too.

Some things I make; pulled pork, roast, swiss steak, beans, killer mashed potatoes, boiled eggs...I haven’t had mine long and am still looking for ideas.