Slow Cooker/Crock Pot: Recipes and Techniques

[Barb]

Thanks Marlene and kpurvis! I'll take the Little Dipper out of the garage sale box and try some of your great ideas. eGullet is great, I learn something new every day

[Suzanne F]

Fifi, thank you for inspiring tonight's dinner. I split a cornish hen, put it in the slow cooker with a jar of piperade, the last of a jar of Newman's Own marinara, sherry vinegar, 3 kinds of paprika, and some adobo seasoning. Thickened the sauce with yogurt/cornstarch; served the whole with bow ties and steamed green beans. Very satisfying.

[fifi]

I love chicken all dolled up with more paprika than you think it needs. Suzanne, you just reminded me that I am out of sherry vinegar. A dash of that on the chicken thighs would have been great.

Still haven't heard from Rival. I wonder how often they check their "customer service" e-mails.

[FoodZealot]

This one from Nesco has captured my interest. It has a ceramic interior and the full temperature range of a roaster. I wonder if it can be used as a deep fryer?

-michael

From this Nesco site:

Full 6-Quart capacity serves up to 6 people.

I take this to mean that their serving size is a hearty 1 quart/person or MORE. 1.2 quarts, perhaps?

~Tad

Edited February 10, 2004 by FoodZealot (log)

[Suzanne F]

Does anyone else think it's funny that Nesco says:

This is one of the original Nescos®, just like the one that Grandma had!

Boy, that tells you who their target audience is, like nothing else!

[mnebergall]

I take if from reading this thread that there is no such thing as the "Mercedes Benz" of crock pots.

[Marlene]

fifi, I'm sure I'm missing it, but what crockpot did you end up getting?

[Rachel Perlow]

Any response yet from Customer Service? I hope you just brought it back to Target if you were unhappy with it.

[Pickles]

I loves me my crockpot! It's a Rival. I also love this site...where you can get opinions on just about anything. I pulled up crockpots for y'all:

http://www.epinions.com/Crock_Pots_and_Slo...h_vertical_~all

[fifi]

Sorry for being tardy. I got a meaningless reply to my first e-mail. I replied that that was just unacceptable. I haven't gotten a reply yet on the second e-mail. In the meantime, I am boxing the thing up to bring back to Target last weekend and started looking for the receipt. I clearly remember folding it up and putting it in my purse in the place I reserve for receipts. (I have a very organized purse. Comes from years of traveling, I guess.) Then I start looking for the receipt. Not there!!! I tore this place up looking for the damn thing. Then it got later than I thought and I didn't make it to Target over the weekend. I will try again.

What I am going to do is get the plain one with just the low, high and warm settings, no "programming" bullshit. If I had been smart, I would have scrolled way down on the Target site and read the review. This model got trashed for cooking too hot. The plain and simple one got 5 stars. I could have saved myself a lot of trouble. Lesson learned.

[Mabelline]

At Christmastime I wrote about getting a Presto Options 6 qt. combo type crockpot, steamer, and fryer. At first I thought that it might not be real good because it's got a temp. dial just like an electric skillet, it's a nonstick metal pot, and I was sure it wouldn't get as low a temp. as I wanted. Well, I can say that I've used it exclusively several times now, and I love that thing. It's light,easy to clean, has that electric breakaway plug, and it consistently will simmer stuff slow enough that I am now a believer. It may not be everyone's choice, but I'm happy.

[snowangel]

Sorry for being tardy. I got a meaningless reply to my first e-mail. I replied that that was just unacceptable. I haven't gotten a reply yet on the second e-mail. In the meantime, I am boxing the thing up to bring back to Target last weekend and started looking for the receipt. I clearly remember folding it up and putting it in my purse in the place I reserve for receipts. (I have a very organized purse. Comes from years of traveling, I guess.) Then I start looking for the receipt. Not there!!! I tore this place up looking for the damn thing. Then it got later than I thought and I didn't make it to Target over the weekend. I will try again.

What I am going to do is get the plain one with just the low, high and warm settings, no "programming" bullshit. If I had been smart, I would have scrolled way down on the Target site and read the review. This model got trashed for cooking too hot. The plain and simple one got 5 stars. I could have saved myself a lot of trouble. Lesson learned.

If you charged it, or wrote a check (and remembered which you did), they should be able to do a lookup based on charge card of check, assuming you bought it withint he last 90 days. I've learned never pay cash at Target if you clean out "receipt carrying thing."

[fifi]

Hmmm... I used my Visa/ATM. That might work. Thanks.

[Basilgirl]

OK, I gave myself my first Crock Pot for Christmas. Of course Mom had one in the '70s, but all I remember from that time was a lot of cream of mushroom soup going in there with whatever meat & potatoes. So far I've made pork BBQ, Tuscan pot roast, lentil soup, and some really really BAD pork with sauerkraut.

I like coming home and having dinner almost ready. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[tryska]

stock!

[slbunge]

Hopefully you have seen the activity over in the onion confit thread. Lots of crockpot usage there.

[Toliver]

Here is a link for Googled recipes that Fat Guy posted in another crock pot discussion:

Click here.

edited to make a was an is

Edited March 12, 2004 by Toliver (log)

[Basilgirl]

Here is a link for Googled recipes that Fat Guy posted in another crock pot discussion:

Click here.

edited to make a was an is

Thanks, Toliver.

I am overwhelmed by the number of recipes to peruse.

[picaman]

RecipeGullet crock pot category

I've made the German Red Cabbage and the Greek Beef Stew (from Jaymes) and loved them both.

Jamie

[picaman]

some really really BAD pork with sauerkraut.

Sauerkraut and Pork Recipe

This one I liked a lot...the sour cream was a good touch. I substituted for the Lipton onion soup mix.

Jamie

[Cusina]

In this beautiful thread on Paprika, there is a recipe for chicken thighs. Fifi suggests down the thread aways how to do them in a crock pot. That is next on my list of things to cook in mine. link!

I also love to do a side that is chopped (and peeled, of course) sweet potatoes, ginger, apples, maple syrup, ground allspice and cinnamon. Add orange juice for liquid. Makes your house smell really good too.

Edited to add the link.

Edited March 12, 2004 by Cusina (log)

[FistFullaRoux]

And don't forget that dried beans are perfect for crock pots. I do red beans (for red beans and rice) all the time.

[Cusina]

Or this Garlic Sesame Pork Tenderloin works well too.

Put all this in the pot and cook at least 4 hours. This serves two, but it can be easily doubled.

1 t honey

4 T soy sauce

2 T sesame oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 T brown sugar

1 T dry sherry

3 scallions, chopped (3 to 4)

1 pound pork tenderloin

[sequim]

What I'm wondering is when you cook meat in a crockpot, do you take skin off chicken, etc, or trim fat? I always get a bunch of fat pooled in the pot. Or do you just cool it and skim?

[Basilgirl]

RecipeGullet crock pot category

I've made the German Red Cabbage and the Greek Beef Stew (from Jaymes) and loved them both.

Jamie

Thanks, Picaman! I didn't realize there was a separate Recipe Archive category for Crock Pot. THAT'S what I was looking for - egulleters' recipes! Thanks again.