Firstly I simply love this forum, I came across it while looking for information for keeping chickens.
I found the cooking section and have spent many hours reading information on jams, boy my preserving pan is going to be hot this year.
Anyway was thinking of sharing how I use my slow cooker for cooking. I have tried cooking most meats, such as beef joints, stews, turkey crowns lamb pork etc with this method.
I actually cook all my meat in a vacuum bag in the slow cooker,with just a few additives that are needed.
Cooking it this way the meat cooks in it's own juices nice and slowly and will not loose any of its flavor. the other advantage in cooking it this way is the storage of the cooked food.
As the food has been cooked in the sealed bag, germs and bacteria are unable to get in, If stored at the correct temperature in the fridge it last for a long time (3 weeks safely)
Individual meals can be cooked and stored for later use, or you can cook beef stew in one bag, steak and kidney in another and beef curry in another bag. all cooked in the same cooker at the same time.
I only use this method as the meat tastes so much better, and I can mix and match what I cook at the same time. Cooking Chuck Beef using this method,makes the best beef for sandwiches it just melts in your mouth.