I bought a slow cooker today ...

@msolga,

Now the cooking will have to begin in earnest slowness.

I was supposed to tell you about my plans for the baby slow cooker, wasn't I. Well, here's the thing. It's about me and onions. I've been told that the easiest way to make really good caramelized onions (almost onion jam in a way), is to slice up pounds of onions, put them in the slow cooker with a tiny bit of olive oil and a bit more balsamic vinegar and just let them cook and cook and cook and cook on slow ... apparently you keep adding onions over about 4 -6 hours and then cook them for about 24 hours. Some people make quarts and quarts of this at a time. I thought I'd maybe aim for a litre of it.

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@ehBeth,

Quote:

It's about me and onions.

Ah , I see!

Hey that sounds terrific, ehBeth! Know something? I might just do it too! Idea

Though it might take quite some "adjustment" to my jumbo-sized monster! Yeah, I can see why an extra baby one might a good idea!

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just inherited a slow cooker so I'm gonna be busy reading from page 1

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@panzade,

Ah, another slow (cooker) newby! You & me, both, panz! Smile

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@msolga,

I did a giant pork roast overnight for the bar, but a small one in the cooker works as well.

smallish pork roast with some fat on it, a cup of chicken broth, an onion and a 1/2 cup of applesauce, 8 to 10 hours at around 250 degrees. season as you want, i like garlic...

mmm.

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@msolga,

You'll find some good stuff on this thread, too, panz. All the recipes are not specifically related to slow cookers, but there's quite a few here. Some other very good recipes, too!

http://able2know.org/topic/121787-1

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@Rockhead,

That sounds very tasty & also very easy, Rockhead!

Oh I like garlic, too! Very Happy

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@msolga,

real easy, and the drippings make an interesting zippy gravy, if you are inclined...

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@Rockhead,

Gravy-making skills I'm going to have to work on, Rockhead. I come with a different sort of culinary history! Wink

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@Rockhead,

Quote:

but a small one in the cooker works as well.

I'm on it

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@ehBeth,

This may be the final trigger to get me to buy a slow cooker...

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@ehBeth,

ehBeth wrote:

Now the cooking will have to begin in earnest slowness.

I was supposed to tell you about my plans for the baby slow cooker, wasn't I. Well, here's the thing. It's about me and onions. I've been told that the easiest way to make really good caramelized onions (almost onion jam in a way), is to slice up pounds of onions, put them in the slow cooker with a tiny bit of olive oil and a bit more balsamic vinegar and just let them cook and cook and cook and cook on slow ... apparently you keep adding onions over about 4 -6 hours and then cook them for about 24 hours. Some people make quarts and quarts of this at a time. I thought I'd maybe aim for a litre of it.

Last year I made a carmelized onion chutney doing it that way. Ended up with about 10 pounds of onions cooking down to 6 large mason jars worth of gold. It was good stuff!

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@ossobuco,

Quote:

This may be the final trigger to get me to buy a slow cooker...

Do it, osso, do it! Yes!

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@Butrflynet,

Quote:

Last year I made a carmelized onion chutney doing it that way. Ended up with about 10 pounds of onions cooking down to 6 large mason jars worth of gold. It was good stuff!

Oh that sounds wonderful, Butrflynet! Yum!

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@msolga,

Quote:

Hoisin Spare Ribs

OK, I'm making this one tomorrow, then somehow (?) transporting it over to a friend's house to share while we watch a DVD ..... with the heating on high! It's freezing here at night!

I have told my friend that if my effort turns out to be not so wonderful, then we'll make "other arrangements" for dinner.
I will report back! Smile

1 Reply

@msolga,

Quote:

I will report back!

Interesting. The recipe (for Hoisin Spare Ribs) recommended 9 - 10 on slow. (So I actually got up early on Saturday morning to prepare the food & give it sufficient time to cook. Smile

) But after something like 6 hours it was clearly sending out "cooked" aromas. So I checked & it was ready. If I'd I'd left if for the recommended time I would have produced mush! So I guess different slow cooker vary, heat-wise & sometimes adjustments mean to be made? And I guess recipes found online aren't necessarily accurate? So I guess I'm in the "trial & error phase" at this stage. Wink

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@msolga,

... It wasn't bad, btw. I'd give it a 6/10. Probably a bit less ginger next time. My friend liked it, anyway.

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@msolga,

Your machine's slow/low could well be different than another machine's slow/low. I think most online recipes are only "perfect" if you're using exactly the same tools/ingredients - which is barely ever of course. That's all right if you're already a comfortable cook. Not so good if you're venturing into new cooking territory.

The real question is - how did those ribs taste?

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@ehBeth,

ohh, 6 out of 10. hmmm, what did you have as sides? anything to help counter the ginger-yness?

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@ehBeth,

Steamed rice & a green vegetable, EhBeth. (We were both very tired! ) I suggested a fruity chutney (which was luckily at hand! Smile

) That was fine. What would you have suggested?

1 Reply

I bought a slow cooker today ...

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