Slow Cooker - not impressed. doing it wrong?

[lozina]

So I got a 6-qt Hamilton Beach slow cooker recently, with really big expectations of it turning whatever I put into it into gold.

My first dish was a 4 lb pork roast with quartered potatoes and saurkraut then some broth for liquid. I used the probe to cook it until meat reached 160.

The result was pretty lame. The pork tasted bland and the potatoes were still hard as if they werent fully cooked. Only the saurkraut tasted decent, but that shit always tastes good.

The second dish was some veal osso buccos on a bed of slcied onions, some red wine and some tomato sauce, as well as some chopped mushrooms. I left this to cook 5 hours.

The meat was pretty tasty but the onions and mushrooms were practically raw.

I dont get it. How does it cook the meat consistently thorough but vegeatables are practically uncooked?

Am I doing something wrong?

I always add liquid, be it broth of tomato sauce. About 1/4- 1/2 cup depending.

Or were my expectations for slow cooker too high?

 

[NutBucket]

Not sure how large your veal was but for reference my wife cooked up a 5lb chuck roast on Saturday with a couple pounds of potatoes, some carrots, celery and onions. I believe she cooked it for about 2.5 hours on high and 6 hours on low. Came out awesome.

I think for your pork dish you were expecting too much as I don't see any mention of any seasonings besides the broth/sauerkraut (which aren't really seasonings in the first place).

Try one of these recipes: http://www.makinglifebetter.com/brands/liptonrecipesecrets/

 

[highland145]

Longer cook time? When I was a kid, Mom would put dinner on when we left for school. ~10 hrs of cooking.

 

[nageov3t]

bad recipes?

America's Test Kitchen has never let me down... http://www.amazon.com/Cooker-Revolut...2164979&sr=8-1

 

[FoBoT]

you'd have to put the probe in the potato if you want the potato to be done
crock pots are for long slow cooking, not 'is it done yet?' cooking

a 4 lb roast and potatoes should be in there all day on low, like 12-14 hours

try recipes created just for a crock pot

 

[IronWing]

I always add liquid,

Don't. Most meats and vegetables generate plenty of liquid while slow cooking. Too much liquid leads to the meat getting boiled with all the texture and flavor of boiled meat.

 

[preslove]

Don't. Most meats and vegetables generate plenty of liquid while slow cooking. Too much liquid leads to the meat getting boiled with all the texture and flavor of boiled meat.

This. And, one of the joys of a slow cooker is that it gives you free chicken/beef stock. This is pretty important to me, because I cook brown rice in chicken stock to make it taste a whole lot better.

BTW, does anybody cook with pork stock?

 

[lozina]

OK cool, less liquid, more cook time. I wont bother with trying to target a meat cooking temperature. I'll just set it for like 10 hours and see how it goes.

Seasonings I forgot to mention but I should be ok on, in fac tI may have went overboard on the pork one. Of course salt/pepper but also parsley, garlic (if you consider those seasonings) as well as caraway seeds, fennel seeds, little cayenne pepper, good amount of paprika, turmeric and some coriander.

for the veal I just used salt/pepper and some garlic

thanks for the tips!

 

[SunnyD]

Don't. Most meats and vegetables generate plenty of liquid while slow cooking. Too much liquid leads to the meat getting boiled with all the texture and flavor of boiled meat.

There's a reason I put a full fresh whole chicken in a crock pot on low with NO water. Yep, bone dry. Then When I pull it out ~8 hours later, there's about an inch and a half of stock juices sitting in the bottom of the crock.

That said, I did corned beef last week. Followed the instructions: Put beef in crock, cover with water. Turned out pretty damn good.

 

[silverpig]

IMO you cook the vegetables separately so they are done right. They should have a tiny little bit of crunch left.

Meat goes in the slow cooker. Brown it on the stove first with lots of seasoning on the outside. Make gravy from the liquid.

 

[Fritzo]

Just a tip...you don't measure temperature with a crockpot, you measure by time. You want to cook a roast 6-10 hours. It's designed to be one of those things that you can turn on when you leave for work and it will be done when you get home.

 

[waggy]

as others said less water more time. i never let my Crock pot go for less then 8 hours.

 

[OutHouse]

you'd have to put the probe in the potato if you want the potato to be done
crock pots are for long slow cooking, not 'is it done yet?' cooking

a 4 lb roast and potatoes should be in there all day on low, like 12-14 hours

try recipes created just for a crock pot

this.

you are not grilling so there is no need to check the temp. put that meat in there and let it cook. the goal is to break down the collagen and elastin.

 

[SunnyD]

By that way, it just has to be said...

Hamilton BEEEEEYOTCH!!!!

 

[lozina]

By that way, it just has to be said...

Hamilton BEEEEEYOTCH!!!!

Great.

Now every time I use this thing I'm gonna be saying that out loud

 

[artvscommerce]

pork stock makes a great base for spinach and rice soup

 

[Texashiker]

OK cool, less liquid, more cook time. I wont bother with trying to target a meat cooking temperature. I'll just set it for like 10 hours and see how it goes.
!

When my wife cooks a roast in the crock pot, she puts it on before we go to bed. It cooks all night and all day while we are at work. When we get home the next evening she pulls the roast apart to make a stew out of it. That equals to around a 20 hour cook time.

 

[lozina]

When my wife cooks a roast in the crock pot, she puts it on before we go to bed. It cooks all night and all day while we are at work. When we get home the next evening she pulls the roast apart to make a stew out of it. That equals to around a 20 hour cook time.

holy crap! how big is the roast? and how good does that stew taste?!

 

[SunnyD]

Great.

Now every time I use this thing I'm gonna be saying that out loud

My wife giggles every time I say it.

 

[Texashiker]

holy crap! how big is the roast? and how good does that stew taste?!

Its just your typical roast we get from the local walmart.

The meat pulls apart and taste good.

 

[OutHouse]

Its just your typical roast we get from the local walmart.

The meat pulls apart and taste good.

this may sound stupid but read the ingredients of your walmart meat.

the last time i did it said "beef flavor" was an added ingredient... that was the last time i bought meat at walmart.

 

[zinfamous]

You overcooked your pork. It should be internal at ~135.

Also, low and slooooooooooow. turn that puppy down as low as she goes and put it in for 10 or so hours.

You should start a slow cooker int he morning, before heading off to work. Maybe add the potatoes and saurkraut later, when you return, if you don't want them to get soupy. Probably get the potatoes started outside, then add to the cooker for the final 2 hours or so.

 

[LurkerPrime]

this may sound stupid but read the ingredients of your walmart meat.

the last time i did it said "beef flavor" was an added ingredient... that was the last time i bought meat at walmart.

Most of the meats at Walmart are 10% broth. Its how you think you are getting a good deal on the prices, however you are pretty much only getting 90% of what you paid for. A few other places besides walmart do this.

Back on subject. I usually cook a ~4lb Boston Butts (pork roast) in my slow cooker for 8-10 hours. I layer the bottom with chopped onions and I cover the Butt with a rub like I would do if I was smoking it. When its done, I take it all out, pull it apart (discard large fat portions) and make sandwiches (add bbq sauce).

 

[waggy]

Most of the meats at Walmart are 10% broth. Its how you think you are getting a good deal on the prices, however you are pretty much only getting 90% of what you paid for. A few other places besides walmart do this.

yeap.

i rarely buy meat at walmart (though the boneless, frozen chicken is good). BUT every now and then i pick up a roast for teh slow cooker. no need to add broth as it always has enough.

they taste good and are great for slow cooking..just get one bigger then you think you need.

(though if my butcher has a deal i go there)

 

[OutHouse]

Back on subject. I usually cook a ~4lb Boston Butts (pork roast) in my slow cooker for 8-10 hours. I layer the bottom with chopped onions and I cover the Butt with a rub like I would do if I was smoking it. When its done, I take it all out, pull it apart (discard large fat portions) and make sandwiches (add bbq sauce).

i do the same and its been a while. sounds like saturday dinner to me.