General Chat

I have sent a link to this thread for my son to read before he starts using his new slow cooker, will pick ours up today or tomorrow from the other store and use it during the week.

Hope you are happy with yours Gill.

Lizx

Hi
Yes Julia, got back on Saturday. Just restocked the cupboard as we couldn't shop yesterday. The ham hock soup/stew sounds lovely. was it salty though?

would someone tell me about leaving out the alcohol in recipes...

would I need to substitute that quantity of liquid with something else or will the meal cook as nicely without it.

I would appreciate any help with this.

Gill

I would think you would need to add extra liquid. Explain more please, what is the recipe and what is the alcohol, how much etc.

1 recipe is a beef meal but it has half a pint of brown ale in it...I actually don't like alcohol but the meal has other ingredients I do like, there is only 3 quarters pint of beef stock besides the ale.

other recipe is coq au vin which I know is a popular wine dish but I wonder if I can substitute wine with something else.

Thanks

Gill

The main point of Coq au vin is that it is chicken cooked in wine so if you just put in stock it will be chicken stew/casserole. One thing to note is that when you cook with alcohol it tenderises the meat and the actual alcohol content 'burns' off.

You can cook the beef meal using the ingedients you like and leave out the ale. Use stock cubes, or sometimes I use a can of soup. Your dish will then taste of whatever stock/soup you use.

Ah Gill, I see you are reading your recipe book that came with the slow cooker lol

I think it could be more clearly explained in parts, but that's just me.
I plan to try mine out this week.
Didn't someone say Tesco's had a recipe book for £4.99 for slow cooking.
I know I have one somewhere but can't think where at the mo.

Not to worry, plenty to copy from this thread

Happy cooking, Gill

Lizx

Good Morning Ann, Suprisingly, it was not salty. Usually, when I am cooking ham or gammon, I soak it for a few hours first to extract the salt. But, in my haste to get the hocks cooked, I forgot about soaking. Actually, when Igot to the soup stage, I had to season it, lightly on the salt, but generous with the pepper.
Have a good day, raining here AGAIN today
Julia in Derbyshire

Thanks Julia, drizzle here so not very nice, I had some gardening that I wanted to do too sigh*

Susan with numbers said Tesco had a slow cook book but I have not seen it.

Thanks Liz

I might look for a cook book when I am out next

Gill

Gill, I have often found good recipe books in charity shops and I know I have at least one kicking about that came from a charity stall.

Lizx

I spend a lot of time in charity shops I will look there first.

Thanks Liz


Gill

Girl after my own heart then Gill, lol

Lizx

Gill, another place to get slow cooker books is at garden centres where they sell reduced books. And I got one in the shop called The Works if you have one of those.

Not near a garden centre or the shop the works, but as I am moving again (hopefully soon) I will keep both places in mind in case I move near either.
Thanks Ann

Gill

Ann and Gill, Whilst on my M****sons shop this morning, I looked for a book for slow cookers. Sadly, there was zilch. Usually, especially when they have got rid of all the Christmas rubbish, and before the Easter Eggs come in proper, they have several very nice soft back books on various cookery subjects, for about £2.99. Out of luck today though. I was also looking for a BBQ recipe book aswell. Plenty of BBQ equipment, but no recipe books.
Over twenty years ago, I had a BBQ book called The Austrailian Barbie Book, and issued by Womans Weekly. It was a lovely illustrated book, and I used it many times. Sadly, I cannot find it now, though I doubt I would have thrown it out. Oh, and not a Kangeroo steak in sight.
So, when next in the garden centre, I shall be looking for both types of cookery book.
Julia in Derbyshire

I bought a very good slow cook book this morning at our local garden centre for £3.99. There are some lovely recipes in there.

You beat me to it, Ann in Glos.
Was going to say that I also bought a 'Slow Cooker and One-pot Casserole' cookbook in a garden centre this morning.lots of recipes.

Last Sunday, I cooked a large joint of Beef, in my slow cooker.
Today I cooked a Leg of Lamb and it only took from 7 until 1. The meat fell off the bone.
It was cooking while I was at the garden centre.
If you add wine to the cooking it tenderises the meat. (read it somewhere)

SueB x

So the leg of lamb took 6 hours, was that on high?

Ann, looks like it is the day for Slow Cookbooks. Just been in my local garden centre, just 5 mins. up the road. I wanted some split rings, as I noticed the Clematis are now in full swing, and needed tying in. I gravitated to the book table, and picked up my copy of a book. Mine too was £3.99.
Just going to have a cuppa and a read.
All the Best
Julia in Derbyshire