Re: Choosing a Slow Cooker
Originally Posted by
Missy
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The amount of electricity used
The slow cooker is as low as running a light bulb so extremely cheap
Originally Posted by
Mups
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Ah, thank you Missy.
See, it takes another woman to know these things.
I agree.
Originally Posted by
Judd
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Don't forget to keep the carcass and bones. I store mine in the freezer and when I have enough, use them to make chicken stock which can be used in soups or gravy.
This is what I do. Makes great stock for pennies
Originally Posted by
Newcomer
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Much less electricity needed and you don't have a hot kitchen as it all stays in the pot.
Have you got a friend who would let you borrow one to try?.
This is a real consideration in the summer if you have no air conditioner. You can cook without heating up the entire house.
Originally Posted by
Linda0818
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I like the "set it and forget it" convenience of a slow cooker. I can even leave the house for a while and not worry that my food is burning or worry about having to baste the food (in a slow cooker, the food bastes itself).
(in fact I have a whole chicken in my slow cooker right now that will eventually be chicken and noodles)
In a slow cooker, the meat becomes more tender and juicy than in the oven because it uses moist heat as opposed to dry heat. Slow cookers are great for cooking meats to tender, fall-apart perfection, which is especially good if you're making pulled or shredded chicken or pork.
However, with a slow cooker, the skin on a chicken won't be crispy like it gets if it's cooked in the oven. But there's a solution to that. Once the bird is done and it has rested for a short bit, you take it out of the slow cooker and place it in an oven-safe pan and stick it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes.
I have 4 slow cookers. A mini (good for fondues, melting chocolate, keeping gravy warm, etc) a round 3.5 quart, a big round 6 quart and a 5 quart oval. The 5 quart oval cooker is the one I've found I use the most.
I just take the skin and bones out afterwards.
This IS a great thread
Great info on slow cookers.