Crockpot cooking ideas.

[Dinner]

I decided I love the idea of cooking using a crockpot since all you have to do is toss stuff in it, flip it on, and come back at the end of the day to enjoy a hot home cooked meal. My problem is I don't know any good recipes so I was wondering if anyone here cooks using a crockpot and if so which recipes do you folks like?

I've done the toss in some meat, potatos, and onions with spices thing and it turned out ok. It was good but not great. I've used the crockpot to cook pinto beans which I used to make refried beans and I've even made a vegitarian curry with tofu & beans in the crock pot but that one didn't turn out that well. There was nothing wrong with it other then the crockpot doesn't get hot enough to reduce the curry sauce much so it ended up being watery.

Any pointers for the lazy cook?

[pchang]

Sure - random glop slow heated for hours and hours.

Sounds appetizing


















NOT

[SlowwHand]

Pork chops come out pretty tasty. Check out a crock pot cook book.

[Japher]

we generally use it for beef stew and chili, we have several cookbooks for it

however, I generally don't mind cooking on the stove when I get home that I rarely need it, in those cases I just make stew.

[Dinner]

Originally crockpots were designed to slow cook those tough cuts of meat. It would cook long and slow to melt the tendons away and turn a tough cut of meat into a tender meal. I'm trying to expand out from that.

So far I've found they're good for things like beans, potatos, carrots, onions, and some soups. Pasta doesn't do so good nor does any seafood (they just gets cooked to mush). Tofu olds up reasonably well but doesn't it always? I need some ideas people; especially seasonings.

[ajbera]

Supposedly slow-cooked pot roast is tasty.

Try here: http://crockpot.allrecipes.com/

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Japher
we generally use it for beef stew and chili, we have several cookbooks for it

however, I generally don't mind cooking on the stove when I get home that I rarely need it, in those cases I just make stew.

Hmmm, stew. I will try that.

[rah]

Use a non lean meat. You can usually buy chunks of meat specifically for a pot roast. Put the cut up meat on the bottom with the peeled and cut potatoes on top of them, a 1/2 to a cup of water, add a beef bullion cube (smashed or sliced) season with a little salt and pepper and a little chopped onion (I like just a touch of garlic powder also). (simmer on the low setting for 5-6 hours) Then about 30 minutes before you're done, add any veggies on top to steam cook them without softening them to mush.

Instant dinner

[Elok]

I like Sauerbraten, myself. With some nice spaetzle.

[OzzyKP]

Damn, I thought it was crackpot cooking ideas.

[Elok]

Originally posted by OzzyKP
Damn, I thought it was crackpot cooking ideas.

There'll probably be plenty of those too, depending how long the thread continues.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Beef Stew is very nice in the crockpot, some beef, potatoes, random veggies, spices... the fun is in the experimentation, frankly.

I also made some delicious pulled pork. Got a pork butt, put two onions, quartered on the bottom of the pot, placed the pork butt, fat side up (naturally) on top. Put some sauce over it all. Cook it on low for like 8-10 hours. The last half hour of cooking, open it up, put some more sauce and heat it on high for the last half hour. Then open it up, more sauce, pull out the pork and pull off the fat back. Then pull the pork. Delicious!

[Victor Galis]

I've been making my beef stew on the stove, but I'm looking forward to experimenting with a crockpot in the near future.

[:) Smiley]

This must be the third forum I visit to spawn a crockpot cooking thread in the last month, I wonder what's happening?

[Dinner]

Lots of lazy people who want an easy meal?