AKA a pot of crock. My parents keep sending these kitchen appliances. I think it is a hint I need to eat more. I am grateful, its a rather cool beast.
However, I don't have the slightest clue what I should cook in it. I know the general stuff that can be cooked in it, but I don't know what to make.
Ideas?
Beef stew.
Corned beef & cabbage.
Pasta sauce.
Probably chile though I usually just do it in a large pot.
There are infinite more ideas, many that I want to try but that's all I have done so far in mine. Mainly because we need a new one. Maybe slightly bigger than what we have, plus the one we have is old and only had Low and High (or should I say "Lo" and "Hi") settings and the Low is still to high to leave something cooking all day or staying just warm without potentially overcooking.
Snoop around. There are entire books and websites dedicated to crockpot cooking. I am interested in hearing other's ideas though. Although I know you can cook roasts, shredded pork, etc., ribs, and billions of other things, I haven't gotten to try much and I love crockpots.
Kai, you can throw a bunch of whole chicken thighs in it overnight with herbs and spices.
Then take the bones, skin, and cartilage out.
Cook it down even further.
Add things to it. Veggies, whatever pleases. I like to saute tomatoes and basil, throw those in, then saute some finely minced onions in the tomato/basil fond with some butter. Throw that in.
Eat like a god, or royalty of some sort.
Quote from: trippinprincezz13 on October 16, 2008, 05:57:20 PM
Beef stew.
Corned beef & cabbage.
Pasta sauce.
Probably chile though I usually just do it in a large pot.
There are infinite more ideas, many that I want to try but that's all I have done so far in mine. Mainly because we need a new one. Maybe slightly bigger than what we have, plus the one we have is old and only had Low and High (or should I say "Lo" and "Hi") settings and the Low is still to high to leave something cooking all day or staying just warm without potentially overcooking.
Snoop around. There are entire books and websites dedicated to crockpot cooking. I am interested in hearing other's ideas though. Although I know you can cook roasts, shredded pork, etc., ribs, and billions of other things, I haven't gotten to try much and I love crockpots.
This one is big enough that I could cook a chicken in it. Not a huge chicken, but still a chicken. And it has a keep warm setting.
Quote from: Felix on October 16, 2008, 06:05:41 PM
Kai, you can throw a bunch of whole chicken thighs in it overnight with herbs and spices.
Then take the bones, skin, and cartilage out.
Cook it down even further.
Add things to it. Veggies, whatever pleases. I like to saute tomatoes and basil, throw those in, then saute some finely minced onions in the tomato/basil fond with some butter. Throw that in.
Eat like a god, or royalty of some sort.
I guess with the size of this thing, I could potentially cook in bulk and save money and time cooking, eat for several days.
Second Felix's suggestion. I recommend thyme. thyme and chicken are yummy.
And I strongly recommend thighs for anything slow cooked. They're cheaper and better tasting.
Oh, PROTIP:
Refrigerate anything slow cooked overnight, then remove the fat on top. Otherwise your soup will have a fat layer on top that makes it hard to eat.
But, if you wanted to gain weight...
You can do everything from cake to soups to stews...pulled pork...shit, you can do anything in a crockpot...sky's the limit, Kai.
Wait, cakes?
Quote from: Felix on October 16, 2008, 06:09:58 PM
And I strongly recommend thighs for anything slow cooked. They're cheaper and better tasting.
Oh, PROTIP:
Refrigerate anything slow cooked overnight, then remove the fat on top. Otherwise your soup will have a fat layer on top that makes it hard to eat.
But, if you wanted to gain weight...
Fat is good. Reminder: I am underweight, and its mostly due to sporatic eating.
Thanks though. Any more advice that anyone has is welcome welcome.
Quote from: Kai on October 16, 2008, 06:06:16 PM
This one is big enough that I could cook a chicken in it. Not a huge chicken, but still a chicken. And it has a keep warm setting.
Lucky :sad: I could probably fit one cornish hen in mine but that's about it.
I know what I'm asking santa for Christmas this year! lol
Quote from: Felix on October 16, 2008, 06:12:06 PM
Wait, cakes?
Yes...I've had a chocolate crockpot cake that is to die for. Melty goodness.
Crockpots RULE!
You can make a killer pork roast with carrots and potatoes in that thing, too. Also, beans... my favorite are pintos!
Quote from: Jenne on October 16, 2008, 06:13:56 PM
Quote from: Felix on October 16, 2008, 06:12:06 PM
Wait, cakes?
Yes...I've had a chocolate crockpot cake that is to die for. Melty goodness.
Link or post reciple plzzzzzzzzz
...zzz.
Quote from: Felix on October 16, 2008, 06:15:34 PM
Quote from: Jenne on October 16, 2008, 06:13:56 PM
Quote from: Felix on October 16, 2008, 06:12:06 PM
Wait, cakes?
Yes...I've had a chocolate crockpot cake that is to die for. Melty goodness.
Link or post reciple plzzzzzzzzz
...zzz.
Righteo--one moment while I look for it...
This is a banana one I found--sounds great: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-banana-upside-down-cake-recipe2/index.html
And here's the chocolate cake I've had:
QuoteThis fabulous, decadent chocolate pudding cake is made in your crockpot.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours,
Ingredients:
1 pkg. two layer chocolate cake mix
3 oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup water
2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
Preparation:
Spray a 4 quart crockpot with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and pudding mix. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the water, then add the sour cream and oil and beat until smooth. Add to the dry ingredients and beat well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour into crockpot. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until top springs back when touched very lightly with finger. 8-10 servings
Wow. you really can cook anything in a crock pot.
Kai,
The best thing you can do with that is make stock.
Step 1: Roast a few chickens (or, eat a lot of drumsticks and thighs (bone in)). Save the bones in a gallon ziplok bag in the freezer. Wait until the bag is full of bones.
Step 2: Rough chop onions, carrots, garlic, and celery.
Step 3 (optional): sautee/brown/carmelize the veggies.
Step 4: Place bones, veggies, bay leaf, whole peppercorns, parsley, oregano, and thyme (all herbs not dried) in stock pot (seasoning is optional). Add water to cover. DO NOT ADD ANY SALT.
Step 5: Set stockpot at a temperature where you get a very low simmer. DO NOT BOIL. You're not trying to reduce the flavors, you're trying to extract the pectin from the bones.
Step 6: Wait for 8 hours. Longer, if you want. It's done when you pull a bone out and it crumbles like it was made of wet cardboard.
Step 7: Strain all the crap out, and skim the fat off.
Step 8: Store in 1-cup containers, and freeze. (I also put them in 1/2 cups, as well).
Now you can use it for soups, sauces, and deglazing. It is so goddamn superior to store-bought.
The same process can be used for pork or beef stock.
LMNO
-always has a bag of bones in his freezer.
Quote from: LMNO on October 16, 2008, 06:40:59 PM
Kai,
The best thing you can do with that is make stock.
Step 1: Roast a few chickens (or, eat a lot of drumsticks and thighs (bone in)). Save the bones in a gallon ziplok bag in the freezer. Wait until the bag is full of bones.
Step 2: Rough chop onions, carrots, garlic, and celery.
Step 3 (optional): sautee/brown/carmelize the veggies.
Step 4: Place bones, veggies, bay leaf, whole peppercorns, parsley, oregano, and thyme (all herbs not dried) in stock pot (seasoning is optional). Add water to cover. DO NOT ADD ANY SALT.
Step 5: Set stockpot at a temperature where you get a very low simmer. DO NOT BOIL. You're not trying to reduce the flavors, you're trying to extract the pectin from the bones.
Step 6: Wait for 8 hours. Longer, if you want. It's done when you pull a bone out and it crumbles like it was made of wet cardboard.
Step 7: Strain all the crap out, and skim the fat off.
Step 8: Store in 1-cup containers, and freeze. (I also put them in 1/2 cups, as well).
Now you can use it for soups, sauces, and deglazing. It is so goddamn superior to store-bought.
The same process can be used for pork or beef stock.
LMNO
-always has a bag of bones in his freezer.
Thanks LMNO. :)
Quote from: Kai on October 16, 2008, 07:02:00 PM
Quote from: LMNO on October 16, 2008, 06:40:59 PM
Kai,
The best thing you can do with that is make stock.
Step 1: Roast a few chickens (or, eat a lot of drumsticks and thighs (bone in)). Save the bones in a gallon ziplok bag in the freezer. Wait until the bag is full of bones.
Step 2: Rough chop onions, carrots, garlic, and celery.
Step 3 (optional): sautee/brown/carmelize the veggies.
Step 4: Place bones, veggies, bay leaf, whole peppercorns, parsley, oregano, and thyme (all herbs not dried) in stock pot (seasoning is optional). Add water to cover. DO NOT ADD ANY SALT.
Step 5: Set stockpot at a temperature where you get a very low simmer. DO NOT BOIL. You're not trying to reduce the flavors, you're trying to extract the pectin from the bones.
Step 6: Wait for 8 hours. Longer, if you want. It's done when you pull a bone out and it crumbles like it was made of wet cardboard.
Step 7: Strain all the crap out, and skim the fat off.
Step 8: Store in 1-cup containers, and freeze. (I also put them in 1/2 cups, as well).
Now you can use it for soups, sauces, and deglazing. It is so goddamn superior to store-bought.
The same process can be used for pork or beef stock.
LMNO
-always has a bag of bones in his freezer.
Thanks LMNO. :)
Ditto. I had a general idea of how to make stock, but never attempted. Now, I just need to actually buy/eat more things with bones in them that I can save.
The best thing about slow cookers is that they're electric, self-contained, and usually have an emergency automatic cut-off.
So you can start it at night, go to sleep, go to work, and then deal with it when you get home without worrying if the house burned down.
See, that's another reason I want a new one aside from just the crappy temperature settings. It's got a really old 2-pronged plug and I highly doubt any kind of emergency shut-off. That's why I don't use it as much as I want to because I don't trust it being on all day when I'm not home. So if I use it, it's when I'm home on the weekend with limited time out of the house.
I just started a pot roast, complete with carrots, onions, garlic, potatoes and spices.
Probably should be slapped on the wrist for forgetting to seer it first though....
Quote from: Kai on October 16, 2008, 08:58:19 PM
Probably should be slapped on the wrist for forgetting to seer it first though....
So you could tell what the cow's astrological sign was?
Quote from: Felix on October 16, 2008, 09:02:11 PM
Quote from: Kai on October 16, 2008, 08:58:19 PM
Probably should be slapped on the wrist for forgetting to seer it first though....
So you could tell what the cow's astrological sign was?
I R bade speallur.
Quote from: Kai on October 16, 2008, 09:04:33 PM
Quote from: Felix on October 16, 2008, 09:02:11 PM
Quote from: Kai on October 16, 2008, 08:58:19 PM
Probably should be slapped on the wrist for forgetting to seer it first though....
So you could tell what the cow's astrological sign was?
I R bade speallur.
We all have our faults, I can't seem to not go for obvious jokes.
Lamb Shanks + eggplant + zucchini + onion + herbs, spices, peppers anything else you like... add a cup of broth and let it cook all day.
OR
Awesome Steak Chilli (make however you like)
OR
Curry
OR
pork chops in mushroom sauce
The only recommendation I have is to lightly brown the meat before you put it in the crock pot. Otherwise, its a canvas for whatever art you toss into it ;-)
Quote from: Ratatosk on October 16, 2008, 09:10:19 PM
Lamb Shanks + eggplant + zucchini + onion + herbs, spices, peppers anything else you like... add a cup of broth and let it cook all day.
OR
Awesome Steak Chilli (make however you like)
OR
Curry
OR
pork chops in mushroom sauce
The only recommendation I have is to lightly brown the meat before you put it in the crock pot. Otherwise, its a canvas for whatever art you toss into it ;-)
Question: How would you do a curry and not end up with mush at the end of it? I tend to use beans, chickpeas and lentils in my curry and I feel like it could be potentially disastrous.
Just leave them out until the last few hours.
Quote from: Kai on October 16, 2008, 09:15:22 PM
Quote from: Ratatosk on October 16, 2008, 09:10:19 PM
Lamb Shanks + eggplant + zucchini + onion + herbs, spices, peppers anything else you like... add a cup of broth and let it cook all day.
OR
Awesome Steak Chilli (make however you like)
OR
Curry
OR
pork chops in mushroom sauce
The only recommendation I have is to lightly brown the meat before you put it in the crock pot. Otherwise, its a canvas for whatever art you toss into it ;-)
Question: How would you do a curry and not end up with mush at the end of it? I tend to use beans, chickpeas and lentils in my curry and I feel like it could be potentially disastrous.
Usually we put things in in stages. Meat, any thick veggies, spices, herbs etc go in first, later we add potentiall mushy stuff. We have recently started adding tomatoes within minutes of finishing the dish. We blanch them, peel the skins, cut them up and drop them in at the end, they retain their fresh flavor, but they're warm and soft. *BAM*
Also, Sjaantze occasionally will start the meal by turning the crock pot to high, and getting some ghee nice and bubbly in the bottom. The she'll sautee the onions and garlic in the bottom of the crock pot. The add the meat etc.
It's kinda like puzzle cooking, you just have to figure out what stuff goes in when ;-)
Quote from: Ratatosk on October 16, 2008, 09:25:42 PM
Quote from: Kai on October 16, 2008, 09:15:22 PM
Quote from: Ratatosk on October 16, 2008, 09:10:19 PM
Lamb Shanks + eggplant + zucchini + onion + herbs, spices, peppers anything else you like... add a cup of broth and let it cook all day.
OR
Awesome Steak Chilli (make however you like)
OR
Curry
OR
pork chops in mushroom sauce
The only recommendation I have is to lightly brown the meat before you put it in the crock pot. Otherwise, its a canvas for whatever art you toss into it ;-)
Question: How would you do a curry and not end up with mush at the end of it? I tend to use beans, chickpeas and lentils in my curry and I feel like it could be potentially disastrous.
Usually we put things in in stages. Meat, any thick veggies, spices, herbs etc go in first, later we add potentiall mushy stuff. We have recently started adding tomatoes within minutes of finishing the dish. We blanch them, peel the skins, cut them up and drop them in at the end, they retain their fresh flavor, but they're warm and soft. *BAM*
Also, Sjaantze occasionally will start the meal by turning the crock pot to high, and getting some ghee nice and bubbly in the bottom. The she'll sautee the onions and garlic in the bottom of the crock pot. The add the meat etc.
It's kinda like puzzle cooking, you just have to figure out what stuff goes in when ;-)
Eh, my curry never has meat it it. If I'm going to eat meat, I want it to be good meat, and I want to have the focus be the meat rather than a curry dish. But it sounds like a good idea. It wouldn't take that long to make a curry the way I usually make with a crock pot.
We usually have lamb, goat or chicken curry. We'll go to the local Halal market (for lamb or goat) or the Italian Meat Market (for Amish Chicken). We then cube the meat, lightly brown it and toss it into the curry... often as vindaloo or with yogurt and coconut milk (can't remember the correct term for that style).
"The goat meat is the best meat" - an Indian Waiter at one of our local resturants.
For a very simple Greek tasting meat:
One jar peperoncini peppers with liquid
Some crushed garlic
And your meat with the fat trimmed
Cook on low for about 10 hours.
Pull meat and drain most of the liquid.
This is very good, kinda spicy and wonderful with tzatziki sauce and flat bread. I have made this one twice in the last month because it's so easy and tasty! :p
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so, just wondering, how does one make vegetarian stock? cause the bones are a big part of stock, i know that much, but there's veggie stock too, so how does that work? :)
chicken chili
skinless chicken thighs
can of cream of chicken (i know, eew, but it's good)
onions
white beans
can of green chilis
cumin salt pepper corriander
cover with water
cook all day, serve with fresh cilantro on top.
yum.
Quote from: triple zero on October 21, 2008, 06:15:51 PM
so, just wondering, how does one make vegetarian stock? cause the bones are a big part of stock, i know that much, but there's veggie stock too, so how does that work? :)
Brown a lot of vegetables, and then simmer them in water.
Essentially. There were, like, details. But whatever.
As far as I know, vegetable stock is similar to vegetable broth, because stock is defined by its collagen content.
Roast mushrooms, shallots, carrots, red bell pepper, garlic, parsley, and thyme for 30 minutes at 400.
Deglaze with white wine, dump into cooker, and add bay leaf, crushed tomatoes, and water to cover. do the slow cooker thing.
When done, strain through a china cap, or other fine sieve.
Wait, 3 minutes?
400 what?
Quote from: LMNO on October 21, 2008, 06:23:50 PM
As far as I know, vegetable stock is similar to vegetable broth, because stock is defined by its collagen content.
Roast mushrooms, shallots, carrots, red bell pepper, garlic, parsley, and thyme for 30 minutes at 400.
Deglaze with white wine, dump into cooker, and add bay leaf, crushed tomatoes, and water to cover. do the slow cooker thing.
When done, strain through a china cap, or other fine sieve.
I think I would just eat that.
Quote from: LMNO on October 21, 2008, 06:23:50 PM
As far as I know, vegetable stock is similar to vegetable broth, because stock is defined by its collagen content.
Roast mushrooms, shallots, carrots, red bell pepper, garlic, parsley, and thyme for 30 minutes at 400.
Deglaze with white wine, dump into cooker, and add bay leaf, crushed tomatoes, and water to cover. do the slow cooker thing.
When done, strain through a china cap, or other fine sieve.
^That
Also, before covering them with water, we usually run the veggies through a food processor. Then the resultant mash is simmered until ready and strained. Also, mushrooms are WIN for this sort of recipe. They seem to provide more depth to the broth than any of the other veggies in particular. Use the carrot content to control sweetness.
Also, eggplant or zucchini also make nice additions to the stock for a bit of a Mediterranean flavor.
A friend of mine included fruit in their veggie stock instead of carrots to add sweetness. I am still not sure if it was WIN or FAIL ... it was, however, interesting.
Quote from: Felix on October 21, 2008, 06:25:59 PM
Wait, 3 minutes?
400 what?
Sorry. 30 minutes, 400 degrees F.
Quote from: LMNO on October 21, 2008, 06:33:12 PM
Quote from: Felix on October 21, 2008, 06:25:59 PM
Wait, 3 minutes?
400 what?
Sorry. 30 minutes, 400 degrees F.
Ah, I thought you might have meant 400 Kelvins. :)
You can also cook steel cut (also called Irish) oats in a crock pot, they're a lot more sturdy than rolled oats. This way you can cook them at night, keep em warm, and wake up to a hot breakfast!
-Badge,
mildly obsessed with steel cut oats
Quote from: Squiddy on October 21, 2008, 06:17:58 PM
chicken chili
skinless chicken thighs
can of cream of chicken (i know, eew, but it's good)
onions
white beans
can of green chilis
cumin salt pepper corriander
cover with water
cook all day, serve with fresh cilantro on top.
yum.
This is a doable and awesome idea.
Also, I actually have all the spices at hand to do most recipies I'm finding on here now. :D
Quote from: Rabid Badger of God on October 22, 2008, 12:35:40 AM
You can also cook steel cut (also called Irish) oats in a crock pot, they're a lot more sturdy than rolled oats. This way you can cook them at night, keep em warm, and wake up to a hot breakfast!
-Badge,
mildly obsessed with steel cut oats
Ooh, there's an idear! Awesomeness!
Quote from: Kai on October 22, 2008, 01:23:15 AM
Also, I actually have all the spices at hand to do most recipies I'm finding on here now. :D
hey that's really cool! didn't we make a thread ages ago with a "list of stuff that needs to be in every kitchen if you want to do srs cooking", i vaguely recall we did it for you, but it might have been Fred, too.
Quote from: triple zero on October 22, 2008, 08:08:07 AM
Quote from: Kai on October 22, 2008, 01:23:15 AM
Also, I actually have all the spices at hand to do most recipies I'm finding on here now. :D
hey that's really cool! didn't we make a thread ages ago with a "list of stuff that needs to be in every kitchen if you want to do srs cooking", i vaguely recall we did it for you, but it might have been Fred, too.
If you find it could you bump? Cause I just received a Wok in the mail today, along with food and cookbooks.
Maybe I should just skip grad school and work on culinary skills...
making chicken thighs for tomorrow in crock pot right now! Seasoned with rosemary, rubbed sage, tyme, and bayleaf. I also put some carrots and onions and garlic and celery in there.
Expect it to need a bit of salt. I find that while flavorful, that dish is going to need a kick to wake it up.
Felix,
has made it a couple times this year.
Try a squeeze of lemon instead of salt. Or a little of both. Often, a dish that you think needs salt just needs a bit of acid to wake it up.
True. Case in point, posole.
If I have 12 hours to myself any time soon, I'll make some from scratch.
I love that stuff.
We've made it several times this year, it's absolutely the best thing you can do with chicken and broth.
PORK, MOTHERFUCKERS.
Pork posole?
Interesting.
Sjaantze made a very nice pot roast in our slow cooker.
D&D Tuesdays is so much nicer with actual food, rather than Pizza and Cheetos.
Quote from: Ratatosk on October 23, 2008, 06:41:40 PM
Sjaantze made a very nice pot roast in our slow cooker.
D&D Tuesdays is so much nicer with actual food, rather than Pizza and Cheetos.
I know. Our storyteller started cooking dinners, it's great.
We still order pizza once in a while out of habit though.
Quote from: Felix on October 23, 2008, 06:44:03 PM
Quote from: Ratatosk on October 23, 2008, 06:41:40 PM
Sjaantze made a very nice pot roast in our slow cooker.
D&D Tuesdays is so much nicer with actual food, rather than Pizza and Cheetos.
I know. Our storyteller started cooking dinners, it's great.
We still order pizza once in a while out of habit though.
We do as well... mostly though Sjaantze hates pizza, so she almost always has some alternative.
Wha
how do you hate pizza?
Quote from: Rabid Badger of God on October 23, 2008, 09:04:59 PM
Wha
how do you hate pizza?
well, to be specific, she dislikes tomato sauce, pepperoni and many variations on crust. If its a chicken spinach tomato Alfredo pizza, she's good to go.
Unfortunately, most of our D&D friends aren't as keen on spinach and Alfredo on their pizza.
WHOA
How do you dislike tomato sauce?!
The best (re: worst) idea for a slow cooker I employed a few years ago with some friends.
Take a gallon of the best apple cider you can find and dump it in. Toss in some cinnamon sticks. Core and segment a few whole apples. Then toss in spiced rum to taste. Wait. I recall nothing after this.
Quote from: Eater of Clowns on October 23, 2008, 11:15:05 PM
The best (re: worst) idea for a slow cooker I employed a few years ago with some friends.
Take a gallon of the best apple cider you can find and dump it in. Toss in some cinnamon sticks. Core and segment a few whole apples. Then toss in spiced rum to taste. Wait. I recall nothing after this.
Glug:
the spice brew:
3 cinnamon sticks
tablespoon orangepeel
tablespoon lemonpeel
chunk o ginger
10 cardamoms
10 cloves
4 allspice
1 c. water
1 c. sugar
Simmer then add 2 bottles of good vodka, 1 bottle of red wine, 1 bottle of brandy
Sinmmer till you're ready to get drunk.
You can also add oranges and raisens to the mix... the raisens get all plumpy and full of alcohol.
My dad makes this every winter.
Quote from: Felix on October 23, 2008, 05:34:27 AM
Expect it to need a bit of salt. I find that while flavorful, that dish is going to need a kick to wake it up.
Felix,
has made it a couple times this year.
Its also messy. And greasy. And oily. And bland. And....fuck, it was a waste of time and money.
So's this crock pot, for all the shitty things I've made in it and all the time I've wasted cleaning up after it and how sick I feel after eating the grease vat it becomes. It feels like a waste of time and energy, pretty much more or less what my whole life is feeling like right now.
I get so much more flavor cooking a vegetarian chilli or curry on the stove out of cans, and pleasure for that matter, than I have making a big pot roast and a bunch of chicken thighs in a crock pot and thinking something good would come out of it. And the kitchen is still a mess. And I keep loosing weight.
Is there chilli left over from last night? Yes, and it sounds helluva lot more appetizing right now.
Didn't I mention the part where you refrigerate the stuff and take off the layer of solidified fat on top?
I remember saying something like that.
Quote from: Felix on October 16, 2008, 06:09:58 PM
Refrigerate anything slow cooked overnight, then remove the fat on top. Otherwise your soup will have a fat layer on top that makes it hard to eat.
So, basically, any meat you cook in a crock pot, you have to cook all day, AND then leave in the fridge overnight to float the fat so you can remove it so you can wait a couple hours for it to heat up the next day again so you can eat it so it doesn't taste like a grease vat...
What is so totally awesome about that? Meanwhile, the meat is so totally bland and flavorless from sitting in water for how many hours.
I thought cooking with a crockpot was supposed to be great, or at least easier. All it seems is that its messy, fatty and time consuming.
Whoa, back up.
BMW, Kai, relate exactly what you did.
We (I) can help.
The whole point of the crock pot is to let shit cook for a really long time. But the meal is only as fatty as the fat you put in it. Same thing with flavor/blandness.
Things I would use a crock pot for are all things that I would make normally, that happen to take a long time to meld the flavors properly. Stews, chili, lentil or split pea soup, etc. A lot of those can be made in vegetarian versions, or have minimal meat. If you do opt for the fattier type of dish, you can often skim off the fat as it's cooking (it'll pool in nice big grease spots, which you can remove with a turkey baster or large spoon).
Really, a crock pot is just another method of cooking. It's just as messy, time consuming, and easy (or difficult) as any other way. And it takes a few tries to get everything just right. Maybe next time, try a vegetarian recipe instead of meat, and see if that makes a difference.
Quote from: Rabbi LMNO on October 24, 2008, 01:35:01 AM
Whoa, back up.
BMW, Kai, relate exactly what you did.
We (I) can help.
I put 5 unthawed chicken thighs in the crockpot (because I didn't have time to thaw them, I thought the whole thing would warm up slow enough so it wouldn't matter) with water, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, rosemary, tyme, sage and pepper. I started it last night at midnight. Around 7 in the morning, I got up to find it had boiled over somewhat and liquid was all over the counter and floor. That was not something I liked waking up to, and it was sticky and slippery and gross smelling. So I cleaned up, turned it down to low, and went off to work on the caddisfly stuff and drawings for morphology. So, midnight, 6 in the morning....came back at 6, took the chicken out and it just fell off the bone. Some of the bones fell appart too. I put the chicken I took off the bone, the stuff that wasn't too greasy, and stuck it back in the pot with the carrots after draining the water still in a pot through a collinder (I don't have a sieve finer than that). Finding it was so freaking oily, and having already spend all this time and hungry and totally out of energy, I gave up on it, turned the crock to off, and left it there.
A few minutes ago, after trying to clean up the kitchen to the point where I could reheat some chilli, I put it in the fridge to work with maybe this weekend when I have time.
Quote from: Kai on October 24, 2008, 01:10:00 AMI thought cooking with a crockpot was supposed to be great, or at least easier. All it seems is that its messy, fatty and time consuming.
I think it's been sufficiently proven that the point of a crockpot is to make dangerous alcoholic concoctions.
Too much heat, if my opinion's wanted. You want a low low simmer. It should never get a chance to boil.
holy fuck. Please hold until tomorrow moring.
Quote from: Rabbi LMNO on October 24, 2008, 03:06:02 AM
holy fuck. Please hold until tomorrow moring.
I guess this means I did EVERYTHING wrong.
At least I can't get any worse. :lol:
Quote from: Kai on October 24, 2008, 02:09:46 AM
Quote from: Rabbi LMNO on October 24, 2008, 01:35:01 AM
Whoa, back up.
BMW, Kai, relate exactly what you did.
We (I) can help.
I put 5 unthawed chicken thighs in the crockpot (because I didn't have time to thaw them, I thought the whole thing would warm up slow enough so it wouldn't matter) with water, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, rosemary, tyme, sage and pepper. I started it last night at midnight. Around 7 in the morning, I got up to find it had boiled over somewhat and liquid was all over the counter and floor. That was not something I liked waking up to, and it was sticky and slippery and gross smelling. So I cleaned up, turned it down to low, and went off to work on the caddisfly stuff and drawings for morphology. So, midnight, 6 in the morning....came back at 6, took the chicken out and it just fell off the bone. Some of the bones fell appart too. I put the chicken I took off the bone, the stuff that wasn't too greasy, and stuck it back in the pot with the carrots after draining the water still in a pot through a collinder (I don't have a sieve finer than that). Finding it was so freaking oily, and having already spend all this time and hungry and totally out of energy, I gave up on it, turned the crock to off, and left it there.
A few minutes ago, after trying to clean up the kitchen to the point where I could reheat some chilli, I put it in the fridge to work with maybe this weekend when I have time.
Whoa.
Ok. you now have chicken stock. Strain the solids out, and freeze the liquid. Don't bother trying to eat the stuff, you'll probably get a mouth full of bland chicken bone.
Basically, you rendered the chicken. All the fat that usually gives the chicken it's flavor was separated during the process. Sounds like you got the ingredients right, but as said above, you probably had too much water, and definitely had it on too high.
Think about it this way: the "safe" temperature for chicken is 170F, well below boiling. The point of the cooker is to slowly raise the temperature of everything in it to that temperature. That's why it takes so long. If you set it too high, it's like you dropped the chicken into a pot of boiling water for 6 hours.
What I would do is first, thaw the chicken, salt & pepper, and sear it. You don't have to cook it through, just get a golden brown color on the skin. This adds flavor.
Lay the veggies on the bottom of the crock pot, put the thighs on top, then add just enough water to come up halfway on the thighs. Set the crock on low, and let sit for about 6 hours. That should do it.
Quote from: Rabbi LMNO on October 24, 2008, 01:02:27 PM
Quote from: Kai on October 24, 2008, 02:09:46 AM
Quote from: Rabbi LMNO on October 24, 2008, 01:35:01 AM
Whoa, back up.
BMW, Kai, relate exactly what you did.
We (I) can help.
I put 5 unthawed chicken thighs in the crockpot (because I didn't have time to thaw them, I thought the whole thing would warm up slow enough so it wouldn't matter) with water, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, rosemary, tyme, sage and pepper. I started it last night at midnight. Around 7 in the morning, I got up to find it had boiled over somewhat and liquid was all over the counter and floor. That was not something I liked waking up to, and it was sticky and slippery and gross smelling. So I cleaned up, turned it down to low, and went off to work on the caddisfly stuff and drawings for morphology. So, midnight, 6 in the morning....came back at 6, took the chicken out and it just fell off the bone. Some of the bones fell appart too. I put the chicken I took off the bone, the stuff that wasn't too greasy, and stuck it back in the pot with the carrots after draining the water still in a pot through a collinder (I don't have a sieve finer than that). Finding it was so freaking oily, and having already spend all this time and hungry and totally out of energy, I gave up on it, turned the crock to off, and left it there.
A few minutes ago, after trying to clean up the kitchen to the point where I could reheat some chilli, I put it in the fridge to work with maybe this weekend when I have time.
Whoa.
Ok. you now have chicken stock. Strain the solids out, and freeze the liquid. Don't bother trying to eat the stuff, you'll probably get a mouth full of bland chicken bone.
Basically, you rendered the chicken. All the fat that usually gives the chicken it's flavor was separated during the process. Sounds like you got the ingredients right, but as said above, you probably had too much water, and definitely had it on too high.
Think about it this way: the "safe" temperature for chicken is 170F, well below boiling. The point of the cooker is to slowly raise the temperature of everything in it to that temperature. That's why it takes so long. If you set it too high, it's like you dropped the chicken into a pot of boiling water for 6 hours.
What I would do is first, thaw the chicken, salt & pepper, and sear it. You don't have to cook it through, just get a golden brown color on the skin. This adds flavor.
Lay the veggies on the bottom of the crock pot, put the thighs on top, then add just enough water to come up halfway on the thighs. Set the crock on low, and let sit for about 6 hours. That should do it.
LMNO speaks TROOF
Also, consider that water by itself has no flavor. Use a combination of stock and white wine, and you'll add to the tastiness.
I don't have anything to put the stock in or strain it with.
Its horrible, I'm so low energy right now I can't even go make food.