Slow cookers

tom_e

tom_e

tom_e

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Looking at picking up a cheap slow cooker to save myself some cash as it means I can buy any old meat and make it nice and edible rather than going for the pricer cuts.
Only problem is I'm not sure what size to go for, I've found a 1.5L one for about £13 for a 3.5L one for about £20.
It's generally going to be used so I can buy a big lump of meat chuck everything in and bulk cook a few nights dinners in one go so I'm thinking the 3.5L but and I feel like this is a really stupid question is there anything wrong with cooking a small meal say only enough for one serving in the bigger one?
Also if anyone has any recommendations on which one to go for or interesting recipes that would be great :)
 
I would stick with the 3.5l, I'd rather have the space and not need it than need the space and not have it. At the end of the day you can freeze extras, chilli, beef stew and the like to be used another day.

I fill my 3L every time i use it and there are only 2 of us.
 
Kanifee said:
I would stick with the 3.5l, I'd rather have the space and not need it than need the space and not have it. At the end of the day you can freeze extras, chilli, beef stew and the like to be used another day.

I fill my 3L every time i use it and there are only 2 of us.
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That was my thinking, I'd probably end up annoyed with lack of space if I went for the 1.5L as I plan on doing as you said and freezing plenty so I can sit straight down to dinner when I get home rather than having to spend an hour of the little time I get cooking.
 
Argos have got a Breville 4.5L for £22 and I've got a £10 voucher round here somewhere so that sounds like a deal to me :D
 
Glaucus said:
Just use your oven, no need for a slow cooker. I chucked mine out.
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It really depends on your oven. Mine is awful and doesn't go below 120-140C.

That said, I'm not that big a fan of slow cookers. They're semi convenient but I much prefer to just have a little more hassle and deal with using a pan or oven.
 
Glaucus said:
Just use your oven, no need for a slow cooker. I chucked mine out.
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Utter nonsense. Unless you have a very good oven, you would not be able to get as low as a slow cookers 'low' setting. Even then, the electricity used would be significantly more than that of a slow cooker. They have their place. Don't get me wrong, I roast and pan fry regularly, but slow cooking has it's place in the winter time.
 
You don't need a good oven for low temp, especially if you have gas.
Cost is nothing.
I slow cook all the time, all in oven. As I said I chucked slow cooker out, they are not as good as most ovens.
So no it's not rubbish.
Most oven will go below 100c , if you don't then you'll need a slow cooker but most people don't.
 
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I have a 3.5l Morphy Richards from Amazon, cost me well under £20 and have cooked 3kg pork shoulders no problem.

Haven't tackled stews in them yet but will be doing so shortly.

Very handy piece of kit to have!
 
Glaucus said:
You don't need a good oven for low temp, especially if you have gas.
Cost is nothing.
I slow cook all the time, all in oven. As I said I chucked slow cooker out, they are not as good as most ovens.
So no it's not rubbish.
Most oven will go below 100c , if you don't then you'll need a slow cooker but most people don't.
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I wouldn't leave my oven on unattended all day, something which I can do with my slow cooker. Plus I can use a timer plug to turn it on when needed if only doing a shorter slow cook.
 
You can definitely leave your oven on all day. I've done it tons of times.

However, it's not *that* uncommon to have an oven that fails at going below 100C sadly :/ At least in rented properties.
 
Glaucus said:
You can leave your oven on all day, nothing wrong with that at all. Can even leave it in for days.
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I didn't say you can't, I said that I wouldn't.

Doubt my home insruance would pay out if my place burnt down due to me leaving the oven on whilst I went to work.
 
There's really no danger of your oven starting a fire - especially on a low setting. If you're worried you can always try it for a number of hours whilst you're in the house. It's a bit of a silly thing to worry about to be honest.
 
FrenchTart said:
There's really no danger of your oven starting a fire - especially on a low setting. If you're worried you can always try it for a number of hours whilst you're in the house. It's a bit of a silly thing to worry about to be honest.
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I don't expect my oven to start a fire, but that doesn't mean I am willing to risk it. Plus my oven uses more electricity than my slow cooker.

Don't get me wrong, if I am actually home, then I slow cook in the oven too, but during the week I slow cook for convenience, and a dedicated cooker is way more convenient than using the oven, especially as I can set it to cook on high for a time then switch to low.
 
krooton said:
I don't expect my oven to start a fire, but that doesn't mean I am willing to risk it. Plus my oven uses more electricity than my slow cooker.

Don't get me wrong, if I am actually home, then I slow cook in the oven too, but during the week I slow cook for convenience, and a dedicated cooker is way more convenient than using the oven, especially as I can set it to cook on high for a time then switch to low.
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I wouldn't even call it a "risk". But each to their own.

No arguments about the convenience - that is the reason I wouldn't mind having a slow cooker sitting around. I just don't rate it as enough of a convenience (for me personally) to justify the extra kitchen gadget clutter.
 
I find it handy having a slow cooker, I can cook a joint of pork in it or stew steak and while it finishes use my oven to roast veggies on one shelf and a Yorkshire on the other, I do have a top grill/oven that is not fan assisted but I'm not that keen on it for most things.

My kitchen isn't big enough for a double cooker so my slow cooker has its place in my kitchen.
 
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