Are slow cookers worth it?

[samm07]

Just to provide a different point of view, I haven't been able to really get into using a slow cooker. I have one (was dh's), and use it occasionally, but haven't gotten on the slow cooker bandwagon cause I am not fond of the texture it gives food. Everything is soft and "stewed". That doesn't appeal to me for everything. I would much rather eat a chicken that has been roasted in the oven than one done in the slow cooker, for example. So I do use it sometimes for making chicken tacos (cause will shred the chicken, this is perfect), and it's great for a chili or a stew, but I don't use it as much as I could. It's a personal preference thing.

My other issue is that I am away from home for longer than my food needs to cook. I get home about 10 to 11 hours after I leave, too long to cook food in the slow cooker. I do know in part this is because mine is old (was dh's before we met) and only has low, high and off. It doesn't automatically turn off and keep things warm. So I use it weekdays that are my dh's days off, so that he can put everything in mid-morning and then go out and about on his day. Although I need to get him organized for this, at least it's one day that he cooks instead of me.

I had the length issue too. I worked 12 hour days (luckily pretty close to home so I had lunches at home and would put t going then) but I get that too. I have overcooked many many things!

A yummy recipe you can try is buffalo ranch "pulled chicken" so good. And a great way to use up thighs or bone in meat that's cheaper! Just pop them in, add in half to a full bottle of Frank's buffalo chicken said or any Buffalo or cayenne pepper type sauce and a half to fill bottle of ranch dressing! Let it cook up nice and good then remove the chicken I pull the meat off and stick t in my kitchenaid mixer and spin it to shred and add back in. Let it cook and mesh and mix a bit longer and voila! Serve in buns with coleslaw sooooooo flipping good! A family fav. And because he meats shredded it doesn't really get overlooked Persay. You can also throw the mixture in with pasta, celery and carrots and make an casserole out of it. And the mixture freezes great

[padyofurniture]

I feel that way about chicken. I have cooked a whole chicken with no issues. I have a sweet and sour chicken recipe that is great taste wise, but the chicken itself has an awful texture.

[Frugalbigmama]

I had the length issue too. I worked 12 hour days (luckily pretty close to home so I had lunches at home and would put t going then) but I get that too. I have overcooked many many things!

A yummy recipe you can try is buffalo ranch "pulled chicken" so good. And a great way to use up thighs or bone in meat that's cheaper! Just pop them in, add in half to a full bottle of Frank's buffalo chicken said or any Buffalo or cayenne pepper type sauce and a half to fill bottle of ranch dressing! Let it cook up nice and good then remove the chicken I pull the meat off and stick t in my kitchenaid mixer and spin it to shred and add back in. Let it cook and mesh and mix a bit longer and voila! Serve in buns with coleslaw sooooooo flipping good! A family fav. And because he meats shredded it doesn't really get overlooked Persay. You can also throw the mixture in with pasta, celery and carrots and make an casserole out of it. And the mixture freezes great

Will have to try this with the Ranch dressing. Would never think of putting that in to cook it. Thanks!

[Purdee]

just threw in pork, onion, and taco time seasonings in the slow cooker. works every time. gonna have pork burritos tonight

[Frugalbigmama]

just threw in pork, onion, and taco time seasonings in the slow cooker. works every time. gonna have pork burritos tonight

Good idea! We just bought about 50 LBs of pork for the freezer (FREE with PC PTS )

Will put this on the menu for a sport night next week

[ashleygorecki282]

I have an 8 qt/7.5 L inventory pot with a the right lid that will cook at 2/10 on the oven, usually 2-3 time, for Crockpot-like tasks. Does not take up any reverse area, and the pot is really fairly.

[dzjhow]

I used to be huge on slow cooking, had three crock pots in different sizes. But about a year ago I got an 'Instant Pot,' which is an electric pressure cooker with several other functions including slow cooking. I have slow cooked maybe once since I got it, and only because I was making broth and it was bedtime and I didn't want to take the time to pressure cook it more then cool, etc. Pressure cooking gives the same results or better in a fraction of the time, and the electric ones can't blow up like the old fashioned stove top versions. I sold all my crockpots.

I can cook beans in it from dried (not soaked) in about a half an hour. Ribs about the same, plus a few minutes on the bbq or under the broiler to brown (and they're better than any other method I've tried to cook them). Pot roast from frozen solid in about 90 minutes. Soups or chili that I used to cook for 4-8 hours can be done in 40 minutes in my Instant Pot.

Did I mention that i really like my Instant Pot? LOL

Editing to note that when I did use a crockpot, I turned it on in the morning before I went to work and got home to dinner all done. Had no issue with leaving it running when I wasn't home (although I would not leave on the dryer or the oven when I wasn't here).

Was thinking to get one too. I had my stovetop pressure cooker ( the traditional one) and it functions the same. Its just that you need to cool it down before taking off the lid. Is the instapot the same? Or you can open it right after? TIA

[dzjhow]

When it comes to energy saving,
I cooked in large amounts, meat stew, i.e. I boil the meat in salt and pepper seasoning or just plain salt, portioned them and freeze. When the recipe calls for a meat, the meat is already tendered ; just season them put ingredients, tadaaa...

when the recipe calls to sautee, I defrost the meat, cut them in desired pieces, sautee, season , and there you go... I've been doing this for 1 1/2 months and it lowered down our bill to at least $30 per month.

[lecale]

When it comes to energy saving,
I cooked in large amounts, meat stew, i.e. I boil the meat in salt and pepper seasoning or just plain salt, portioned them and freeze. When the recipe calls for a meat, the meat is already tendered ; just season them put ingredients, tadaaa...

when the recipe calls to sautee, I defrost the meat, cut them in desired pieces, sautee, season , and there you go... I've been doing this for 1 1/2 months and it lowered down our bill to at least $30 per month.

That is very clever because I have made and stored extra sauces, but I hadn't thought to store prepped meat.

Imagine a freezer full of a range of sauces and a range of prepped meat and you could just defrost two containers and simmer them together and have so much variety.

[beckie.c]

I love my slow cooker, we use it at least once a week. I'll make up a large batch of chili on the weekend, then freeze it for lunches. I always leave it on while I'm not home. I have never had any issues. I'm sure we would eat more take-out if we didn't have the slow cooker.

My slow cooker is pretty basic... on my someday wish-list is the Crock Pot WeMo slow Cooker (hooks up to wifi)... it looks really neat, but so far I can't justify that the cost is worth the WiFi feature when my slow cooker works just fine.

[Frugalbigmama]

Hockey season starts for us in 2 weeks so I will be planning crockpot meals! Have lots of pulled pork in our future

[Chantel]

I love my slow cooker. I'm on the hunt for another because I'm going to have to leave mine with my mom when I move out. She's finally figured out the settings and she loves it. I love making ribs in it, they're so tender and moist!

I am looking at an electric pressure cooker, namely the Fast Slow Pro by Breville. They're MUCH more expensive than a slow cooker but I'd like to upgrade to something with a pressure cooker option as well.

There are so many amazing recipes on Pinterest for crock pots, and the investment for a decent one is usually under $80 for a digital model (I prefer those over manual models) and I would advise anyone to get one.

[tobiwobi]

I bought one because I liked the idea of throwing things into it in the morning, going to work, and coming home to a yummy smelling house and a ready to eat hot meal. But then after a couple of weeks, eating just soups and stews got boring. Maybe people who use their slow cooker a lot could post their go to recipes for us who can barely cook? That would be wonderful, I'd love to try some new recipes and I'm sure there are more things that can be made in these than I am aware of than just soups and stews and like, some hunk of meat with vegetables that turn out all mushy. I'm just not a good cook

[Neeenerz]

I feel that way about chicken. I have cooked a whole chicken with no issues. I have a sweet and sour chicken recipe that is great taste wise, but the chicken itself has an awful texture.

I cooked a whole chicken 2x now. Every time comes out dry. Maybe I over cooked it? 🤔


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[FallenPixels]

I have never cooked a whole chicken well in it either, I love my big boss cooker for that though. Stews, chili etc are great though. Now that I am working from home again though, not sure how much I will use it