Crock pot users

[53' Stude]

I have two and both get lots of use.

Made all kinds of recipes in them also. The 7 quart one I got for $4 at Goodwill; the knob was missing. Guy at work had same crock pot and didn’t want it so I used that knob.

 

[Imp4]

Ok

 

[53' Stude]

Ok

I was wondering how many folks use crock pots. Hence the title “crock pot users” so that’s plural not singular.

 

[vavavroom]

I have very limited use for a crock pot. If I were to cook a lot of chuck roast or pork shoulders I'd use it more often.

 

[TheLawnRanger]

We use them quite a bit. It's nice to have a hot meal ready at the end of a long work day.

 

[53' Stude]

We use them quite bit. It's nice to have a hot meal ready at the end of a long work day.

The chili I made in mine was delicious. I gave most to the neighbor lady and her granddaughter that work 2-3 jobs.

 

[fsdork]

We primarily use ours for the simmering phase of batch-cooked recipes like chili, beef stew, curries, etc. We'll do the first bit (sweating garlic and onions, and browning meat) on the stovetop, then into the crock pot in the garage. As much as I like fragrant food, I don't love having the house smell like day-old beef stew for several days.

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

Just made Cuban style black beans (with rice made separately). Simple recipe and the beans turn out great, I recommend boiling the (dry, bagged) beans for a couple minutes before putting them in the pot to prevent any toxins that can occur if they're heated but not boiled properly. You can add meat to the recipe, I just used left over Spam, but was planning to use Cajun style sausage towards the end. It's an 8 hour recipe but I'm thinking the boiling may cut it down an hour or two. Finishing them was another story as the power went out for 36-48 hours but did manage to finish in a pot...

 

[UG_Passat]

It's great when you rent a house for a ski trip.... throw in food in the morning... when you get back you have a warm hot meal ready. No fuss.

Also great for corned beef, for the same reason. I usually throw in red potatoes with it. Cabbage, I cook separately.

The large crockpots are great for making stock, maintaining the low and slow for max extraction from the bones.

 

[Jdeere562]

I hate the newer crockpots. Low, high, no matter the setting, they boil stuff! Just a matter of which setting boils first.

I have an old one, still my favorite from probably the late 1970's or early 1980's. It will simmer and not boil on low.

Anybody travelling Iowa, can pick up the newer ones for free.

 

[Hyundai Respecter]

I have one my mother gave me when I moved into my first apartment years ago. I think it’s from the late 90s and I don’t use it that often but it works great when I make chili, pulled pork and corned beef.

 

[sk_pete]

Similar to sousvide but without bags. Nice.
Im more fan of pressure pot. I like to use existing gas stove.
(Maybe I could adjust Low temp the electric oven, and put normal pot there. Hmm, oven heat loss should be well insulated)

 

[Lubener]

I use a crock pot all the time. I have a large and small one. A tough, inexpensive cut of meat can be cut with a fork when cooked in a crock pot...Stews and soups mostly.

 

[CharBaby]

My wife just made a minestrone soup in our crock pot that we've had since we got married. She uses it often.
I prefer the kettle on top of the stove when I make soup. I'm not the biggest fan of crock pot cooked food. I do taste the difference that I can't explain. Not that it's bad tasting, just different and I can still eat lots of it.

She also makes chile in our crock pot and that's OK but, I'm not a real chile guy...just sayin'. It's OK for a football game!
IMO, chile is an appetizer or the first course to the meal with crackers, not a meal. It means that real food is coming, like having a cup of soup before/with a meal like a salad. And I'm not a real Mexican food guy either and I've had good/better Mexican food in Southern California down by the boarder. Or I should say, "real Mexican food".

I know, no one is talking about Mexican food. Just sayin'!

 

[MParr]

We use ours quite a bit. Chili with beans, soups, stews, dried beans, pork butts, beef chuck roast, corned beef. They do a good job and free up time for other things during the day. They are especially good for working families. I prefer the older style crockpot to the newer Insta-Pot. The Insta-Pot shines as a pressure cooker.

 

[CharBaby]

Not that anyone was asking but, FYI, I looked up the food chile/chili and it can be spelled either way.

 

[SShooterZ]

We use them quite a bit. It's nice to have a hot meal ready at the end of a long work day.

Same. Wife makes some good crockpot concoctions too which is a great work day topper.

 

[Kira]

The large (6.5 qt.?) slow cooker we got as a gift has never failed.
Searing the meat first is an added step you do not want to avoid.

A friend used to make chicken iin a small crock pot without any searing and it took a toll on the meal.

 

[1000MPH]

We used to use ours quite a bit but nowdays hardly ever. We use the Instant Pot for soups and stews since we can sauté in it first. Pinto and black beans are perfect every time in only an hour.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I used to a lot until we got an insta pot. Seems lots of things like soups turn out just as well in shorter time. I could never get a roast to turn out in the crock pot, or insta pot. Have reverted back to a Dutch oven.