Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm learning to cook with a Crock pot because I suck at cooking and I'm interested in making chicken Marsala. Looking at the cooking instructions for both slow cooker and stove pan, I don't see the benefits of using a slow cooker over a pan except it that using a Crock pot may need a little less work.
What am I missing here? Is there more flavor using the slow cooker?
Needs A LOT less work.
You dump your ingredients in your crock pot, close it, set the timer, and leave. You can be gone for hours, and when you return, it will be ready. Might need a bit of a stir.
If you have it on the stove, you need to monitor it for several reasons, including the fact that, well, it's a stove. You never leave your stove top unmonitored for extended periods of time. Also, cooking on the stove will require fairly frequent stirring, or you'll risk burning the bottom of your dish.
All in all, it's definitely not a necessity, but it can be VERY convenient.
Kind of like how you don't NEED a pressure cooker, but cooking things such as beans is much easier when using one.
YOU can put a roast or anything you want in a slow cooker...put it on low go to work (or have it cook thru the night) when you get home the house smells great and the meat falls apart ...set and forget it...
I wont leave a pan on the stove while im at work
im using my slow cooker a lot... even on a day off ...I can run errands and not worry
The best use for a crock pot is to put a meal in to cook while you are away from home. You get home and there is a hot meal all ready.
I prefer my pot roast done in the oven in a heavy cast iron dutch oven. But to do that, someone has to be there to babysit it. Pot roast in the crock pot is still an excellent meal and it's really nice to arrive home tired and there it is, waiting for you, and it is still good if you arrive home late.
You can't beat a crock pot for cooking dry beans.
I don't use a crock pot for chicken because chicken doesn't require long cooking to get it tender.
I prefer my pot roast done in the oven in a heavy cast iron dutch oven. But to do that, someone has to be there to babysit it. Pot roast in the crock pot is still an excellent meal and it's really nice to arrive home tired and there it is, waiting for you, and it is still good if you arrive home late.
Oregon, please explain what's better about the dutch oven. I love pot roast and crock pot works for me. But help me understand what will be different if I go with my Le Creuset Dutch Oven. Thanks!
Oregon, please explain what's better about the dutch oven. I love pot roast and crock pot works for me. But help me understand what will be different if I go with my Le Creuset Dutch Oven. Thanks!
My guess is that the crock pot does tend to turn things somewhat watery, since the steam basically has nowhere to go, so it just drips right back down into the dish.
What's the benefit of using a slow cooker vs cooking over the stove?
The wife and I retired back 6-7 yrs ago, so time is not a problem for us, we find that Hard Meats, those tough to chew and even harder to digest (And cheaper to buy, of course) are the ones that really turn into lovely casseroles for us...Also dry legumes, such as dry Lentils, Beans or Garbanzos just cook perfectly, and this is really the benefit that without using tenderizers or other unnatural ways to rush a meal, all comes out perfect.
We use the stove and oven daily, but at leat once every 2 weeks we plan on a great slow cooker dish, and it's great. Summer or a bit cooler, for us in Miami Winter it's really a foreign word.
The advantages of one method over the other might not be significant if only 1 recipe or type of food is considered. When comparing the 2 methods of preparing a wide range of foods and types of dishes, one method will likely be preferable for some while the other is preferable for others. Not every recipe is going to benefit from using a slow cooker in terms of time and effort involved, preparation steps, cleanup, etc. Many will turn out to be less work for the cook by using a slow cooker, so those are the ones to focus on for that particular cooking method. Maybe the chicken Marsala recipe would be better prepared or just as efficiently prepared on the stove or in the oven. That doesn't mean using the stove or oven is superior for all dishes or food types.
I'm learning to cook with a Crock pot because I suck at cooking and I'm interested in making chicken Marsala. Looking at the cooking instructions for both slow cooker and stove pan, I don't see the benefits of using a slow cooker over a pan except it that using a Crock pot may need a little less work.
What am I missing here? Is there more flavor using the slow cooker?
Well, it does not brown meat or chicken. I eat neither, but I once did, and when I did, that was not a plus for some dishes. Stews do well, and you can also brown anything that needs browning before hand.
I think they are great for so many things! On holiday where you are making several sides, they are so helpful! They save space, and free up stove burners for other things.
When I have a first soup course, I either cook in in the slow cooker, or transfer it.
You don’t need for chicken, but I use crockpot for tough meat. Plus I don’t have to watch it carefully while doing other stuff.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
