[Spana]

Following on from Springlands thread, I'v got out a slow cooker that's sat on the self unused for the last 10 year. I don't have the instruction booklet.

It takes 8pts, there are 3 settings, lo, hi and auto.

I've put a couple of pints of cold water in and turned it on.  Its been on over an hour on hi and its only just getting too hot to put your hand in the water, does that sound right.

So, would I start it off with hot/cold liquid on hi and turn to lo when it boils, can you tell if its at boiling/simmering, what happens if you are not around to do that. I take it that  is  what auto is for, but do you use auto right from the start.
Also  you say let it cook for 6-8 hours, is that from the start from cold or from when it reaches simmering.

Thanks

[irot]

From my experience, even on high slow cookers never boil or even simmer, but you should be able to see a bit of steam when you take the lid off.  A lot of recipes take 6+ hours to cook in a slow cooker, so it's probably fine!

[mumofstig]

Put stuff in, I add warm water, turn on to warm go out/to work for the whole day, come home to cooked casserole. Microwave spud, dinner in 10 mins 
East peasy.
There are some nice recipes here
http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/peter-sidwell/braised-beef-recipe

if you feel you need to follow one.

[madcat]

With the exception of a ham hock .... which I always start from cold .....

I always put my cooking liquor - be it stock or water - in hot if I can.  Not drastic if it is cold, it just takes longer.  Cider and wine and coconut milk are are always cold.

If I am around I'll do the first hour on hi, and then turn down to lo for the rest of the time.  If not, which is usual, it will start on lo and stay that way for the next 8 hours for most things.

This blog has some good ideas too.  Some are a bit  :blink: to english tastes, but it gets you thinking.   

What are you thinking of starting with?

[HLS]

I'm not sure slow cookers really have standard settings - I've seen lots of people (admittedly mostly in the US, but then most of the online recipes are from there) saying that new slow cookers are hotter than the old ones and they've had to adjust their old recipes.

I think that mine (newish but cheap) would take at least an hour to go from 3/4 full of cold water to hottish on high, so that sounds right to me.  Mine will simmer on high (after, er, at least two hours I think but I'm not sure I've ever checked it particularly) and generally get to just below a simmer on low - a few bubbles/gentle movement here and there but not properly bubbling all over.

I generally follow whatever the recipe says with regard to starting ingredients cold or hot.  I've definitely cooked meat from fridge temperature (with room temperature vegetables and cold-tap temperature water) on low and haven't got food poisoning yet.  The only things I'd watch out for are letting it sit at room temperature for a long time (I use a timer to delay the start if I'm going to be out, but only for vegetarian recipes) and making sure you allow for adjusting the cooking time if the cooker is particularly empty or particularly full.  I find that recipes work best when the cooker is 3/4 full, and if it's less full than that it cooks quite a bit faster.

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/  is a blog with lots of ideas.  The recipes are American, so some would be easier to do than others, but the ones I've tried have been good.  The only thing I usually disagree on is that I give onions a quick fry before putting them in (the night before if I've got more time then) unless I'm really pushed for time.

[madcat]

I give onions a quick fry before putting them in (the night before if I've got more time then) unless I'm really pushed for time.

Me too -  particularly with meat.  Curries I rarely bother ....

[Yorkie]

I always use the auto setting, which with mine has meant it starts on high and switches to low after a couple of hours.  Always brown meat and onions first, I agree.  And of course you don't need a lot of liquid - far less than you'd expect with a standard casserole.  Chop up veggies, particularly carrots, finely.

[snowdrops]

My instructions say to pre heat the empty pot before putting all the hot ingredients in.

[Spana]

Had a thought this morning

I wonder how creme caramels would cook in it, its seems the perfect way.  No need for  poring all those kettle of hot water into tins in the oven and a nice slow temperature so they would cook nice and smooth. :happy: Altho mine does seem a bit hotter than most.

I'm putting a shin of beef stew sort of thing in today so will try the creme caramels tomorrow. :happy:

[jamima]

Spana sounds like you have a slow cooker like mine its a tower auto with hi, low and auto and its brown and cream, i start things on the hob then transfer into the cooker on auto leave it there all day and stir at lunch time, it never boils but gets very hot , would'nt be without it .

[Spana]

I am getting a bit OTT with it now jamima, trying to think all the time how i can use it so it doesn't go back on the self

Its a Prima and yes its got lo, hi and auto but it does bubble round the edge, even on lo.  Dont know if its faulty, i was given it as a pressie 10years ago and have never used it.

Can you do steamed puddings in them and what about rice pudding, but thinking about it, you wouldn't get a nice skin would you

[Yorkie]

Yes you can do puddings in it.  My new one does bubble round the edge; my old tower one didn't (20+ years old now).  I had wondered whether it was supposed to bubble but as others are reporting the same thing, perhaps it is perfectly normal.

[Janeymiddlewife]

Rice pudding is yummy in it - you do get a skin of sorts, however it can be a bu*%er to clean if you've cooked rice in it!

[madcat]

I do a savory rice in it sometimes, only takes about 3 hours which is nice for a hot lunch ...

Not too bad to clean then, provided I put it straight to soak after dishing up..

[DD.]

My brisket's smelling good!