Teach Me About Slow Cookers

[Noah930]

Slow cookers: What's the difference between a $50 one at Macy's and the $300 one at Williams Sonoma? I'm thinking of getting Mrs. Noah a Valentine's gift. I just want something for family-sized use--not necessarily for cooking for a dinner party of 20.

[wdfifteen]

Goodwill has good ones for $5.

[SilberUrS6]

We got the $50 one for our family of four, and it works just fine, TYVM.

At W-S, you pay for all that fancy schitt and the fancy locations and the glossy catalogs. But the guts are the same as the Macys one, so don't spend the extra money on W-S. Spend it on your Porsche.

[Joe Bob]

Cheap is as good as expensive......size it according to use or have a good sized freezer. Slow cooking ain't rocket science.

[RWebb]

there are some reviews on them but I forget where

I think mine is a Hamilton Beachcraft - it has some smart modes and a temperature probe to jab into the meat

grab some cheap pork - a poor cut (which are the ones with all the flavor but tough); some Hawaiian sea salt (orange); and liquid smoke - toss it all in there and when teenagers say they are hungry just point to the cooker

BTW - that recipe is from a Republican surgeon, so enjoy

[Baz]

Yeah get a cheap one!

I've been using mine for soup lately.....they're GREAT!

Lots of recipes available.....even Lasagna!

Slow Cooker Lasagna Recipe - Allrecipes.com

YUM!

[craigster59]

Crock Pot is what I use. Get the one with the digital program so you can cook while gone and it switches over to "warm". Bed Bath Beyond has a nice one for under $80 and if you can scrape up a 20% coupon you can get a deal.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Crock Pot. $40, use it a lot, perfect for cassoulet. Don't get her a Crock Pot!

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Cheap is as good as expensive......

My first inclination as well. My mom's using the same one that we had when I was a kid. The thing's gotta be 30+ years old and works just fine. But is that because it was the $300 W-S equivalent back in its day? I hate buying cheap crap that breaks within a year.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by craigster59

Bed Bath Beyond has a nice one for under $80 and if you can scrape up a 20% coupon you can get a deal.

Yeah, I think my mom has a Crock Pot, now that I think about it.

We've got plenty of those BB&B coupons lying around. Despite what's printed on them, there's no expiration date. They'll honor any vintage coupon you bring in.

[Joe Bob]

Slow cookers are designed to beat up low end beef/pork/chicken or whatever......and make them taste good. Ceramic pot and a heating element, that's all it is.

I have three crock pots from the "Crock Pot" company (Travel, Guest and just me)......I do a pulled pork, chicken soup and chili once every 6 months. Freeze 80% of it.....the best part is smelling the cooking over nite.

Don't over think it. Go to Wally World....

My youngest pot dates from 1975.

[craigster59]

Here's the one I was thinking of......
Crock-Pot® 6.5-Quart Slow Cooker with eLume™ Touchscreen - BedBathandBeyond.com

[RWebb]

oblong is a useful shape for various birds, etc.

[PorscheGAL]

I have a crock pot but have seriously looked at an Al-Clad. Some of their models have inserts that can also be used on the stove. You would not believe how many slow cooker recipes want you to sear the meat first. Buying a slow cooker that has an stove safe insert instead of dirtying up another dish sounds good to me.

[Outback Porsche]

Whatever you get just make sure you can put its insert on a stove top to brown up your meat. It makes the whole process a lot easier.

[tabs]

Every Thrift Store has bunches of them (Crock Pot/Slow Cookers) for sale for $7 to about $20. The only thing to get is one where the Ceramic Pot comes out of the body of the Cooker, for cleaning sake. people seem to turn them into the Thrifts by the droves....just test it before you take it home...and while you are there check out the mens cloths...who knows you might even find an Armani, Broini. Burberrys, Diesel, Hermes, R Lauren Purple Label, Prada, Tommy Bahama, True Religion, Louis Vuitton, Versaci, Zanella, or Zegna suit,coat, tie, pants shirt orAlden, Bally, Calzoleria, Churches Cole Haan Italian, Dolce Gabbana, Allen Edmonds, Ferragamo, American Florsheim Imperial, Gucci, Magli, Magnanani, Metzlan, Santori, or Tods pair of shoes among others.... and one does mean real and not knock off....

You can throw just abut anything (Beef Tongue, Chuck Roast, Pork Butt, Chicken) into them with a few spices to turn out fabulous dishes....the possibilities are just about endless. I will use Chuck Roast for Taquitos, Enchiladas, Machaca..anything requiring shredded beef in the recipe.

[stomachmonkey]

If you spend more than $75 you spent too much.

And yes, cheap roasts are what you want use in slow cookers (and also stews)

Premium cuts of meat are a waste and don't turn out as well.

[Rusty914s]

The old ones are better, some newer ones have a tough time regulating heat. However I would not buy an electric appliance that stays on for 4-8 hours while I sleep or at work.

[Moses]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Cheap is as good as expensive......size it according to use or have a good sized freezer. Slow cooking ain't rocket science.

Mine has a stainless steel insert instead of crockery so you can brown meat on the stove then transfer it to the cooker. Super convenient but not essential I guess.

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by Moses

Mine has a stainless steel insert instead of crockery so you can brown meat on the stove then transfer it to the cooker. Super convenient but not essential I guess.

Until you drop your stoneware crock and break it. That's my major drawback for suggesting Crock Pot, they have SO many inserts but never the one that fits the one that you own.