[Sca-cooks] OOP - help my stews!

[Elaine Koogler]

I use mine for all kinds of things.  To be honest, the one I have will allow
me to set the timer for a specified period of time, usually either 4 or 6
hours.  Once it's cooked for that length of time, it turns itself off.  I do
use it frequently for stews (beef, Brunswick, even a lentil soup that always
gets cooked for a shorter period). I also use it for making ketchup, jams &
jellies...I even used it once to make quince paste.

Kiri

On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 2:01 AM, Karen Lyons-McGann
<karenthechef at gmail.com>wrote:

> 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
> >
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