primitives discuss crockpot recipes

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/115715952

Oh my.

I'm still in a foul mood, exacerbated by that when I was over on Skins's island, I noticed that, damn it, the malarial primitive, the "malaise" primitive, wasn't among the fatalities of that storm in the Caribbean Sea.  I suppose my hope was unrealistic, but sometimes a one-in-a-million thing does happen.  Alas it didn't in this instance.

Anyway, so I went to the cooking and baking forum, to get cheered up.

Lucinda (15,792 posts)    Fri Oct 26, 2012, 02:12 PM

Favorite Crock Pot recipes?

I've mentioned a few times that I usually use crockpots for cooking large pieces of meat, which we use over the next several meals. A big roast gets turned into Mexican, Chinese, Chili, etc. I chucked some chicken thighs & v*****s in the other day so Bill would have dinner that night..er...morning, and we'd have cooked chicken for making King Ranch the next day.

I'm sure I am missing out on all sorts of great things to use the crock pot for though....have any favorites to share?

This reminds me.

Beginning next weekend, the restaurant-sized crockpot goes on duty twenty-four hours a day, so as to accommodate hunters dropping by to get cleaned up and warm.  Hunters do franksolich favors--mainly by keeping stalking primitives at bay--and so I feed them in return.  Besides stew made from only the finest fat-free cuts of beef, there's also plenty of that "party mix" around, half a bushel or so.

CurtEastPoint (3,387 posts)    Fri Oct 26, 2012, 02:33 PM

3. McCann's Irish Steel Cut Oatmeal for breakfast!

I have a little $10 crockpot on a timer and put in the oatmeal, water, a little salt, raisins, cinnamon... it goes off about an hour before I get up and it's ready to eat. A little brown sugar, butter, milk. YUM!

I know you're looking for dinner ideas but if you like REAL oatmeal, you can't beat it.

For dinner, I like to do a pasta sauce w/v*****s, meat (usually ground turkey), spices, etc. and it's SO GOOD!

Uh, one doesn't do oatmeal in a crockpot.  One does oatmeal on top of the stove, and it's done in minutes.

Also, one doesn't put raisins in it.  Ugh.

One also doesn't do poultry in crockpots; crockpots were invented for beef only.

MiniMe (13,398 posts)    Fri Oct 26, 2012, 03:41 PM

5. Salsa Chicken

Put several chicken breasts (I use bonelsss, skinless) in, cover with a jar of salsa. Add corn if you want. Cook on low for 8 hours, serve over rice. Easiest thing in the world to cook. I have used fresh salsa instead of jarred salsa, so it is your choice.

Oh gawd.  Chicken breasts in a crockpot?

cbayer (112,663 posts)    Fri Oct 26, 2012, 03:43 PM

6. I can't use a crockpot due to power demands (very high), but I am considering getting a small pressure cooker.

Are the results essentially the same?

^^^must be back from her latest boating excursion.

Of course the cbayer primitive would need a small pressure cooker; a very very small pressure cooker, about the size of an orange, so as to not crowd her and her eccentric English husband out of their 300 square feet of living space on the boat.

The empressof all (27,546 posts)   Fri Oct 26, 2012, 05:39 PM
 
11. Pressure cookers are better IMO

Although I understand the appeal and use crockpots on occasion I prefer pressure cooking. I think they give better flavor and texture to meats and enhanced flavors to soups and stews. Pressure cookers actually infuse flavor where crock pots just simmer. I also get a little skeeved out about uncooked meat going into crockpots and not being brought to safe temp for hours. I know millions of people use them safely every day and aren't dying in droves...it's just a peeve of mine. The advantage to pressure cookers too is that you can do beans, grains and make a mean risotto in no time at all.

cbayer (112,663 posts)    Fri Oct 26, 2012, 05:43 PM

12. I've been thinking about this for awhile and I think I will buy one.

I would need a relatively small one.

Any suggestions?

Do they still make toy kitchens that used to be a common Christmas present for little girls?

Maybe the cbayer primitive can check that out, for a miniature pressure cooker that won't take up much space.

NJCher (15,099 posts)    Fri Oct 26, 2012, 05:00 PM

10. muffin warm up

sometimes I use mine in the morning just to warm up a muffin. I plug it in first thing and by the time i'm ready for coffee and the muffin, the muffin is warmed through.

I lift the muffin off the surface, though, with a little wadded up foil.

I use the small crockpot for this purpose.

What the Hades?

A muffin warmed up in a crockpot?  You gotta be kidding me.

Well, I'm still in a foul mood.

[Ballygrl]

Cube steak, add it to the crockpot, add 2 cans of mushroom soup, 1 can of water and cook on low for about 8 hours. You can add vegetables to it also but if you add potatoes make sure you boil them to get them at least half done, then add it to the crockpot, by boiling it you take out a lot of the starchy taste, and the potatoes will fully cook.

[Ballygrl]

You can just stick a muffin in the microwave for like 15 seconds to warm it up.

[franksolich]

.....and the potatoes will fully cook.

This, I must strenuously dispute.

If my beef stew has a weak spot, it's that the potatoes never get cooked all the way through, not even after a week, and after all else has turned to mush and has to be put outdoors for wildlife to dine upon.

I cannot figure out why.

Sometimes I've even cut the potatoes down to the size of bouillon cubes, and yet they never cook all the way through.

Raw potatoes suck.

Any more, so as to have potatoes in the stew, I just dump in a couple of large cans of Dinty Moore beef stew, first carefully extricating the carrots therein, as carrots are no good in beef stew.

[Ballygrl]

This, I must strenuously dispute.

If my beef stew has a weak spot, it's that the potatoes never get cooked all the way through, not even after a week, and after all else has turned to mush and has to be put outdoors for wildlife to dine upon.

I cannot figure out why.

Sometimes I've even cut the potatoes down to the size of bouillon cubes, and yet they never cook all the way through.

Raw potatoes suck.

Any more, so as to have potatoes in the stew, I just dump in a couple of large cans of Dinty Moore beef stew, first carefully extricating the carrots therein, as carrots are no good in beef stew.

I leave my stew on for hours on the stove so the potatoes do eventually cook, they don't cook thoroughly in the crock pot at all no matter how long I leave it on, so that's why I boil them beforehand until they're halfway done, then add them to the crockpot. As far as the starchy taste? I only get that if I put raw potatoes in the crockpot, the starchy taste is never picked up when I make stew on the stove and add raw potatoes. If I were you I'd boil the potatoes for the stew in a separate pot, boil them, then put the stove on low and cover them for maybe a half hour, then add it to the stew.

[franksolich]

I leave my stew on for hours on the stove so the potatoes do eventually cook, they don't cook thoroughly in the crock pot at all no matter how long I leave it on, so that's why I boil them beforehand until they're halfway done, then add them to the crockpot. As far as the starchy taste? I only get that if I put raw potatoes in the crockpot, the starchy taste is never picked up when I make stew on the stove and add raw potatoes. If I were you I'd boil the potatoes for the stew in a separate pot, boil them, then put the stove on low and cover them for maybe a half hour, then add it to the stew.

That was suggested to me last year, but too late for the hunting season to try it out.

I'm going to try it this year.

I could never figure it out, because otherwise the stew's excellent; I can't make enough of it to please everybody.

[shoes off the couch]

I dunno Coach, crock pot turkey is pretty damn good. Get a few pound turkey breast and season as desired. For me that's usually salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Add a couple cups of chicken stock. Then place several strips of bacon on top. Cook on high for 8 hours or so and the end result is the most tender and juicy turkey you could imagine.

 

[BlueStateSaint]

I dunno Coach, crock pot turkey is pretty damn good. Get a few pound turkey breast and season as desired. For me that's usually salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Add a couple cups of chicken stock. Then place several strips of bacon on top. Cook on high for 8 hours or so and the end result is the most tender and juicy turkey you could imagine.

 

 

I have got to try this!

ETA, after Bally's response:  My lovely wife bought off on this!  It'll have to be after we move to the townhouse, though.

[Ballygrl]

That turkey recipe sounds good!

[IassaFTots]

Crockpot shredded pork for tacos cooking right now.  Tomorrow I will do some more applesauce.  Just apples, a little brown sugar and cinnamon.  It stinks up the house really well.  I love my crockpots.  I have three. 

[shoes off the couch]

Thanks guys! With credit paid to the wife, here's the exact recipe:

3 lb turkey breast
2 cups chicken stock
5 strips bacon
1 jar of gravy
seasonings of choice (salt, pepper, poultry seasoning works for me)

Place turkey in crock pot, add chicken stock, season turkey, place bacon on top, pour 1/2 jar gravy on top(remainder use at time of serving if desired), cook on low for 8 hours.

I must also add this works best using an oval style crock pot. We have both a standard circular and an oval type. The circular style may work but might be tight fitting the bird in.

 

[Chris_]

Did someone say bacon?

[Ballygrl]

I used to have 2 crockpots, 1 large and 1 small/medium, the heating element on the large 1 stopped working so I had to get rid of it, I want to buy another large 1, how are those new programmable crockpots? or should I just stick with the old fashioned kind?

[IassaFTots]

I have a programmable one.  To be fair, I haven't programmed it yet, but it is really great, cooks a bit warm, but it is huge!

[RobJohnson]

Keep it safe and add the vegetables and potatoes before the meat

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Focus_On_Slow_Cooker_Safety/index.asp

[seahorse513]

I love my crocKpot< I have donebbq chicken, chili, and jambalaya!!!. delish!!

[shoes off the couch]

Both of ours are just the simple, low-tech, non-programmable ones. The way I see it, crock pot cooking is basic, low stress, low tech. Why complicate it? The nature of the cooking lend itself to being forgiving. My turkey recipe, for instance, won't burn or overcook if you're an hour or so late due to lower heat and the meat being in the stock/water. I suppose a timer could be useful in some circumstances, just like a timer in a coffee maker, though.

[Chris_]

I don't own a crock pot, but a cast iron pot in a 200-degree oven is the same as the 'low' setting on most brands.

[IassaFTots]

Both of ours are just the simple, low-tech, non-programmable ones. The way I see it, crock pot cooking is basic, low stress, low tech. Why complicate it? The nature of the cooking lend itself to being forgiving. My turkey recipe, for instance, won't burn or overcook if you're an hour or so late due to lower heat and the meat being in the stock/water. I suppose a timer could be useful in some circumstances, just like a timer in a coffee maker, though.

I agree, I don't use any of the programmable features on the one I have.  No need.   It was given to me, and it's great with big volumes!

[BEG]

I bought some stew meat the other day, Bally what all do you put in your stew.

[Ballygrl]

I bought some stew meat the other day, Bally what all do you put in your stew.

If I do it on the stove in a regular pot I usually add a little bit of oil and onions to the pot and fry the stewing beef to get a little color, then I add whatever vegetables, usually string beans, peas, carrots and potatoes, then I usually add 2 packets of the onion soup, and either 4 cups of water or 3 1/2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of milk (if I want it creamy) and I just boil it then put it on very low and let it cook for hours. If I do it in the crockpot I fry up the meat to give it color then add everything to the crockpot and cook it on low for about 8 hours, but like I mentioned to frank before, boil the potatoes separately until they're about half done so the potatoes will fully cook in the crockpot, and the starch flavor won't be overwhelming in the crockpot.

[Ballygrl]

I was looking at a programmable 1 on walmart.com, it got a lot of good reviews, but the bad reviews on it seemed to be because it was lightweight and the inside of it wasn't made of ceramic and people said it started chipping after a few months.

[NHSparky]

I can tell ya right now I'm doing crock pot pork chops again very, very soon.

[debk]

I make my stew in the crockpot without potatoes. However, I make mashed potatoes, and serve the stew on top of the potatoes. 

[BEG]

I make my stew in the crockpot without potatoes. However, I make mashed potatoes, and serve the stew on top of the potatoes. 

Oh I think I'm going to give that a try'. What do you use for your sauce.