But right now, I'm not loving the idea of a crock pot? Maybe I'm not using the right recipes which incidentally, I'm getting from the recipe book that came with the slow cooker that I have. Here's my issue:
If this gadget is supposed to save me precious time/energy in the kitchen, then why the hell do I have to get up at 7 or 8 am to brown the pot roast and chop the veggies in order to eat dinner at a normal time? Because 7 or 8 am on a weekend isn't normal to me.
While the pot roast is very good (and last time I did this I did wash/chop everything the night before), but come on, browning meat at 8 am on a Saturday isn't my idea of saving me time or energy.
A little help here please?
6 comments:
I just made a pot roast and I did not brown the meat. I NEVER do. Never. I think it tastes just fine and I like the juices available to me for mixing in with the veggies and meat. I put mine in at 10:00 and it was done by 4:30. I cooked it on high, and it was a BIG roast. It filled my regular sized pot to the brim. hope that helps with the pot roast issue. Have you checked out the blog Shannon had on her blog about using the crock pot every day for a year. maybe she has some good recipes. At least I've been told she does.
Ooh, I'm itching to respond to this post. First -- you've got to check out Stephanie O'Dea's blog from last year...the one Heather just referenced: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com
She's a funny writer, and very honest about what worked and completely failed in her CrockPot.
Second, you can always start some recipes the night before, refrigerate the crock, THEN put it in the cooker in the morning.
Third, DO NOT get discouraged by the recipes that came with your slow cooker. Those are usually not all that great.
And fourthly -- if it weren't almost 1 am, I would barrage you with some of my favorite slow cooker recipes. But don't worry, my dear, the barrage will hit your inbox very soon.
Cause I'm with you...a bigger workload is never good. But having dinner ready when you walk in the door -- priceless.
I second the you don't have to brown the meat first opionion. And I also agree if you cook it on high for a couple hours (just add a little extra water so you don't dry it out) it will cut your cook time, and I think it makes your meat more tender. There you go! Aren't you little Miss Domestic!! I am impressed, and roast sounds really good now!!
I also NEVER brown the meat. I just throw in a lipton onion soup mix, some water and turn it on high and let it sit. I also usually get it in around 10 ish.
I put a bag of baby carrots on the bottom of the crockpot, then put the roast (unbrowned!) on top, then Lipton onion soup (or beefy onion or onion mushroom) and a can of cream of mushroom soup (lower sodium and fat) on top of that. If I have 8 oz. of sliced fresh mushrooms, I have been known to add them, too. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high 4-6. Yummy!
I make mashed potatoes to go with it, and the COM soup makes gravy.
Of course I am going to send you to the crcokpotting lady blog. She is the one whose new year's resolution for 2008 was a crockpot recipe each day. She did it and it was impressive. She gives full recipes, shows pictures of all of the ingredients, rates how the recipes worked, and gives cooking times. You will be amazed at the things she cooks in her crock pot (cakes, soap...and wonderful dinners). Her recipes are very easy to follow. She even does give-aways! Enjoy! -S
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
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