Crockpot

[Mobasser]

One of our favourite ways to cook things is in a crockpot.           I especially like to use it in fall and winter. Start something in the morning, and, you've got a hot meal ready later in the day. We've done roast, chicken, and pork, both pork roast and chops.                                                 If you've been working outdoors, fishing, or hunting, this is a good way to go.                 You can cook most any meat,  and add potatoes and vegtables of your choice.                 One benefit of the crockpot is that you don't need to be an expert cook. Anyone can do this. It always turns out delicious.                           Here's a recipe for roast beef that's easy, with a prep time of around 10 to 15 minutes.                        1 chuck roast. Size depending on how many folks will be eating.                         Put a little oil in a skillet, and flour the roast. Sear it on both sides.                                        Transfer the roast to the slow cooker, add cut potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion. Onion is part for flavor, and is optional.                      Salt and pepper to taste. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the crockpot.                                           You can add other spices if you like.                                           Turn on your crockpot, and let it cook away. A smaller roast around 4 to 6 hrs. A larger roast or brisket around 8 hrs. Keep the lid on the entire time.                                 While the meat is cooking, all the flavors come together and make a delicious meal.                                     A crockpot can work especially well for a family, with working parents, and children in school, if everyone is gone during the day.                                                      There are lots of good recipes to follow, or you can make your own. It's hard to beat.                                                     Are there some BR members who like crockpot cooking? What's your favourite dish to make in your crockpot?                          

[TnRiver46]

The front shoulder of a deer

[Darth-Baiter]

while I love slow cooking, I dont do it in a crockpot.  I have limited storage in my kitchen so yet another countertop appliance is a non-starter.

 

I use an enamel coated cast iron dutch oven and do all of it in a relatively cool oven.  310 deg on my oven gives me that bare simmer that seems to turn most tougher meat parts into tender morsels.  

 

there is no way to replicate how any slow cooking makes a house smell.  YUM!

22 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

The front shoulder of a deer

and the entire neck of a deer.  pull apart meat for tacos!!

[gim]

Pork roasts are my go-to in the crock pot.  I use a can of cream of mushroom soup first, then place the roast in with a cut up potato and/or vegetables of choice, and then season it with a Lipton Onion packet.  Often makes a couple days of leftovers too.

 

I actually don't care for beef or venison in the crock pot.  For some reason, they turn into a dry piece of leather (especially the venison, which is lacking fat already).  Maybe I am over cooking it, but shoe leather is the term I would use to describe it.

 

I also have a Showtime Rotisserie that I use in the winter months for beef roasts, whole chickens, and hams.  It does a fine job of turning a relatively low grade cut of meat into a decent meal.

[Skunkmaster-k]

I make a mean crockpot chili. 

[GaryH]

Deer/beef roast great during hunting season. Squirrel or rabbit with potatoes and Vegies. then into a pie crust for pot pie.

[Catt]

Cajun Sausage, Red Beans, & Rice!

[gim]

1 hour ago, GaryH said:

Deer/beef roast great during hunting season.

 

Did they recently open a cattle hunting season in PA there Gary?  Would be one hell of a gut pile!

[GaryH]

11 minutes ago, Catt said:

Cajun Sausage, Red Beans, & Rice!

Now your cooking 

15 minutes ago, Catt said:

Cajun Sausage, Red Beans, & Rice!

Had boudin for the first time 2 years ago on a Lake Fork tournament. Two good ole boys from Louisiana cooking it on the grille.Dang that is good stuff.

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

while I love slow cooking, I dont do it in a crockpot.  

Same. 

[slonezp]

I do a hybrid pork shoulder. Start off on the smoker to add the smoke flavor and finish off in the crockpot with a specific flavored wine. Smoker enthusiasts would say I'm blasphemous. They've never had my pulled pork. I won 2 unofficial bbq competitions with it and everyone who has ever had it says it's the best pork they have ever tasted. 

 

Otherwise it gets used for pot roast

[LonnieP]

Love me some corn beef brisket, cabbage and potatoes cooked in the crock pot.

[GreenPig]

Pork Ribs with some BBQ sauce are pretty good in CP.

[Bird]

Thinking the wife needs to start an account here. Lol

Cast iron skillets and crockpots are the norm here.......and I ain't complaining.

 

[DitchPanda]

I like the crockpot for ease of use and consistent results. Make all manner of things in it.

[clayton86]

Love it when fiancé makes roasts in the crock pot she went to make one the other day and dropped the pot and it shattered all over our kitchen floor. So now we need a new one. 

[TnRiver46]

I found a picture of that deer shoulder, there’s a bottle of wine in there with it 

[Darth-Baiter]

my thing about a crockpot.  you still need to cook on the stovetop.  you have to brown everything, collect the "fond", and move it all over to the appliance anyways.

 

my coworker and i often joke about a stew contest.  he is a big proponent of the crockpot.  i havent been able to get him to commit.  we buy the same cut of meat, veg, and come at the dish from our own skillsets.  

13 hours ago, LonnieP said:

Love me some corn beef brisket, cabbage and potatoes cooked in the crock pot.

yum!!

 

yes.  i always am so last minute so i do it all in a pressure cooker now.  

[roadwarrior]

27 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

my thing about a crockpot.  you still need to cook on the stovetop. 

 

I make chili in a crockpot, anything else in a Dutch oven.

[casts_by_fly]

32 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

my thing about a crockpot.  you still need to cook on the stovetop.  you have to brown everything, collect the "fond", and move it all over to the appliance anyways.

 

 

This for me.  A slow cooker on its own doesn't develop any browning or malliard reaction.  It is more like boil in a bag.  It does offer convenience.  So I'll use a slow cooker for things like party dips (queso!) where you just want to keep it warm.  If I'm cooking, I'm in a cast dutch over that gets seared on the stovetop and then put into the oven.

 

If anyone is looking for a set it and forget it method of cooking, sous vide is a great things to have in the arsenal.  With a vacuum sealer, a sous vide machine, and a big pot or plastic tub you can do some amazing things.  And, once you've put it into the sous vide, you forget about it for a while just like a slow cooker.  Once sous vided, most things can be cooled and refrigerated for a couple days and heated/finished when you're ready.  Its a great tool.

[Way north bass guy]

We had a crockpot, and pretty much wore it out?. My wife bought an Instant pot a couple years ago as a replacement and it’s absolutely fantastic. You can set it to sauté, brown up your meats or whatever you want, scrape the bottom of the pot so it doesn’t stick, then just turn it to slow cook and away you go!  Everything is done in one pot and turns out fantastic. The best part about them though is that you can set it as a pressure cooker if your short in time, so anything you want is cooked in no time. We often do pork roasts, chicken breasts , or beef, and they’re done in minutes instead of hours. You can cook a package of frozen chicken breasts in 20 min without any thawing, and they’re pull apart with a fork done. We’ll throw some frozen breasts in with  some salsa, and by the time you get all your other ingredients ready to go, you’ve got fajita meat done and ready to eat. 

[schplurg]

I can cook 12 meals for about $2 each crockin' it. Put em in containers and freeze em.

 

I've made pulled pork but got sick of it.

 

My fav recipe is some form of "Chicken Fiesta". This recipe can be played with, I do it different every time:

 

2 - 3 pounds of boneless chicken breasts. Cover the bottom of the crock.

2 large cans of pinto beans

3 cans of Rotel diced tomatoes (whichever ones you want)

1 package of fajita spice mix

1 can of corn (optional)

some salsa or Tapatio (whatever)

maybe a can of diced green chiles.

 

I think that's it. You can add whatever sounds good to you.

 

Cook all day (8 hours) and don't let it boil. Modern crockpots get too hot in my opinion for "safety" reasons. It ruins it.

 

I get 12 individual meals out of it. The juice left at the bottom makes a great spicy soup. The chicken falls apart nicely.