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I do not own a crock pot and I would never have an appliance cooking, unattended, when I was away from home.
I can see from many of you that you find it a simple way to prepare a meal, then it is good for you.
I can cook well and I never was taught to use a crock pot. Most of these recipes for throwing items in them and stewing them all together seems easy but does not develop well the flavors and relies too much on these dried ingredients like salad dressing mixes of debatable value to flavor, other than salt. This way of cooking does not prepare the product correctly by browning the meat and the sauteing some of the aromatic vegetables. Using another pan just to brown make the equipment not necessary; you are best to finish the product in the browning pan and take advantage of the flavor of the fond. Of course, it will cook everything together and become overcooked.
Ah, but not every crockpot recipe is based on premade stuff like canned mushroom soup and flavor envelopes. If you know the techniques the flavors are just as good as, or better than, what you get on the stovetop. One typical technique is to brown or sear the ingredients that need it in the heated crockpot before adding the rest of the ingredients and lowering the heat to let it cook all day.
If you leave your refrigerator on all day, why not leave the slow cooker? The whole point is to set it and forget it, as Ron Popeil would say.
Ah, but not every crockpot recipe is based on premade stuff like canned mushroom soup and flavor envelopes. If you know the techniques the flavors are just as good as, or better than, what you get on the stovetop. One typical technique is to brown or sear the ingredients that need it in the heated crockpot before adding the rest of the ingredients and lowering the heat to let it cook all day.
If you leave your refrigerator on all day, why not leave the slow cooker? The whole point is to set it and forget it, as Ron Popeil would say.
Thanks for the input. I certainly never thought of the idea that I do indeed leave my refrigerator on all day and of course my furnace, my water heater, all the electrical items that run constantly like clocks, sometimes computers etc. The thought of running your stove or the crockpot unattended bothers me but you do have a point.
I will have to look more into the idea of these crockpots. I am just a traditional classically trained cook; yet I do use a microwave extensively. I do have a Cuisinart and many gadgets but sometimes the cleaning is more work than just using a simple knife.
Location: A Very Naughtytown In Northwestern Montanifornia U.S.A.
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We never use our crock-pot for cooking chicken, we use it for beef stews etc.
When we want to cook chicken we generally bake a whole chicken upside down in a casserole dish.
We don't get the crispy skin cooking it this way, (we don't eat chicken skin anyway), but the chicken cooked upside down this way keeps the breast meat super moist and flavorful.
We also seem to always have some type of spicy rice dish with our chicken. ~♥~
I simply don't use bone-in chicken in the crock pot, because I know the dish is going to cook for at least nine or 10 hours while I'm at work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by livecontent
I can cook well and I never was taught to use a crock pot. Most of these recipes for throwing items in them and stewing them all together seems easy but does not develop well the flavors and relies too much on these dried ingredients like salad dressing mixes of debatable value to flavor, other than salt.
I use a crockpot at least twice weekly and a) rarely am "throwing items in and stewing them" and 2) never use dried ingredients like salad dressing mixes, or any other prepared food, for that matter, except for maybe chicken broth or beef boullion.
It seems there's plenty left to learn about cooking "well".
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cliffie
If you leave your refrigerator on all day, why not leave the slow cooker? The whole point is to set it and forget it, as Ron Popeil would say.
LOL. What would we do without Ron Popeil? I'm still using the Veg-O-Matic I bought for $1 at a thrift store in 1981. It's more of a conversation piece than a kitchen necessity, but it is pretty darn fun to have around!
I do not own a crock pot and I would never have an appliance cooking, unattended, when I was away from home.
The point is that this is exactly what slow-cookers were designed for... to be safely left on, unattended, for many hours... even overnight or all day. They typically have low wattage heating elements... which is why they are so slow to heat up... and they all have thermal safety fuses which will shut them down if they even approach unsafe temperatures.
The problem is that for long, slow all-day cooking they work best with tough cuts of meat which gradually break down and become tender in time. When you cook something that is inherently tender, like chicken breasts, more than a couple of hours cooking time just dissolves them.
It's not that there is anything wrong with the cooking method, just that some people use it inappropriately.
Bone in chicken breasts have more flavor than boneless, and are often cheaper. In a slow cooker I'd suggest removing the breasts after an hour or so, whenever the meat is really tender, then discarding the bones at that point. At this point the meat will still hold together, and separating the bones is easy.
So when do you do this? The best time is the night before. There's no rule that says you have to put food in the slow cooker early in the morning and let it cook all day, especially if it is tender food that cooks quickly. Put the food in for an hour or two, however long it needs, the night before! Then just warm it up the next night!
I do not own a crock pot and I would never have an appliance cooking, unattended, when I was away from home.
I can see from many of you that you find it a simple way to prepare a meal, then it is good for you.
I can cook well and I never was taught to use a crock pot. Most of these recipes for throwing items in them and stewing them all together seems easy but does not develop well the flavors and relies too much on these dried ingredients like salad dressing mixes of debatable value to flavor, other than salt. This way of cooking does not prepare the product correctly by browning the meat and the sauteing some of the aromatic vegetables. Using another pan just to brown make the equipment not necessary; you are best to finish the product in the browning pan and take advantage of the flavor of the fond. Of course, it will cook everything together and become overcooked.
The chicken we purchase today do not need to be stewed or braised for such a long time as they are slaughter young. Older birds, as in fowl, where more common when I was younger and then required these tenderizing techniques, but not today.
Livecontent
I always season and brown my meats before putting them in the crockpot and I don't use canned or frozen ingredients always fresh.I use my crockpot maybe 2 times a month. I put my fresh veggies, onions and garlic right in the crock pot I do not saute them first.
I simply don't use bone-in chicken in the crock pot, because I know the dish is going to cook for at least nine or 10 hours while I'm at work.
I use a crockpot at least twice weekly and a) rarely am "throwing items in and stewing them" and 2) never use dried ingredients like salad dressing mixes, or any other prepared food, for that matter, except for maybe chicken broth or beef boullion.
It seems there's plenty left to learn about cooking "well".
LOL. What would we do without Ron Popeil? I'm still using the Veg-O-Matic I bought for $1 at a thrift store in 1981. It's more of a conversation piece than a kitchen necessity, but it is pretty darn fun to have around!
Again another wise nasty comment from someone who cannot engage in a pleasant discussion with me on this thread. I know much, not everything, about cooking, food products and world cuisine through formal training and years of work and I have been very open to other's suggestions in this thread. Just because I mentioned that I can cook "well" does not mean it has to be open to an attack. I engaged in this thread and stated my views hoping that people would engage me; help me learn about a subject I knew nothing about and I did learn much from other posters.
You seemed have insecurities. I am no threat to you or anyone, so relax I will not hurt you. I am sure that you and others can teach me much and I can also add to your knowledge and skills.
Thanks for the input. I certainly never thought of the idea that I do indeed leave my refrigerator on all day and of course my furnace, my water heater, all the electrical items that run constantly like clocks, sometimes computers etc. The thought of running your stove or the crockpot unattended bothers me but you do have a point.
I will have to look more into the idea of these crockpots. I am just a traditional classically trained cook; yet I do use a microwave extensively. I do have a Cuisinart and many gadgets but sometimes the cleaning is more work than just using a simple knife.
Thanks,
Livecontent
I have read that the earliest form of cooking after campfires was the slow-cooking or BBQ pit method. So this can potentially add to your repetoire...
I love my crockpot! I really don't use it often, but it's fantastic for corned beef, chili and stew. While all of those can be prepared other ways, I actually prefer the way they turn out from the crockpot best. I think the only time I used it for chicken was boneless when I made a chicken and rice meal with the crockpot. This thread will definitely come in handy if I ever decide to do something with a bone-in chicken though.
I just made chicken in the crock pot yesterday. 2 quarters, put some chicken broth in the bottom, then the chicken which I had sprinkled with Herbs deProvence (sp?) and fresh ground pepper. I laid a rosemary sprig on top of each. I asked hubby to turn it on around 1:00. Not sure exactly when he did, but things smelled pretty good when I got home from work at 4:30! I took the legs and thighs out, put some fresh cut broccoli florets in the bottom, then put the chicken back in on top, and gave it another hour. I served it over rice. The chicken did fall apart, but I wouldn't call it overcooked at all, it was great. Needed a little salt... I DID have some small bones in it, apparently when the chicken was quartered, they cut a little too deep and got some of the backbone. I've never had that happen before. I think I'll check them out closer next time I cook chicken quarters.
Oh, and I had pulled the skin off first.
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~♥~
