Slow-cook crock pot a real timesaver

richmondregister ^ | October 13, 2010 | Gina Noe

[JoeProBono]

Slow-cooker cooking is a rite of fall.

In this hurry-up society, cooking a hot, nutritious meal seems almost a thing of the past. But, if you have the discipline to think about dinner at breakfast time, your reward can be a meal that’s ready when you get home.

The slow-cook crock pot not only improves the variety and flavor of the food you serve, but it can cut the time you spend in the kitchen almost in half. The slow cooker won’t replace the stove top or the oven because it cooks foods in a different way. Main dishes, casseroles and soups are particularly adaptable to this method.

Slow cookers can be purchased in a variety of sizes. There is a one-quart model for singles and a 12-quart roaster oven that not only slow cooks, but performs a variety of other cooking functions. So slow cooking can fit any family’s needs.

Here are a few tips for using your slow cooker:

• The slow cooker should be 1/2 to 3/4 full when in use.

• Liquids do not boil away, so the liquid amount should be reduced by half from what an oven or stove top recipe requires.

• Keep the lid on the slow cooker while it is in use. There is no need to stir the food once cooking has started. Do not remove the lid until you are adding final ingredients during the last half hour of cooking or the cooking process is done.

• It is not safe to use the slow cooker to thaw or cook frozen meats.

[rahbert]

all of which are greasy cuts of meat.

A quick trip through a boiling water bath can eliminate
some of the fat content.

[equalitybeforethelaw]

You know you can just buy a dutch oven and use it in your oven as a slow cooker. A lot cheaper than buying a counter top slow cooker.

[bigbob]

Well whaddya know...news of the crockpot has come to Richmond.

[ladyvet]

That's because the newer crock pots cook hotter. I heard they were afraid someone would get food poisoning and sue. I have an old one and two new ones, the new ones cook waaay too fast and hot.

[JoeProBono]

CHUCKWAGON BUFFALO STEW

[magslinger]

I like to cook a Boston butt pork roast with a cup of beef broth and a quarter cup of coffee along with a few choice herbs and spices in a crock pot for about twelve hours. Once done, I reduce the liquid to use as a base for a sauce while using two forks to shred the meat.

Pulled pork, yum!

[Califreak]

It is not safe to use the slow cooker to thaw or cook frozen meats.

I used to cook frozen roast in there regularly. Done to perfection in 10 hours.

[Minn]

Just don’t include carrots, at least not until toward the end; or everything will be carrot flavored.

[Tucker39]

Is it possible that those roasts that turned out tough may have been put into the crock pot frozen? Methinks meat should be fresh or completely thawed if it had been frozen, before putting them in contact with salt, spices, etc., or applying heat. FWIW

[rambo316]

Bump for some more great recipes; this one sounds Great!

[Netizen]

Like I mentioned, its way faster to just put it in the oven or cook on the stove. I seldom use my crockpot. Every time I try it because some recipes looks good, its always a disappointment.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I have two older crock pots and use them year round. Soup, stew, chili, cheap cuts of meat, etc are easy with these.

[ViLaLuz]

I was taught to capitalize the seasons, but these days the MS Word spell checker identifies capitalized seasons as spelling errors.

[Cyber Liberty]

Shouldn’t this be “ a rite of Fall”?

Or should the quotation marks be outside the punctuation?

:^)

At my house it's a "rite of fall," because the last time I used the crock pot, I slipped and fell in the kitchen. On my 3-month-old replacement hip....

[Politicalmom]

I learned something that’s either new, or I’ve forgotten over the eons since I was in school. :)

“Seasons start with a capital letter when they go with another noun or when they personify. Here they function as proper nouns: “Autumn Open House”; “I think Spring is showing her colors”; “Old Man Winter”. However, in the general sense, they do not start with a capital letter: “This summer was very hot.”

[curiosity]

You know you can just buy a dutch oven and use it in your oven as a slow cooker.

I have a dutch oven too, but leaving my stove or oven on all day when I'm not home is a fire hazard. On the other hand, leaving the slow cooker on low all day is perfectly safe.

[LoneStarGI]

I got a little ‘personal’ crock pot when I was in college and I still use it today. One of the first things I learned to make was putting a pork tenderloin with bar-b-q sauce, onion, and some sprite and letting it slow cook all day. Got home from long day of classes and that tenderloin had turned into basically pulled pork. Makes for great sandwiches.

[NEMDF]

I actually use a slow cooker (oblong metal pan with glass lid that sits on base). I have never had a crock pot. I would love the pork ribs with sauerkraut, but those who live with me would protest the odor, I am afraid.

A fast/easy chili for those who can lower themselves to a fast/easy chili: 1.5 lbs or more ground beef, browned. 1 green pepper, chopped kind of coarsely, 1 onion chopped kind of coarsely. Add 2 cans beans, not drained (I like to use one can kidney and one can pinto), large can of chopped style tomatoes, not drained (the 28 oz can), and 3-4 TBSP chili powder. Mix all togther in the slow cooker, put in fridge overnight. Put it on the base (covered) in the morning.

[passionfruit]

Liquids do too cook off!

I count on it to make my apple butter! I fill the crock pot with home made, sugar free apple sauce. Add a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Add 1 1/2 tablespoon Apple Pie Spice, and cook on low overnight. I give it a stir every time I get up to go potty.

In the morning, it has reduced by half, and is wonderful, sugar free apple butter.

If you have never canned before, but are interested in learning how to preserve this wonderful stuff, shoot me a PM, and I’ll tell you what you need to know, and also give you some links that I rely on for good canning information.

[mountaineer1997]

I skip the meat and use my crock pot to cook pinto beans and minestrone soup

I suggest that instead of passing out EBT cards and food stamps, the government should merely give out pinto beans, rice, and perhaps cheese. Deadbeats would be healthier, and less people would sign up for the benefits.