Slow cooking, new tech for old style

[limr30 3]

First, I know very little about slow cookers/slow cooking. Second, we usually don't cook via slow cooker. We only use it a few times per year.

The wife and I were gifted a Cuisinart one. It has the insert that we can take out and wash separately from the base. While it says dishwasher safe, I don't think we've put it in the dishwasher many times. It usually just gets hand washed.

That said, it works good enough for us. Has high, low, simmer, warm settings and a timer. If you treat it like you should (i.e., don't throw it around, don't try to wash it in cold water after just turning the darn thing off), it should last a while.

I've had mine for several years and I use it a LOT, and have never had any issues with cracking or anything like that. It's a Hamilton Beach, model who knows? But yes - treat it properly and it should last a good long time. Mine is programmable and also has a removable ceramic insert that can be washed. It's also large enough that I can load it up with the ingredients, let it cook overnight, and have food to last me nearly 2 weeks. I make lots of stews, soups, and dal.

 

[waday]

and have food to last me nearly 2 weeks.

...The wife and I will have to start slow cooking. We get tired of cooking all the time, haha.

 

[limr30 3]

and have food to last me nearly 2 weeks.

...The wife and I will have to start slow cooking. We get tired of cooking all the time, haha.

To be fair, it's not 2 weeks' worth of all three meals, and I'm only feeding myself But still, usually, a pot of stew or dal will be 10-ish servings, which for me equals not having to figure out what to bring to work for lunch for 2 weeks (I'll eat something different on weekends.) In fact, I'm working on week 2 of my latest stew, which is a pinto bean/quinoa + veggie concoction. Obviously, this isn't so great for people who don't like eating the same thing all the time. Me, I don't mind it so much But even so, you can still make something that can be served different ways to change things up from day to day. Today's stew includes a generous sprinkling of cayenne, for example, and tomorrow's might get a drop or two of truffle oil

 

[waday]

and have food to last me nearly 2 weeks.

...The wife and I will have to start slow cooking. We get tired of cooking all the time, haha.

To be fair, it's not 2 weeks' worth of all three meals, and I'm only feeding myself But still, usually, a pot of stew or dal will be 10-ish servings, which for me equals not having to figure out what to bring to work for lunch for 2 weeks (I'll eat something different on weekends.) In fact, I'm working on week 2 of my latest stew, which is a pinto bean/quinoa + veggie concoction. Obviously, this isn't so great for people who don't like eating the same thing all the time. Me, I don't mind it so much But even so, you can still make something that can be served different ways to change things up from day to day. Today's stew includes a generous sprinkling of cayenne, for example, and tomorrow's might get a drop or two of truffle oil

Still, that's a good idea... use the same meal but change it slightly. That's kind of what we do now with salads and whatnot... use the same basic spring mix and change up the veggies that we add on top with different dressings. We'll also do the same thing with spaghetti squash.. sometimes we'll make it with a peanut sauce for 'Pad Thai' and other times we'll have it with tomato sauce for 'spaghetti'.

But, being able to throw food in a slow cooker and not having to worry about a big cleanup, and still have a warm meal, would be very nice. Spaghetti squash is probably one of the easier squashes to make, and it still annoys me, haha.

 

[table1349]

Yeah, that's what we do with the pulled pork. If it is just the wife and I we will keep out 1 lb of the pork for pulled pork. We will vacum pack the rest before adding the liquid smoke or bbq sauce in 1 lb packages and freeze them. Great for pork burritos, tacos, chili, soups, a whole host of other things.

 

[480sparky39 38]

I usually will make a pot roast in mine (I actually have two of them). Toss in a roast, some taters, carrots etc. Let it cook overnight. The leftovers get vacuum-sealed and tossed in the freezer.

Sometimes I will do a roast without the veggies and use the cooked beef for making hot beef sandwiches.

 

[limr30 3]

Yes, a good slow cooker that gets regular use should also come with a good-sized freezer!

 

[budget cruncher]

For anyone who cooks a lot, you can get this:

AGA ATC3DBL Total Control Series 39" Ranges Dark Blue

I think it has a slow cooker function. I don't know anyone who cooks enough to make one of these seem like a good choice.

I use my slow-cooker nearly once a week, but there's only the two of us now. We freeze the leftovers, but still a whole meal in the crockpot takes a while to finish.

 

[Watchful]

We also tried out sous vide cooking recently. Its a very old method (1799) but has gotten a new look recently. Frankly, I wasn't impressed.

 

[table1349]

I usually will make a pot roast in mine (I actually have two of them). Toss in a roast, some taters, carrots etc. Let it cook overnight. The leftovers get vacuum-sealed and tossed in the freezer.

Sometimes I will do a roast without the veggies and use the cooked beef for making hot beef sandwiches.

It is excellent for a classic Yankee Pot Roast. Just don't forget to sear you roast in a very hot cast iron skillet. The millard effect is to me what makes a good pot roast.

 

[limr30 3]

For anyone who cooks a lot, you can get this:

AGA ATC3DBL Total Control Series 39" Ranges Dark Blue

For the low low price of $17,700? Suuuuuuuuure, seems like a great option.

 

[table1349]

For $2,500.00 this actually is a great option. Samsung NE58F9710WS 30 Inch Slide-In Electric Range with 5 Smoothtop Elements, 5.8 cu. ft. Capacity Flex Duo Oven, 6/9/12 Inch Front Right Burner, Gliding Rack, Temperature Probe, Warming Drawer and Steam Self Clean

The bridge burners are nice for using a long griddle, no more need for a double boiler with the melt function and a large convection oven that will easily hold a 25 lb turkey along with other dishes. It will also fit half sheet pans with ease and the split oven feature is really nice when you have oven items to cook at different temps.

 

[jcdeboever]

My wife cooks, pot roast, chicken, soups, stews, chilli, dips, and shingle dishes. I usually wash the thing and have broke a couple of the inserts over the years. Every time I break one, it's from the force of hand scrubbing the sides. I have an unusual amount of strength in my hands. I don't even try to shake hands very much because I have hurt people, I am stupid like that. I also have lost a fair amount of feeling in my hands from fighting, painting, drawing, and keyboarding. Oh crap, I'm rambling again.

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[table1349]

I have only broken one crock, (on purpose). It was the one we got for our wedding. The original crock pots didn't have removable crocks. What a Crock (pun intended) They were a pain in the butt to wash since they couldn't be immersed. Soapy hands, slippery crock and a bad attitude all combined for it to "slip" from my fingers onto the tile floor. "Oops" clumsy me.

By that time they had removable crocks.

 

[jcdeboever]

I have only broken one crock, (on purpose). It was the one we got for our wedding. The original crock pots didn't have removable crocks. What a Crock (pun intended) They were a pain in the butt to wash since they couldn't be immersed. Soapy hands, slippery crock and a bad attitude all combined for it to "slip" from my fingers onto the tile floor. "Oops" clumsy me.

By that time they had removable crocks.

Now I spray with oven cleaner, stick the lid on, and walk away until morning. Way easier.

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