I'd be lost without it (Slow Cooking)

Member Name: Mezamoo

Product:	Slow Cooking
Date:	11/02/09 (85 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: So many - cheap/economical, very versatile, time saving, washing up saving

Disadvantages: Curry smell can linger

Slow cooking

I absolutely love my slow cooker, I bought it from Asda for about 5 years ago for £12.00 and it really was the best £12.00 I ever spent. It's only been in the last couple of years that I've really learnt how to use it properly.

My slow cooker has 3 settings, low, medium and high and it's large enough to hold a medium joint of meat or a whole chicken. There is only me and my partner in our household so there is always plenty of leftovers for the freezer.

I'm finding in these challenging economic times that my slow cooker is an invaluable piece of kitchen equipment. Firstly because it means I don't have to use the oven as much (thus saving money) and secondly because it means I can cook even the toughest cuts of meat with very little effort or hassle.

The other reason I love my slow cooker is because there is so little effort required to make some of the most delicious meals. I tend to spend a few minutes in the morning preparing, throw it in the slow cooker and when I come home it's all cooked and ready to eat.

Here are a few of the things I have been cooking recently:

Gammon Hock
These can be picked up for about £1.50 from the local butcher, they don't look hugely appetizing initially but once cooked they taste delicious. Place the joint in the slow cooker with a couple of inches of water and cook on low for about 8 hours. The meat is so tender when it comes out that it literally falls off the bone, the remaining stock can be used to make ham and pea soup (in the slow cooker of course!) The meat is usually enough to feed me and my partner for 2 meals each, plus some leftovers for sandwiches, plus the soup - makes for very economical eating.

Breast of Lamb
Again a really really cheap cut of meat, can be picked up from butchers for between £1.50 - £2.00. I tend to bone it and roll it myself, it can be stuffed with cous cous, rice or a selection of vegetables, chuck in the slow cooker with some potatoes, parsnips, leaks, turnips - whatever you fancy really, and when you get home a delicious meal that just needs serving.

Whole Chicken
I usually roast my chickens but was finding that they were coming out quite dry (unless I slathered in butter) so I put it in the slow cooker for 4 hours on high on Sunday. The result was amazing, moist, succulent chicken that fell off the bone. I found I was able to pick it much easier (which meant the bird went further). The only downside being that the skin wasn't crispy, but I think next time I'd put it in the oven for 20 or 30 minutes to crisp up the skin.

Lamb neck/beef chunk
Very tough cuts of meat that would usually need casseroling for hours, not in the slow cooker. The meat can be browned, thrown in the slow cooker with vegetables of your choice, seasoning and stock, cook on medium for about 8 hours. All that needs to be done before serving is to stir in some cornflour and serve with crusty bread. Fabulous winter warming food.

I've also cooked soups, curries, bolognaise, liver and other offal - pretty much anything can be cooked successfully in the slow cooker with very little effort.

I'm looking forward to valentines day, because we're going to treat ourselves to some lamb shanks which will be cooked in the slow cooker with a tin of tomatoes, courgettes, peppers, aubergine and onion, seasoned with Moroccan spices such as cumin, coriander, cinnamon...yummy yum yum!

I really do love my slow cooker, before I learnt how versatile it is I didn't think much to it at all and use to just use it for soups but now it's on 3 or 4 times a week. The lack of washing up makes hubby very happy too so there is another bonus!

Summary: Best kitchen invention EVER