Home > Relish Austin > Archives > 2008 > December > 22 > Entry
Screw recipes; I have a slow cooker
I imagine there are thousands of slow cookers in the bottom of pantries across Central Texas that are just sitting there collecting dust (or other pantry dandruff including onion peels and orphan rice grains).
But since October, we’ve been trying to use it more, aided by a slow cooker recipe book — with 1,001 recipes, no more no less — I received in the mail awhile back. But the problem is, when you flip through it, it seems to include every slow cooker recipe imaginable, except the one you want.
This weekend, for instance, I was inspired by a recipe in the book to make a curried beef with lentils, potatoes and onions, which ended up tasting pretty good. (I should have added more of the traditional Indian spices I’ve stocked up on since profiling Indian chef Chaya Rao in November.)
However, the final product only had a few of the ingredients of the original recipe, which has led me to believe that recipes for slow cookers are mere suggestions because the point is to use what you have, not make a special trip for a few ingredients. It is a slow cooker for God’s sake.
So, here are a few tips that will help you get some use — without a cookbook — out of that Crock Pot that’s just taking up space:
- Check out the grocery inserts, found inside your trusty newspaper just about every day of the week, for sale items. Or, the next time you’re in the store, look around for meats that are selling for $1-$3 a pound. Roasts, chucks, chicken thighs and pork butts are good examples of cheap meats made tastier when cooked on low heat over time.
- Two pounds of meat will serve at least four people, but you can stretch a pound of meat to serve 8 if you have extra vegetables and grains.
- Eat your vegetables! Onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, peppers, greens, green beans, corn and the like. Chop ‘em up and throw ‘em in. For some veggies that overcook easily, such as broccoli or cauliflower, toss them in a few hours into the cooking process.
- Eat your beans! Use those dry beans that are also taking up room in your pantry. Beans and lentils of every color have a home in a slow cooker. No need to presoak, either. Talk about a cheap protein…
- Rice and other grains, such as quinoa and couscous, are perfect for slow cookers. Just add them in about 20-30 minutes (longer for brown rice) before you want to eat.
- Use less liquid than you would in a traditional recipe. Vegetables release liquid as they cook, so you probably won’t need more than 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of broth or water.
- Season with all the spices and herbs you like at the beginning, but save the salt and pepper for the end.
- Some of the stoneware inserts these days can be heated on the stove, which means you can brown onions or ground beef (strain the fat off the ground beef, though) in the same dish you cook them in. Check the user’s manual, which if your cooker is truly unused, is probably still sitting in the pot.
- Said user’s manual’s be damned when it comes to lifting the lid to check on your dinner. I usually lift the lid and stir a couple of times to make sure the heat is being distributed and to see how it’s tasting.
- Slow cookers don’t produce the most visually pleasing foods. Chopped herbs (ie, cilantro, parsley, chives), grated cheese, toasted sesame seeds, toasted nuts or avocado slices will brighten just about any stew, soup or chili.
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By Sicilian
December 22, 2008 7:32 PM | Link to this
Slow cooker meal tonight.
1 pound of lentils 1 tomato diced 1 onion diced 3 tablespoons fake chicken seasoning 1/2 cup fresh carrot and celery (it is the leftover fiber stuff from my morning juice don’t know what to call it) enough water to cover beans. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmm good with cornbread and very low calorie Ciao
By staff
December 22, 2008 10:01 PM | Link to this
Sounds delicious! Lentils power me through the winter.
Do you have a good cornbread recipe or tip?
By Kay
December 23, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this
I found a good blog for using the slow cooker. http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/ The blogger has a recipe archive as well. There’s even a cornbread recipe! I use mine for stews, chili, pot roasts, beans and more. I like that it makes for an easy night after a day at the office. Wake up, throw stuff in pot, set it and go…come home, taste for seasonings and serve dinner.