My father-in-law is an early adopter. He may be a senior citizen, but he had a cell phone, satellite radio, and email access earlier that most younger folks I know. His latest acquisition is a slow cooker.
I was recently sent a copy of “Slow Cooker Revolution,” from America’s Test Kitchen, so I brought the book with me. I’m looking forward to diving into it with him. I have a friend in Manhattan who swears by hers, and with good reason. I've had the delicious dishes that have come out of it.
The slow cooker's inherent concept of "set it, and forget it" really appeals to me, and I'm glad this trip gives me a chance to play around with one. Has anyone else had success with a slow cooker?
I was a total snob about the slow cooker (as in, NO WAY would I use one) until I had a baby. Didn’t take long for me to realize how helpful it was: slow cooker dinner vs no dinner = I’ll take the slow cooker, please. I wound up including an entire chapter of recipes in my cookbook. It’s especially good for things like chicken soup, caramelizing onions, steel-cut oats–the stuff that would require too much stove-time attention otherwise.
I’m a huge slow cooker fan. Little league season is starting; with the slow cooker, we have a meal ready when we get home from the game.
The main thing I’ve found is:only to use it for food that should be cooked for a very long time. Chicken breasts? Overcooked. Pork shoulder? Perfect!
I’ve been very curious about America’s Test Kitchen’s “Slow Cooker Revolution” book. I’m glad you are trying it out. I’ve had pretty good success with America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Illustrated recipes and been thinking of buying this book. I recently made their Slow-Cooker Curried Chickpea Stew from their website. It was very good! Granted, you don’t just throw everything in the pot and forget about it. Things that need to cook longer you put in at the beginning, things that need to cook less time, lest they will turn to mush, you put in later towards the end. The stew turned out to be a good quick dinner in the end. Looking forward to your review.
As a fellow father/home cook for over 30 years, I think slow cookers are great. But not if you think they’re dump-and-forget cookers. Brown meats first, add faster cooking stuff later, and watch the amount of added liquid. A piece of meat will give off a lot of water during cooking. Soups, Stews, and Chili, are all great. Pork Shoulder, Lamb Shanks and Brisket (Corned or otherwise) are outstanding.
Recently cooked the “Italian” pot roast from “Slow Cooker Revolution”. Turned out pretty good and certainly easy with only a bit of browning for the onions.
I really want to like slow cookers but find them to be a bit nerve wracking. I enjoy a hands on process where I can taste, adjust, monitor, and finish a dish as I go. The prep-dump-and-forget is easy, but I spend the next 5-7 hours (on high) or 8-10 hours (on low) worrying about whether the dish will magically be done. As always in life, more practice is needed…
I just recently bought this book and Sunday night I made the Weeknight Meat Sauce (pg. 166). It was a huge hit!! There was enough for the four of us and I have plenty left for another batch of spaghetti. I have two more recipes that I want to try this week. I LOVE MY SLOW COOKER!!
This morning I put the slow cooker on for the first of many winter dinners (it is starting to get cold here in Melbourne Australia!). Because I work I am one of those ‘dump and forget’ people. Everything is in there – the meat, the root vegies and some ‘lamb roast’ slow cooker sauces they have in Oz. I will add some frozen peas when I get home. I grew up with a slow cooker and it was the first thing my Mother gave me when I moved out of home. I love it. Great for chicken and vegie soup. Like Gail… I LOVE MY SLOW COOKER.
Slowcookers are downright AWESOME. Now, some recipes you dump everything in and press go (my most favorite easiest recipe ever is Chicken Taco Soup, found on allrecipes.com. It’s seriously not even cooking). Others take some prep or some attention, but I’m okay with that. I think both are great for different situations.
For example, when entertaining I love the slow cooker no matter how much prepping and chopping goes into it, because you can do that part way ahead and know that your dish is basically set. Then when your guests are there you can worry about slicing the bread and tossing the salad and not about timing mutiple dishes to be ready at once.
Have fun!