[Sca-cooks] OOP - help my stews!

[Karen Lyons-McGann]

Both this advice and the advice to cook it in the slow cooker for 3 hours
(the might might work out but the veg might not get done) kinda both make
the 'convenient for working moms!' argument pointless.  If I'm home and only
intend to cook for 3 hours or so, why use a crock pot at all?    A cast iron
dutch oven in the oven or on the stove will do a much better job in that
time.  True, in the summer/some climates, there may be not heating the house
up to consider, a problem best solved by not making stew.  And at all times
a year there may be a small power savings.  But at the cost of making bad
food-indeed, wasting food.

Having given away all my counter top appliances before moving overseas, then
moving back, I'm gradually replacing them all.  Doing it rather slowly in
order to get the mid to high end models of things (HELLO GIANT KITCHENAID
MIXER!  My onetruelove!)  I'm sorry I got the new crockpot instead of making
a decision on the food processor size/model.  I thought with more
temperature settings and timers it would be more useful than the basic
original type on/off low/high crock pot I got as wedding gift in 1983.  The
removable crock is super, but despite experimenting regularly* the last
couple of months, I've not found it useful for the main reason I want it:
coming home to hot dinner.  (Not that I'm working yet, trying to plan
ahead).  I'm getting away from main dishes and considering other uses.  A
friend reports it's great for scalloped potatoes.  I recall  steaming
puddings in my old one and should do that again.  And I've used it in the
past as a buffet server for food cooked *and placed HOT* into the crockpot.
I used to have good luck cooking dried beans in one also.

Lady Bonne

*the main thing my experimenting has gotten me is a new set of recipes to
make in the oven.  A persian-ish lamb stew with yellow peas and onions is a
particular favorite.




> Personally I find that slow cooked meat is always overdone even when
> cooked that short a time on low.  The veg and gravy might be fine but
> the meat is always fibrous and dry.  Have never understood how someone
> who works full time is supposed to get a decent meal out of it.
>


> Lady Bonne
> ------------------------------
> Cook them in the evening and then reheat the next day (or on the weekend
> and
> then freeze). Many stews are better for a day's sitting around soaking up
> the flavours anyway.
>
> Angharad
>