I Cooked in a Crock Pot For the First Time Last Night!

a reply to: valiant

You're back! Love the new avatar!

I've never made a brisket, maybe I'll try that soon.

a reply to: chelsdh

I am, I thought I messaged you back, but not seen you around. thanks, I was on a Descendents (band) binge the other week, so decided to use Milo for my avatar.

Definitely try it, brisket in a slow cooker is bloody divine!!!

a reply to: reldra
I wanted to respond because when I read your post...well the old man won a crock pot yesterday playing dirty Santa at work. It was a 5 QT. Now, we have three. 7, 5, and 1.5. I love them! You will too!
We use them often as we have many gatherings. The small one we use for warm dips, etc. The large one for stews, chilis, etc.
Anyway, I wanted to share a recipe with you that I discovered. My family loves rotisserie chicken and sometimes the old man will call and say, BTW we are having company so I cheat and go by the grocery store and pick one or two up already cooked, Well, as you know, they can get pretty pricey!
So, take a 4 (or so) pound fryer chicken. You can find them for .88/lb or even cheaper. Clean it in and out (obviously LOL).
Spray the entire cooker with a baking spray.
Rub the outside and sprinkle the inside with your preference of poultry seasoning. Basically, gran garlic, thyme, rosemary, onion powder, black pepper, and paprika (for color).
Put chicken in pot breast side down. Now, some folks have balled up foil and put in the bottom to keep the chicken out of the ...grease?...
It is not pretty to look at but, it will come out "falling off of the bone"...
Should take about 4 4 1/2 hours or so on high and about 7 -8 on low...
Great for sammiches too!


a reply to: DeceptioVisus

The old man has made some tasty chops with this recipe...
Make an egg wash. An egg and some water whisked together.
Dip the chop into the egg let excess drip.
Then dredge it in some seasoned bread crumbs. Now, I suppose you could use panko or something but, he has only used bread crumbs.
Put in a shallow baking pan and bake maybe 30 minutes or so on 350 F. Kind of depends on the thickness how long it takes but, 30 mins is a good start for a 1 inch chop. It sounds so simple yet is so tasty...No salt needed.
You may want to put them under the broiler for just a few minutes also as the bread crumbs on top will not look done enough...(They are though it is just an aesthetic thing really).
What to do with 40 chops!
Have a party!

originally posted by: Athetos
Pork+mushroom soup+slow cooker=great pork everytime!

YES!!!

I love pork and mushroom soup, slow cooked. The pork tastes divine! Last time I made it, we had a massive amount of leftovers... So had it on toasted sandwiches for the next couple of days. Best toasties I've ever had.

a reply to: reldra

Some advice? High for anything at 5 1/2 hr's.....and 10 hr's on low-slow while youre gone to work.

Tiny amount water only with veggies....no water at all with meats or poultry...of course though any small amounts of flavoring liquids...barbeque, steak, teriaki etc. is cool

Roasts make a ton of their own juices so you needn't add any! Really!

It is *SO* nice to not have to cook anything ahead of time, just do some basic peeling and chopping then throw it all into the pot. Go run errands, go to work, etc. Food waiting when you get home.

EDIT: and the kitchen smells so good when you walk in....

PS I NEVER lift the lid..... and cover with a large towel to keep in the steam/pressure...but thats just me!

originally posted by: TNMockingbird
a reply to: reldra
I wanted to respond because when I read your post...well the old man won a crock pot yesterday playing dirty Santa at work. It was a 5 QT. Now, we have three. 7, 5, and 1.5. I love them! You will too!
We use them often as we have many gatherings. The small one we use for warm dips, etc. The large one for stews, chilis, etc.
Anyway, I wanted to share a recipe with you that I discovered. My family loves rotisserie chicken and sometimes the old man will call and say, BTW we are having company so I cheat and go by the grocery store and pick one or two up already cooked, Well, as you know, they can get pretty pricey!
So, take a 4 (or so) pound fryer chicken. You can find them for .88/lb or even cheaper. Clean it in and out (obviously LOL).
Spray the entire cooker with a baking spray.
Rub the outside and sprinkle the inside with your preference of poultry seasoning. Basically, gran garlic, thyme, rosemary, onion powder, black pepper, and paprika (for color).
Put chicken in pot breast side down. Now, some folks have balled up foil and put in the bottom to keep the chicken out of the ...grease?...
It is not pretty to look at but, it will come out "falling off of the bone"...
Should take about 4 4 1/2 hours or so on high and about 7 -8 on low...
Great for sammiches too!

Sounds yummy! ty

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: reldra

Some advice? High for anything at 5 1/2 hr's.....and 10 hr's on low-slow while youre gone to work.

Tiny amount water only with veggies....no water at all with meats or poultry...of course though any small amounts of flavoring liquids...barbeque, steak, teriaki etc. is cool

Roasts make a ton of their own juices so you needn't add any! Really!

Some websites recommended liquid, some said none. I went with the 2 cups of chicken broth and I think it really added to the flavor. Wasn't soggy.

I did read to not 'keep checking' by lifting the lid. I will try a towel over it. the directions said some models come with a lid clamp, but this one didn't.

Chuck roasts usually always come out tender if you put them in a crock pot or the oven.

You got to taste a real meal. We eat real meals many times a week and the leftovers make good hot sandwiches with the leftover veggies. We buy a half a cow each year. We used to buy a full cow but we don't eat as much anymore. I give my kids and brother beef for christmas presents..

I like naturally aged beef better than wet aged beef.

Once you get hooked on the good food, prepared food just doesn't cut the cake anymore. We still go out and get BK and McDs or other junk food once in a while for nostalgia purposes.

If you make dried beans in the crock pot, soak them overnight, then drain the water and put the beans in the crock pot with new water and put it on high for the first hour so the beans aren't so hard on the kidneys. Canned beans already have had this done if you use them. The oxalates are destroyed with initial high heat, if you just put them on for more hours at a lower temp the bad chemistry actually gets worse.

a reply to: reldra

Next try some Oxtails, when I am in a hurry I use a pressure cooker, but when ma people drop by with beers N other booze crocl pot time among our favorite is Oxtail Jamaican style.
2lbs of oxtail
1/2 pack of lima beans
5 cups of water
1 onion
2 tomatoes
2 scallion (green onions)
1/2 a scotch bonnet pepper (I used a whole one)
2 carrots
3 cloves of garlic
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon of allspice
1/2 tablespoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
How to ,if you want you can brown the oxtail on a hot skillet with it's own fat, no need of oils, remove oxtail from grease,
placed into crock pot with all the above put on your middle notch.
Go and make some white rice.
Get your friends over pop open wines, beers, rums or whatever you are into brake out the dominoes or board games, or just klik on netflix or go see Star Wars you got about 10hrs or so, I like it soo soft that you can chew on the bones but thats just me.

Should look something like this..

a reply to: Spider879

I have seen oxtail in the grocery store and thought "can I make something out of these?"
I have only had it once, in a restaurant in Florida. It was a cuban dish, bright red from the wine, and served with rice and beans.
Delicious!
My kids are willing to try unfamiliar things...and it wouldn't go to waste as the hubby and BIL will eat ANYTHING!

The OP actually inspired me to use my new crock and thaw some deer meat and make some chili. The high temp today is but 47 or so, so it is a good day for it. We like to ladle it over cornbread.

a reply to: reldra

Here's the one the old man "won".


The bungee looking thing on the lid is supposed to somehow twist around the top "knob" and then go around the handles on the side. We laughed hysterically because it really doesn't work! Epic fail!
If you get one side on...the other pops off...
So, we will just put a towel over it!

I've used a towel in the past (my BIL just HAS to peek!) and I find it "better" somehow if you wet it periodically and wring it out...it sort of makes it heavier and makes a tighter seal...

originally posted by: TNMockingbird
a reply to: Spider879

I have seen oxtail in the grocery store and thought "can I make something out of these?"
I have only had it once, in a restaurant in Florida. It was a cuban dish, bright red from the wine, and served with rice and beans.
Delicious!
My kids are willing to try unfamiliar things...and it wouldn't go to waste as the hubby and BIL will eat ANYTHING!

The OP actually inspired me to use my new crock and thaw some deer meat and make some chili. The high temp today is but 47 or so, so it is a good day for it. We like to ladle it over cornbread.

The joy of cooking is experimentation, try the new if only once..

a reply to: reldra

Got a pork roast going in today.... Pealed potatoes o bottom, roast sitting on them, long pealed carrots on top of that... And quarter or less of liquid.

Here is another idea for you... Place roast say... or anything really... down 1st, cut up some onions, mushrooms -whatever on top of seasoned meat.

On top of that.... put can of cream of (whatever kind) soup on that. and the onions-ushrooms-whatever. .. will keep the thick spy in place to slowly run down all day.

Be creative!!!!

PS sorry for typos ....dang phone....

PS sorry for typos ....dang phone....

a reply to: reldraI tried something today in my crock pot that I have never done before. I made a pot of Navy beans and ham. It was the best Navy beans and ham that I have ever tasted. Try beans in your crock pot for a very easy recipe.

I don't have the recipe anymore, so I don't have exact amounts for ingredients, but...throw in some chicken cutlets, canned cream of mushroom soup, some slices of bacon and some sour cream. Rich and delicious! I make rice in the boil in bags on top of the stove and add it in later.