So Much for Being a Vegetarian. It Was All a Crock Anyway.
Breaking News: the only woman left on earth not to own a crockpot, I caved last week after watching Cook’s Country and they reviewed slow cookers in the same episode they made a drool-worthy brisket. I’d link you to the review and their recipe too, but darn, Cook’s Country is one of those awful websites that makes you register to access recipes and reviews. Even though it’s free, I just can’t be bothered; plus I figured it’s their way of getting my information to send me stuff I don’t want. I’ll pass.
Register for CooksCountry.com
It’s FAST and it’s FREE.WHY REGISTER? The equipment rating you requested is only available to registered users of CooksCountry.com. Register today for FREE access to every recipe, rating, and kitchen discovery from the current season of Cook’s Country TV.
Anyway, I researched slow cookers above and beyond Cook’s Country, checked Amazon reviews, Williams-Sonoma too, even called a friend or two for their suggestions (all of whom were amazed I have made it through life without one) and decided the Crockpot brand was good enough for me. Priced right at $79.99, with free shipping thanks to my Amazon Prime account.
To correct the story a bit, there actually IS a slow cooker in the kitchen in Rhode Island, but never used by me. Mr. EOS makes his famous “green glop” in it a few times and his sister makes gray mystery meat from it, which doubled my stance that using a crockpot to cook meat was lunacy. The meat wouldn’t get browned. Blech.
Yet, in a moment of winter weakness, I clicked “Send Two Day Free Delivery.”
I’ve probably made ONE brisket my entire life (even though I have recipes for it, and a good Jewish friend shared her family recipe for one, it’s never been how I cook or how we eat). I’m old fashioned and make one fish/chicken/steak, prepare a fresh veggie, maybe a starch, maybe not, always a salad. Done.
So now what? I’ve got this crockpot that I need to cook something good in. I don’t think I’ll start with a brisket. Maybe a stew or a chicken something? Got any ideas?
Not soooo fast!!!
I. do. not. own. a. crockpot.
Derwood thinks it’s a must have but I’m stymied by them. I will watch your blog to see how it goes!
I know what to get you for a wedding gift now!
I’m stymied too – mostly because the thought of meat cooking all day seems wrong- how could it be flavorful? I hope I was not sucker-punched by the TV show.
Girls girls girls. A crockpot is a busy girls best friend. Set it and forget it. Want to shop and play tennis all day yet have the hubby and kids come home and have them think you care enough to cook a great meal? Buy a crockpot!
I’ll dig out some recipes for you two. Didn’t you order a crockpot cookbook? There are some good ones out there.
I know people that swear by them but I just don’t get it. I like an oven.
One issue with owning one is figuring out where to keep it. They are big and don’t fit in most pots and pan drawers. Almost requires owning a pantry.
I use mine with some regularity, usually in the winter, when making something that is best suited for all day. Happy crocking!
Congrats!! Crock Pots are definitely a man tool. It’s really hard to goof up with one of these babies, EOSr! You don’t even need “good luck”. Insert raw food, turn on low, come back eight hours later and eat up!
I’ve made all sorts of good stuff in them from chili to boiled dinner and even apple/pumpkin butter. YUM!!!
Apple Pumpkin butter? That’s a new one on me. What do you use it on? Pancakes> Muffins? Toast? All of the above?
Yep, pretty much anything you’d use regular apple butter on, it’s just got a hint of pumpkin in it. Really good!
I will be checking back to this post in hopes of getting some good crockpot recipes. My complaint has always been that crockpot recipes may be tasty but are NOT the “easy, one-step, set it-and-forget-it” deals that they always claim to be. In making a stew, for instance, if the crockpot cookbook recipe tells me to brown the beef in a fry pan, give the onions and carrots etc a browning in there too, deglaze the pan with something tasty, parboil potatoes in a saucepan, and chuck it all in a crockpot, I have to wonder … why not keep it all in the fry pan, put a lid on it, and put it in a slow oven? I’ve dirtied enough pots, pans and cutting boards already, thank you very much!
Looking for enlightenment.
P.S., I’m with you EOS in my refusal to be commanded to “register” or “create an account” at a website. I will turn away without any ill will if it’s a website that’s giving something away for free — e,g., a recipe source — but I get REALLY cranky when it’s a merchant where I plan to spend actual $, but they won’t let me “check out as a guest,” and instead require me to “create an account.” When I stumbled into Etsy there were a couple of Maine merchants where I really wanted to buy some things, but lo-and-behold, no account = no commerce. (I emailed customer service and confirmed this.) Too bad, because I’m of the vintage that’s appreciative of the goods they offer and willing to pay the freight. I don’t want a “relationship,” I just want “transaction.” Too bad for me, eh?
I.also.do.not.own.a.crockpot.
Well that’s a bit weird. I’m up at mid-night to turn over the 2.25 lb boneless chuck roast in the top layer of my Rival brand crockpot in the middle of an 8 hour slow cook on low. Start with a layer of small red potatoes, then onion, celery and carrots. Dry rub the meat with spices, and let the pot draw the moisture together from the content. After 4 hours, liquid is up to the top of the veggies, flavor suffusing everything. At the end, thin slice the meat.
Showing my PA roots, whenever I visit my family there, my Aunt always makes hot sausage and sauerkraut slow cooked in the crockpot. Can’t beat the home town original – Schmidt’s Sausage from Steelton PA (not the copycats in Ohio). Link is here and they ship!
http://www.schmidtssausage.com
We have a daughter who lives in PA and believe me, when we visit, some good old German cooking is a must. The huge German population that settled there decades ago thankfully keeps traditions alive, and well.
Thanks for the link link
I’ve got Larry’s mom’s recipe for brisket and it is a HUGE crowd-pleaser — I even make it for our 40-person family reunion! The secret is ketchup, Gallo wine and bay leaves — but I’m happy to share … just let me know. (But no crock pot is required, alas!)
http://www.ctbites.com/home/2013/2/5/interview-recipe-with-slow-cooker-author-dina-cheney.html
This is timely, maybe you should get this book. I have 2 fav crock pot recipies, I’ll send separately.
I don’t use my crock pot as much as I thought I would, for two reasons. 1 like Betty said, browning everything on the stove produces one dirty pan, why not just finish it in the oven? 2 many of the recipes in the book I have (she has a blog too, a year of slow cooking, I think) have ingredients I find questionable, like a can of soup or a packet of ranch seasoning.
I do like to make osso bucco, short ribs, boeuf burgundy and my mom does a good brisket that I have copied on a lazy day, but it involves a packet….(brisket in pot, top with knorr French onion soup mix, cook until done. In the oven the top gets all gooey and yummy with the chemical starches!😀
Betty: The Cook’s Country episode that got me to buy this crockpot when making the brisket did EXACTLY what you said – they seared the brisket first, they sauteed the onions, carrots and celery in another pan first. I agree 100%. I own a few good Le Crueset dutch ovens that are great for long slow cooking but for whatever reason, I am hesitant about leaving a pot either on a burner or in the oven and walk away. My mindset for now is that setting the crockpot to low and walking away will be okay. I’ll let you know.
As for the websites, I am also in the same camp, hating when I can’t check out without creating an account. I have not used Etsy. I’ve heard good things of the quality of goods out there but would also balk at registering.
The Cook’s Country recipe used a throw away aluminum loaf pan over the potatoes etc on which the roast sits so that the good stuff underneath does turn into much. Have you heard of that trick?
Oooh, that looks good. I’ll order it today at Amazon. She’s gotten come good reviews. I also like the CtBites blog. Thanks for the link.
Dear dear Catherine left two cookbooks on my doorstep yesterday – America’s test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution and Fix it and Forget it Big Cookbook. With 15″ of snow predicted this weekend, I may shop shop shop for slow cooking foods in case we are inside for a long few days.
You and Sound Beacher made reference to the same book and blogger. That says alot.
15″ of snow?!? Glad I’m heading to Florida Saturday morning (we are driving…hope I don’t have to go through it!)
Ps, you can borrow my book anytime. It’s “make it fast, cook it slow”. How nice of Catherine to leave a surprise on your doorstep!
We’re supposed to leave Saturday too. The forecasters say they are still tracking the storm so it’s hard to know yet if we’ll get 15″ or 2″. But I suspect if it does happen, the worst driving will be early Saturday morning.
Great, scheduled to leave at 5:30- per my husband. Not sure that is really going to work with 3 & 8 year old boys 😀
You’ll probably be better off than those flying out of NY airports. I-95 will get plowed a thousand times and once you get south of the storm, You’ll be home free. Keep us posted. What do you put in the kids travel packs? We were big on Legos and matchbox cars for the boys. The girls too.
We have some audio books liked up-Alice in wonderland and treasure island and they get to listen to some eckhart tolle, too! Otherwise books, those invisible ink books, some little rubicks cube type puzzles, dinosaurs…and I let them fill up with whatever other, non messy things they want:-) they are great travellers!
OT, I know, but … 15 inches of snow? Estimated when, where? Mr Reader is slated to fly home from LGA to Little Rock mid-morning on Friday.
I am trying to get info from weather.com on my iPad, but when I touch their “Severe Storm Approaches Northeast” visual, I get a black screen with a coy message: “The video you are trying to watch is a format not supported by the HTML video tag in the browser.”
Huh? It’s not the usual Steve Jobs-hates-Adobe Flash crap. Any other visual I touch delivers a video. Unfortunately, I’m not interested in Punxatawney Phil in 2008, or Top Ten East Coast snowstorms since 1975. So if any of you can offer a link to a useful site that updates regularly, I’d appreciate it. And perhaps EOS can get a public service award :<)
My iPad friends use the Intellicast.com weather app. Here are the three most current reviews:
Simply the best weather app on iPad. A paid version would be nice, but the ads are quite unobtrusive. The wind particle feature is incredible and is implemented better than in apps costing a lot of money.
Love this app. Use it every day. The addition of the wind direction… Bravo! What a great addition. To you weather nerds out there… This is the best app for that.
I hope they come out with a paid, no advertisement version. I’d give it the 5 stars it deserves without ad support
Weather.com is worthless. So too Accuweather. The latest forecast has Bedford in the 3-6″ area with LGA even less. Mr. Reader should be good to go. The foot+ areas are farther north. Mr. EOS is more than a little panicked about the construction in RI, the tents, the materials.
Hope this helps and good luck to Mr. Reader on his flight home.
Thank you!
I’m in the foot plus area where the forecast is for blizzard conditions and up to 2′ of snow with possible 30″ in isolated areas. Moderate to major coastal flooding along east facing MA coast.
Be prepared ….with your camera to report for us!!!
The guy recipe for crockpot: Put meat, potatoes, vegetables, spices, broth into crock pot. Turn on. Wait. Eat.
Well a gal can certainly appreciate that recipe too. I made my first pot roast yesterday, but not thinking far enough ahead to when I turned the power on. In other words, the roast was done after I went to bed! Still on a crockpot learning curve.
I don’t have one either… I did try one years ago but it and I never got along. My sister was recently telling me of something called a Halogen cooker (kinda a crockpot with a halogen light in the top) but I don’t know if I’d ever use that either. Not the way I eat, either really.
Val: it’s so interesting to read How few people have/use the crockpot. I was underwhelmed by my first crockpot roast but I have two soups planned this week that are more to how we eat.
I’ve seen late night informercials for a halogen cooking thing. I’ll stop the madness at a crockpot.