Sometimes you’ll find a slow cooker recipe that suggests browning or searing beef before cooking it in the slow cooker. This gets some color on it so you don’t get gray meat (think of a baked steak vs. a grilled steak.) So, some slow cooker inserts are designed to be placed directly on the stovetop for searing meat, then you place it right into the slow cooker.
I’ve never owned one that does this myself, and it’s not needed for chicken breasts or any of the things I cook most often. You can always brown in a regular pan, then transfer to slow cooker.
The only “extra” you really need with a slow cooker is a timer that goes from high/low to warm mode when it runs down.
As for size, no, you don’t have to fill the whole thing. I have two sizes because I have one in my home in Texas and one here in the Biotest house in Colorado. Can’t remember what size they are, but if in doubt, go bigger. The handy part about slow cookers is that you can make big batches.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Cat isn’t exactly at home in the kitchen, and it’s been a point for jokes among my family and friends about how I found the only Italian girl on Long Island who can’t cook. Perhaps I should pick one up as a gift,… or is this conveying a bad message? -lol
S[/quote]
Beats a vacuum cleaner or an ironing board. [/quote]
I got myself a slow cooker with a timer. This morning before work I chucked in 1 kg of diced chicken boobies, 5 cut up potatos, 4 cut up carrots, mushrooms, a red pepper, and some chicken curry sauce. Setting is on low, and the time is on for 8 hours.
Hopefully it doesnt burn the house down. Ill update later tonight with pics.
Allow me to bestow upon you fine people some Asian education, you won’t be disappointed.
Throw in finely cut pieces of pork bellies, garlic, 2 sticks of cinnamon, 3 pieces of star anise and most importantly… soy sauce and rice wine and stock. Do not add any salt or pepper.
Just before eating, take that out of the slow cooker and into a boiling pan. Make sure at the end of the cooking, most of the liquid has been simmered to a thick consistency.
