[New shoot]

I'm dithering about buying one and would welcome some advice please. 

I would want one with the autocook function, so I don't have to heat the food before putting it in and I want it to be as versatile as possible as I'm often out of the house for 12 hours at a time on workdays.  Is that too long to slowcook? Guess I could use a timer switch with one if need be.  The Crockpot one is expensive, but does seem to be a really good one or is there a cheaper one which is just as good.

Also can anyone recommend a good cookbook for one.

Thanks   

[DD.]

I'm not an expert, but we've got this:

Rival Crockpot currenty £37.70 from Amazon, but you possibly could get it for less.

Quite basic, which suits me! Just two settings, we tend to use the low one and cook all day - about as long as you mention.

Everything just gets chucked in cold and then left.

Don't know about a cook book - we make it up as we go along!

[joyfull]

I too just bung stuff in, the food never gets pre cooked/heated.

[mumofstig]

I have a cheapo Trashco one and just bung everything in and cook slow all day.

Everything from whole chickens to soups, now chutneys to try as well 

[Yorkie]

I've known people who are perfectly happy with the T*sco type ones - just check for capacity.

I've got an ancient Tower one which has the auto function; it's the only one I use unless the recipe says otherwise.

As for cookbooks, I've got this one which seemed to have the most recipes for the best value at the time.  I didn't pay that much for it though - you can get it for £9.99 at Lakeland.

[Janeymiddlewife]

Agree with the others, I put food in about 7am, raw, set it to high for an hour to nuke it, then it will automatically go to "keep warm" until I get in at 6ish. Makes beautiful mince for chilli, spag bol, shepherd's pie, etc. Also cook chicken casserole in it, pork chops, sausage casserole etc. Find rice doesn't do very well in it, have cooked small whole chickens in it as well, just to use the meat in something else as it doesn't brown.

[Yorkie]

The one failure I've had, was cooking chicken thighs - can't remember if it was on high throughout, or whether I just cooked them for too long.  I suspect the former rather than the latter.

They completely disintegrated and I ended up picking out lots of tiny bits of bone.  Not again!

[Val H]

Same as Mum, we have the £10 trashco one. Never pre-heat anything, just bung it in. Quite often do soups overnight so it's on for far more than 12 hours. The big advantage is that the food doesn't stick.

[arugula]

Ours has three settings, low, auto and high. Agree with what has been said about bunging everything and leaving it to it, but I often actually seal the meat first - personal choice. I find red meats such as beef, lamb or venison are best and agree that chicken is not good.

[arugula]

And how could I have forgotten to mention Boston Baked Beans? 

[Spana]

I was given one years ago and have never used it because i thought you had to brown meat and veg first.  Can you really just bung it all in, set it to slow and go away and leave it for 12hours.   If yes, I might just try it. 

Got a chicken carcass in the fridge, could i put that in to make stock overnight

[mumofstig]

yes 

[Ice]

Like Argyllie I do seal my meat first and I also fry off the veg a little too, but personal choice and not necessary really. 

Mmmmm, Boston Baked Beans.

[arugula]

Mmmmm, Boston Baked Beans.

Oh yes!   And... I'm going to try one of PurplePixies's slow cooker chutney recipes. 

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

Mmmmm, Boston Baked Beans.

Oh yes!   And... I'm going to try one of PurplePixies's slow cooker chutney recipes. 

I've tried searching for this on the forum as I'm very interested in trying one too, however, I can't seem to find the recipe.  Help!