Slow Cooker Question

Recipes, Cooking tips and maybe some 'Home Made' secrets !
Post Reply
User avatar
kate egg
Legendary Laner
Posts: 7077
Joined: 18 Sep 2008, 20:37
Gender: Female
Location: East Notts

Slow Cooker Question

Post by kate egg »

I recently brought the slow cooker out of hibernation and have cooked a couple of gammon joints (delicious), made some soup (ditto) and a couple of weeks ago made beef borgignon that was amazing. Yesterday I put all the same ingredients in at about 10.30 a.m. and set it on low as it was my shop afternoon, it was in for 8 hours as per the recipe, and the meat was cooked, the mushrooms too but the onions were still quite hard and a little bitter. I am completely baffled why they weren't cooked. They weren't even out the same bag, one was the last out the old lot and the other was from a new bag I bought at the weekend. It meant that we couldn't eat it and I have popped it in the fridge to have tonight, I am going to pick out the onions and chop and soften some more to go in before I reheat it. (We are on a deadline as have to leave at 7 to go hospital visiting)

So any ideas about these onions? Is it because I set it on low and the contents didn't reach boiling point? Last time I did it for 5 hours on high.

)hlp>
Totally Scrambled
Site Admin
Posts: 13291
Joined: 07 Jul 2009, 20:33
Gender: Female
Location: Wateringbury, Kent

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by Totally Scrambled »

Do I take it you used shallots?
Did you just put the shallots/onions straight in the pot or cook them first?
Apparently onions take for ever to cook in a slow cooker and need a bit of a head start.
When I use any type of onion (leeks, garlic etc,) in our slow cooker I usually gently fry them in a little oil or butter for about 10 minutes or until they have softened and then pop them in the slow cooker.
They're always nice and tender then )t'
Dom
Ali Woks My World
User avatar
lancashire lass
Legendary Laner
Posts: 6528
Joined: 28 Jun 2007, 15:17

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by lancashire lass »

I have also had some amazing slow cooker meals since I bought one before Christmas but was always surprised the meal was cooked within 5-6 hours. It has one of those teflon bowls which you use on a hob to sear meat and I've usually done the onions at the same time. The other day I happened to have my reading glasses on and noticed for the first time that what I thought was "low" was in fact "high" :oops: Once I'd realised my mistake, decided to go for an all day slow cook on low and just seared the beef - like you I found everything was cooked but the onions raw and there was a bitter after taste in the stew.

Totally Scrambled wrote:When I use any type of onion (leeks, garlic etc,) in our slow cooker I usually gently fry them in a little oil or butter for about 10 minutes or until they have softened and then pop them in the slow cooker.
They're always nice and tender then


I might try the stew again and see if that makes any difference thank you )t'
User avatar
Mo
Legendary Laner
Posts: 15368
Joined: 30 Apr 2007, 09:39
Location: Cheshire (nr Chester)

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by Mo »

lancashire lass wrote: The other day I happened to have my reading glasses on .......

{rofwl}



I know that feeling so well. Isn't presbyopia a pain.
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
User avatar
kate egg
Legendary Laner
Posts: 7077
Joined: 18 Sep 2008, 20:37
Gender: Female
Location: East Notts

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by kate egg »

Thanks for those replies, seems it is not such a strange phenomana (sp?) after all!

They were normal onions not shallots and I cut them into chunks but didn't fry them off.

The last time I used red onions and just cut them in half and they were perfect, very odd maybe red ones are sweeter?

Had to laugh about the glasses - know that feeling {rofwl}
User avatar
saint-spoon
Moderator
Posts: 9259
Joined: 10 Mar 2008, 14:16
Gender: Male
Location: south coast

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by saint-spoon »

Because of the lower heat vegetables take longer to cook than meats in a slow cooker. I do as Don says with most of the harder veg, carrots, swede and so on and I always brown the meats as well... it adds flavour.
Bah Humbug
User avatar
kate egg
Legendary Laner
Posts: 7077
Joined: 18 Sep 2008, 20:37
Gender: Female
Location: East Notts

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by kate egg »

Made steak and kindey for a pie filling this week and fried the onions a bit first to soften them and it came out perfect )c+ )eat(

I think the thing you said Saint-Spoon about veg needing higher temperatures hit the nail on the head - the first time I cooked it on high and the onions were fine, the next time I cooked longer on low setting and they never got cooked.
User avatar
julie62
Legendary Laner
Posts: 2025
Joined: 16 Apr 2011, 00:54
Gender: Female
Location: Salford, Manchester

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by julie62 »

I do tend (if I have time) to sling everything in a pan first and cook it a wee bit before transferring it to the slow cooker - just seems to make it a bit more appetising if you brown stuff off a bit first. I must say I've used my slow cooker a lot this year and it's been a bit of a revelation. Great for shift workers like me )t'
Julie

“cockerels may crow but it's the hen that lays the egg."
User avatar
saint-spoon
Moderator
Posts: 9259
Joined: 10 Mar 2008, 14:16
Gender: Male
Location: south coast

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by saint-spoon »

try cooking a whole chicken in it. sit it on a couple of sliced onions, a carrot and other stock veg, a splash of water and whack it on high for five hours without opening the lid.
Bah Humbug
User avatar
kate egg
Legendary Laner
Posts: 7077
Joined: 18 Sep 2008, 20:37
Gender: Female
Location: East Notts

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by kate egg »

I read that somewhere else about cooking a chicken in it, I guess it doesn't brown but we chuck the skin away anyway. Is it very moist? My old man is a right fuss pott and likes meat reasonably 'dry'....
User avatar
julie62
Legendary Laner
Posts: 2025
Joined: 16 Apr 2011, 00:54
Gender: Female
Location: Salford, Manchester

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by julie62 »

I'm going to try the chicken )t'
Julie

“cockerels may crow but it's the hen that lays the egg."
User avatar
jemberelli
Legendary Laner
Posts: 2520
Joined: 17 Dec 2011, 18:42
Gender: Female
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by jemberelli »

I always do my chicken in it - the meat just falls off the bones, lovely & moist. I then take out any skin/fat, add a bit of boiling water & some chunks of onion/carrot to the carcass etc then simmer on low for a few hours - homemade chicken stock ready to pop in the freezer for when it is neede.
No girls at the moment but look forward to getting more in the future. Proud mummy to Hector, a Bedlington Terrier x Jack Russell
User avatar
kate egg
Legendary Laner
Posts: 7077
Joined: 18 Sep 2008, 20:37
Gender: Female
Location: East Notts

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by kate egg »

Beef borgignon again and today's )like( did on high about 4 hours and just turned to low, tasting good and onions definitely cooked this time. Had to substitute port for the red wine as I don't have any, not sure Rose wine would work... the port has worked ok
User avatar
julie62
Legendary Laner
Posts: 2025
Joined: 16 Apr 2011, 00:54
Gender: Female
Location: Salford, Manchester

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by julie62 »

Did braising steak and onions in mine the other day and that was lovely too. Just onions dry fried a bit cos of the diet before I put them in, floured steak, an oxo cube and water. Was really nice.
Julie

“cockerels may crow but it's the hen that lays the egg."
User avatar
manda
Moderator
Posts: 17241
Joined: 04 Aug 2007, 04:22
Gender: Female
Location: New Zealand

Re: Slow Cooker Question

Post by manda »

I use my slow cooker for things like Tagine style dishes ....does a similar job...Moroccan Beef / Lamb in the slow cooker is yummy :-D
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)✰
(¸.✰´¨(¸.✰ Manda

Living our version of the Good Life with 4 dogs, 6 cats, a cow, a few sheep, Angora Goats and ???? chooks.
Don't get your knickers in a knot..it solves nothing ~ just makes you walk funny
Post Reply